Forward Sports Titles

INFORMATION AND GRAPHICAL DESIGN OF LIVE SPORT BROADCASTS. HARDWARE-SOFTWARE SYSTEM

Forward Sports Titles is a system for the graphical design of live sports broadcasts. It provides the real-time display of text and graphical information about the competition during the game: the score, game time, names and photos of players on the field, information about the teams and players, composition of the refereeing panel, etc. It supports the following sources: a database, a stadium scoreboard or manual input. The title designs meet the current requirements of sports leagues for their respective sports: hockey, football, volleyball, basketball, martial arts, handball. Animated effects are also available.
The hardware-software complex includes a video signal input/output board (SD/HD/3G-SDI) and a software set. All components are designed and manufactured by SoftLab-NSK. The system contains tools for managing the sports titles database, modules for stadium scoreboard integration, graphical templates for title overlays, as well as tools for managing the output of titles.
The system is supplied as a turnkey video server running on Windows. It allows you to overlay titles onto a passing video on the server or work in the Fill + Key mode and overlay titles using an external mixer. One video server can be used to overlay titles over different sports competitions.

An example of a graphical design according to the requirements of the KHL using Forward Sports Titles

What is it designed for

The Forward Sports Titles system is used when conducting live broadcasts of sports competitions and is used at the workplace of the graphical design operator. With the help of the system, all of the tasks for preparing and managing sport titles in real time can be managed in one place.

The system includes overlay templates and tools to maintain the competition database. Before the game, the Forward Sports Titles operator will upload up-to-date data about the teams, players, coaching staff, and the refereeing panel to the server. The data can be sourced from a website, from a local file, or entered/edited manually.

During the competition the server automatically registers information from the stadium refereeing system. The operator can add any missing data manually. The server loads the current statistics, text strings, photos and other data into the title’s graphical templates. At any moment of the game, the operator can, at the click of a button, prepare up-to-date titles that correspond to the current game time and broadcast them.

The content of the video signal at the server output depends on the selected operating mode:

  • full-screen video with title overlays – in mixer mode;
  • Fill + Key signal with title overlays only – title overlay server.

We have taken care to provide the simplest possible interface for the operator’s work in real time. Preparing titles is completed in one click and there is a clear indication they are ready for broadcasting. A single click of a button is also enough to overlay or hide the graphics. There are regular and emergency modes for hiding titles. The system interface, including the composition and location of the title control buttons, is customizable.

Each sport has its own version of the system, which meets the requirements of the sports league regarding the information contained within and the design of the titles and corresponds with the competition rules. These modifications are available for the following sports: hockey, football, volleyball, basketball, martial arts, handball.

MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PRODUCTS:

Forward TT for overlaying titles onto a passing video signal (not limited by the framework of sports competitions) ;
Forward Goalkeeper for multichannel recording and slow motion replays in live broadcasts of sports competitions and other events;
Forward Office for the storage and management of media content, media planning.
 

Product modifications

Select the required modification of the Forward Sports Titles product by choosing a sport and a design option for it. If necessary, multiple plugins for different sports can be installed onto one video server. The following modifications are currently available:

  • hockey – Design Pro, current KHL requirements;
  • hockey – Light, original design;
  • football – Light, original design;
  • basketball – Design Pro, current FIBA ​​requirements;
  • basketball – Light, VTB League requirements;
  • volleyball – Light, CEV requirements;
  • volleyball – Light, original design;
  • handball – Light, original design;
  • MMA – Light, original design;
  • boxing – Light, WSB requirements.

Request design examples and a list of product modifications with prices. A custom modification can also be ordered.

All system modifications fully meet the requirements of their respective sports leagues in terms of content and volume of information, competition rules, title design, etc. For the Design Pro modifications, their design meets the requirements of the current technical regulations of the league exactly and must be updated if those requirements change.

System features

Software

The system software includes modules and sets of files necessary for preparing and managing the display of sports titles:

  • modules and database tables for working with information about the competition;
  • a set of graphical files with title designs;
  • modules interaction with the stadium game board (match controller);
  • modules for receiving, processing and generating a video signal with title overlays;
  • system operator interface.
Main features

A Forward Sports Titles server provides the following functions:

  • management of the competition database (DB):
    • data storage;
    • filling in and updating the database using external sources: from the league website, from files;
    • manually entering data into the database;
    • setting up the current version of the data for a game;
  • input and registration of dynamic game information – the current period number, score, game time, additional game statistics:
    • in manual mode;
    • automatically from the stadium referee system;
  • combining graphics and game information at the touch of a button – automatic loading of data into graphical templates;
  • control of title display: preview, start, stop, update.
System operator workstation. Interface for managing the display of titles during KHL hockey matches

Stadium equipment integration

Match controller integration is supported: NATA-INFO, Araneus, NG-Light, LedBow, Swiss-Timing, PALAMI, Nautronic, Stramatel, Dian and others.

PLEASE NOTE:

– tech support is provided free of charge for as long as the product is in use;
– software updates come out regularly and are available, free of charge, as long as the product is in use;
– for more information on our tech support policy and tech support in general, click here.

Product set

The Forward Sports Titles system is supplied as an assembled video server. The product includes:

  • a system unit in a professional 4U case with Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64Bit OS installed;
  • a video input/output board (SD/HD/3G-SDI);
  • a set of cables for connecting video and audio signals;
  • the preinstalled Forward Sports Titles software.

Purchase

To purchase a product, please contact the Sales department of SoftLab-NSK or our official dealers. Our experts will help you select the required product modification and offer options for upgrading an existing product.

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