IBC Printed Guide - September 2014 - 88

www.inbroadcast.com PRODUCT GUIDE | Sept 12 - 16, 2014

Racecourse Technical Services Invests
In Ikegami HDK-55 Cameras
RaceTech, a leading supplier of television pictures and other services to the British
horseracing industry, has chosen Ikegami HDK-55 cameras as part of a continuing major
upgrade into high-definition production...
Ikegami's HDK-55

R

88

aceTech has made an initial
order is for 18 complete HDK55 camera chains including triax
adapters and base stations plus
OCP-300 control panels.
"After a long process of
identifying a range of cameras
that would suit the specific needs
of RaceTech we have decided
to invest in Ikegami HDK-55
camera systems," comments
Nic
Christodoulou,
Director
of Engineering and Technical
Operations at RaceTech.
"The decision was not only
based on Ikegami performance
though this was a key factor, but
also on the long-term support and
warranties that were offered by
Ikegami. Many of our courses are
triax equipped so we needed the
option on running the cameras
over long and often unreliable
triax cable. Longer term the
courses will be upgraded to
fibre and these cameras will
allow us to phase this change in
as it happens, whilst still easily
allowing courses on triax to use
the same cameras.
"Our racing fleet works pretty
constantly and we cannot afford
to factor camera compatibility
into our logistics planning. We
have begun the replacement of
standard-definition
equipment
and purchase of extra equipment
to meet our ever-increasing
workload.
We
see
a

RaceTech has made an
initial order for 18 complete
HDK-55 camera systems.

long and successful relationship
ahead with Ikegami and
their UK team."
"The
HDK55 is a highperformance
fully
digital
HDTV camera
which is ideally
suited to the
demands of live OB
sports," adds Mark
Capstick,
General
Manager of Ikegami
Electronics UK.
"Six of the 18 cameras
have been delivered with SEH750 system expanders which
convert the portable camera
into a full-facility studio camera.
RaceTech has also ordered
twenty OLED colour viewfinders.
This combination of options
gives RaceTech's OB crews the
freedom to equip the cameras
for a wide range of productions
including the ability to reconfigure
quickly and easily."
Ikegami HDK-55
Ikegami's HDK-55 incorporates
a 16-bit A/D and matching 16bit digital signal processing to
maximise the benefits of high bit
quantisation, providing natural
colour even in the shadow
areas of the picture. 2/3-inch
2.3 megapixel AIT CCDs are
employed to deliver a horizontal

'a high-performance fully
digital HDTV camera which
is ideally suited to the
demands of live
OB sports'.

resolution of 1,000 lines with 60
dB signal to noise ratio at F10
(1080/59.94i) or F11 (1080/50i)
sensitivity. The camera can
be docked to an optional fibre
adapter or triax adapter. In
additional to the main output,
auxiliary channels are available
for a teleprompter and external
monitor.
A Fine Detail (DTL) function
further increases the realism of the
HDK-55's output by compressing
the detail edge component when
shooting high contrast scenes.
Highlight DTL and several other
DTL functions can also be
switched in. Lens aberration
correction minimises the blur
and coloured edges caused by
chromatic aberration in lenses. A
viewfinder detail function allows
the camera operator to increase
the detail edges to the viewfinder
video for easy focusing. This is
augmented by a Quick EZ Focus
function which enhances the
signal edges in the viewfinder
so that the camera operator can
make precise focus adjustment.
RaceTech
Based at Raynes Park, south
west London, RaceTech is a
leading provider of Outside
Broadcast facilities to racing
Broadcaster RUK, CH4 and
Racecourses
throughout
the UK. RaceTech delivers
over 700 Racing Outside

broadcasts a year,
60% of which are in HD.
RaceTech is currently running
a HD upgrade programme that
not only replaces SD Equipment
with HD, but ensures that HD
equipment is regularly refreshed.
RaceTech also supplies Photo
Finish, Starting Stalls services,
Public address services, and
tracking and timing service.
Ikegami
Ikegami
Tsushinki
Company
Limited is a leading manufacturer
of specialised cameras, image
processing and transmission
equipment. Founded in 1946
in Tokyo, Japan, the company
today has around 800 employees
working across three factories
and nine sales and service
organisations all over the world.
Ikegami is a world leader in
the development and delivery
of image capture, transmission,
recording,
processing
and
display products for broadcast,
inspection, medical and security
applications.
Ikegami Electronics (Europe)
GmbH was founded in 1970.
Based in Neuss, Germany, it is the
sales and service headquarters
for Europe and Africa. There is
a branch in the UK. In the other
European countries and Africa,
Ikegami works in partnership
with authorised distributors and
dealers.

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IBC Printed Guide - September 2014

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