IBC 2017

IBC 2017: Hothead Silhouette to be demonstrated by Bluebell Opticom

At IBC 2017, Bluebell Opticom will demonstrate the Hothead Silhouette, its latest power-insertion product meant for robotic cameras in remote-production scenarios on stand 10.F24.

A fully integrated 4K UHD robotic head system that works with SD-SDI, HD-SDI, 3G-SDI, and 4K UHD cameras, Hothead Silhouette provides power and control to the camera head and fibre optic connectivity for the remote control panel. As a result, operators no longer need to rely on stadium power, said Bluebell Opticom. Instead, they can roll in a self-powered, self-contained system and avoid the noisy earths, hum, and picture distortion that can arise from being connected to the venue, said the company.

On its Hothead Silhouette power-insertion for robotic cameras, Paul McCann, managing director, Bluebell Opticom, said: “Remote camera operators, especially at outdoor festivals, will appreciate Bluebell’s new Hothead Silhouette. It’s a throw-down unit that manages 4K UHD, data control, and power all on a single hybrid fibre cable. Consequently, operators can sit a mile away in a warm dry truck instead of under the stage or with the audience.”

Intended for ingest and production of live events at sports arenas, theatres, stadiums, and other venues, the Hothead Silhouette combines 4K UHD transport, an open-architecture data-control system, and up to 60 watts of power insertion to run the robotic camera head, all in a self-contained, fully integrated system. By placing the portable unit between the robotic camera head and the base station and adding an external interconnect, users can remotely power, control, and receive 4K UHD pictures from a robotic camera head over a single hybrid fibre cable at distances up to 20 kilometres.

As a result, instead of standing on the wings of a stage using copper cables to connect to the robotic heads, operators can now be several tens of kilometres away if required and still have full control. They can manage the robotic heads from the same place as the standard manned cameras, and all control, services, and ingest can be sent via fibre to the production truck and consolidated with the other production facilities.

Visitors to Bluebell Opticom’s stand at IBC 2017 can also get a look at Bluebell’s newly upgraded network monitoring system. More options, user-configurable settings, and an improved interface make the system an even more useful management tool.

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