| NAB 2009 Preview |
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| Written by Richard D. Lewis | |
Ah, NAB. There’s nothing quite like it. If you’re an industry professional who has never attended this broadcast, production and post-production Mecca, then you must make it a priority to go. The NAB show takes place on April 18–23, 2009 in Las Vegas (exhibits open on April 20) and is the world’s largest electronic media show covering filmed entertainment and the development, management and delivery of content across all mediums. First of all, before we talk about what’s going to be at NAB, let’s take a look at who’s going to be there. David Helfand, Emmy-nominated editor, and Michael Tronick, editor of Hairspray and Mr. and Mrs. Smith, will speak at this year’s Post-Production World Conference. NAB organizers also announced that Avid Technology is returning to the exhibit floor alongside Sony, Thomson Grass Valley, Panasonic, Canon, Dolby, Evertz, Harris, JVC, Ross Video and Vitec Group. Other major exhibitors representing the post-production and content development community include Adobe Systems, Autodesk, Digital Vision AB, Vizrt, Accenture, Cisco, Google, HP, Microsoft, NEC, Qualcomm and Media FLO, among many others. Now let’s take a glimpse at some of the amazing high-tech gadgets, gizmos and electronic wish-list wonders aimed to help make your next broadcast or film project a success. Thales Angenieux
A highlight of the company’s product line on display this year will be the compact and lightweight Angenieux 15-40mm and 28-76mm zoom lenses for handheld motion-picture photography. They must be great, because Thales engineers recieved an Academy Award recognizing Excellence in Zoom Lens Engineering & Design. This 2009 Scientific and Engineering Award was presented by none other than actress Jessica Biel. JVC It was one thing when cameras started going tapeless, now JVC has upped the ante. The company announced the GY-HM100 ProHD camcorder, the industry's first professional handheld model to record files directly to solid-state media in the native format of Apple’s Final Cut Pro editing system. For the first time, recorded material can be edited directly from the solid-state memory card, dramatically reducing the amount of time required to edit programs together. “Files created in the GY-HM100 can be edited immediately without conversion,” says Craig Yanagi, the national marketing manager for creation products at JVC. “It’s truly the first camcorder designed for post-production.” The GY-HM100 is scheduled for delivery in April 2009 with a suggested list price of, get this: $3,995. Now, that is a bargain. Thomson grass valley Speaking of camcorders, did you know that Thomson, a worldwide leader in video solutions, also makes a camcorder? Not just any camcorder, mind you, it’s a super-duper humdinger, high-end doozy known as the Thomson Grass Valley Infinity Digital Media Camcorder (or DMC), to which Thomson recently added those Cine-style options that we all crave. So now shooters are apt to run DMC, because according to Thomson, Infinity is the “most complete camcorder available on the market.” The camcorder shoots in HD progressive formats giving dramas, high-quality documentaries and music videos a polished flair. In addition to the ability to use cine accessories and lenses, the new option enables the DMC to create content in 1080P23.97, P25 and P29.97 at a full 1920x1080 HD resolution. Combined with the ability to capture full 10-bit 4:2:2 HD, the Infinity DMC product line is a real contender. Thomson’s EDIUS 5 Editing Software Thomson is also unveiling the most advanced version (5) of its Thomson Grass Valley EDIUS nonlinear editing software. With EDIUS 5, professionals can now capture images with the Infinity digital-media camcorder in J2K, edit with EDIUS 5 in J2K and output in J2K (and perhaps even determine who really shot JFK), all while maintaining high quality and preserving disk space. As part of the improved workflow, EDIUS 5 runs on Microsoft’s Windows Vista operating system, and, for the first time, EDIUS supports Spanish (yo quiero EDIUS!). Thomson Firecoder Transcoding Cards Thomson is also introducing two new high-quality transcoding engines that provide faster than real-time performance when converting files from one digital format to another. The new Thomson Grass Valley Firecoder Blu and Firecoder Intra encoder boards are part of a growing family of advanced hardware codecs that address the industry’s migration to file-based production workflows. As the company says, they help broadcasters to become “broadercasters.” Now, let’s talk camera support. Telescopic LLC Techno-Jib 24 Telescopic, LLC now introduces the Techno-Jib 24 telescoping remote camera jib arm. Until now, camera jibs could only be built to fixed lengths, which limited their use to certain shots. According to Telescopic, the new Techno-Jib 24 instantly extends or retracts to obtain the best shot possible. With its ability to smoothly, silently and quickly move the camera in and out of hard-to-reach areas, Techno-Jib enables innovative and creative shots that were previously considered too expensive or technically challenging. Best of all, for the first time a single operator can control diverse camera movements –– including zoom, focus and the telescoping of the jib arm –– through a customizable user interface. Spider Support Systems Ringo Head Spider Support Systems will turn your production world upside-down (or at least 90 degrees). The company showcases the new Ringo Head, a camera accessory that allows an operator to mount any professional video camera at 90 degrees. New production styles may require images to be captured in a vertical orientation rather than the traditional horizontal mode –– this technique is often used in point-of-sale, fashion and event-display environments (or when the videographer falls asleep during event photography). OConnor
Why settle for “C” when you can upgrade to “D”? OConnor has upgraded its workhorse Ultimate 2575 Fluid Head from its predecessor C to a new D model. The improvements include ergonomic changes to controls and more pan bar-mounting points. All of the controls have been relocated to the operator’s side (the left) to facilitate easier adjustment. The 2575D’s one-touch platform release lever allows for one finger or hand action to undo the safety latch and open the lever, speeding deployment and location changes in the field. The 2575D retains the counterbalance specifications and other smooth operating characteristics that contributed to the popularity of its predecessor, the 2575C. The weight of the head (22.9 lbs./10.4 kg.) and payload (0–87 lbs./39.5 kg.) remain the same. Another fine offering is the 1030HDS Fluid Head, which is based on the 2575. The 1030 features OConnor’s step-less, ultra-smooth, pan-and-tilt fluid drag specifically enhanced for HD applications. OConnor’s returning products include the 120EX (Extended Capacity) Fluid Head, designed to support camera payloads of 120 lbs./54.0 kg. at a full +/-90-degree tilt range, can double that payload range in the EX mode (up to 240 lbs./108 kg.) with a tilt range limited to +/-60 degrees. The 120EX features OConnor’s step-less counterbalance system, as well as an ultra-smooth pan-and-tilt fluid drag designed for film-style shooting. So now we know that OConnor gives good heads, and their tripod offerings are top quality as well. The company will showcase its range of heavy-duty tripods in both aluminum and carbon-fiber models, including the Cine HD Tripod, Cine HD Baby Tripod, 35L Tripod and 25L Tripod. ANTON/BAUER
Anton/Bauer — a Vitec Group brand —will debut its QR-RH RED One Handle for the RED camera at NAB 2009. The new QR-RH RED One Handle features Anton/Bauer’s signature Gold Mount, which gives the ability for multiple mounting and the possibility of mounting the RED drive in various locations. It also allows users to attach various accessories — such as Israeli arms, video monitors and Steadicam plates — to the camera’s handle via 1/4-20 and 3/8-16 tapped holes. Anton/Bauer’s RED One Handle also features a tape hook that provides tape measure attachment for camera focus. For convenience, the handle’s tape clip extender allows the matte box on the lens to remain on the camera throughout set up. According to Paul Dudeck, director of Anton/Bauer product specialist group-the Americas, the combination of the Anton/Bauer QR-RH RED One Handle and the Anton/Bauer Gold Mount bracket provides users with versatility in battery positioning and allows for customized camera balance options. Matthews Studio Equipment The two biggies for Matthews Studio Equipment at NAB this year are the RED Dolly and the Monitor Mount. Matthews RED Dolly The RED Dolly can be configured to push around a seated camera operator wheelchair style, or hard mount a camera on the new Mini Bazooka with a seat for the operator. The RED Dolly also offers a standing platform for Steadicam operators. The company says the RED Dolly performs moves other dollies just can't match –– from tight, 360-degree, repeatable full circles to “crabbing” and the quick, dolly reverse shot. Remove the seat and you have the Steadicam standing platform equipped with side receivers for lights, grip equipment, a Bungee Cam, Speed Rail rigs and more. Matthews Monitor Mount Matthews Monitor Mount is one of the latest editions to the Matthews family of technological products, and it’s getting rave reviews. Manufactured to fit multiple sizes of monitors and designed to hold up to 75 lbs., Matthews says there is no other monitor mount out there that is as strong, durable and easy to use. Sachtler
Sachtler also adds the new FSB 8 to its FSB line of fluid heads. The FSB 8 features a payload range from 4.4 lbs./2 kg. to 19.8 lbs./9 kg. on a 75mm base, making it well suited for HDV camcorders in newsgathering, industrial and education applications. Like the entire range of FSB heads, the FSB 8 is engineered with Sachtler’s respected counterbalance and drag technology. The DV 10 SB fluid head is capable of supporting a camera package of 2–26 lbs./1–12 kg. The head features a tilt range of +90 to -75 degrees, and a 12-step counterbalance system capable of handling front-heavy or rear-heavy payloads. Sachtler is also introducing the Cine 7+7 HD fluid head, designed for heavier, fully outfitted HD camera packages. The new head features a payload range of 4–48.8 lbs./2–22 kg., 16 steps of counterbalance (with a Boost Button), 7 horizontal and 7 vertical grades of drag (plus 0), and a tilt range of from +90 to -80 degrees. The Cine 7+7 HD fits tripods with 100mm bowls. So you now know that Sachtler makes great tripods and heads, but did you know the company also offers lighting equipment? Sachtler Reporter 8LED A new dimmable version of Sachtler’s Reporter 8LED on-camera LED light fixture, the Reporter 8LEDim, offers a full range of dimming from 100-percent to zero. The light can be powered off input voltage from 6 to 24 volts, making it ideal for use with a range of cameras, from small, 7.2-volt HDV cameras to commonly used broadcast camcorders and their power supplies. The Reporter 8LED’s LED-based, on-camera light can also be used as a small location light by placing it on a mounting base or a mini-croco clamp. The light is available in a daylight or tungsten version. Litepanels LED technology is making serious inroads in the industry. Check out the latest Litepanels offerings you will see at NAB. Litepanels 1x1 Bi-Color LED Light
Now here’s a light that goes both ways. The new Litepanels 1x1 Bi-Color enables what the company says is a never-before possible utility: it provides a single fixture capable of generating a color temperature of either 3200K or 5600K, or an infinite range of color temperatures in between. The Bi-Color name comes from its design, which incorporates both 3200K and 5600K LEDs. This allows a crew to carry one light or set of lights to cover both tungsten and daylight ambient-light conditions. Other good options include the Litepanels Mini and the new MiniPlus compact, camera-mountable LEDs. I saw one being used to great effect on location the other day on “Dr. Phil.” All Litepanels fixtures remain cool to the touch and use a small fraction of the power used by traditional lighting fixtures. Litepanels 4x4s Recently, Emmy-nominated Cinematographer Adam Beckman overcame a unique challenge with the help of Litepanels 4x4s. “We needed to shoot Sprint's CEO walking 30 feet across the floor of Grand Central Terminal in New York and pacing through Times Square at night,” he explains. Management wouldn’t allow any cables across the busy terminal floor, and it was out of the question to have cables and generators traversing Time Square. “I’ve worked with Litepanels 4x4s before, so I knew they would be the best [and] the only solution,” Beckman says. They rigged the Litepanels 4x4 on a Western dolly, allowing Beckman to track across Grand Central’s floor with the CEO as he approached camera. Although the team brought in other units for added punch, Litepanels were all they needed. “The output from the unit far exceeded our expectations, and we dimmed it by about 60 percent,” says Beckman. “Since the ambient light levels were constantly changing inside Grand Central Station, we were able to adjust the output of the Litepanels to balance it on the fly, which was a great timesaver … Litepanels was the perfect solution. “Crowd control was tricky in Times Square,” Beckman adds. “Since the shot entailed pulling back on Steadicam as the CEO paces along the sidewalk, it was great to be free of cables that could have tripped up our extras.” CANON Canon Broadcast will be exhibiting an array of revolutionary lenses at the upcoming NAB show, including those used for broadcasting this year’s Super Bowl XLIII game. NEP Supershooters mobile production specialists accredited the longest reach of this year’s Super Bowl game courtesy of Canon DIGISUPER 100xs (XJ100x9.3B IE-D) long-zoom HD field lenses and DIGISUPER 86xs (XJ86x9.3B IE-D) long-zoom HD field lenses, all of which feature Shift-IS—Canon’s unique second-generation built-in Optical Shift Image Stabilizer Technology for rock-solid imagery at telephoto distances. Petrol Petrol is rapidly becoming the de facto manufacturer of camera bags. Not only do they make a durable product at a competitive price, the bags also look great. The company now introduces the Inflatable Airline Camera Bag, created specifically for boarding a plane with a full-size broadcast camera. The Petrol Inflatable Airline Camera Bag is uniquely designed to safeguard a camera against accidental damage from other cargo or jostling during a flight (however the Petrol bag should probably not be used as a flotation device). Petrol also introduces two new versions of the popular Petrol Transparent Raincover. The PCR-15 provides great weather protection for medium-size video cameras, like the Sony PMW-EX3 and JVC GY-HD200, while the extra-large PRC-25 is designed to shelter full-size broadcast cameras, like the Sony PDW-700 and Panasonic AJ-HPX2700. Broadcast Pix Slate G Broadcast Pix announced the Slate G Series, which enhances and replaces its current generation of live integrated-production systems at the same price points, according to the company. The Slate G Series has a new Intel quad workstation that houses the Slate video processing boards and is powerful enough to upgrade to future 3 Gbps 1080p boards. The quad workstation also boosts Slate’s built-in clip and graphics stores to HD, and upgrades its built-in Inscriber CG to HD. Matrox
The MXO2 Rack from Matrox is a new version of the company’s award-winning MXO2 I/O device for the Mac. The 2RU-sized Matrox MXO2 Rack is designed for broadcast news operations, OB vans and other environments where equipment must be rack-mounted. It streamlines editing workflow with Apple’s Final Cut Studio on Mac Pros and MacBook Pros, while providing broadcast-quality input/output, monitoring and up/down/cross conversion. Maximum Throughput
Maximum Throughput, developers of server-based media applications and high-performance storage solutions, announced that it is now shipping its MAXedit Server Edition, which the company says is the first multi-user editing application. With MAXedit, broadcasters, post facilities and studios can rapidly and cost-effectively set up a multi-seat editing environment suited for news production, specialty programming, digital dailies, corporate and institutional productions, and offline editing. Gekko Technology Gekko Technology, an industry leader in the design, development and manufacture of LED luminaries, boasts a robust product portfolio of film and TV white-light products. Gekko Technology has also added to its inventory the newly developed kleer color range of color products, including the kedo 12-100, which will debut at NAB 2009. Gekko currently has an exclusive distribution agreement with Production Resource Group. Harris Harris, an international communications and information technology company, announces the launch of the new NEXIO Browse suite. This comprehensive portfolio of tools will facilitate H.264 proxy viewing and editing, enabling broadcasters to implement an affordable and scalable low-resolution news workflow. “Media management and editing are simplified, and high-resolution conforming for play-to-air functions can be performed quickly and seamlessly,” says Tim Thorsteinson, president of Harris Broadcast Communications. “The ability to move, browse and edit low-resolution files delivers a critical speed advantage in the competitive news and sports industries, or any broadcast environment where large numbers of people benefit from shared access to content.” Orad We’ve all seen those movies in which someone monitors someone else on surveillance video, zooms in and then says, “Enhance,” and the footage is magically altered to a crystal clear image. A bunch of hooey, right? Well, apparently not anymore. Orad Hi-Tec Systems, provider of real-time broadcasting graphic solutions, unleashes PowerWall, its cost-effective solution for delivering compelling graphical content on video walls in very high resolution. PowerWall offers an unprecedented 4K resolution from a single box, enabling broadcasters to zoom in on the screen without the graphic content becoming pixilated. Watch out, Jason Bourne! Christie digital systems Christie Digital Systems is raising the bar on standard features and performance with a diverse new line of projection products that set a new benchmark for reliability, versatility and low-cost ownership of high-end Pro AV projectors. The Christie M Series is a flexible and efficient family of three-chip DLP projectors built on a dual-lamp, mercury platform with extreme feature-rich functionality. The opening and closing ceremonies at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games was an impressive proving ground for Christie –– unprecedented in terms of projection size, the number of projectors employed, the viewing audience and technical challenges, it was a benchmark achievement for the company. But size isn’t everything. Sometimes you gotta go small to go big… Christie’s CP2000-M is the most compact DLP cinema projector in the world, according to the company. Purpose-built for long-term reliability, it delivers up to 12,000 lumens of output power specifically designed to maintain DCI luminance requirements on smaller screens (up to 35 ft./10.7 m. wide). At just 95 lbs./43 kg., the projector can be transported and installed by only two people. Tektronix In the digital age, video-signal generating and monitoring are alive and well. And no company does it better than Tektronix. The company’s significant upgrades to the successful TG700 modular, multi-format, precision video-signal generator include the addition of 1080p SDI-signal generation on a single link. This capability is added through the new 3Gbps HD3G7 module, which supports both Level A and Level B 1080p SMPTE formats. You might say that theTG700 is literally out of this world with GPS-based Synchronization and Timecode Generation, which links to the Global Positioning System satellite grid. The GPS7 module allows the TG700 to act as a master clock and synchronization system that includes video reference and timecode for broadcast and post-production operators. A GPS clock can simplify facility configuration by supplying all necessary clock signals from a single worldwide reference. The company’s WFM5000/WVR5000 and WFM4000/WVR4000 with TandemVu Display will be returning this year. Launched at last year’s NAB, TandemVu Display capability for the WFM5000 waveform monitors and WVR5000 rasterizers provide the ability to overlay waveform and vector displays and waveform and lighting displays, and position flexibly in full-screen mode. So there you have a small sampling of the products and attractions you will see at NAB 2009. To get the full picture, you really have to experience it for yourself. Bring some comfortable walking shoes and come on down. I hope to see you there!
Accenture (SL7620)
Adobe (SL3320)
Anton/Bauer (Booth C6201)
Apple
Autodesk (SL2120)
Avid (SU902)
Broadcast Pix (SU2617)
Canon (C4325)
Cisco (S214MR, S213MR)
Christie Digital Systems (SL7912)
Digital Vision AB (SL8514)
Dolby (N1815)
Google (N6507)
Evertz (N1602)
Harris (N2502)
HP (SL4420)
JVC (C4315)
Litepanels (C6817)
Matrox (SL3814)
Matthews Studio Equipment (C8331)
Maximum Throughput
Microsoft (SL720)
NEC (C1942)
Oconnor (C6030)
Orad (SU10517)
Panasonic (C3712, C3327)
Petrol (C6031)
Production Resource Group
QUALCOMM Inc./Media FLO (OE429, C2146)
Ross Video Limited
Sachtler (C6027)
Spider Support Systems (C11231)
Sony (C10515, C11001)
Tektronix (N2522)
Telescopic (C9844)
Thales Angenieux (C7525)
Thomson (SL106) www.vizrt.com |
Sachtler is renowned as an industry-leading manufacturer of fluid heads and tripods. New this year is the FSB 4 fluid head, which features a payload range of 0–8.8 lbs./0–4 kg. on a 75mm base. Like the entire family of FSB heads, the FSB 4 is engineered with Sachtler’s well-respected technology, including its counterbalance switch mechanism. The FSB 4 provides a 10-stage counterbalance, as well as five steps of drag (plus 0) for both tilt and pan. It also incorporates Sachtler features, such as Speed Balance (for quick balancing in the field) and the self-illuminating touch bubble. All this makes FSB 4 a good choice for professionals looking for a long-term investment in top camera-support equipment for smaller cameras.
