Capture and Produce

Will Strauss#

Author: Will Strauss#

Published 1st October 2014

Issue 93 - September 2014

Amongst all the new cameras, support and other production kit being touted prior to IBC, it was a less tangible announcement that really captured the imagination: Atomos’ announcement that it wants to standardize its Start/Stop Trigger connectivity for HDMI by making it available to other manufacturers.

Locking SDI interface cables have been around for years. And they are trusted. But they aren’t cheap. HDMI cables, found on so many cameras these days are. But they fall out. And that is no good as a professional in any situation. At the same time, standard HDMI lacks important SDI capabilities like timecode support and auto start/stop triggering for automatically controlling external devices. Well it did.

Working with the HDMI Consortium, Atomos has proposed a free and open extension to the HDMI standard that solves this. It’s brought out a range of rugged, locking HDMI cables too.

As the company states: “Atomos was the first company to engineer auto HDMI start/stop and timecode communication with cameras. Initially with Sony in 2011 for the FS100 followed up with Canon in 2013, for the 5D Mark III, 1DC and C100. Currently almost all professional Sony and Canon HDMI Cameras including the A7S employ this protocol. As the popularity of our external monitor/recorders has grown, demand for this connection has spread quickly to all camera manufacturers. Now with an open, free and available standard this transition can happen quickly and easily.”

Yes, in one sense, it’s only a standard and some cables but it does means that as the commoditisation of broadcast technology continues, affordable HDMI connectivity might be a realistic proposition for professional production very soon.

Camera support

Shotoku Broadcast Systems will anchor its IBC stand (11.F40) with a new smart rail camera system designed to cope with the rigorous demands of daily TV studio use. A fully integrated product, SmartTrack is built around track-based technology from MAT and works in combination with Shotoku pan & tilt heads and control systems Also on show will be Shotoku’s control solutions, pan & tilt heads, robotic and manual pedestalsand virtual reality products for OB, studio and field production.

www.shotoku.co.uk

Cameragrip has re-launched its website. The new portal features a wider variety of products than its predecessor and has a new clean and crisp look that is said to make navigation easier and allow users to focus on the products. The mobile compatible site also incorporates a streamlined checkout process and customer accounts can be created for regular users.

www.cameragrip.com

Acquisition

Editec has taken delivery of the X10 Ultra HD 4K high-speed camera system from Belgium’s I-MOVIX. The Ultra Slo-Mo device is capable of shooting 4k up to 1000fps using the I-MOVIX control panel or with an XT3 server direct streaming at 100fps.

www.editecuk.com

Specialist Cameras

Bradley Engineering will show a new remote control mini HD camera at IBC (11.F41) designed for use on goalposts or within nest boxes. ELKAM is shaped like an elbow, has a full HD MOS sensor and features a 100-degree wide angle lens. The Brockenhurst-based firm will also show the RD12 camera-back receiver which operates with Sony, Ikegami, Panasonic and Bradley cameras to provide CCU control for Iris, Tally, Red Gain, Blue Gain and Pedestal.

www.bradeng.com

Broadcast RF is using IBC to show off a new version of its head-mounted wireless camera system for sports referees. The updated Refcam features a tiny new camera with an HD-SDI output that feeds directly to a transmitter. It is supplied with full remote camera control for picture, exposure and colour matching. The transmitter is a Cobham NANO HD.

www.broadcastrf.com

On Set

GB Labs has launched the 4k Duo On- Set for DITs working on high end 4K location shoots. The new development encompasses a fast ingest station, a UHD storage platform and highspeed data LTO backup. GB Labs says it “opens up the potential for 4K project sharing and archiving in the field, with the option for editors, audio technicians and colorists to work simultaneously on the same project.” 4K Duo On-Set will launch at IBC (7.J15b) and be available worldwide from selected resellers.

www.gblabs.com

Camera batteries

The latest intelligent battery technology from PAG can be seen in action at IBC (10.C49). Among the products on show will be solutions for powering a wide range of cameras and equipment including Polecams, Steadicams, Boxx digital microwave technology and Antelope ultra slow motion systems. PAGlink battery system users will be available on the stand to discuss portable power demands.

www.paguk.com

Production

UK local TV licensee Brighton TV, which went live in August, is using Panasonic technology for its studio and location production. A range of P2 camera equipment has been purchased including HPX250 and PX270 camcorders for news gathering and location reporting. Adapted HPX255 units, studio-controlled using Datavideo’s MCU- 100 handheld unit, will provide camera facilities for the seafront TV studio. The station was also supplied with a Blackmagic Design Hyperdeck Studio video recorder as well as Cambo studio pedestals. Distributed by Holdan, the Panasonic and Datavideo equipment was supplied by reseller Proactive.

www.proav.co.uk

FOR-A will unveil the HVS-XT2000 video production switcher for the first time at IBC (2.A51). With up to 40 SDI inputs and 22 outputs, the 2 M/E XT2000 is designed for a variety of uses including OB truck, live event, television studio, house of worship and education. Amongst the key features is MELite which allows a traditional AUX bus to transform into a functional M/E with cut, mix, wipe and key control. “The XT2000 switcher was designed based on significant customer feedback,” said Hiro Tanoue, president of FOR-A Corporation of America.

www.for-a.co.jp

Lighting

iON Cameras has partnered with LED lighting system manufacturer Rotolight to develop the iON Pro Lighting Kit. On show for the fi rst time at IBC (11. D69) the innovation is compatible with Air Pro 3 and includes the Rotolight RL48-B LED Ringlight, Floating Pistol Grip, Accessory Belt Pouch, Twin -inch Mount Adaptor Bar and 360 Degree Swivel. The iON is said to be ideal for low light conditions and can operate for up to fours hours using three AA batteries. The included Floating Pistol Grip also provides a water sport buoyancy aid for the iON camera.

www.rotolight.com

www.ioncamera.com

The new Lishuai C-200S is an on camera LED light that provides an ideal solution for photographers and videographers who want a compact, soft light to enhance faces and close up objects. The C200S is the latest addition to the excellent lighting range from Lishuai and the fi rst to provide a soft output.

The fixture provides an even, soft output from 40 high power LED’s at 5600K, running from a single Sony NP-F style battery (included).

www.proav.co.uk

Audio

The EVO.Live digital audio mixing system will be one of the product highlights for Fairlight at IBC (7.H17). A dual function console, it allows engineers to switch between live and post modes at the touch of a button. In addition, the Australian manufacturer is showing its expanded range of live production tools, which includes the highly acclaimed iCan customisation software. A new platform for Object Oriented 3D Sound Production will also be on show. Supporting standard and custom bussing in simultaneous 2D and 3D it also features NHKs 22.2, Dolby Atmos (via RMU) and DTS MDA.

www.fairlight.com.au

Routers Alston Elliot (AE) Graphics is using Snell’s 2RU Vega router as part of a web-enabled workfl ow environment in its new OB trucks. Supplied by Thameside TV, the 96 port Vega is said to provide the sports graphics company with “a small footprint and easy, web-based reconfi guration that enables staff to instantly re-route the system without specialist training and allows for the simultaneous completion of numerous jobs.”

www.snellgroup.com

www.thameside.tv

Cameras

Sony has launched the 4k-ready PXW-X70, the fi rst compact XDCAM professional camcorder. It features a 1.0 type Exmor R CMOS Sensor with a resolution of 20 megapixels and is likely to appeal to those working in news, documentaries and events. Sony has also unveiled the PXW-X500 which has three-chip 2/3-inch type new CCD image sensors that are designed to remove issues associated with motion artifact and rolling shutters. The successor to the PMW-500 can be used for ENG, sports productions, live productions and documentaries.

pro.sony.eu

Camera Corps has chosen IBC2014 as the global launch platform for the latest version of the legendary Cricket Stump Cam which has long set the standard for capturing dynamic close-ups of major national matches and international tours. V3 incorporates four cameras (two per wicket) and is the most compact to date, completely housed inside a regulation-gauge cricket stump. This gives users the freedom to place cameras in the mid or outer stumps. Each camera can be confi gured with a choice of 50 degree, 100 or 128 degree lenses to allow tight, wide or superwide shots.

www.cameracorps.co.uk

Switchers

Broadcast Pix has launched PixPlay, a new software option that will allow any Broadcast Pix integrated production switcher to provide slow motion control to a Blackmagic Design HyperDeck or AJA Video Systems Ki Pro disk recorder. Originally developed for sports offi cials to use in reviewing footage for high school and college sports, PixPlay can also be used during production. Regularly priced at $495, PixPlay will be offered free to customers purchasing a new Flint, Granite or Mica integrated production switcher until the end of Sept.

www.broadcastpix.com

Connectivity

Atomos has released an open and free HDMI Start/ Stop Trigger standard that other manufacturers can use. It could one day replace the ubiquitous SDI within broadcast facilities. “We love HDMI, but as it gets more popular on the camera side we need to help make it work in the pro world,” said Jeromy Young, chief executive of Atomos, “Historically this has only been achieved in the tech industry by creating an open standard, which is what we’ve done” Atomos has also cut the price of its Samurai Blade to US$995, a reduction of 20%.

www.atomos.com

Lenses Cooke Optics is to add more choices to its acclaimed lens ranges. The Anamorphic/i range will benefi t from 25mm and 135mm lenses that are expected to start shipping towards the end of 2014, followed by 180mm and 300mm lenses in 2015. In addition Cooke will add a 21mm lens to both the miniS4/i range and the 5/i series.

www.cookeoptics.co.uk

Audio Acquisition

Aaton-Digital will show its new 24 track Cantar-X3 recorder and new Aaton-Digital 5 Oled monitor at IBC (11.F31). The X3 combines the ergonomics of its predecessor, the X2, with improved microphone preamplifi ers that have been redesigned for better fi ltering possibilities and to reduce noise levels. New functionalities include optional Audinate’s Dante IP networking. The Aaton-Digital 5 Oled monitor, which can be used with the X3 as a video source monitor, is the Aaton version of the Transvideo StarliteHD monitor.

www.aaton.com

Digital cinematography Transvideo will show StarliteHD at IBC (11.F31), a precision 5-inch OLED fi eld monitor that can record H.264 dailies, take snapshots and generate a .pdf with metadata from ARRI and SONY cameras at each take. About the size of a smartphone and weighting 190 Grams, StarliteHD is a professional 3G-SDI fi eld monitor with a high-resolution waveform monitor and a precision vectorscope.

www.transvideo.eu

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