Pixotope, the leading software provider for end-to-end virtual production solutions, announced today that GETOP, the leading virtual production integration services provider in Asia, selected Pixotope Graphics - Extended Reality (XR) Edition (XR Edition) to power Taiwan's first XR production facility at the Formosa Television (FTV) station in New Taipei City. Created in response to the growing use of LED volumes in virtual production, Pixotope XR Edition is an off-the-shelf software solution that removes the need for bespoke set ups and proprietary hardware. The solution delivers a range of purpose-built tools that simplify setup and operation. As a result, FTV benefits from optimized hardware usage and simplified, efficient, and resilient XR workflows, including high-impact set extension for larger-than-life 360-degree virtual environments, unrestricted by LED volume size.
Built in collaboration with Harvatek, a Taiwanese supplier of LED volumes, the studio was planned, designed, and built by GETOP and is formally known as the CYANS LED Virtual Studio, the centerpiece of which is a massive 8K LED wall measuring 18.5 meters (60 ft) wide and 5 (16.4 ft) meters high. GETOP’s objective for the studio is to produce television content with a narrative style that advances television production technology and workflows into a new era. To achieve this, GETOP established specific production goals and designed plans to utilize multi-camera operations and precise, real-time XR stitching technology for set extension.
With this studio, FTV can now offer an array of virtual production services for various events and productions. The setup also enables them to use the LED wall to create photorealistic virtual environments that respond to the movements and settings of the camera, delivering immersive narrative-style live television broadcasts. The state-of-the-art studio complies with rigorous Netflix Partner Center standards, making it a global leader in specifications and capabilities.
When evaluating technology partners for the studio, GETOP and FTV prioritized decreasing production costs and increasing on-set production efficiency.
“We wanted to create a completely new workflow that enabled fast and efficient real-time multi-camera television production while balancing cost and efficiency,” says Paul Chou, General Manager, GETOP. “Reducing production costs, doubling the efficiency of on-set production and mitigating risk were our key objectives.”
The comprehensive Pixotope platform features its own editor which eliminates the need for additional auxiliary software and complicated integrations, reducing resource-intensive setup and simplifying XR production workflow operations. The combination of the platform’s inherent strengths in live production guarantees the stable integration of camera tracking as well as exceptional color profile management and correct color space output, thanks to the built-in color LUTs in Pixotope. This ensures that colors captured by the camera in the physical environment match the colors of the virtual environment so that both seamlessly blend together to create a photorealistic experience for the viewer.
“Prior to implementing Pixotope, it was very difficult to achieve faithful color representation across our workflow, which is absolutely critical in XR production. Even if it could be achieved, the image quality and stability couldn't meet the standards of broadcast television. With Pixotope, we don't need to worry about such technical integration issues: we’re able to just focus on content creation and production. The seamless integration and ease of use has not only ignited our creativity but also positioned us at the forefront of Taiwan's virtual production revolution,” adds Paul.
Pixotope XR Capabilities in Action
Over the summer, GETOP put Pixotope to the test during a groundbreaking inaugural production to showcase the vast potential of the studio’s XR capabilities, the first of its kind in Taiwan. With XR Edition’s purpose-built tools, such as color matching, LED wall alignment, camera switching, hardware consolidation, and its overall resilience, GETOP was able to successfully achieve real-time multi-camera set extension to create an immersive, interactive backdrop featuring the iconic Taipei 101 tower and the vast cityscape beyond. With this workflow, GETOP created an immersive interactive virtual environment that soared beyond the bounds of the LED wall, giving the effect of an endless open air studio.
WATCH: GETOP DEMONSTRATES CYANS LED VIRTUAL STUDIO CAPABILITIES: www.youtube.com/watch?v=clBwEaH7POs
“GETOP is not just elevating virtual production standards for FTV, they are also setting an example for broadcasters globally,” says Vivian Yu, Marketing Director, APAC and Global Sales Enablement Lead at Pixotope. “Broadcasters are now capable of creating immersive environments and narratives that were once thought to be beyond reach in live settings, transforming the viewer's experience in the process. By embracing this innovation, GETOP is moving Formosa TV forward, leading them and the entire industry towards the future of live broadcast."
About Pixotope Graphics - XR Edition
Pixotope is addressing the fundamental challenges that have historically made it difficult to leverage XR outside of major blockbuster productions. Its purpose-built tools address common operator pain points while removing the need for proprietary hardware, effectively bringing users an off-the-shelf XR solution.
Key benefits and features in the XR Edition include:
Streamlined, Simplified Set Up
Unique Color Match Functionality for AR<->XR Workflows
This unique color matching tool enables users to quickly and easily match the colors of in-camera visual effects (ICVFX) and those appearing through the LED volume for seamless AR/XR workflows and effects. This is particularly useful when augmented reality (AR) is used alongside XR for set extension or when adding virtual elements to a scene as color reproduction is affected by both the camera and LED volume, making it difficult to accurately color match.
LED Mesh Import and Automatic Alignment
By combining procedural geometry creation tools and tracking technology, users will be provided with an automated method for converting CAD and geometry representations of LED volumes to virtual LED projection surfaces. These will be further refined using computer vision to ensure perfect registrations for XR and AR set extension, which will significantly reduce setup time.
Automatic Alignment Of Led Walls Using XR Digital Twin
Align LED walls in minutes, without any manual intervention. Pixotope XR Graphics Edition analyzes the pattern on the LED panels to generate a digital twin, which is then used to create a virtual actor that perfectly matches the real world. This means that users can overlay AR graphics onto LED walls with ease, without having to worry about any alignment issues.
Manual alignment of LED Walls using XR Manual Twin
The Manual Twin feature facilitates the creation of planar, curved, and corner LED wall configurations within the Editor, offering users ease and flexibility. However, in contrast to the automated workflow provided by the Digital Twin, the alignment process needs manual execution.
Reduced and Optimized Hardware Usage
Multi-Input Switching in Software for Changing Perspectives
When using more than one camera in an XR setup, the images on the LED volume and the AR rendering need to synchronously change perspective when switching between cameras in a single frame. With in-software switching, Pixotope ensures this operation is accurate and hassle-free without the need for additional hardware.
Multi-Wall Support to Optimize Hardware Use
With multi-wall support, Pixotope can drive several LED walls from a single server/workstation. This not only reduces the amount of hardware needed, and therefore cost, but also mitigates many common issues such as output synchronization and sharing of assets over multiple machines.
Resilient, Robust, and Reliable
Health and Diagnostics Monitoring for Failover and System Resilience
When it comes to live Virtual Production, failure is not an option. With Pixotope, the clear and comprehensive health and diagnostics monitoring enables users to proactively address any issues that might arise and quickly troubleshoot and, in the case of a system failure, seamlessly failover to a backup machine.
For a complete list of XR Edition features and capabilities, please visit https://www.pixotope.com/product/pixotope-graphics-xr
