Vaddio Announces New ZoomSHOT 20 POV Camera

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Vaddio ZoomSHOT 20 CameraVaddio has announced its latest point-of-view camera. It is called the ZoomSHOT 20. It is based on Vaddio’s ClearVIEW HD-20Se PTZ camera technology.

The ZoomSHOT 20 is fully equipped with an advanced image signal processor, 20x optical zoom, and native 1080p/60 high definition video. The 20x optical zoom with manual pan and tilt positioning enables an easy solution for fixed camera applications. It can also be used in conjunction with Vaddio’s robotic PTZ cameras.

Combine the advanced ISP of the ZoomSHOT 20 with the latest 1/2.8-Type Exmor CMOS high speed, low noise image sensor processor, and you get exceptional low-light performance rated at 0.3 Lux. That makes the ZoomShot 20 an ideal camera to use with low-light applications like House of Worship, Pro AV system integration, distance learning classrooms, live events, IMAG systems, UCC applications and more.

The camera comes equipped with a 20X auto-focus zoom lens which provides a 63-degree wide 3.47-degree tele horizontal field-of-view. The ZoomSHOT 20 is designed to work with Vaddio’s Quick-Connect camera interface systems that allow integrators to run power, video and control over Cat-5 cabling.

Check out the ZoomSHOT 20 at NAB at Vaddio booth C8808.

Tiffen Features Lowel Lighting Solutions at NAB

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Tiffen LogoTiffen will feature the award-winning line of Lowel lighting solutions at NAB 2015. Lowel is the worldwide standard for on-location lighting. The Lowel lighting, including the new LED lineup, has earned a Technical Achievement Academy Award, the John Grierson Gold Medal, and the Lightfair Technical Innovation Award.

Tiffen is going to be showcasing Lowel’s exclusive LED lighting family. They have powerful output, pragmatic functionality, are well built and dependable. Each is backed by Lowel’s legendary customer service.

The Lowel PRO Power LED is the solution to run-and-gun location lighting. It gives users maximum creative versatility in a rugged, aluminum steel fixture. Choose between high-quality Daylight or Tungsten lighting that is dimmable without color shift. The Lowel PRO Power LED comes with several mounting and light control accessories and is available in a number of kit combinations.

Lowel Prime LED offers powerful output and a wide 50-degree beam angle. The Prime LED is much brighter than similarly sized studio LEDs and comes in dedicated hi-CRI Daylight and Tungsten color models, as well as the new BiColor edition being unveiled at NAB 2015. It is available in three fully DMX-addressable, dimmable, and controllable models – Model 200, Model 400 and Model 800.

Lowel Prime Location LED is built for any real world situation. It is rugged, weatherproof, and powerful. It has all-metal construction and a IP-65 weather rating. This makes it ideal for use in dust or rain storms. It comes in three dimmable models – the new BiColor as well as Daylight or Tungsten color. It also has a new “Dual Color” feature that supports both Tungsten and Daylight color. The Prime Location LED has hi-CRI output and a wide 50-degree beam angle.

Lowel Blender is a compact and powerful color changing LED. It is a good choice for users who want intuitive lighting in any location. Photographers and videographers can quickly mix twin sets of 5000K Daylight and 3000K Tungsten lights to match or contrast any location. The Blender is 4 x 3 x 3 and is small enough to fit on a pistol grip or compact light stand. It can be powered with either AC or battery.

Lowel GL-1 Power LED is battery-powered, focusable and dimmable photo-quality tungsten color LED light. Users can control the diameter of the light beam, focusing from a tight spot to a wide flood. The beam is even edge to edge with no hot spots. The GL-1’s dimming ability lets users vary the amount of light output from 5 – 100% without any shift in color temperature.

Visit Tiffen and check out Lowel Technology’s LED lighting solutions at NAB 2015. They will be at booth C6019.

Viewbits GNAT 1080P 60FPS HD-SDI Camera

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gnatThe team from Viewbits sent me their GNAT 1080P 60FPS HD-SDI Camera for review, and I have testing it in the Studio. This SDI HD mini camera is one of the better ones that have made it to market with a 1/3 inch CMOS sensor that is in this unit. I am willing to speculate who the manufacture is but only a full tear down would confirm my suspicions . This particular camera is tiny and can be stashed almost anyplace in the studio and is one of the reason I wanted to review it.

My main use purpose for this camera was for a product shot camera. Overall it would serve that purpose very well, the picture I captured with it was with the camera approximately three feet away from the object. Please note I did not white balance the camera for this picture but felt it came out pretty good. The lens provided is perfect for fixed length focal shots only. In later tests I did white balance the camera and was pleased with the image quality.

GNC Master 30

In my opinion this camera is not well suited for in close camera shots of an active scene. An example of that would be a interview shot  This camera would be perfect for a corner camera shot where you are trying to capture a broad area.

Let talk about the build.. The camera build is rugged with a solid SDI cable connection. Power to the unit is a little odd it comes with a multi-pin connector of which part of it can be wired up for external control. That cable attaches to a power brick that provides 12vdc to the unit. If I where to use it in a production facility I would come up with a different power supply for the unit.

The specs are pretty straight forward. It measures only 1.65 inches, or 42mm. It is a 2.1 megapixel camera with a 1/3 inch progressive scan CMOS sensor, automatic gain control, wide dynamic range, digital zoom and defog. It also supports digital noise reduction systems like DNR, 3D-NR and 2D+3D, has a C and a CS lens mount and is selectable between HD-SDI: 1920x1080p (30 fps), 1920x1080i (60 fps), 1280x720p (60 fps), 3G-SDI: 1920x1080p (60 fps) The full rundown of specs can be seen at the Viewbits website.

This camera space is heating up and the retail price of $445 is in line with other competitors. You will have to purchase a lens for the camera so be aware of that as well.  Check out all the details of this camera and others they have a ViewBits.com

Beastgrip Turns any Mobile Phone into a Pro Video Rig

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BeastgripThanks to their built-in high quality video cameras, modern mobile phones have been a real game changer for video producers. And while “phoneography” puts a lot of power directly into the hands of creators, there are still lots of limitations. After all, these cameras are designed to be accessories to cell phones. Not the other way around. But products like the new Beastgrip adapter can turn any mobile phone into a professional video rig.

Beastgrip is a modular and flexible adapter system that works with any iPhone, Android or Windows Mobile mobile phone. Beastgrip also works with phones regardless of whether or not they’re inside of a protective case. This system allows many external lenses and accessories to be used with a mobile phone camera, greatly extending the camera’s functionality.

beastgrip is designed to be one truly universal phoneography system. For example, if you just need to connect your mobile phone to a tripod, Beastgrip does that. If you need to expand your rig to include special lenses or external microphones, Beastgrip does that, too. The possibilities are nearly endless for how you can use Beastgrip. Here’s some specifications:

  • Removable lens mount assembly with standard 37mm lens/filer mount, additional grip and two 1/4″-20 threaded mounts
  • Compatible with wide variety of standard conversion lenses/filters and DOF adapters
  • Extra grip and two mounting points to attach additional accessories
  • Base with adjustable spring loaded clamps will keep your phone securely in place
  • Standard 1/4″-20 threaded mount allows to mount it on any tripod or other support gear
  • Cold shoe mount allows to attach LED light or microphone
  • Ergonomic handle provides with comfortable grip for stable handheld shots
  • Two 1/4″-20 threaded mounts for attaching additional accessories
  • Handle can be removed from the base for more compact setup

Beastgrip is being officially launched thru Kickstarter. The campaign has already exceeded its desired goal amount by more than double. There are pledge rewards at many levels. The $40 level will get you two special Beastgrip lens adapters that will work with many popular lens adapter kits (not just the Beastgrip system). The highest pledge level of $210 will get you the full Beastgrip Pro rig with all lenses and accessories.

Blonder Tongue and Zixi Introduce New LiveCast Encoder at NAB

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LiveCast_Encoder_ImageBlonder Tongue and Zixi have teamed up in order to create the new LiveCast encoder. It has been designed to allow sports networks and service providers to utilize public internet networks as a way to deliver studio-quality IP video reliably and securely over IP. The new LiveCast encoder will be introduced at NAB 2015.

The Blonder Tongue LiveCast encoder uses the Zixi software development kit (SDK) to integrate the Zixi Feeder inside the Blonder Tongue LiveCast encoder. This enables the LiveCast encoder to locally encode a live stream from a serial digital surface (SDI) source used in professional video.

The output is a high-quality H.264 high definition (HD) or standard definition (SD) stream that is encapsulated in the Zixi transport protocol. It is sent over the public internet to a cloud based video media server or service provider for future processing into the multiscreen workflow.

Zixi incorporates a reliable UDP-based protocol providing powerful content-aware bandwith optimization, error correction, packet loss recovery, and click sync technologies to ensure pristine broadcast video over unmanaged IP connections. The combination of Blonder Tongue’s broadcast quality encoding engine and Zixi’s video-optimized protocol provides an easily adaptable solution to leveraging public internet for reliable contribution from anywhere. This solution offers significant cost savings over traditional methods such as satellite, building fiber, or leasing bandwith from a third party provider.

The LiveCast encoder can be seen at NAB 2015 in Las Vegas from April 13 – 16, 2015. Blonder Tongue will be in booth SU6524 and Zixi will be in booth SU10802.

IK Multimedia Brings UltraTuner Guitar Tuning App to Android

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UltraTuner for AndroidGigging musicians were living the mobile-gear life long before everyone was walking around with high-powered computers in their pockets. This required many musicians, especially guitarists, to have to tote around a kit full of tools and accessories, with the guitar tuner being paramount among them. But what about those times when you’ve accidentally left the tuner at home? Used to be, if you were lucky, you could borrow one from a bandmate. Or hope that maybe the bass player is actually in tune and you could tune off of his instrument. Those kinds of hassles are a thing of the past thanks to apps like UltraTuner from IK Multimedia.

IK Multimedia has been making products for the mobile musician for years. But those products have been focused on iOS. For the first time, along with its new iRig 2 and iRig HD-A, IK Multimedia is bringing UltraTuner to the Android platform. UltraTuner can be used with one of the above interfaces or it can also be used with your device’s built-in microphone.

UltraTuner features an advanced note-detection engine that delivers accuracy down to +/- 1/100 of a cent, making it ideal for precision tuning and calibration of all instruments from electric guitars to analog synthesizers and beyond. UltraTuner achieves such fine results thru a patented note detection engine that utilizes a proprietary dual-analysis process to deliver frequency readings with incredible accuracy.

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Datavideo Announces New HRS-30 Recorder

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HRS30bannerDatavideo has announced the new HRS-30 recorder. It is an all in one portable recorder that is a desktop solution ideal for schools, club sport teams, and smaller broadcasting stations.

The HRS-30 has an integrated 10.1” monitor that can be used as a field recorder and a playback system. It can record from both HD and SD video equipment via HD/SD-SDI. It supports full HD video formats with a choice of recording formats in MEPG-II Long-GOP or intra-frame (i-frame) with 4:2:2 color sampling.

The recorded MXF/OP1A file format is compatible with a wide range of NLE and play out systems. Recorded files are stored to a removable caddy that is compatible with most 2.5” SSD.

The Datavideo HRS-30 has an MSRP price of $2,499. It will become available immediately after NAB. Visit Datavideo and take a look at the HRS-30 recorder and player at booth SL9716 at NAB.