AtomOne mini zoom cameras a key part of the delivery proposition
Garbsen, Germany — 8 April, 2024
Dream Chip – a leading manufacturer of miniature cameras, in partnership with their German distributer Teltec, have recently completed the sale and installation of 14 AtomOne mini zoom cameras for Riot Games, as part of the latter’s conversion of the LEC studio into a devoted, diversified eSports venue, under the new name ‘Riot Games Arena’.
The new arena – which continues to host the League of Legends EMEA championship, but which seeks to place increasing focus on the growth of other eSports titles, including VALORANT and TeamFight Tactics – was completed in 2024. The idea was initially pitched in September 2022, with implementation entrusted to NIYU, who provided a turnkey solution. Coordinating with two other companies, NIYU began implementation in April 2023, and the inaugural games were played in the arena in January 2024.
The expansion of the venue to accommodate new gaming tournaments meant that a key aspect of the design and delivery was a flexible setup which could be adjusted quickly to accommodate the specific logistics of each tournament’s format. The arena maintains a capacity of 210 live spectators, but the greater focus has been on creating an immersive, engaging experience for online viewers. Additionally, a further key consideration is the provision of exceptional facilities for competitors, ensuring that they can fully focus on their performance, whilst still allowing fans access to their favourite competitors and teams, behind-the-scenes and in-the-moment.
It is for this reason that Dream Chip were selected as one of the POV camera suppliers for the stadium, supplying a total of 14 miniature cameras, ten of which operate at any time to give a direct shot of competitors as they game. This was not a straightforward undertaking. Due to the close-up nature of the camera to the gamer, and each gamer’s propensity to move significantly within a close-angle frame, it can be difficult to keep the gamer constantly in frame.
Conventional PTZ cameras were considered too cumbersome, slow and intrusive for the application. AtomOne mini zoom cameras were selected precisely because of their unobtrusive nature. Measuring just 600mm x 85mm, with a weight of 267g, the camera could be discretely mounted on custom-made PSUs, which sit to the side of each competitor’s monitor. These were then connected back to a single under-desk connection point that feeds back to the main rack in the control room. These under-desk connections were designed to be detachable so that the competitor stage layout could be configured flexibly as needed.
Aside from the physical demands required of the camera in terms of discrete placement and flexible deployment, the technical quality of the image was also a key consideration. Although the path-to-access for eSports audiences tends to be through non-conventional (and specifically, non-broadcast) channels, they still hold an expectation of broadcast quality. Dream Chip’s AtomOne mini zoom cameras are able to deliver exactly this, despite their small size. With full HD resolution and a 1/2.5” sensor, along with a wide-angle lens of 120° – 40° F/1,5-2,8 and full HDR capability (HLG, PQ and SLOG3), the AtomOne mini zoom provides all of the quality expected of a broadcast camera.
Marc Dörmann, Head of Solutions at Teltec AG, underlined Teltec’s strategic decision to add Dream Chip cameras to their portfolio and highlighted the exceptional colour matrix of these cameras, stating: “This outstanding feature simplifies the colour matching process and facilitates seamless integration with other elements of a broadcast setup. In addition, Dream Chip cameras are versatile, as they can be easily integrated with various Remote Control Panels (RCPs), allowing users to choose the system best suited to their requirements. Teltec’s careful pre-selection, consultation and configuration – in collaboration with Skaarhoj – ensured a smooth implementation process and represents strongly our commitment to delivering flawless solutions tailored to our clients’ needs”.
Speaking of their involvement in the project, Christian Kühn, Sales & Product Marketing for Dream Chip, said: “Dream Chip has a rich history of involvement with sports of all kinds, from motorsport to winter sports, tennis to American football. eSports represents a new direction for sports broadcast as a whole, but the principles remain the same; fans want to be immersed in the moment, and share in the emotion and excitement of the competitors involved. Our cameras have provided for exactly this in the Riot Sports Arena, and we are grateful to Teltec for going above and beyond in ensuring that NIYU were given everything they needed to deliver a highly successful project”.
Expanding on this, Mike Doerfling, Managing Director for NIYU, said: “When Riot commissioned us, the brief was clear: we needed to create an environment that was not only technically exceptional in terms of the quality and reliability of delivery, but one that fully encapsulated the excitement, challenge and atmosphere of competitive online gaming. We needed to create a setup which immersed viewers in the world of their favourite competitors – giving them full insight into the thrills and nuances of each gaming moment. Dream Chip cameras have helped us to achieve exactly this”.
More information about Dream Chip and its products is available at www.atom-one.de.