In Broadcast - March 2012 - 28

WWW.INBROADCAST.COM | ISSUE 6 - MARCH 2012

InSTUDIO
Gearing Up For HD Studio Production Cont.
In systems cameras the successor to the workhorse HDC1500 received an IBC 2011 launch and is yielding considerable business, says Nairn. The HDC2500 ﬁelds a 2/3-inch CCD and is 3G and 1080/100i (double speed) to 1080/50P capable. “What is driving the next phase?” asks Nairn. “One word – quality. There is an additional pressure on the purchaser and on vendors to provide value for money as broadcasters look to invest in new studio revenue streams. We need to show an evolution of product that builds on previous investments that customers have made in the studio.” One such upgrade to existing kit is at ITV Studios where the HDC1500 cameras used on Daybreak have had their viewﬁnders replaced with colour OLEDs. “As a result the cameramen found that instead of pressing their face to the glass they could stand back a little and get a wider view of activity in the studio.” 25-inch OLEDs are also being moved into production galleries where “the viewing size and quality of the panels start to impact on the overall production,” says Nairn. He also suggests that there is interest from the producers of studio-based reality shows for XM Pilot, the remote logging system originally intended for journalist and which works in-conjunction with XDCAM cameras. Virtually all the equipment used for video production now, or will shortly be, IP (Internet Protocol) controlled. Linking individual devices into larger systems that work more logically and eﬃciently is a natural progression. As wireless video link technology has become faster and more robust, more and more wireless video cameras will be in use, particularly outdoors. Personal devices will also increasingly ﬁnd a place in professional applications. One can imagine iPad apps for lighting directors to control dimmers and hoists from the ﬂoor, or for a news director managing a running order from anywhere. Wi-Fi is also a beneﬁt on location: controlling a prompter over wireless means there is no tether to a camcorder, which gives greater freedom.

Prompt Improvements

Two major trends in teleprompting, as identified by Autocue, are the transition to a networked environment (either wired or over Wi-Fi) and the introduction of the iPad. According to Richard Satchell, Autocue’s Business Development Director broadcasters are also looking for ways to integrate iPads or tablet PCs into their workﬂow, and by using a basic software app these devices can now replace both the teleprompter PC/laptop and the teleprompter monitor to create a simple and aﬀordable ﬁeld-based teleprompter. As it happens, Autocue provides two iPad/tablet PC rigs to cater for various camera and lens conﬁgurations. Its QMaster/QBox software is, claims Satchell, “the only solution to oﬀer an IP-based connection between the prompter PC and the external hardware scroll engine (QBox), which then feeds a video input to the teleprompter monitor. “This once revolutionary product is now seen as the standard by thousands of broadcasters, particularly in multi-studio environments where the ﬂexibility to control a diﬀerent combination or multiple studios/prompters from any given workstation is a must. The concept of an

Autocue MSP OCU

HD-capable Sony HX-100 in studio conﬁguration

IP-based system also opens up the possibility of distance and ﬁeldbased prompting like never before, with Wi-Fi being used by several broadcasters in the ﬁeld.” In hardware terms, as per the last 50 years, prompting systems manufacturers need to continue to adapt to evolutions in camera and ﬂuid head technology to ensure compatibility. This generally means thinner, lighter and more versatile teleprompters, and as time goes on and cameras get smaller and more powerful, so the weight and elegance of the mounting system of a teleprompter becomes even more important. Autocue for example recently redesigned its Master Series prompter series to incorporate the latest LED-backlit panel technologies. “As a result, we have been able to completely re-design the monitor infrastructure to create the world’s thinnest high-bright monitor, reducing the weight by up to 25 per cent versus our competition, creating a potentially huge saving in the cost of the ﬂuid head for our customers,” says Satchell. “The monitor also incorporates inset cable management and a dimmable tally light in the front of the monitor. “On the hardware side, we will continue to adapt to new camera technologies such as 3D, and also

round oﬀ the Master Series with the next evolution of accessories including a digital tally, clock and HD-SDI talent feedback monitor. On the software side, we will continue to drive forward our unique networking capability, and explore opportunities around tablets, apps and ‘PC-less’ prompting.” Presenter automation is currently a big push for Autoscript. “We are writing many more hand/foot/ voice controls into our tenders at the moment,” reports Brian Larter, Worldwide Managing Director. “Broadcasters also want open systems that they can expand and don’t want to be restricted by their current workﬂow. “Investment is still being made as broadcasters upgrade to HD,” he adds. “Cameras and lens packages have to be changed and therefore prompters that ﬁt the new lenses are required as well. “In response to this we have had to modify our prompters to deal with the greater visibility and clarity that HD brings. If you put anything in front of a lens, even glass, the light through the lens is reduced and distorted, albeit minutely.” Autoscript is now supplying HD reﬂective glass with a ﬁner coating, to allow more light to pass through.■

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In Broadcast - March 2012

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