International. Sony again worked with the Vatican Television Center (CTV) and other technology partners to support the production and live world broadcast of the closing ceremony of the Holy Door by His Holiness Pope Francis in 4K HDR.
This marked the end of the "Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy", which began on December 8, 2015. Combining these technologies with state-of-the-art TVs will enable Sony to deliver immersive viewing experiences to homes around the world, as well as conquer and excite viewers in totally unknown ways.
Sony's technology is the core of the technological infrastructure for the transmission of the two ceremonies. The Vatican Television Center used twelve of Sony's state-of-the-art 4K HDR cameras, as well as a Sony S-Log3 HDR system, for live production as part of a comprehensive 4K HDR system.
The workflow also provides simultaneous transmissions in 4K Ultra HD with Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) and High Definition (HD) SDR. The dynamic range curve of S-Log3 is capable of processing the content with more advanced information, both in terms of dynamic range and chromatic, which guarantees real-time compatibility with all the transmission platforms currently used in the Vatican.
The relay will use the hybrid Log-Gamma profile (HLG) for delivery, the HDR standard approved in July by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which was used in the pioneering retransmission test of the opening of the Holy Door on December 8, 2015.
Sony technologies used for broadcasting
The CTV used twelve Sony HDC-4300 cameras to capture the live events. The 2/3" 4K image processing system provides excellent image quality, superb dynamic range and low-light performance, an indispensable element for capturing images in enclosed spaces.
Sony's MVS-7000X live production mixer and Sony's PWS-4400 playback server system complemented the live production workflow. The powerful features of the MVS-7000X system include operation of up to 6 M/E with a maximum of 8 high-performance keyers per full M/E bus, 8 format conversion channels supporting frame synchronization, and 2 channels of multiview output.
The PWS-4400 playback server system is one of the main elements of the system for Sony's live 4K/HD production. With the ability to record images in Sony's highly efficient XAVC recording format, flexible I/O settings, HFR recording capability and an intuitive user interface, it achieves superb smooth slow-motion playback in both 4K and HD.
The distribution of the Ultra HD format will be carried out through Eutelsat's HOTBIRD satellites, in order to offer the retransmission to all users with 4K1 compatible equipment on channel 200 of the free satellite platform Tivùsat. Globecast will use an innovative SNG uplink satellite and Ultra HD signal produced by the vatican television center itself with the new HEVC comprehension format. Ericsson, NTT Electronics and Vislink will provide advanced encoding and decoding equipment for HEVC Ultra HD signals.
Live images of the closing of the Holy Door will be broadcast in the Vatican's Paolo VI auditorium, both in Ultra HD with Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) and in Ultra HD with High Dynamic Range (HDR). The signal will also reach the Republic of San Marino by satellite, through the kursaal Congress Centre's fibre optic network, for live viewing in Ultra HD.
The event will inaugurate the first segment of San Marino's FTTH fibre optic network, which throughout 2017 will provide high-speed Internet to 80% of San Marino's 24,000 homes via electricity meter.
