Located in Stuttgart, Germany, accredited university Hochschule der Medien (HdM) offers nearly 30 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, with an emphasis on media studies. One of the most sought-after academic disciplines at HdM, Audiovisual Media is available for students to take at both bachelor’s and master’s degree levels. We recently spoke with HdM students Philipp Nöcker-Prior, Paul Meinken, and Jonas Schmitte about the university’s Audiovisual Media program and how it helps prepare graduates for careers in broadcast, production, and professional AV. The following interview reflects their collective responses. 

Tell us more about Audiovisual Media at Hochschule der Medien.
The popularity of the Audiovisual Media program at HdM can at least partially be attributed to the robust technical infrastructure available within the school. Bachelor’s students begin applying foundational knowledge to studio productions from the fourth semester onward. In the master’s program, students focus on engineering and research, as well as integrating practical applications with theoretical frameworks. For example, in our "Sunset Balcony" project, we devised the blueprint for a live HD/HDR broadcast and then implemented it within a two-week timeline.

Ahead of the upcoming 2023/24 winter semester, the master’s level will be renamed “Audiovisual Media Creation and Technology.” The updated program will underscore the integration of science, design, and technology, thus positioning itself as an interdisciplinary nexus for academic exploration.

What are other examples of your master’s program projects? 
Our HdMedia over IP and HdMedia HDR projects are both student-led efforts regarding media technology. The HdMedia over IP project is dedicated to technology for video transmission over IP networks, with a specific focus on the standard SMPTE ST 2110. The project's overarching goal is to establish foundational knowledge for use within professional production environments. We set up system architectures and configurations alongside the execution of various performance tests over the course of three months. 

Run concurrently, the HdMedia HDR project delves into an HD/HDR workflow for live applications, with a particular emphasis on HDR within 3G infrastructures. We realized a live broadcast of a concert featuring artist Laura Kipp & Band in conjunction with HdM Sound Engineering master’s students. This production incorporated diverse camera types to capture the event. Notably, an HDR-capable set was constructed, featuring a substantial HDR LED wall and high-performance luminaires, thereby demonstrating the HDR’s inherent technical possibilities.

Why did you pursue these areas of study?
HDR and MoIP represent two cutting-edge topics within broadcast that are being practically applied. The convergence of these technologies significantly impacts established workflows and holds profound implications for the future trajectory of broadcast.

What have you found through your studies?
HdMedia over IP technology shows promise but is not yet fully mature nor adequately integrated within the hardware and software of various manufacturers. Further practical testing and closer collaboration among different manufacturers and customers are needed to establish a user-friendly, fully functional system.

In terms of HdMedia HDR, implementing HDR can significantly enhance the viewer’s visual experience on existing 3G infrastructure. In comparison, it is anticipated that the perceived leap in quality from SDR to HDR will be more substantial than that from HD to UltraHD. Consequently, with an appropriately aligned color pipeline, a substantial quality enhancement can be achieved in broadcasting without significant infrastructure overhauls.

How will your work on these projects impact the future of AV workflows? 
The industry and TV broadcasters already agree that the switch to media-over-IP technology is inevitable. Therefore, in the near future, the entire broadcast world will gradually convert their systems, which is why a basic understanding of ST 2110 is essential. In regards to HDR, we hope to demonstrate the potential and advantages of HDR.

What technologies and workflows did you use for these projects?  
For HdMedia over IP, we used the AJA IPT/R-10G2-SDI Mini-Converters to create a bridge between the ST 2110 infrastructure and SDI baseband devices such as monitors or feeds. The Mini Converters are easy to set up, quick to play, and reliable.

We produced the HdMedia HDR workflow in 1080p50 HD/HDR PQ and used AJA FS-HDR real-time HDR/WCG converter and frame sync and ColorBox color converters to handle the HDR-to-SDR mapping in the video workflow. Up/down/cross conversions had to be performed in many places to match the many different camera types, map monitoring paths appropriately, and create the SDR downmap for SDR end devices. With FS-HDR and ColorBox, we could easily use custom LUTs to convert signals. We also used AJA Ki Pro Ultra 12G recorders to record all 20 camera signals individually. 

As you continue your studies, what technology trends are you following? 
SMPTE ST 2110 is an important trend that will shape the future of the broadcast industry in a special way. Network-based media infrastructures are another area we are closely monitoring, as they will make it possible to create completely new workflows.

About AJA Mini-Converters
From production to post and live events, AJA Mini-Converters offer the most complete range of compact, standalone conversion and infrastructure solutions, designed to the highest standards in reliability and quality. Our converters cover a full range of 4K, HD and SD capabilities to meet your needs.  www.aja.com/nav/products-mini-converters

About AJA FS-HDR
FS-HDR is a powerful universal converter/frame synchronizer designed specifically to meet the High Dynamic Range (HDR) and Wide Color Gamut (WGC) needs of broadcast, OTT, production, post, and live event AV environments, where real time, low latency processing and color fidelity is required for 4K/UltraHD and 2K/HD workflows. Developed in partnership with Colorfront, the FS-HDR’s HDR/WCG functionality is powered by the Colorfront Engine proprietary video processing algorithms.  www.aja.com/fs-hdr

About AJA ColorBox
ColorBox from AJA is a compact, high performance converter for color managed workflows designed to specifically meet the conversion needs of broadcast, live events, and on-set applications. Supporting Standard Dynamic Range (SDR), High Dynamic Range (HDR), and Wide Color Gamut (WCG) signals, it utilizes 12G-SDI and HDMI 2.0 for single wire 4K/Ultra HD HDR up to 4:2:2 10-bit 60p or 4:4:4 12-but 30p with a unique color processing pipeline. Built around a 33-point 3D LUT processor with tetrahedral interpolation, AJA Color Pipeline provides additional 4x 1D LUTs and 2x 3x3 matrices that are each individually configurable event as Proc Amps or RGC Color Correctors. Easily manage color processing options via the web user interface, which can be accessed directly from a wired Ethernet connection or through a wireless connection via a third party WiFi USB adapter. www.aja.com/colorbox

About AJA Ki Pro Ultra 12G
Ki Pro Ultra 12G is a multi-channel Apple ProRes recorder offering up to 4-Channels of simultaneous HD recording, or in Single-Channel mode, a 4K/UltraHD/2K/HD Apple ProRes or Avid DNxHR recorder and player. Avid DNxHD MXF is also supported up to HD formats in Single-Channel mode. Ki Pro Ultra 12G offers 12G-SDI single cable simplicity for large rasters up to full 4K, (the 4x 3G-SDI inputs/outputs can be used for Quad Link operations as required) and HDMI 2.0 digital video connectivity with HDR support for both recording and playback. A wealth of analog and digital audio connectivity answers any project’s demand for efficient, powerful and flexible workflows. For distance and remote needs, 12G and 3G Fiber SFP+ options are available. Ki Pro Ultra 12G also offers the ability to record genlock free sources with frame sync support on inputs. Designed to be either portable or rackmountable with half rack wide, 2RU high dimensions, Ki Pro Ultra 12G is well suited for use in any environment. www.aja.com/ki-pro-ultra-12g

About AJA Video Systems
Since 1993, AJA Video Systems has been a leading manufacturer of video interface technologies, converters, digital video recording solutions and professional cameras, bringing high quality, cost effective products to the professional broadcast, video and post production markets. AJA products are designed and manufactured at our facilities in Grass Valley, California, and sold through an extensive sales channel of resellers and systems integrators around the world. For further information, please see our website at www.aja.com.

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Media Contact:
Katie Weinberg
Raz Public Relations, LLC 
310-450-1482, aja@razpr.com