| Apple | Avid | Axcera | Bella
Calrec | Chyron | Cine Bags | Clear-com | Computer Modules | Digital Voodoo
DNF Controls | Dolby | Drake | Evertz | Global Translation
GVS | Hamlet | Harris | Horita | JVC
Leader | Leitch | Logic Innovations | Miranda | NVision
Panasonic | Pioneer | Quantel | RTW | Sachtler
SeaChange | Snell & Wilcox | Sony | Sony | Tektronix
Thales | Thomson Grass Valley | Wohler | Zenith
The Rules | The History
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360 Systems
Image Server 2000 MPEG-2 Video Server
818-991-0360;
www.360systems.com
This recorder/server can walk and chew gum at the same time. It can play three independent video programs at once, each with four digital audio channels. Alternatively, it can record a video program while playing two others. The server’s internal drives provide up to a Terabyte of program storage — equivalent to 128 hours of broadcast-quality video — and it uses a RAID disk array to protect program material from disk-drive failure. Each channel has both composite and SDI video ports, as well as analog and digital audio, to ease the transition to digital plants.
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Apple
Final Cut Pro 4 NLE Software
408-996-1010;
www.apple.com
Apple’s major upgrade of its Emmy-award-winning editing software is packed with more than 300 new features, including RT Extreme for real-time compositing and effects, powerful new interface-customization tools, new high-quality 8- and 10-bit uncompressed formats, and full 32-bit floating-point-per-channel video processing. The program also includes three new integrated applications: LiveType for advanced titling, Soundtrack for music creation, and Compressor for batch transcoding. Additional features include enhancements in trimming and timeline tools, media management, audio editing, and full Unicode support.
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Avid
DNA Family NLE Accelerators
978-640-6789;
www.avid.com
This trio of hardware accelerators, dubbed Nitris, Adrenaline and Mojo, pumps up the power of nonlinear-editing and media-processing systems. Nitris boasts processing power equivalent to 30 Pentium-4 processors. It supports uncompressed HD formats as well as SD, NTSC and PAL formats and up to eight audio channels. Adrenaline is aimed at Media Composer and Newscutter users and promises to transform PC and Mac desktops into high-powered editing workstations. Mojo targets notebook-computer users and offers real-time effects.
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Axcera
DXA2B Distributed Transmission Adaptor
724-873-8100;
www.axcera.com
This device allows broadcasters to use distributed transmission — multiple on-channel transmitters — to target population centers and improve coverage in weak-signal or shadowed areas without additional channels and translators. Distributed transmission can also change the broadcast model from the current “big stick” approach to a more targeted “super cell” approach to minimize power consumption and improve signal quality. The DXA2B inserts the necessary timing signals into the SMPTE 310M bit stream to synchronize all transmitters in the network.
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Bella
Professional Series NLE Keyboards
818-563-9500;
www.bella-usa.com These custom-designed keyboards can change the editing process from a chore to a breeze. Each of the five keyboards in the professional series is custom designed for use with a specific professional nonlinear editing software/platform combination: Adobe Premiere on a PC, Apple Final Cut Pro on a Mac, Pinnacle Edition on a PC, Avid Express DV on a PC, and Avid Express DV on a Mac. Color-coded and icon-coded keys speed navigation through editing functions, and the built-in jog/shuttle control gives precise, frame-by-frame control over the timeline.
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Calrec
Zeta 100 Digital Audio Mixing Console
+44 1422 842159;
www.calrec.com
The Zeta 100 is Calrec’s third digital audio console, emerging from the Alpha and Sigma platforms. Targeted at the same market segment served by the company’s C2 analog consoles (local TV and network stations and broadcast vehicles), it is available at a similar price point. It comes in three frame sizes: 24, 32, and 48 faders, and has DSP allocation for up to 56 channels. Standard features include dynamics on every channel, 8 auxes, 16 multitrack/IFB sends, 99 flash ROM setup memories, internal routing and 5.1 surround mixing and monitoring.
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Chyron
SOLO Laptop-based CG System
631-845-2000; www.chyron.com
This system makes CG creation portable. Consisting of a Chyron-specified laptop PC, a PCMCIA PCI CG/squeezeback card contained in a separate three-pound box, and a complete CG/”squeeze & tease” software package, it allows its operator to create CG messages and real-time or flip-book animations. The squeezeback function includes two video inputs plus a background, allowing “squeeze & tease” promos, bumpers, opens and closes. The system is particularly suited for fast-paced sports and entertainment environments that have fixed facilities.
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Cine Bags
Production Bag
323-660-6642; www.cinebags.com
Sometimes it’s the simple things that matter the most — like a bag in which to organize and carry your myriad production tools and accessories. This bag has 23 separate compartments. Four detachable Velcro pouches allow you to custom design the bag’s interior and include holders for brushes, sharpies, etc. The bag also has two large zippered side pockets, one large detachable pen pocket, five see-through mesh pockets and a business-card-size label holder. The water-resistant, gray and black bag has orange webbing and measures 27” x 15” x 12”.
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Clear-Com
CellCom Wireless Intercom System
510-496-6666;
www.clearcom.com
This intercom system is an unusual blend of cellular technology and digital-matrix functionality. It comprises a base station, transceiver “antennas” that create coverage zones, and several full-duplex beltpacks. The base station marries wired communications such as party-line and digital-matrix systems with the wireless transceivers and beltpacks. Each transceiver creates a coverage zone of up to five belt packs. The belt packs runs on four AA alkaline batteries or an optional rechargeable battery pack. The system operates above the UHF TV bands and is license-free in over 100 countries.
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Computer Modules
DVB-ASI TimeShifter MPEG Stream Delay System
858-613-1818;
www.dveo.com
Some broadcasters using the DVB-ASI format to multiplex several MPEG channels into a single serial bit stream in their distribution networks have asked for a product that allows them to delay one or more of the feeds to those channels. This device is the answer to their request. The TimeShifter can delay multiple channels by a set amount of time. Features include programmable time delay and 60Mb/s playback rate with standard HD, 100MB HD and 10/100 BaseT.
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Digital Voodoo
HD/Vengeance Video Card
+61 3 9682 9477; www.digitalvoodoo.net
This I/O card is the first uncompressed 10-bit HD SDI dual-link QuickTime video card with SD DSI down-conversion for the Macintosh. It is ideal for visual-effects artists working with HD content who want to preview their work on an existing SD SDI broadcast monitor. It allows broadcast professionals and artists to work with programs like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects or Discreet Combustion in the desktop-extension mode by simply dragging the composition window over to the broadcast monitor and painting in real time.
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DNF Controls
Tally Interface Box
818-898-3380;
www.dnfcontrols.com
This box, along with its tally-interface software and Web server, allows mobile production trucks, production facilities and broadcasters to share tallies with other types of control/status lines. The box has optically isolated inputs and relay-contact-isolated outputs to connect safely with other equipment. Using a standard Web browser, you can configure and define the operation of each tally and GPO. It offers isolated, remote monitoring of tallies from another truck, another facility, or even another state or country.
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Dolby
LM-100 Broadcast Loudness Meter
415-558-0200;
www.dolby.com
This meter offers a simple method for determining program audio levels to help address loudness discrepancies between TV programs or channels. It uses a technology called Dialogue Intelligence to measure the subjective loudness of dialogue within the program. It presents its measurements in an easy-to-understand numerical format, eliminating variations that multiple operators often find when using traditional VU or PPM meters. A set of user-definable alarms and monitoring functions can indicate input loss, signal clipping, overmodulation, high or low signal levels, silence, and incorrectly set dialogue level (dialnorm) values.
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Drake
FreeSpeak Wireless Intercom
+44 1727 871200;
www.drake-uk.com
The FreeSpeak is a wireless intercom in a belt pack that does everything that a desk-mounted, hard-wired intercom does. This license-free, full-duplex, digital wireless device is part of a larger matrix consisting of a cell controller card, antenna splitter and active antennas. The cellular network of active antennas located around the production environment is connected directly to the Drake matrix. Each of the active antennas provides a radio cell that supports up to five belt-pack users.
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Evertz
HD9625LG Logo Inserter
905-335-3573;
www.evertz.com
This device will key one or several “bugs” over a full-bandwidth HD video signal. You can import logos created in BMP, TIFF or TGA file formats into the Instalogo HD software and upload them to the inserter through RS-232 or Ethernet connections. The inserter stores the logos in flash memory so the user can quickly access them through the device’s front-panel quick-select keys or through GPI inputs. Logos can be static or moving, and can be as small as one percent of the display area. Their position and fade rate are user controllable.
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Global Translation
TranslateTV Closed-Captioning Translator
614-855-9980;
www.translatetv.com
Hablas Español? TranlsateTV is the first device capable of instantly translating live closed captions. This translation server uses proprietary software and installs at the broadcast site. It instantly decodes closed captions, translates the text stream, and then re-encodes the results in unused caption fields such as CC2, CC3 and CC4. The company installs and maintains the translation server, and its team of lexicographers and linguistic engineers continually upgrades and customizes the translation software to address specific program material.
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Grande Vitesse Systems
GVS9000-Series Computers
415-777-0320;
www.gvs9000.com
This series of graphic workstations offers the oomph of dual Apple PowerPC G4 processors and the versatility of single or dual IBM PowerPC processors. The workstations are available with 867MHz, 1GHz, 1.25GHz or 1.42GHz G4 processors running at speeds of up to 18.3 gigaflops. The series boasts 2MB of dedicated L3 cache memory per processor with up to 4GB/s throughput, one full-length 64-bit slot, one AGP 4X slot, four or 10 66MHz PCI expansion slots for up to 533MB/s throughput, and up to 2GB of DDR SDRAM. Depending on the chassis size, the computer can hold up to 4.5TB of disk space.
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Hamlet
Adept Test Signal Generator/Waveform Monitor/Vectorscope +44 1494 793 763;
www.hamlet.co.uk
This compact, transportable, versatile device can act as a replacement for CRT generator/scopes in pre- and postproduction environments. It generates several test signals and offers on-screen waveform and vector display of several video formats, including NTSC/PAL composite, CAV (YCrCb and RGB) and S-video. Optional SDI and Firewire inputs are available. It displays signals on a video monitor through composite video or S-video connections. Features include full field line select, bow-tie and parade displays, quad split-screen display, and trace store and freeze functions.
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Harris
ReCon Remote-Control and Facility-Management System
513-459-3400;
www.broadcast.harris.com
This suite of remote-control and facilities-monitoring software products is ideal for multi-site and multi-user operation. It communicates with broadcast, network and facility-control equipment and uses Internet Protocol (IP) to connect stations with both local and remote transmitters. The Windows-based programs allow broadcasters to monitor and control transmitters from a PC. The operator can use the software’s root-cause-analysis function to diagnose any alarm activity and take action from any location. The suite can handle an unlimited number of status, analysis and control channels.
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Horita
Script Kit PA Logging Clipboard and Software
949-489-0240;
www.horita.com
The Script Kit combines Horita’s PTR portable LCD time-code reader with its WTS100M wireless time-code system into a powerful and easy-to-use field logging system. The two devices are enclosed in an anodized aluminum case and mounted on a clipboard that holds a script and other documents. A production assistant uses the hardware portion of the kit to capture and store up to 50 time-code values, and uses the PTR-LOG software portion of the kit to download the time code into a PC.
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JVC
JY-HD10U HD Camcorder
973-317-5000;
www.jvc.com/pro
This is the world’s first compact, hand-held ENG HD camcorder. It uses a single 1.18 million-pixel CCD chip to capture true 16:9 aspect-ratio images. The camcorder can record one HD format (720/30p) or one of two SD formats (480/60p and 480/60i) onto a MiniDV tape. The camcorder records the two progressive formats in 16:9 aspect ratio with MPEG-2 compression. It records the interlaced SD format in 4:3 aspect ratio with DV compression. The camcorder also provides format conversion while playing back through its analog component outputs.
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Leader
FS3018 Lighting Monitor
800-645-5104;
www.leaderusa.com
Video professionals can carry this portable, PDA-like device around on a set to display the camera’s image along with technical information about the picture. It provides convenient setup and allows the lighting director and other key people on the set to see the picture from the camera’s point of view. The FS3018 links wirelessly to the company’s LV5700 Multi-SDI Monitor, allowing the FS3018 to display waveform/vector monitoring and peak measurements.
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Leitch
NEO VR Modular Digital Video Recorder
800-231-9673;
www.leitch.com/neo
This hard-drive-based video recorder on a card plugs into the company’s NEO modular platform to perform the functions of a traditional SD VTR, including record and playback, slow motion, variable-speed playback and jog/shuttle. Applications include recording play-by-play or ISO cameras for instant replays in mobile sports production, recording news footage for newsroom edit suites, playout of frequently used material or emergency playout for master control, continuous “loop record” mode for newsfeed review, and continuous playback for on-air displays.
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Logic Innovations
TSM-2800 Transport-Stream Re-Multiplexer
845-455-7200;
www.logici.com
This eight-input re-multiplexer combines HDTV, SDTV, PSIP, data and multi-program transport streams into a single multiplex and provides a universal post-insertion capability to insert PSIP tables. For ATSC broadcasts, it provides the interfaces required to combine multiple encoder, PSIP, video server and data sources into a single transport stream. DVB broadcast, CATV and satellite operations can benefit by combining up to eight program/transport streams into a single transport stream/carrier to improve transponder efficiency. The device offers front-panel control for local operation and a Web-based graphical interface.
Miranda
Densité SCP-1121 SDI Control Probe
514-333-1772;
www.miranda.com
Several of these circuit boards are typically placed at key monitoring points within a broadcast facility and are controlled by the Miranda’s iControl Web remote monitoring and control system. They provide confidence monitoring of SDI signals with embedded audio, allowing users to see and hear the signals they are monitoring. They also generate real-time video thumbnails, audio level meters, freeze and black detect, VBI and ancillary signal analysis, allowing users to measure and analyze all relevant signal parameters in real time.
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Nvision
NV5128-MC Master Control/Routing Switcher
800-719-1900;
www.nvision1.com This is the first product to combine the functions of master control and routing in the same frame. The consolidation results in less hardware and lower cost without sacrificing functionality. Standard master-control features include A/B mixing with auto transition control, multi-level video keying, logo store, “squeezeback” effects generator, audio over mixer, and more. The platform has eight pre-wired input slots and eight configurable output slots. Each master-control switcher channel takes up two output slots, while each router buss takes up one output slot.
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Panasonic
Solid-State Newsgathering System
800-528-8601;
www.panasonic.com Recording broadcast-quality video directly onto solid-state memory chips in a camcorder may be the holy grail of ENG. With its prototype solid-state memory-card-based DVCPRO news system, Panasonic is one step closer to achieving this goal. The system records video onto four PCMCIA-size cards attached to the camcorder. The four 1GB memory cards in a parallel data array provide a maximum data rate of 640 Mb/s, recording 18 minutes of DVCPRO-quality video. The inevitable increase in the cards’ memory capacity will allow longer recording times.
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Pioneer
PRV-LX1 DVD Video Recorder
800-527-3766;
www.pioneerelectronics.com This modular DVD video recorder is specifically designed for video professionals who want to transfer video and audio content to DVD easily while maintaining the flexibility to customize DVD menus. The base model has a 120GB hard drive and single high-speed DVD-R/RW drive and provides real-time recording from external sources to both drives or from the hard drive to the DVD drive. An optional second DVD-R/RW drive allows simultaneous recording to all three drives or from the hard drive to both DVD drives.
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Quantel
QEdit Pro PC-based Editor +44 1635 48222;
www.quantel.com This multiformat editing and effects system, comprising three Quantel PCI cards and a dual Xeon PC, delivers 10-bit uncompressed quality and a high-end creative toolset to the mainstream finishing market. The system includes an improved pen-and-tablet interface, keyboard shortcuts and a jog/shuttle control. Each superlayer of the toolset offers 3D DVE with independent shadow control, fettle-based color correction, chroma and luma keying with spline-based garbage mattes, motion tracking with fast directional blur and Quantel’s Paintbox for graphic creation and retouching.
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RTW
Surround Monitor
+49 221-709 13 33;
www.rtw.de
This multi-channel analyzer and display can help with all audio productions, including stereo and 3/2, but it is ideal for 5.1 surround-sound projects. It monitors multiple audio parameters, including peak levels, loudness, channel balance and dialnorm. Its 31-band, real-time spectrum analyzer shows the spectral distribution of single or multiple channels. A multi-correlator display clearly shows the relationship among all channel pairs. The vectorscope helps identify hidden distortion and the directions of impulse signal components.
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Sachtler
Artemis EFP and EFP Pro Camera Stabilizing Systems
516-867-4900;
www.artemis-hd.com The EFP and EFP Pro models of the Artemis family are specifically designed to stabilize professional video camcorders for electronic field production. The EFP model offers a Touch & Go system that helps the operator switch between the stabilizer and a tripod. It also has 6.5” color flat-panel monitor. The EFP Pro model has an internal 1.5 GHz video line for work with SDI HD cameras. The modular design of both models offers an upgrade path for monitors and other accessories.
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SeaChange
Media Publisher MPEG-2 Plug-in NLE for Adobe Premiere
800-661-7274;
www.seachange.com
This software plug-in is designed to speed file transfer between Adobe Premiere and SeaChange’s Broadcast MediaCluster (BMC) on-air server system. The plug-in allows users to select MPEG-2 files residing on the BMC and import them into Adobe Premiere for editing. The plug-in allows the user to import and edit both Long GOP and I Frame-only MPEG-2 files directly into the Premiere timeline. After editing, the user can select the MPEG-2 parameters of the rendered file and export them back to the BMC for broadcast.
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Snell & Wilcox
Ukon Universal Conversion Platform
+44 20 8917 4330;
www.snellwilcox.com
This Swiss Army Knife of converters is designed for broadcasters who need to upconvert signals from SD to HD, downconvert signals from HD to SD, and crossconvert signals (from SD to SD or from HD to HD) where different frame rates, image sizes and aspect ratios present additional image-quality challenges. It offers precise lip-sync and time-code integrity. It addresses all audio requirements, including embedded, AES and compressed audio formats, and converts time code to and from any SD or HD format with exact frame mapping.
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Sony
Optical Disk Camera/Recorder System
800-686-7669;
www.sony.com
This system represents an evolutionary leap in video recording. It records DVCAM signals at 25Mb/s or MPEG IMX video signals at 30, 40 or 50 Mb/s directly onto optical disks similar to DVDs but housed in plastic modules. This random-access media will accelerate field editing, and the system’s IT standards will speed the transfer of video from the field to editing workstations. The two camcorders and three decks support iLink and Ethernet interfaces for transferring assets as Material Exchange Format (MXF) files.
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Sony
Cine Alta Family Expansion
800-686-7669;
www.sony.com
The new additions to the Cine Alta product family include a new camera, portable and studio versions of 4:4:4 SR recorders, and specially formulated BCT-SR series videocassettes. The new HDC-F950 camera captures the full 1920 x 1080 pixels, outputs an uncompressed digital 4:4:4 RGB signal, and has added undercranking capture rates from one to 24 progressive frames per second. The new SRW-1 field recorder and SRW-5000 studio recorder can record either 4:4:4 or 4:2:2 video at approximately 440 Mb/s. The smaller of the two new HDCAM SR videotape holds 50 minutes of 24p video, while its big brother holds 155 minutes.
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Tektronix
WFM700 Waveform Monitor Upgrade
800-835-9433;
www.tektronix.com
Tektronix has added advanced video-measurement features and an optional audio-monitoring module to its popular WFM700 multi-format waveform monitors. A firmware upgrade adds new status-reporting and error-detection features and a new video-session screen that summarizes a variety of statistics. The video upgrade adds a two-pane, user-definable, multimode display and new event logging with time-of-day and VITC time stamping. The new AES/EBU digital audio option and field-upgrade kit offers audio monitoring of four channel pairs (up to eight separate channels).
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Thales
Amber Cable Translator System
413-998-1100;
www.thales-bm.com Amber is a broadcast-DTV-to-cable-network translator system that allows broadcasters to translate off-air digital TV broadcast signals into cable networks. This re-multiplexer combines ATSC/PSIP processing with a wide range of functions and flexible configuration. Features include Web-based configuration and supervision, multiplex bandwidth management and overflow prevention, PSIP rebranding, PSIP protection and PSI reconciliation, broadcast-to-cable translation, dynamic configuration changes, and opportunistic data insertion.
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Thomson Grass Valley
M-Series iVDR Video Recorders
Thomson Grass Valley; 415-558-0200;
www.thomsongrassvalley.com This revolutionary series of digital video recorders can replace the VTRs found in broadcast and video production facilities worldwide. It has a touchscreen interface and traditional VTR controls such as playback, record and jog/shuttle, removable media, and it can ingest directly from a camera. It eclipses a VTR by providing support for multiple channels, simultaneous record and playout, networking, clip editing and trimming, playlist creation, and the ability to exchange materials with a variety of applications using industry-standard protocols.
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Wohler
MONFlex LCD Video Monitors
888-596-4537;
www.wohler.com This family of LCD video monitors can mount in places where rack space is at a premium. The NTSC/PAL monitors are mounted on adjustable goosenecks, giving users complete control of their viewing angle. Several monitors up to 7” diagonal can mount in just 1RU of rack space. The monitors are available in diagonal sizes of 3.5”, 4”, 5.6”, 6.8” and 7” (the 7” is a 16:9 aspect-ratio screen). All models have composite video inputs with loop-through; SDI input is optional.
Zenith
P50W28A 50” Plasma HDTV Monitor Display
877-993-6484;
www.zenith.com Perfect for both professional and high-end home environments, this huge plasma display has a high drool factor. It boasts a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels for outstanding clarity. It also has an impressive 600:1 contrast ratio, a peak brightness of 620cd/square meter, Faroudja DCDi de-interlacer, intelligent image scaling, and built-in aspect-ratio correction. A range of inputs provides compatibility with DVDs, computers, digital broadcasting and multimedia as well as traditional video sources. It also has RS-232 control and discreet IR controls.