Telecast, Canon come together for Canobeam

Telecast Fiber Systems and Canon U.S.A., Inc. today announced a joint solution that allows broadcasters to overcome physical obstacles to the transmission of HD camera signals for production. The pairing of Telecast’s SHED (SMPTE Hybrid Elimination Devices) and HDX with Canon’s new Canobeam DT-150 Free-Space Optics (FSO) transmission system makes it easy for broadcasters to move HD and control signals from existing HD camera systems through a secure, high-speed, high-quality transmission.

“The Canobeam provides the same benefits offered by fiber, but without the physical restraints of cabling,” said Gordon Tubbs, director of the Canon Broadcast and Communications Division. “Like fiber, the system is protocol-independent and thus integrates easily with the Telecast SHED/HDX solution. Because it transmits uncompressed data, users can move media content between two sites without delay. Our Canobeam technology pairs up very well with the SHED/HDX system to provide unique functionality and offer the broad base of existing Telecast customers an attractive solution for remote HD production.”

For example, in capturing hard-to-get HD shots over a river or across a racetrack, where the use of cabling is problematic, broadcasters require a solution capable of converting camera signals for wireless transmission. The Canobeam DT-150 supports SD or HD-SDI digital streams, which the Telecast SHED/HDX system transports on two single-mode fibers. The result is an easy-to-use, compact, lightweight, and cost-effective temporary solution for bidirectional wireless HD acquisition with negligible latency.

Canon’s DT-150 series optical beam transceiver is capable of delivering signals over straight-line distances of up to 1 kilometer, thus enabling long-distance bidirectional transmission of uncompressed digital data between two sites at speeds of 1.5 Gbps at a wavelength of 785 nm. An automatic tracking function maintains beam alignment even in the face of varying wind and other conditions.

The SHED/HDX system from Telecast consists of two adapters, which convert signals from hybrid copper/fiber cables to standard all-fiber cables and connectors. In fiber applications, the adapters allow the camera and base station to communicate on two ordinary and inexpensive single-mode fibers, and they also provide the appropriate power delivery option for the camera. An improved version of the HDX, being released at NAB2007, features an improved user interface and options for built-in optical power metering and remote camera shut-off.

“Our fiber linking products integrate just as smoothly with the Canobeam system as they do with fiber, so broadcasters working with this product pair enjoy high-quality transmission, more flexible acquisition, and more affordable capture of unique and engaging HD images,” said Richard Cerny, president of Telecast Fiber Systems. “When signal quality is of critical concern and a traditional fiber installation simply isn’t feasible, the combination of the SHED/HDX and Canobeam offers broadcasters a reliable, end-to-end HD transmission solution.”