TV Tech - July 2021 - "PTZ Systems"

SPECIAL GUIDE: PTZ Systems July 2021 ebook

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Focusing on Hi-Res And expanding uses for remote production

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editor's note

PTZ’s Time Has Come

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The history of the pan-tilt-zoom (aka PTZ) camera has reflected much of the history of automation within a diverse range of industries, from surveillance and security to distance learning, broadcast and houses of worship.

The ability to control cameras remotely has become increasingly important as enterprises seek to lower costs and manpower and increase the range and flexibility of imaging.

Early systems were low-res, usually made of cheaper materials than professional cameras and limited by the size of the camera and lens technologies.

However, as imaging technology became smaller, lenses became more compact and stronger in focusing abilities and IP control became more ubiquitous, PTZ cameras found homes in more professional settings, especially in sporting arenas where broadcasters could capture action from more angles and place the smaller-sized systems in confined spaces that wouldn't allow human operation. Even radio is now adopting the systems to offer listeners an up close and more personal look for their announcers.

Over the past year and a half, as the world went into lockdown and every mode of communication became virtual, government agencies, media and entertainment companies and other types of businesses began to rely more on the compact and ever more flexible PTZ camera system to provide live, real-time video to more customers, students and alike.

For houses of worship, in particular, the need for parishioners to stay connected is an important factor in PTZ camera adoption, according to Hamid James, product manager for PTZ Camera Systems at Panasonic.

“Professional PTZ cameras with our streaming solutions are enabling churches to expand their outreach by offering more streamed content on their website and social media platforms,” he said.

Michael Cuomo, vice president of Telemetrics agrees.

“We think the new normal—even after the pandemic has passed—will be smaller crews indoors and remotely controlled technology for remote production taking a bigger role in broadcast and video production,” he said. “The current health scare has forced all of us to rethink how production is accomplished and find new ways to produce content safely that still looks good to viewers at home.”

How are you incorporating PTZ systems into your operations? Drop us a line at tvtech@futurenet.com.

CONTENT VP/Global Editor-In-Chief Bill Gannon, william.gannon@futurenet.com Content Director Tom Butts, tom.butts@futurenet.com Content Manager Terry Scutt, terry.scutt@futurenet.com Senior Content Producer George Winslow, george.winslow@futurenet.com Contributors Gary Arlen, Susan Ashworth, James Careless, Gary Eskow, Steve Harvey, Craig Johnston, Bob Kovacs and Mark R. Smith Production Manager Heather Tatrow Managing Design Director Nicole Cobban Senior Design Directors Lisa McIntosh and Will Shum ADVERTISING SALES Director of Sales, Media Entertainment & Tech Laura Lubrano, laura.lubrano@futurenet.com MANAGEMENT Senior Vice President, B2B Rick Stamberger Head of Production US & UK Mark Constance Head of Design Rodney Dive FUTURE US, INC. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10036

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contents 4

The Increased Role of PTZs

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Upgrading to UHD in the Age of Coronavirus

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COMMENTS?

Newest PTZ Cameras Tout 4K, NDI Capabilities

Have a comment or suggestion about this ebook or other ebooks from TV Tech? Drop us a line at tvtech@futurenet.com.

ON THE COVER: New World Symphony in Miami uses an array of 4K PTZ cameras for its educational productions.

Virtual Visualization of Radio

Photo credit: New World Symphony

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remote video operations

Houston Community College uses JVC KY-PZ100 PTZ video production cameras for its podcast studio.

The Increased Role of PTZs In remote video operations, PTZ cameras may offer an ideal solution for those looking for better video quality than your everyday webcam

By Jennifer Guhl and Cindy Davis

W

hen setting up rooms or venues for video, integrators want to avoid having to budget for a full-time camera operator if at all possible. That’s one of the reasons remote video capabilities are so attractive.

With pandemic safety protocols forcing many industries to turn to remote video options, pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras may offer an ideal solution for those looking for

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better video quality than your everyday webcam. From conference rooms to theaters and broadcast facilities and sporting arenas, these little dome-like cameras can make it look like you have a full production crew on call.

When it comes to engaging a remote audience, production value matters.

“Video production expertise, however, is in short supply,” said Paul Richards, director of business development at PTZOptics. “The pandemic has forced many organizations to massively scale live streaming or virtual event operations, or start from scratch, without increasing staff. Adopting and integrating new

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technology, along with the accompanying staff upskilling required, can be a daunting prospect.”

“Simply put, you need the right tool based on the job,” said Paul Cords, director of product management and sales at Vaddio.

“Fixed cameras, while useful and common in personal settings, can be limiting,” he said.

PTZ cameras support both multipurpose and multi-user needs in modern conferencing spaces by offering the benefits of freedom of movement and attention-getting visual interest. If a participant steps away from the table and up to the whiteboard, or if a user

remote video operations needs to zoom in on a particular item or area, a PTZ camera (especially with presets) allows that natural collaboration.”

PTZ AT WORK AND SCHOOL PTZ cameras are ideal for distance learning, and for use within a network of conference and meeting rooms. With the pandemic forcing many companies and schools to turn to live streaming for meetings, events and classes to keep attendees safe, PTZ cameras offer a cost-effective and efficient way for them to achieve that workflow.

PTZ cameras offer organizations of any size the ability to live stream events through the use of preprogrammed shots and presets to capture video, alleviating the need to hire an on-site video technician. Another benefit: PTZ cameras’ wide-angle lenses allow users to capture the entirety of a large room all at once.

Video PTZ cameras offer organizations of any size the ability to live stream events through the use or preprogrammed shots and presets to capture video, alleviating the need to hire an on-site video technician.

“Equipping classrooms and meeting spaces with advanced automated camera solutions today will enable flexible work and learning environments into the future. Corporations and schools that adopt this technology will be the ones to attract students and workers,” said Rony Sebok, vice president of technology at 1 Beyond.

Eddy Boyette, eastern zone manager at Lumens Integration, agreed.

“In both the corporate and education sectors, PTZ camera orders have increased dramatically.

The key emphasis when selecting our products is the superior image quality and the extremely low latency,” he said. “Education institutions are working on hybrid classrooms and students need to be able to see the material clearly when learning from home. Businesses are hosting virtual events, and high-resolution IP cameras allow the best video experience for the viewers. It’s amazing to see where we first started and know that our cameras are contributing a visual experience for everyone.”

LIVE STREAMING IN HOUSES OF WORSHIP With in-person gatherings prohibited, houses of worship turned to live streaming their services, and PTZs often played a big role in delivering the worship message to congregants celebrating remotely.

“A recent report shows that 90 percent of churches without a live streaming system are looking to put something into place within the next couple of months,” said PTZOptics’ Richards. “Churches are large spaces and integrators should be able to help their customers choose the appropriate optical zoom. Integrators should be thinking about camera operators, or more importantly, the ability to centralize camera controls in a single location.” The company offers an ebook on this topic, “Helping Your Church Live Stream,” available for free at ptzoptics.com/book.

Prepandemic, many houses of worship were already looking at ways to augment the in-person experience and increase online viewership, according to Hamid James, product manager for PTZ Camera Systems at Panasonic. The COVID crisis simply sped up the implementation of remote production solutions that were already in the planning stages.

“Professional PTZ cameras with our streaming solutions are enabling churches to expand their outreach by offering more streamed content on their website and social media platforms,” he added. “Since PTZs are incredibly versatile, churches are leveraging these systems to capture more dynamic content and immerse and inspire their congregations like never before.”

THE FUTURE OF PTZS By their nature, PTZ cameras help people continue normal business operations remotely—whether it’s for a corporate meeting, a church service, a university class or even a live streamed concert.

Though PTZ cameras and other remote production technologies have been incredibly helpful during our current health crisis, their importance won’t be diminished when the pandemic ends.

“We think the new normal—even after the pandemic has passed—will be smaller crews indoors and remotely controlled technology for remote production taking a bigger role in broadcast and video production,” said Michael Cuomo, vice president at Telemetrics.

“The current health scare has forced all of us to rethink how production is accomplished and find new ways to produce content safely that still looks good to viewers at home.” l This article originally appeared on Systems Contractor News News.

Michael Cuomo, vice president at Telemetrics

Hamid James, product manager for PTZ Camera Systems at Panasonic

Rony Sebok, vice president of technology at 1 Beyond

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Next-Level Robotic Camera Operations While many companies are now offering low-grade PTZ cameras that are seen as ·good enough". Telemetries continues on its path to offering the best quality systems that transform operations and bring reliability and new opportunities for create dynamic content that raises the level of any production studio or TV station newscast.

There is a clear difference.

Telemetries' robotic camera systems take advantage of artificial intelligence (All. facial recognition and object tracking to offer broadcasters new options to create dynamic content that raises the level of any production. This is professional-grade equipment that can accurately be called "Broadcast Quality." It's helping stations across the country (and around the world) create fresh-looking productions with a single camera-control operator.

The RoboEye 4K Pan/Tilt system distinguishes itself with smooth on-air performance. due to robotic servo controls that use motors of ultra-high position and velocity accuracy. They are also whisper quite during operation. This makes them an ideal choice for on-air use. including with augmented reality graphics or virtual studio systems - without any additional peripherals required.

These high-end features are critical as broadcasters require the flexibility of delivering more dynamic newscasts that take advantage of video walls, virtual sets and studio displays. which are becoming more and more popular approaches to today's storytelling.

For studio applications. the RoboEye can be used with a small teleprompter and rotate the prompter with the pan axis. It can also be paired with any of more advanced robotic systems such as elevation columns, track systems to achieve jib-like moves.

Camera features include stellar image acquisition via an internal 1''-type EXMOR R™ CMOS 4K digital camera for pristine 4K or HD capture. In addition to repeatable Pan and Tilt moves, there's also a Powerful 24X Zoom (18x 4K) lens for a wide range of shot possibilities only limited by the mind's creativity. Add 12G. PoE connectivity and Live SRT streaming

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July 2021 I

Special Guide: P1Z Cameras

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right out of the camera and you can see how this system stands head and shoulders above what's on the market today.

The RoboEye. in tandem with the RCCP-2A­ STS control system. also includes facial and object recognition algorithms that enable the camera to accurately follow talent around the set. This could be during live on-camera moves and for adjusting framing when talent shifts positions or inadvertently ends up off their mark. The company refers to this invaluable Al-assisted tracking capability as ·reFrame™ " and it's a significant step up from just keeping talent centered in frame, a feature touted in competitive systems.

[Telemetries' reframe technology was first introduced in 2017 and it has continued to add new features and improvements ever since. The Telemetries' control panel significantly streamlines this automated shot trimming capability into a few button presses.I Finally. the RoboEye's rugged (Aluminum alloy) design satisfies military applications as well as demanding commercial and industrial applications where high reliability and smooth and accurate camera performance are demanded. RoboEye's ergonomic design is also compact weatherproof. and tightly sealed-and it is available in custom colors to match sets and unique environments.

By employing the very latest in robotic camera control. Telemetries integrated Pan/Tilt robotic camera technology is helping broadcasters make the best use of limited space, improve operational efficiencies and navigate these challenging times by limiting the number of people in the studio-all without compromising on program quality and storytelling.

For more information call 201-848-9818 or visit www.telemetrics.com.

TeJemetrics Carnero Control Systems www.telemetrics.com

video production

Upgrading to UHD in the Age of Coronavirus Miami’s New World Symphony brings 4K to distance learning via PTZ systems over a 12G infrastructure

4K PTZ cameras were an important element in allowing NWS to continue streaming during the pandemic.

UPGRADE TO UHD

By Dan Slentz

W

ith the need for video production for streaming on the increase due to the pandemic, many performance venues around the world have scrambled to upgrade their production systems. At New World Symphony, the past few years brought major upgrades to the large performance hall’s video system to full UHD. Unlike many other performance halls and public venues, New World Center, home of NWS, was prepared to produce videos under pandemic protocols, including a recent CBS TV special featuring national performers.

Based in Miami, the New World Symphony, America’s Orchestral Academy (NWS), prepares graduates of music programs for leadership roles in professional orchestras and ensembles. In the 33 years since its cofounding by Artistic Director Michael Tilson Thomas and Lin and Ted Arison, NWS has helped launch the careers of more than 1,150 alumni worldwide.

Panasonic controllers were used to control the PTZ cameras in three control rooms.

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Areas in the NWC that were scheduled to be upgraded prior to the pandemic included the symphony’s “SunTrust Pavilion” (or STP), a very large performance space used for orchestral rehearsals, and home to our extensive distance-learning video system. In the world of TV production, the STP would be the equivalent of a medium-sized TV studio.

During the upgrade the previous year to UHD, we designed a setup to not only bring some of the portable hall cameras into the STP, but permanently add eight Panasonic UHD PTZ cameras. A small control room was created specifically for STP use, but if we so chose, we could control everything from the main control room.

Since the pandemic greatly increased the need for distance learning, we decided to do a major update to the entire distant-learning system. This involved replacing the existing HD system with a new 64x64 12G For-A router, adding another smaller For-A HVS1200 UHD switcher controlled from our IT control room, adding a few additional practice rooms to the system, plus four much larger practice areas. To bring everything up to New World’s current 12G system standards, more Panasonic UHD cameras were added bringing our total count of these cameras to 22.

We used Panasonic controllers to control the PTZs, with two in the central production control room, one in the STP mini control room, and two in the distance-learning control room. Shifting the controller

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to a different group give the various controllers the ability to control any camera. The main control area also has full shading control utilizing UHD scopes as well.

Our design for the STP was part of the original performance hall build but updated

by Enlighten Digital of Orlando, when they did the design and integration of the distance learning system. Jaime Gurevich was the lead designer for Enlighten Digital with Rob Ross (Enlighten’s president), who were invaluable with their experience from our work on the performance hall upgrades in 2019.

The total cost of the STP and distance learning upgrades were about $1 million. The performance hall control room upgrade in 2019 was about $3.4 million, while the UHD camera and Telemetrics robotic upgrade in 2018 was about $2.7 million. We’re still not quite done as the performance hall utilizes 14 Christie Roadie HD30k projectors and our outside projection system use 3 Christie Roadie 4K35 projectors, but we plan to replace all 17 projectors with RGB laser projectors of equal or higher lumen in 4K this summer.

The design of the system has been built to accommodate direct routing of 12G video from our For-A router to each projector, plus utilize DisplayPort over fiber to link our immersive projection system to its server system. In addition, we’re now creating two smaller “living rooms” out in our park using two portable (12- and 9-foot) LED walls.

You can learn more about New World Symphony at www.nws.edu. l Dan Slentz is the chief video engineer for NWS.

camera options

Newest PTZ Cameras Tout 4K, NDI Capabilities

most video conferencing and other software applications.

The addition of NDI means that the new 1080P PTZ camera is recognizable as a source by other NDI-enabled applications and devices connected to a standard Ethernet local area network, making it easier to share and stream content.

Trends in remote production have inspired more flexible designs

By Katie Makal and Tom Butts

H

ere we are, 16 months into working remotely. With the worlds of broadcast, business and education still relying on videoconferencing for survival, the time has come to take the experience to a higher level. Whether you’re considering providing employees with a pro-quality camera for their home offices, or simply upgrading the hardware in your boardrooms, there are a lot of new advancements to parse.

To help you in this, we’ve rounded up the latest models of PTZ and pro cameras for broadcasting, videoconferencing and streaming applications.

video calls. In addition to the USB3 output, the Saber Plus also has simultaneous 3G-SDI, HDMI and network stream (RTMP, RTSP, and optional NDI|HX) outputs.

Conferencing apps like Zoom with FECC (Far End Camera Control) can take control of the camera when connected via USB while almost any AV control system can connect via the serial or PoE+ enabled Ethernet ports using the industry-standard VISCA protocol. An inbuilt web server provides users with not only control but a video preview available to any device with a modern web browser.

Canon CR-N500

CANON ANGEKIS The Angekis Saber Plus USB3 camera provides direct, driverless connection to soft codecs like Zoom, Teams and Webex. The full HD-resolution lens system with 12x optical zoom provides high-quality images for your

Apantac AP-1080P-PTZ-20x

APANTAC

Angekis Saber Plus USB3

Apantac’s AP-1080P-PTZ-20x (NDI) is designed for capturing video up to 1080P and offers 3G SDI, HDMI, USB 3.0 and HD videoover-IP decoding.

The variety of the formats this camera supports makes it suitable for house of worship, educational and corporate applications. By incorporating NDI, it communicates using the NDI protocol and allows bidirectional distribution and access of live video over existing IP LAN infrastructure. It also integrates with

Canon’s CR-N500 PTZ camera features a 1-inch CMOS sensor, 3.2μm pixel pitch and a DIGIC DV 6 image processor to capture images with high sensitivity, low noise and a minimum subject illumination of 1.5 lux. It sports a 15x optical zoom 4K UHD lens that covers a focal range of 25.5-382.5mm and variable pan and tilt speed of 0.1-degree to 100-degree per second. There is also a builtin three-density ND filter, nine-bladed iris, Dual Pixel CMOS AF and support for Canon Log 3.

The CR-N300 features a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, DIGIC DV 6 image processor and a 20x optical zoom lens with focal range of 29.3-601mm. CR-N300 has four scene modes: portrait, sports, low-light and spotlight.

Additional features include Canon’s Hybrid AF system combining high-precision contrast AF and high-speed phase-difference AF; and 0.2-degree to 300-degree per second pan speed and 0.2-degree to 170-degree per second tilt speed.

Both the CR-N500 and CR-N300 are for indoor applications and support HDMI, IP and 3G-SDI. They are also compatible with live production protocols like NDI | HX, RTMP and more.

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camera options

Jabra Panacast ClearOne UNITE 50 4K AF

CLEARONE The ClearOne UNITE 50 4K AF camera is a major upgrade over traditional webcams and introduces ClearOne’s Auto-Framing technology that automatically frames meeting participants to maximize screen use through intelligent image algorithms and ePTZ automation.

With 4K video quality at 30 Hz, auto-focus capability, 4x digital zoom, more than 8 megapixels of total resolution and an ultra-wide 110-degree field of view, the UNITE 50 4K AF ePTZ is equally capable of delivering high image quality from a home office as it is at capturing all participants in an office boardroom. The company says ClearOne’s UNITE 50 4K AF is well-suited for managers or executives who require the best remote video presentation available.

JABRA The Jabra Panacast is an intelligent 180-degree panoramic 4K plug-and-play camera for videoconferencing. PanaCast integrates three 13-megapixel cameras, stereo microphones and advanced software to deliver video coverage, audio capture and data sensing. The camera mounts on top of any digital display or on a wall with available mounting hardware.

The USB-C connection allows connection to any compatible device or display for instant setup and mobile meeting capability.

PanaCast is compatible with all leading collaboration software providers and is certified for use with Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

Intelligent Zoom automatically zooms in whenever meeting participants are present, optimizing screen real-estate, and features like Whiteboard Sharing and PeopleCount help make meetings more productive.

KONFTEL

HUDDLECAM With today’s virtual work, learn and entertain movements, having the right videoconferencing equipment is important. The HuddleCam Pro (USB 3.0), certified by Zoom Video Communications, and the Pro IP (4K NDI) electronic PTZ webcams come with a handheld IR remote to control PTZ functions and feature 4K video with a dual-microphone array.

The HuddleCamHD Pro and Pro IP webcams can clamp to a monitor, attach to a tripod or mount to a wall delivering a simplified videoconferencing and live streaming solution for any application.

HuddleCamHD Pro

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packet loss typically found on IP connections.

It also offers stream encryption for content protection. Using VITC, the PTZ cameras also feature multicamera synchronization for live event production, making it suitable for mixing and streaming concerts, shows, sports and other live productions where image synchronization is crucial.

For remote control, the cameras feature JVC’s RM-LP100 Remote Camera Controller, JVC’s KM-IP6000/4000 LiveIPProduction Suites or a variety of other options from vMix, OBSStudio and NewTek. For remote conferences and lectures, the KY-PZ200N and KYPZ200 support UVC (USB VideoClass), which enables the cameras to be used as webcams.

Both models can be directly connected to a PC using a USB cable (sold separately), making them suitable for a range of educational and other digital applications.

JVC_4K KY-PZ400N PTZ Cameras

JVC JVC’s 4K KY-PZ400NW/NB and HDKY-PZ200NW/NB cameras target remote production, providing optimal streaming image quality and performance over IP and are equipped with NDI|HX and SRT streaming,H.265/H.264/MJPEG encoding and VITC (Vertical IntervalTimecode) multicamera synchronization technologies.

The advanced streaming capabilities of the incorporated SRT technology adds automatic repeat request (ARQ) and forward error correction (FEC) to prevent

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The Konftel Cam10 is a business-class webcam for desktop users with a wide 90-degree viewing angle, HD video output and dual microphones. The portable Konftel Cam10 is suited for both home and traditional office environments, as well as for users with single or multiple external displays. Placed in an optimal position on top of the main screen, it promotes a natural viewing experience.

The Konftel Cam10 uses a standard damping bracket for stable installation, while there’s the option of tripod mounting for alternative camera placements. The webcam’s notable features include 1080p resolution, 4x digital zoom, autofocus, a built-in privacy shutter and USB 2.0 connectivity. The webcam is also Climate Neutral Certified.

Konftel Cam10

camera options The CV730 comes in two colors (black or white) as well as two IP options: one with IP/HEVC/SRT (CV730-BK/WH) and one with NDI|HX (CV730-NDI). Its one cable-to-camera setup option carries video, audio, control, power and tally over category cable for ease of setup. Marshall also offers a broadcast-style PTZ controller, the VS-PTC-IP, with precision joystick control and dedicated dials for adjusting exposure, white balance, focus, zoom speed, as well as a rocker switch control of zoom.

Lifesize Icon 500

LIFESIZE The Lifesize Icon 500 is a fully integrated meeting room system (camera, codec and Lifesize Phone HD) purpose-built for 4K video, HD audio and 4K content sharing that extends the meeting experience from midsize and large rooms to an enterprise’s entire hybrid workforce.

The Icon 500 now comes with a new capability called Lifesize Connect, which lets the room system interoperate with any cloud videoconferencing app or service—Microsoft Teams, Zoom and more—with no additional fees and only requiring a common HDMI cable or two. With Connect, teams can enjoy the performance of the Icon 500 while joining or hosting meetings with colleagues, customers, and partners on their cloud videoconferencing platform(s) of choice.

diagonal field of view, and powerful 4K sensor captures every person in the room. Rally Camera prioritizes privacy by adjusting its lens to a parked position, pointing straight down, when not in use. In addition, whenever video is muted during a meeting, a status light illuminates red to affirm visual privacy.

NewTek NDI PTZUHD Camera

NEWTEK

LOGITECH With its industrial design and Ultra HD imaging system, Logitech’s Rally Camera is compatible with virtually any videoconferencing app, according to the company, and is well-suited for professional meeting spaces of all shapes and sizes. Built into Rally Camera, Logitech RightSense technology proactively automates camera control to frame participants, no matter the distance from the lens. Right Light also optimizes light balance and prioritizes faces over objects to render natural-looking skin tones.

Rally Camera’s whisper-quiet mechanical Pan/ Tilt/Zoom, 15X HD zoom, expansive 90-degree Logitech Rally Camera

Marshall Electronics CV730

MARSHALL ELECTRONICS The CV730 camera model from Marshall Electronics features a large professional-grade 4K sensor delivering 60Hz performance with smooth synchronous maneuverability and multiple transition speeds. Flexible simultaneous outputs include 12GSDI, HDMI2.0, and IP (HEVC) to plug into various workflows. The camera also has the added benefit of a USB port to plug directly into PC or Mac systems for videoconference and collaboration projects.

The NewTek NDI PTZUHD Camera transmits full 4K60 video directly to NDI-compatible receiving devices across a standard network. The PTZUHD allows content creators to capture and deliver UHD video with native support for resolutions up to 2160p60 using a 30x optical zoom lens and a high-quality Sony CMOS sensor. The PTZUHD camera features NDI|HX implementation for reduced latency output at low bandwidth, which puts less strain on the network.

Requiring only a single Ethernet connection for setup, power, operation and signal flow, digital media producers and content creators can explore new ways to evolve their productions into 4K. The camera pairs natively with the TriCaster Mini 4K and TriCaster TC1 for a configuration-free NDI experience.

PANASONIC The Panasonic AW-UE100 integrated 4K60 PTZ camera supports a variety of IP transmission protocols, including high-bandwidth NDI, high-efficiency NDI|HX, and Secure Reliable Transport (SRT), which maintains stability when transmitting high-quality

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camera options 12x zoom. The cameras also offer a built-in, high-resolution 4K lens to provide a wide viewing angle of up to 70 degrees for added flexibility.

Both cameras support SDI, HDMI and IP, and through an optional license, are equipped with NDI|HX capability, which provides a cost-effective option for IP-based live production, as well as compatibility with additional NDI solutions. The cameras can be paired with Sony’s Edge Analytics Appliance to provide an even more robust, interactive, and engaging experience for viewers and attendees. Both camera models are designed for use in a variety of corporate, education, healthcare, faith and government applications.

Panasonic AW-UE100 integrated 4K60 PTZ camera

video even in unstable network environments. The camera has a newly designed direct-drive motor for smooth pan and tilt movement.

A wide-angle lens with a horizontal angle of view of 74.1 degrees enables a wide area to be shot from a limited installation space, and its 24x optical zoom maintains high image quality at high zoom ratios, permitting shooting in large indoor spaces. Using the RTMP/RTMPS function, the AW-UE100 PTZ can stream directly via a single cable to live broadcasting services such as YouTube Live and Facebook Live. The camera also includes the FreeD protocol to incorporate realistic virtual studio sets and elements into a live video workflow.

ter, and automatic lighting compensation; the Poly Studio P15 Personal Video Bar with 4K resolution, AI technology, automatic camera framing and Teams and Zoom certification; and the Poly Studio P21 Personal Meeting Display with integrated ambient lighting, camera and audio.

Businesses, IT managers and end users can manage devices from the cloud with the new Poly Lens Desktop App or Poly+, an exclusive personal device support service.

SONY Sony’s SRG-X400 and SRG-X120 PTZ cameras incorporate a 4K Exmor R CMOS image sensor for high-quality images and natural color reproduction with minimal noise.

The SRG-X400 is equipped with 40x zoom capability, while the SRG-X120 camera has a

Poly Studio PS Webcam

POLY STUDIO The Poly Studio P Series is designed with today’s remote workforce in mind. The Poly Studio P Series includes the Poly Studio P5 Webcam for high-quality videoconferencing with 80-degree view, integrated privacy shut-

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Sony SRG-X400

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Vaddio EasyIP

VADDIO Vaddio’s EasyIP product line features a full suite of endpoints to support conference rooms of all sizes. At the heart of the system is an EasyIP Decoder that pairs with up to four Vaddio EasyIP cameras and switches between the sources for a simplified multicamera videoconferencing experience. The half-rack-size decoder can mount under the table to avoid the hassle and cost of too-short USB cabling from cameras to BYOD devices.

Luxul brand switches provide the PoE+ and network connectivity to EasyIP products like the decoder, cameras, table and ceiling microphones and ceiling or wall speakers.

The EasyIP Cameras are professional-grade AV-over-IP PTZ cameras that come in different optical zoom choices and PTZ motor performance, but all offer 16 custom presets, free remote management capabilities via the Vaddio Deployment Tool software and a three-year warranty. l

visual radio

talkRADIO was able to make a small space larger with the help of Mo-Sys tracking and Panasonic PTZ cameras.

Virtual Visualization of Radio How UK’s talkRADIO created a virtual studio using tracking and PTZ technology Contributed Content

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alkRADIO is part of Wireless Group Media, which operates 11 London-based radio stations and others outside the capital. Wireless Group, in turn, is part of “News UK,” the global media conglomerate.

The station already had a policy of visualizing radio, streaming 20 hours a day of its output to YouTube and social media. With the U.S. election in view, it developed at ambitious plan to transform its live stream.

“We were looking at innovative solutions to engage our audiences and satisfy our advertisers, over and above what other radio broadcasters are doing,” explains Nick Prater, head of broadcast technology for the Wireless Group. “We determined that virtual studio

technology was now mature and could provide the unique advantage we needed.”

ON SHORT NOTICE The U.S. presidential election was a focus for development. But that gave Prater and his colleagues just four weeks to develop a system from scratch. Luckily, they had already started talks with Mo-Sys Engineering, specialists in precision camera tracking and virtual studios.

Mo-Sys had recently launched a one-stop package solution for virtual studios and augmented reality. StarTracker Studio combines the StarTracker motion tracking system— which uses randomly placed reflective dots (“stars”) and spotter cameras to provide extremely precise camera location—with a preconfigured rack of switching, keying and

the graphics power to sustain real-time, photorealistic virtual environments.

“We had a small space which we could convert into the studio,” explains Prater. “But we wanted it to look big, to look luxurious. So we asked Mo-Sys what they could do in time.

They joined the challenge, putting their best people on it.”

One of the great attractions was that Mo-Sys could provide all the elements of the system, from engineering concepts to visual design. They provided the desk at which host Mike Graham sat and brought in a lighting designer.

Given the short timescale, they chose Panasonic PTZ cameras, which were already integrated with StarTracker Studio. Because of the dimensions of the studio, Mo-Sys had to fabricate special brackets to mount the

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virtual studios

talkRADIO used Panasonic PTZ cameras, which were already integrated with StarTracker Studio to create their virtual studio

cameras as close to the wall as possible.

“We didn’t want the virtual studio to look like a computer game—we wanted it to look real,” Prater says. “Getting the textures and the lighting right in the virtual studio took a lot of time—more than any of us expected.

But the Mo-Sys designers listened to our feedback and we got what we wanted. That was tough—a lot of work on both sides.”

The key element of StarTracker Studio is the graphics system, which uses the Unreal Engine from Epic Games, running on standard HP workstations. “Mo-Sys gave me confidence that Unreal was the way to go,” Prater states.

“Because Unreal is a plug-in for the Mo-Sys tracking on standard computer hardware, we are free to upgrade at our pace. We can always be using the latest versions, so we can stay on the cutting edge.”

COVID CONCERNS One of the challenges of covering the presidential election—indeed, one of the challenges of 2020—is that COVID-19 social distancing limited the number of guests who could travel to a studio, and their placement if they did. So, flexibility in camera positioning and movement was critical, without the need for time-consuming alignment processes.

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The key element of StarTracker Studio is the graphics system, which uses Unreal Engine from Epic Games, running on HP workstations.

StarTracker is uniquely powerful in taking just a few moments to set up and being stable thereafter. “When you’re on a tight timetable, we want the flexibility to move cameras as our guests change,” Prater says.

Inevitably, most of the guests appeared via Zoom, and so a pop-up virtual monitor was part of the graphic design. To help host Mike Graham establish the right eyeline, there was a real monitor in the studio, which was replaced by the virtual graphics. So, too, were the other routine paraphernalia of a radio studio: the mic live light, the mute button, the computers for scripts, data and rundowns.

“The strength of talkRADIO’s coverage

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is that we take talented broadcasters with immensely strong communications skills, who establish a one-to-one connection with the audience,” explains Prater. “And we know that the audience like looking at us—very many of them ‘listen’ to us on devices with screens.

“So, we needed to take those radio skills and put them in a new environment, a new way to engage with the audience,” he continued. “We know that we succeeded on election night, because our audience stayed with us, and the social media engagement was excellent.”

Given that this is the first time anywhere that a radio station has developed this level of richness in its visualization, how would talkRADIO’s Nick Prater sum up the project?

“What we achieved, working together with Mo-Sys is something really remarkable—something quite sensational,” he says.

“Afterwards I spoke to a television executive, who said of our coverage ‘that looks really good—as good as television.’ For a small radio team, supported by Mo-Sys, I think we achieved something remarkable.”

Having built the system, talkRADIO is now looking to further opportunities to bring reporters together through the virtual studio. l

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