PTZOptics Rolls Out SuperJoy Joystick for Flexible Camera Control

PTZOptics has released the PT-SuperJoy-G1 Joystick Controller, a comprehensive solution supporting serial and network-based camera control. The SuperJoy puts multicamera production control at the fingertips of users of any ability level. Users will have fully featured control over any PTZOptics or HuddleCamHD camera, as well as control of Sony, Birddog, Newtek, and other PTZ cameras for select settings.

“There is no wrong use case for the SuperJoy,” says Matt Davis, Lead Engineer at PTZOptics. “We made this joystick to ‘play nice’ with users’ existing setups. We’re trying to make it universal, to work with as many devices as possible. No matter your deployment, this really should fit the scenario.”

Push-button Presets and On-The-Fly Adjustments
The SuperJoy can be programmed with up to 255 PTZ camera presets, including 9 “quick presets.” Users can also create up to four camera control groups allowing them to easily change scenes. The SuperJoy’s four customizable buttons can be programmed to trigger “super presets” that reach beyond the camera, sending custom commands via HTTP, UART, TCP or UDP to network-based equipment including lights, speakers, and displays. Practically any device that can be controlled over IP can be triggered by the SuperJoy.

The SuperJoy offers control well beyond camera position and zoom. Using incremental buttons, the operator can adjust pan, tilt, zoom, and preset speed. The SuperJoy also has knobs to make minute adjustments to zoom, focus, iris/shutter settings, and red and blue gain. This power to fine tune is balanced by the ability to set guardrails on what controls are available. The built-in “basic mode” disables most control other than single-camera joystick control and presets, while “matrix mode” gives the user the ability to call presets for up to three cameras. Regardless of mode, the SuperJoy lights up available buttons for the user. Basic and matrix modes allow volunteers and novice users to participate in video production without fear of making a mistake.

Versatile, Powerful, Accessible
Now available to order for $989 US MSRP, the SuperJoy is designed to address a wide range of applications, production sizes and skill sets. With its versatile presets and fine-tuning capabilities, this solution can bring even the most complex multicamera production under control. The SuperJoy includes a 2-year limited warranty and is available now for pre-order.