Live From NBA All-Star: Canon Free Viewpoint To Make U.S. Broadcast Debut Improved system takes volumetric video to new level for live sports production and more By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Sunday, February 20, 2022 - 12:11 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
The Canon Free Viewpoint volumetric capture system will take its next step tonight during the NBA All-Star Game. More than 100 Canon Cinema EOS-based cameras and lenses inside Cleveland's Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse will be used to give replays a whole new look.
The Canon Free Viewpoint system will allow an operator to fly a virtual camera through volumetric video capture of tonight's NBA All-Star Game.
It has been a long time coming, says Steve Hellmuth, executive vice president of media operations and technology, NBA, noting that discussions with Canon began at NAB in 2019. But Canon was great, soliciting our advice and keeping us updated on the progress. We remained in touch, and Canon decided to grace us with two systems. One has been installed at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the other in Cleveland; both will remain in place through the end of the season.
From left: Brent Valenti of Bally Sports Ohio, Steve Hellmuth of the NBA, and Tsuyoshi Wakazono of Canon at the NBA All-Star Game
We decided to install it [at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse] because of the All-Star Game and also because the Cavaliers are a great outfit for introducing new technology, he says. They gave us the rack space inside the building and also allowed for the installation of the cameras around the perimeter of the arena.
Tonight's use will emphasize new types of replays: a virtual camera can swoop around and between players and virtually go anywhere in the building.
This will allow us to fly in the arena, notes Hellmuth. It will be like having six drones in the building without any limitations and any liability. He believes all leagues should be looking at volumetric capture because it offers multiple benefits well beyond cool replays.
At the end of the day, he adds, you get player tracking and player positioning, and, with AI, you can generate statistics and can also create metrics that don't exist today. For example, right now, deciding whether a player defended a shot is a manual process, but, with this, you can write into the AI [that, if the hand is here relative to the ball,] it's a defended shot.
The cameras in the system capture the video information, which is processed on proprietary Canon image-processing boxes behind each camera and turned into data. The data from all the cameras is then sent to a server system that creates a point-cloud 3D model of the players and other objects on the court. Images are built using voxels, which are units of graphic information that define a point in three-dimensional space (basically, the 3D equivalent of a pixel) combined with RGB values. An operator with a joystick akin to a cabled camera system flies the virtual camera within the virtual environment and builds the clips in a process similar to rendering an animation.
The system made its public debut at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, where 125 cameras were used, but three years of innovation will result in a more robust production experience.
During the Rugby World Cup, says Tsuyoshi Wakazono, manager, Image Solutions Business Operations, Canon SV Business Planning Department, rendering the replay took about 15 minutes. Now we are integrated into the live broadcast so we can quickly turn around a clip in about 10 seconds and also keep streaming so other highlights can be created.
The applications for volumetric capture are numerous: besides the broadcast and social-media applications, uses range from videogames to VR to officiating, training, and coaching. It creates a perfect VR environment that is free of convergence issues and will allow fans to take seats they wish to take in a VR environment, so it holds tremendous promise, says Hellmuth. All of our videogaming partners are visiting us to create the ideal data set for videogames because they can get a perfect model of the players.
He notes that the benefits extend to the officials, teams, coaches, and players. Officials, for example, could look at plays from any angle and zoom in from any angle, solving one of the big problems in relying on camera angles framed to include multiple players. The virtual environment also will not have the stanchions supporting the hoop and backboard, allowing officials a better view of plays under the basket.
We can now put the virtual camera right behind the basket and looking straight out at the court because the stanchion is gone, adds Hellmuth.
The system does require a lot of storage, about 60 TB per game. But continued improvements in storage, the use of edge computing, and even 5G could make it easier to move the vast amounts of data around.
The amazing thing is, Canon has figured out how to do all of that in only three seconds, says Hellmuth. It's a unique collaboration because Canon understands lenses, imaging, and how to translate that into digital.
The efforts tonight will be part of the Turner Sports production as well as the world feed, the NBA's social-media channels, and more. It's getting a global reception, he adds, and the fact that I've been on the phone with China for a few nights this week shows the interest.
Brent Valenti, senior producer, Bally Sports Ohio, is looking forward to putting the system through its paces for the rest of the season. We'll be playing more with it, and it will help out with our analysis.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
28/01/2026
Top L-R: The Liars, Jazz Infernal, Living with a Visionary
Second Row L-R: Paper Trail, The Baddest Speechwriter of All, Crisis Actor
Third Row: The Boys and ...
28/01/2026
Music discovery should feel intuitive and personal. That's why we're continuing to give you more control, so you can ask for what you want, shape what y...
28/01/2026
Today, Charlie Hellman, Spotify's Head of Music, shared the following note on the Spotify for Artists blog that the company paid out more than $11 billion t...
28/01/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), in partnership with the Oudtshoorn Municipality, invites aspiring and emerging filmmakers to apply for the Sediba...
28/01/2026
As demand for more complex live sports coverage grows, Balkan broadcast specialist MVP has upgraded its flagship HD1 progressive OB truck with the installation ...
28/01/2026
Airlines, cruise and tour operators double down on ad spend as Australians' prioritise travel
Sydney January 28, 2026 - New Nielsen Ad Intel data shows a...
28/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/01/2026
Marshall Electronics launches the CV420-27X, its next-generation ultra-high-definition (UHD) IP camera, at ISE 2026 (Stand 4N900). Engineered for modern IP-base...
28/01/2026
Grass Valley has announced that Television Mobiles Ltd. (TVM), one of Europe's leading independent outside broadcast providers, has carried out a major refu...
28/01/2026
AI, graphics and virtual software power new production capabilities
FOR-A is bringing remarkable new technologies to FOMEX, the Future of Media Exhibition (ex...
28/01/2026
Continuing a longstanding collaboration, Riedel Communications and Nordic media technology company Media Tailor have once again joined forces to deliver a state...
28/01/2026
Pebble has appointed Paul Nagle-Smith as vice president for customer fulfilment, strengthening its senior leadership focus on customer delivery and operational ...
28/01/2026
Cloud playout solutions provider, Veset has announced that leading Mexican broadcaster, TV Azteca is using Veset Nimbus on AWS as a disaster recovery (DR) playo...
28/01/2026
Ensuring it can keep pace with a rapidly evolving live sports market, Balkan broadcast facility provider MVP Most Valuable Production has upgraded its flags...
28/01/2026
Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM), the cloud solutions provider that powers and protects life online, and Yospace, the leader in dynamic ad insertion tec...
28/01/2026
The renowned Reykjavik City Theatre (RCT) recently underwent a major intercom system upgrade using Clear-Com solutions. This milestone project utilizes Clear-C...
28/01/2026
Luxembourg, January 26, 2026 - SES S.A. ( SES or the Company ), a leading space solutions company, acknowledges the credit rating action announced by Fitch to...
28/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/01/2026
28 01 2026 - Media release Screen Australia refreshes Market & Audience approach...
28/01/2026
Boston Conservatory Orchestra Premieres a New Piano Concerto by Peter and Leonar...
28/01/2026
28 Jan 2026
VEON Notes Kyivstar Group Publication of Selected Full Year 2025 Fi...
28/01/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to host 2026 edition of its online event Demystifying EMC Rohde & Schwarz invites the global EMC community to join a crucial discussion on pre...
28/01/2026
Back to All News
The Wait Is Over: Teaser Trailer Drops for Jo Nesbo's Dete...
28/01/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Announces a Fictional Miniseries Inspired by the Marta del Castillo Case
Entertainment
28 January 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to ...
28/01/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Announces Santiago Mitres New Film Starring Ver nica L...
28/01/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils the Teaser Trailer for Berlin and the Lady wit...
28/01/2026
Stadtwerke Wolfhagen Modernize Customer Management with AEP.energysuite from Arv...
27/01/2026
Click for Japanese version
Tokyo, Japan - January 27, 2026 - Akamai Technolo...
27/01/2026
L-R: Jonathan Cuchacovich, Sonia Kennebeck, Alan Fischer, Daeil Kim, Andrew Sta...
27/01/2026
Today, Spotify is proud to support our partner Backline, an industry-leading men...
27/01/2026
With nearly 29 million monthly listeners and clear momentum on Spotify, Net n Ve...
27/01/2026
January 14, 2026
We are proud to share that 25 Ontario, First Gulf's commercial project located just two minutes from our head office, has been recognized ...
27/01/2026
January 22, 2026
First Gulf is excited to share that a full-building lease has been secured at 625 Bronte Rd in Oakville, part of Bronte Station Business Park,...
27/01/2026
January 23, 2026
First Gulf continues to demonstrate its commitment to high-performance, sustainable real estate with 351 King Street East achieving BOMA BEST ...
27/01/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
27/01/2026
Nielsen will continue to drive growth and provide local audience measurement
in...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Amagi Media Labs Limited, the only cloud-native SaaS provider offering end-to-end solutions across live production, content preparation, distribution, and monet...
27/01/2026
Miri Technologies Inc. today unveiled its V410 live 4K video encoder/decoder for streaming, IP-based production workflows and AV-over-IP distribution. Designed ...
27/01/2026
The Paul E. Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell in Massachusetts has chosen Ikegami cameras for incorporation into its broadcast-quality television production facili...
Live From NBA All-Star: Canon Free Viewpoint To Make U.S. Broadcast Debut Improved system takes volumetric video to new level for live sports production and more By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director 
