The Associated Press (AP) news agency has selected a full Panasonic P2 broadcast solution to deliver the steady stream of news coverage to its members, commercial customers and global subscribers. To meet the incredibly varied demands of capturing and producing broadcast news, in a variety of formats and, make sure it is always delivered on time, means the operation must deploy a fast, flexible and integrated HD workflow.
AP invited manufacturers to put forward recommended equipment to support their HD requirements. Panasonic equipment was shortlisted with the next phase for an extended trial to identify the right products. As a result of the trial and final selection, today AP are using a fleet of Panasonic AJ-HPX2100; HPX3100; HPX301; HPX371; HPX171 and HPX250 broadcast cameras and have been continuously positive about the results of the roll out so far.
Dave Hoad, Director of Video Technology at AP explained; “Panasonic have listened to the industry feedback and have made helpful changes in the product cycle development”. Associated Press were particularly enthusiastic about their experience with workhorse AG-HPX3100 because of its lightweight body design which enables greater stability and mobility, vital for field-based camera teams. AP also highlighted their requirement for an advanced video codec that offered the best balance of sharp HD image reproduction and rapid production capability which is a capability of the AG-HPX371, a camera that features AVC-Intra production quality in a light and wieldy handheld unit.
AP’s new production workflow, now with fewer steps, has also delivered significant cost reduction as production teams can operate with less complexity; “There is a good, straightforward workflow from camera to laptop to transmission, which other products don’t allow as smoothly. The ability to plug-in and write directly to a USB device eliminates unnecessary post-production stages and the need to lug additional equipment such as a laptop around.” Hoad concluded.