The racecourse partnered with Racetech, Ateme, Focal Point VR and Bluebell Opticom to deliver the real-time broadcast
Last weekend Ascot Racecourse showcased a tech demo of a live ultra-high-resolution immersive broadcast of a horse racing event, delivered in real time.
The racecourse said the broadcast was a world’s first and brought audiences “closer to the action through workflows designed specifically for next-generation immersive video”.
The tech demo was run by Ascot Racecourse, Racetech, Ateme, Focal Point VR Ltd, and Bluebell Opticom, working across capture, encoding, connectivity, and on-site deployment.
Focal Point VR deployed its multi-8K sensor immersive camera system, delivering stereoscopic depth and clarity with a fidelity of 37 pixels-per-degree. Bluebell Opticom provided fibre connectivity to link Focal Point VR’s camera system and processing engine.
Ateme’s Titan encoder processed the ultra-high-resolution content in real time, encoding directly into Apple’s MV-HEVC immersive format for playback on Apple Vision Pro. And Racetech and Ascot Racecourse supported the live racing environment and operational integration for the demonstration.
The demo was available to “selected VIP guests” at Ascot on race day.
Graham Badger, head of media and broadcast, Ascot Racecourse, said: “This demonstration at Ascot showed the power of collaboration across the industry. Together this technology can push the boundaries of what fans can experience in real time, bringing people closer to the heart of the sport and making them feel as though they’re truly there. We see this as a major step forward, and we’re excited by the opportunities it will create for our audiences.”
James Gray, commercial director, RaceTech, added: “With innovation being so important to RaceTech, the team are delighted to be involved in the delivery of this live immersive experience. Ascot Racecourse is a world-renowned venue of sporting excellence, so is a fitting place to demonstrate this technology. The immersive experience really makes it feel like you have been transported into the parade ring. I am confident this demonstration will provide innovative opportunities for RaceTech’s existing customer base and a multitude of other applications in live events.”
“This exclusive Focal Point VR and Ateme pipeline sets a new standard for live immersive broadcasting” said Mickael Raulet, CTO at Ateme. “It demonstrates how ultra-high-resolution immersive video can be delivered live, bringing audiences closer to the action and enhancing the sense of presence at major sporting events.”
Jonathan Newth, CEO Focal Point VR ltd said: “Live immersive broadcast has long been discussed as the next frontier for sports but delivering it at true broadcast quality and in real time has remained a significant technical challenge. This demonstration at Ascot shows that ultra-high-fidelity immersive experiences can now be delivered live, reliably, and at scale. Working alongside RaceTech, Ateme, Bluebell and the Ascot team, we’ve proven that immersive video can be integrated into real-world broadcast environments without compromise, opening the door to entirely new ways for audiences to experience live sport.”
“For immersive production to operate reliably in real world environments, the transport layer must deliver uncompromising performance,” said Anil Parmar, sales and marketing director at Bluebell Opticom. “This deployment demonstrates that uncompressed 8K video and control signals can be carried over fibre infrastructure with the performance and confidence required for next generation immersive workflows.”
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