ProZone – provider of match analysis software for over half of the FA Premier League’s clubs – has chosen Sony cameras to capture the movements of players appearing at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium. Designed by football coaches for football coaches, the ProZone software offers a “rich and comprehensive” set of analysis tools founded on the physical, technical and tactical aspects of performance. The software ultimately offers football clubs full 90-minute match reviews so that managers and coaches have a medium by which they can measure fitness, etc.
Constantly looking to further develop its business offering, ProZone decided to upgrade its existing analogue technology to digital format, and wanted to see how a state-of-the-art digital camera monitoring system would work. From ProZone’s perspective, any new cameras used with its software would need to be capable of capturing players’ on-pitch movements with high levels of clarity and in a variety of multi-dimensional views while at the same time offering remote management for ease of use and tailored monitoring and lens positioning. For the quick, effective and accurate relay of statistical data on player movements and performance to the server room where the footage is analysed, ProZone also needed a solution which could integrate fully with both its existing analogue set-up and any purpose-built, dedicated networks.
Impressed with the comprehensive portfolio of Sony equipment already installed at The Emirates Stadium in north London – the 60,000-seater Ashburton Grove home of Arsenal FC – ProZone turned to the CCTV specialist for a camera upgrade. Sony duly installed ten SNC-RX550P units at sightline points around the roof of the hugely impressive stadium, thereby ensuring that the movements of all players can be captured simultaneously and accurately. Sony states that the SNC-RX550P models offer the highest image quality in their class. They feature in-built stabilisation technology which ensures that any natural grandstand movements don’t have a negative impact on picture quality.
For additional accuracy, the cameras also include intelligent features which automatically refocus them to wherever the action is taking place. Commenting on the Sony technology, Phil Tordoff – head of product management and strategy at ProZone – said: “The cameras enable us to provide highly accurate and resilient footage for analysis, ensuring that we continue to stay one step ahead of the game. The intelligence features allow us to maximise the viewing angles and provide more comprehensive visions for the club.”
Positioned carefully to ensure that no blind spots occur when one camera’s line of sight is blocked by a player or players, every area of The Emirates Stadium’s pitch space is covered by a minimum of two cameras – but typically four – for ‘resilience of capture’. Video images are captured at a rate of ten per second, and are then processed by ProZone’s software to provide highly detailed match information (including the aforementioned fitness and performance data). With this data, managers and coaches can track the runs of an individual player over a specified duration to calculate fitness levels, assess how the defence is working together as a unit or determine the overall effectiveness of team tactics.
Tordoff continued: “Being digital, the cameras were easily installed on the stadium’s IP network, allowing for the efficient and fast transfer of 5 Gb of visual data to ProZone’s Production Centre. Prior to our work with Sony, we were reliant on the installation of dedicated networks with costly and expansive cables connecting the cameras with the server room. By migrating to a digital network design, we are able to make use of the stadium’s multi-functional IP infrastructure, enabling us to share the costs of use with other stadium services including the CCTV and the IP telephony.”
Furthermore, the SNC-RX550P supports the wireless transmission of video data, ensuring that the technology meets the requirements of other venues and applications. “By working with Sony we have created what we believe to be the only digital stadium platform that’s cutting-edge and future-proof, enabling the swift and cost-effective integration of future technologies,” added Tordoff.
ProZone’s PlayBack+ software seamlessly integrates with The Emirates Stadium’s digital network. At any one time, up to ten people can access the live camera feeds. “By moving to a digital format,” suggested Tordoff, “we can provide our clients with a faster turnaround of footage. In fact, we’ll provide DVD videos easily within minutes of the full-time whistle for first pass analysis.”
Article reproduced from Info4Security.
