NAB 2017: Vislink and IMT Unveil HCAM HEVC 4K UHD Camera Transmitter, Finalizes Sale of 18
Vislink (Booth C8008) and IMT, business units of xG Technology, have introduced the HCAM HEVC 4K UHD camera transmitter.
Coinciding with the release of the HCAM, Vislink has finalized an order for 18 systems of the next-generation HCAM transmitters and UltraReceiver placed by UK-based Broadcast RF Ltd., a leading rental company for microwave and wireless camera hardware. The deal was completed on Day 1 of NAB 2017. The HCAM purchase is part of previously placed order with a market value in excess of $900,000.
Vislink’s HCAM supports such applications as ENG and sports broadcasts.
“With the rise of transmitting UHD broadcasts and Vislink’s years of experience in broadcast technology, we are ideally positioned to introduce HCAM at NAB 2017,” says George Schmitt, executive chairman/CEO, xG Technology. “The order makes Broadcast RF the first customer to bring the new HEVC product to market.”
Says IMT President James Walton, “Our relationship with Broadcast RF goes back over many years. Their success is our success, so we are committed to providing them with the optimum solution for live broadcast events. This new evolution of HEVC encoding technology permits 4K UHD wireless video with a 70-ms latency via our world-leading RF modulation and opens the door to a new era of coverage in premium live broadcast events. The Vislink HCAM makes 4K UHD wireless transmission a reality.”
Says Chris Brandrick, sales director, Broadcast RF, “Broadcast RF has one operational goal: to provide high-quality, state-of-the-art RF technology. The purchase of 18 new Vislink HCAM systems will equip us with the very best 4K UHD wireless camera systems on the market, which in turn allows us to continue to provide our customers with class-leading solutions.” Brandrick is on hand at the Vislink booth to complete the purchase with Rob King, regional sales manager for Europe/ account manager for Broadcast RF, Vislink.
The HCAM represents the next generation of HEVC 4K UHD wireless transmitters, supporting such applications as ENG and sports broadcasts. With highly flexible and configurable mounting options and intuitive video interfaces, the unit can be mounted to broadcast cameras, ENG cameras, and even prosumer cameras to broaden the market reach. With user-interchangeable RF modules and a range of software options, the HCAM continues the line of innovative, high-performance wireless camera systems from IMT and Vislink.
The interchangeable, future-proof dual SFP modules support quad 3/6/12G SDI/HDMI/fiber-optic/SMPTE 2022-6 HD-SDI over IP interfaces as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth control via dedicated Android and iOS application. In addition, the HCAM features integrated camera control with FocalPoint-compatibility and direct-docking V-Lock and Anton/Bauer battery plates with integral power feed-through.
IMT, Vislink Display Newsnet Technological Ecosystem
In addition, Vislink and IMT are demonstrateing newsnet, a technological ecosystem that establishes a bi-directional IP network for ENG use, at NAB 2017.
“Newsnet is the most advanced ENG solution currently available, and is one of the key service offerings that led xG Technology to acquire Vislink,” says George Schmitt, Executive Chairman and CEO of xG Technology. “It has the potential to be a key tool in broadcasters’ arsenals for maximizing their coverage of the news as well as fully leveraging their studio assets.”
“The trend of ENG becoming more reliant on the Internet means broadcasters must depend heavily on unsecured and at-will, unmanaged broadband infrastructures as the main corridor connecting field and studio,” says John Payne IV, president of IMT USA. “With newsnet, Vislink has pioneered an alternative IP-centric technology resulting in a complete solution, which preserves the security of the licensed BAS 2 GHz frequency band while maximizing its efficiency and spectrum usage. We have begun implementing newsnet within select prominent broadcast stations and have seen superb results thus far.”
Vislink leveraged its long history of specializing in the wireless capture, delivery and management of high quality live video to develop newsnet as a way of completely transforming traditional ENG workflows. It incorporates a high-speed and reliable bi-directional IP network that utilizes the exclusive and highly coveted 2 GHz BAS-licensed spectrum, thereby increasing the number of live ENG transmissions and workflows that can be performed from the field. The newsnet system consists of one or more mobile high-speed IP network nodes that easily connects with a base station, typically located at existing ENG receive sites. Each mobile node not only offers high quality video transmission capability, but also a private and reliable ingress point for other IP-centric edge devices — allowing users to control their own private high-speed IP licensed wireless network and ensuring that their content news gathering workflows and intellectual property are never at risk.
With an intuitive user interface, accessible to many skill levels, newsnet allows for multiple access points to operate simultaneously on the same BAS channel, all while enabling a high BW IP connection with studio NRCS. This IP connection can further be leveraged to enhance news production values through high-speed file sharing, as well as enabling all other IP-centric tools in remote locations, phone systems, Closed Captioning, automation and remote asset management. Newsnet is compatible with MOS protocol-based News Automation systems such as Ross, Octopus, Dalet and Video Inception.