NAB is the world’s largest gathering of video production professionals. This annual event, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center each April, is a must-attend event for broadcast production and video production professionals. So it’s not surprising that a large number of church production professionals attend the event as well.
This is a challenging event for attendees spanning four days. Over 1,500 exhibitors occupy nearly three-quarters of a million square feet of exhibit space. To try to see it all in four days is nearly impossible. For press agents, despite the two additional days of preshow press conferences, there’s simply too much good stuff fit into any single magazine or website. That’s why of the more than 90,000 people who attend NAB each year, over 1,300 are from the press.
Snell started the Sunday press conference series with a raft of announcements centered around the company’s new mantra “Innovation in a Multi-screen World”. The traditionally high-end video processing manufacturer announced several exciting new down-market products that fit the church market, the most directly applicable is the new Kahuna 360 Compact switcher. The company calls this new unit a“cost-effective”switcher for live production enabling a smooth migration from SD to HD and then 1080p. The new Kahuna 360 Compact offers much of the same functionality of the full-size Kahuna 360, with three full mix/effects (M/E), seven keyers per M/E, as well as Snell’s Make M/E technology which enables multiple independent sub-level switchers. Like the full-size Kahuna 360, Snell says the new Kahuna 360 Compact breaks the tradition of fixed M/E’s, fixed resources and fixed formats, and supports many simultaneous productions (live events, video venues, internet broadcasts etc) that would otherwise require multiple switchers
David Ross, CEO of Ross Video presented the next press event. Ross reports stellar growth for the company. He says revenue was up nearly 50% in 2011, and nearly 60% in 2012.
The mind-bending amount of news and new products from Ross Video includes a the introduction of the NK Series Routers, which starting at just $1,895 for a 16x4 router, plants a target squarely on the segment of the market place that Black Magic Design has dominated in recent years.
Ross reports the Carbonite line of live production switchers, which was launched last year at NAB, has sold over 500 units to date. Introduced at NAB 2011, the company says 63 units were sold during last year’s event --- and the first sale was to a church.
The new Version 6 software for the Carbonite line features enhanced on-board multiviewer capability with 29 user-selectable monitor configurations. The new version also features the company’s new Dashboard Live Assist which the company says provides intuitive control over switcher settings, MediaStore graphics and animations via the Dashboard viewer or your web browser.
Also new from Ross Video, is Inception, a social media management system for broadcasters. It automates the process for promoting broadcast content using social media, including content management, social media communications, approvals, scheduling those communications etc.
But David Ross saved the biggest news for last by announcing Ross Robotics, and the company’s acquisition of Cambotics, a camera robotics company. This furthers Ross Video’s venture in the the robotics world. The company purchased FX-Motion in late 2011.
While the examples offered up in the press event were mostly studio broadcast-oriented, the use of Ross Robotics CamBot technology, as the Cambotics products will now be known, could have a live video production application in larger churches. Imagine eliminating the need for ninja cam operators in your worship environments by using robotic cameras on tracks. The possibilities are endless.
The Panasonic press event was impressive in a variety of ways. Panasonic’s high production values were on display with stunningly clean video IMAG, and video and graphic playback, as a number of the company’s upper management team revealed a mind-boggling number of new products and upgrades to existing products.
While many of the announcements were directed at high-end broadcasters, a number of the new products and upgrades were aimed at the church market --- namely the powerful new Version 2.0 firmware upgrade for Panasonic’s AV-HS410 Multiformat Smart Switcher.
We got our first look at this product this past November at the WFX (www.wfxweb.com) event in Dallas. While still a very new product at the time (it was introduced in September 2011), Panasonic’s engineers tipped us off to some of the new features coming in Version 2.0.
New features, officially announced today at NAB 2012 include an SDK (Software Development Kit) and API (Application Programming Interface) which are available to enable the development of versatile custom plug-in programs for the live switcher. The SDK enables Linux-savvy developers and video engineers to create their own custom plug-ins to seamlessly integrate the switcher into their own production environment. The plug-ins will enable the HS410 to control a wide range of external devices, such as video servers, HD recorders, and remote camera systems — and will also allow the HS410’s powerful switching and processing functions to be controlled from web browsers, master control switchers, touch-screen systems and other devices.
Panasonic says examples of plug-ins already available or under development by Panasonic include P2 recorder control, browser control of crosspoints and picture-in-picture, multiviewer touch-screen control, camera control with presets, remote panel control and many more. The announcement says that plug-ins that can be created by independent developers are virtually unlimited, depending totally on the needs, imagination, and skills of end-users and other industry professionals.
Other major feature enhancements in the V 2.0 firmware for the switcher include: thumbnail displays of video clips on the HS410's built-in screen, two-channel simultaneous record and playback of video clips, simultaneous display of video and waveform monitor on the built-in high-resolution LCD display, and fast Ethernet transfer of still and video clips. Additional functions are also supported for creation of custom plug-in programs, including full programming access to the eight user buttons and GPI ports.
The Version two software upgrade for Panasonic’s AV-HS410 is free.
Panasonic also introduced a wide range of new, or upgraded video cameras, including AG-HPX250 and AG-HPX255 P2 Hand-held Camcorders, and the new AG-HPX600 P2 HD Shoulder-mount camera which features a lightweight chassis and very low power consumption. Panasonic intends to future-proof the AG-HPX600 camera by providing inventive functionality and improved workflows, with options such as wireless metadata input, proxy recording, and variable frame rates , and then Panasonic’s new AVC-Ultra compression. When available within 2013, Panasonic says AVC-Ultra will offer master-quality and/or low-bit-rate 10-bit, 4:2:2 recording in full HD to meet variety of user needs from mastering to transmission. The HPX600 also features wireless and wired connection ability with wi-fi, USB and gigabit ethernet. In addition, a future option will support LiveU for video uplink with real-time indication of LiveU’s transmission status and video transmission quality to camera operator.
Sony’s press conference at the Hard Rock Hotel ended our day of NAB preshow press events. The most well-attended event of the day --- with far more international press in attendance --- was another extremely well-produced event with stunning 3D film-like images from upcoming movie and television releases, and a wide range of stunning new products.
Sony’s Senior VP of Sales and Marketing, Alec Shapiro presented the hour-long event, with a range of Sony’s broadcasting and filmmaking partners gracing the stage for glowing endorsements.
On the product front, Sony introduces a range of new cameras, including the HDC-2000 and HDC-2550 live production cameras, a new lightweight XDCAM camcorder.
But perhaps the most important announcement for Sony is the introduction of a new flagship remote controlled video camera, the BRC-H900, equipped with three Exmor HD CMOS sensors producing HD 1,920 x1,080 pixels with 1,000 TV lines (horizontal) in HD-SDI mode, excellent sensitivity of F10 and a remarkable signal-to-noise ratio of 50 dB. Sony describes the new remote camera as having powerful 14x optical zoom and optical image stabilization features, allowing the BRC-H900 to meets the demands for remote control camera capture of superb quality footage in a wide range of lighting conditions even in large venues such as auditoriums, large meeting rooms, studios, concert halls and stadiums/sporting arenas.
For long distance transmission of video signals, the BRC-H900 can be used with an optical transmission unit, model BRU-SF10.
The BRC-H900 will be available in May 2012, at a suggested list price of $14,500.
On Monday, the press events and product demonstrations continue as the main exhibit floor opens and the attendees arrive. Church Production Magazine’s coverage of NAB 2012 continues….stay tuned.
Related Articles:
News: Snell Launches Kahuna 360 Compact Switcher
News: Panasonic Introduces “Easiest to Use Video Switcher in its Class”: the new AV-HS-410
New Product Announcement: SonyVPL-FX500L LCD Projector
