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| Above and beyond |
| by Mark J. Pescatore |
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May 26, 2004
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The editorial team of Government Video didnt leisurely stroll through NAB2004 we were too busy scouring the show floor for the best new products. The expansive exhibit hall had plenty of hidden treasures, but less than two dozen were awarded the Salute. Heres a look at this years best.
Apple Motion
Apple has created a powerful and easy graphics system that simplifies text, graphics, and video motion and interaction. It has Behaviors settings to provide automatic motion effects, such as attraction or repulsion, plus an advanced particle engine for easy animation effects. And it lists for $299. Dynamic graphics that are easy and inexpensive Final Cut Pro users have cause for celebration.
Camplex PRO-X1
Turn your Canon XL1 camcorders into studio cameras, or do a live multi-camera remote with your Sony PD150s. Camplex had a more detailed explanation: The new PRO-X1 bi-directionally multiplexes remote camera composite video, talley, camera program and intercom audio, along with safe microprocessor-controlled DC operating power for the camera. No matter how you say it, this is a great way to do more with your camcorder resources.
Fuji Television Network FL Cubic Light
Fluorescent lighting is great for small studios and small budgets. Fuji Television Network introduced the next step for this technology at NAB2004 a fluorescent spotlight. Still energy efficient, still economical, and now more options than just flat flood lighting. Very cool.
Fujinon Precision Focus Assist
This little attachment is going to make a big impact, especially when you consider the unforgiving nature of focus in HD acquisition. Fujinons Precision Focus Assist allows you to choose a particular area in your image and automatically keeps that area in focus. Makes tracking space shuttles or other moving vehicles much easier. Plus, on the creative side, its a great way to cheat your way through a focus pull.
Ikegami HDL-40HS
Slow motion is finally an HD reality, and Ikegami is one of two companies to earn a Salute for filling this production void. Its HDL-40HS uses three CMOS sensors and captures 120 frames per second. The compact unit weighs about 3 pounds and is ideal for POV applications.
Jadoo Power Systems NABII
Not a battery, not a brick, and not going to blow up if you drop it (I checked). Hydrogen power is a reality for video production, and we congratulate Jadoo on bringing a new choice for portable power to the market. The NABII fuel cell for ENG camcorders lasts longer than your average camera battery, weighs less, is hot-swappable, and is already being used in the industry.
JVC SR-MV30U
Dont confuse this professional deck with the DVD/VHS combos you see at your local electronics store. Its got S-VHS and DVD-R/RW, so its ideal for archiving those boxes of projects that are taking up far too much space in your storage closet. Dual tuners allow simultaneous off-the-air recording, and multiple inputs (including IEEE-1394) allow dubs from a variety of sources. Plus, the S-VHS deck features a built-in TBC and frame synchronizer for improved playback.
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JVC ENG-Style HDV Camcorder
Last year, JVC brought HD to the masses by introducing the worlds first HDV camera. Now, theyve brought it to the ENG market. Its prototype HDV camcorder features three CMOS imagers that will acquire in SD and HD, plus it will offer 24p recording. With this camcorder on the horizon, as well as NLE support from a variety of companies, HDV is quickly maturing into a serious solution for the industry.
Kodak Autostereoscopic Display System
Think 3-D without the eyestrain. Kodaks Autostereoscopic Display System doesnt require special glasses, eliminates flicker and crosstalk, and offers a wide field of view. An ideal 3-D solution for museums, engineering, medical imaging, and military training simulators.
Lite Panels Lite Panels
If you read our review of this product last month, you know that Chuck Gloman had nothing but praise for this LED-based light. And whats not to love it weighs about 1 pound, can be mounted on almost any camcorder, gives off almost no heat, and can be dimmed without color shift. Brilliant.
Microwave Radio Communications & DTC Communications Body-Worn Vest and Camera System
A great tool for law enforcement. Previous COFDM transmitters were connected to the back of an ENG-style camcorder, which gave you wireless functionality but limited camera choices. With this new vest, youre wearing the transmitter and antennas, so youre not limited to shoulder-cams everything from your trusty PD150 to a hands-free covert camera can be part of your live wireless operations.
Panasonic AG-DVC30
Panasonics latest camcorder boasts some user-friendly functionality usually reserved for more expensive camcorders (including touch-sensitive zoom control and SMPTE color bars from a dedicated button, not a menu), but the big story here is its Super Night Shooting infrared capabilities. Its optional IR light provides shooting in complete darkness. Be sure to read the full review in next months issue.
Panasonic & Apple 100 Mbps DV-HD over IEEE-1394
They did it 1000 Mbps DV-HD over IEEE-1394, allowing native DVCPRO HD footage to be transferred directly into Final Cut Pro without generation loss. This technology is already being put to the test in Panasonics new AJ-HD1200A (pictured), a portable DVCPRO HD VTR.
Panavision 300x HD Lens with Compound Zoom
Wow. Really, that about sums it up. This was the one new product at NAB2004 that made my jaw drop. I could try to describe the power of this 300x zoom lens and explain its applications for sports, nature, and surveillance projects, but youd think I was exaggerating. Im not.
PESA Switching Systems XD Photonic Switcher
Using Glimmerglass microphotonics technology and PESAs 3500PRO control system, the XD photonic routing switcher can switch any signal format without converting light to electrical signals. The 64x64 router delivers transparent connectivity between any of its input and output fibers.
Snell & Wilcox MXF Express
When it comes to quality, usually you get what you pay for. At NAB2004, Snell & Wilcox was the exception to the rule. They released MXF Express, a software developer kit for content creators that provides file-sharing interoperability through the MXF file format. And its free. Kudos to Snell & Wilcox for helping the industry adopt this non-proprietary technology. (And be sure to download a copy of MXF Desktop, which enables Windows Media Player to play MXF files. Its free, too.)
Sony Anycast Station
Its a studio in a suitcase just add cameras and microphones. Sonys AWS-G500 better known as the Anycast Station includes a six-input video switcher, six-input audio mixer, CG, program and preview monitors, wireless keyboard, and built-in multi-camera hard disk recording. You can even mix live video, pre-recorded video, and PowerPoint slides into a single presentation without using an external scaler. A great find for distance learning and live productions on a budget.
Tektronix WFMNLE
This is serious test and measurement for the serious video professional, wrapped up in a user-friendly interface. A plug-in for a number of Avid NLE systems, the Tektronix WFMNLE offers error logging, picture screen with error bright-ups, and a status alarm screen, as well as traditional waveform and vectorscope displays.
Thomson Grass Valley LDK 6200 HD
It looks and feels like other LDK Series cameras, but the LDK 6200 HD has something special under the hood: You can switch between traditional HD or 2x slo-mo image capture. It also sports the multi-format, multi-frame rate, and native 1080i/ 720p image capture of the LDK 6000 mk II.
Vision Research Phantom v9.0
In a small corner of the Miranda booth, Vision Research made a splash its slo-mo footage of an exploding water balloon was amazing. Its Phantom v9.0 extreme digital slo-mo camera records up to 1,000 frames of HD per second or up to 6,000 frames per second in SD.
Venetex Corporation, Fujinon, & JAI Corporation C-Hybrid Lens
On display at the AltaSens booth, Venetex and its partners showed off this hybrid lens concept that simultaneously records HD video and still images using CMOS image sensors and digital signal processing technologies. Video is still recorded through the camcorder, but the still images are recorded on an SD card thats built into the lens. Potential HD multitasking possibilities include surveillance and converged media environments.
VertigoXmedia Xpresenter
Professional looking graphics for your on-air broadcasts from a PowerPoint interface. Great for government channels, schools, and other venues where a complicated CG isnt an option but Microsoft Office applications are commonplace. The PC-based software has plenty of bells and whistles to satisfy CG enthusiasts, and the learning curve for PowerPoint users is about five minutes. Outstanding.
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