Sony’s MVP trailer, a small remote production facility designed for smaller TV sports and other productions, topped the list as most interesting sports concept. A joint project between Sony and Venue Services Group, it brings three versions of low-cost remote production vehicles to the market. Matt Bjorge, Sony senior systems engineer/systems solutions manager, gave SVG a tour of the vehicle that includes four Sony cameras, a small production switcher, a graphics area (Sony will offer systems from different manufacturers), and an audio area. The first configuration costs roughly $1 million and future models will offer higher-end cameras and larger production switchers and audio consoles.
Samsung showed its riff on the TV-broadcast-to-handheld-device standard Called A-VSB, we saw it in a tour-bus demo around the Strip. A-VSB is similar to Harris’ MPH mobile TV standard, as it carves out two extra channels, a ½-bit rate feed for laptops and a ¼-bit rate feed for small phones and portable devices. The bandwidth hit is on par with Harris’s system: 5.5 Mb/s out of 19.3 Mb/s allotted for digital transmission. Image quality was very good in the demo. But it was a prototype and there were secondary antennas used, so real-world performance is unclear. But keep in mind that Korea is light years ahead of the United States in most mobile technologies. So don’t be against Samsung.
Canon’s Gordon Tubbs gave SVG an inside look at the company’s new auto-focus technology. It’s an option that can be built into the DigiSuper 86AF and 100AF lenses and uses a proprietary based phase detection system that basically splits the incoming light into two images and compares them to see if they are in focus. If not the system immediately matches the two together. It also has the flexibility camera operators are looking for in terms of being able to override the system and quickly switch from manual to autofocus mode.
We had a chance to head over to suite 1350 in the Hilton Central Tower and check out Chilin’s latest broadcast-specific LCD flat panel displays. Available through the Linden Group here in the U.S. the robust full 1080p monitor lineup offer a tremendously wide viewing angle of 176 degrees and a response time of only 6.5 milliseconds grey to grey. And a 56-inch quad full HD panel with a maximum resolution of 3840x2160 offers stunning clarity that makes one hungry to see NHK’s UltraHD system eventually hit the market.
And finally, in the “Technologies for Worship” section. Off in the far corner of the North Hall is the technology used in the higher-tech churches and synagogues. That includes traditional live production tools targeted to the mostly volunteer production force. Marcus Singleton, digital media coordinator of the Breath of Life Christian Church in Memphis said he was looking for cranes this year. “Nothing too complex,” he said. “But the pastor would like to get up about 50 feet.”
