EVS releases XtraMotion cloud service following successful trials with FOX Sports

New on-demand cloud-based service uses AI to create super slow-motion replays from any camera angle

EVS, globally recognized as the leader in live video technology and new media productions, today announced the official release of XtraMotion, an on-demand cloud-based service that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to transform any video content into super slow-motion replays.

XtraMotion has been developed to help broadcasters enhance the viewing experience by bringing new super slow-motion capabilities in an efficient and cost-effective way. While native super slow-motion sources (sources that have been captured at 120fps or more) are amazing for storytelling, they cannot be deployed in every environment. Typically, most point-of-view cameras are not capable of producing super slow-motion video. Also, the full chain of super slow-motion capture represents a certain cost on the infrastructure. Productions therefore need to carefully select which of the cameras, if any, will be captured in high frame rate.

Now with XtraMotion, productions benefit from super slow-motion on virtually every camera angle as the high frame rate is created on-demand rather than natively. Relying on advanced machine learning algorithms developed by EVS’ team of experts, the process works for any production format – from 1080i to UHD/HDR - and any original framerate, transforming a 60fps video into a very smooth 180fps video as well as a native 180fps into a 540fps video. It also works on post and archived content. 

The service tightly integrates within the existing EVS replay and post-production environment, allowing EVS operators to seamlessly clip any content from any camera, render it to super slow-motion and play it back to air in seconds. Available as a cloud-based service and deployable on demand, XtraMotion does not require any additional hardware on site and the decision to use it for a particular production can be taken in instants.

Christophe Messa, Product Manager at EVS, said: “FOX Sports believed in XtraMotion from the very beginning and we have used each of our interactions with their experienced team during live events to improve our solution. We are now very proud to see it being deployed for its productions on a regular basis.”

Kevin Callahan, Director of Technical Operations, Fox Sports added: “The super slow-motion shots created from the in-car cameras at Daytona 500 this year let us truly appreciate how good the drivers are and gave us a real feeling of how steep the banking really is! And the fact that XtraMotion is a cloud-based service means we can deploy it whenever and wherever we want, and easily scale it to the capacity we need on every one of our productions.”