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Around the globe with Q-Ball

The bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin was celebrated during 2009 by a variety of TV programmes studying the background to his 1859 book 'On the Origin of Species'. One of the most ambitious tributes was a 35-part series planned and produced by Dutch broadcaster VPRO. Rather than hire a studio, they commissioned the three-masted clipper Sta...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 November 2010

Television camera lenses

This is a glass-to-glass report with a difference, starting at front-end of the video production chain and staying there. Given the speed of development in almost every other branch of television, it is easy to overlook the advances taking place in optics. Until, that is, you need a wider capture angle than your existing kit can deliver or you want...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 November 2010

Am I a Martian at IBC2010

I have just returned from my annual sojourn at IBC and must confess that I was somewhat bemused by what I saw. I always think that the way to assess the tone of a show is to ask yourself what an average Martian would think about it, if it were doing a spot of pre-earth invasion scouting. Three dimensional headachesThis year, my Martian would have w...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 November 2010

tv-bay IBC2010 double takes

Tv-bay Double Takes..!Acquisition For-A VFC-7000 Camera HD Variable Frame Rate CameraASA1800 Sensitivity, Native 720x1280 resolution with inbuilt up-convert to 1920x1080 and will output at 50 or 59.94 frame rates. 120 - 700 Frames per second recording speed. Two HD-SDI outputs enabling live and recordings to be viewed simultaneously. Standard onboa...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 November 2010

Underwater DSLR Video Capture

Needless to say, DSLRs and their newly found HD video capability are a hot topic nowadays but many of us used to traditional video/film cameras are finding the transition a little vexing. The problem is that for years we’ve been able to immerse ourselves within that snug, comfortable viewfinder and get on with the job at hand. All of a sudden we ar...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 November 2010

Ensuring the longevity of an archive

The role of the archive has changed dramatically over the last few years. Every broadcaster in the world, regardless of their size, has the tools at their disposal to unlock their assets, digitise and repurpose their content for renewed monetisation and, in some cases, for the benefit of historic value. Tapping into new revenue streams is essential...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 October 2010

Data storage or Media storage

Now I am no techie geek, which in this business could be viewed as a disadvantage, but I do know that in all areas of life the design of the storage container is determined to a large extent by the nature of the thing you want to store. For example, chips (or fries) work in a grease proof paper bag just fine but I like my drinks in a cup, can or bo...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 October 2010

HD Post Production

In a parallel universe all forms of electronic entertainment are produced and presented in identical formats that can be exchanged and retrieved by anyone with permission to access the product. Unfortunately in our universe the opposite is true and a frustrated band of audio and video heroes spend every day of their working lives trying to satisfy...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 September 2010

Wireless Mic review

JTS has launched the KA-10 a new wireless microphone system designed for the video camera market . The system comes complete with an omni-directional microphone, a rechargeable beltback transmitter and camera mounted receiver, charger and cable adaptors for most cameras. We recently used the system with Panasonic’s AG-HMC151 handheld camcorder for...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 September 2010

Fourteen different formats and thats without 3D

It started so innocuously. I was sitting with a hire company friend of mine reviewing the industry and where it was heading. “What’s going to be new at IBC?” I asked, as a way of keeping the conversation going. And then it all kicked off. Kicking off“What’s new? You should know! New? New! I have bought 14 different formats in the last 18 months – a...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 September 2010

3D diaries -Fix it in post. Dont go there

The more I look into it the more scary 3D is. Researching for 3D Diaries shows there are so many pitfalls and traps that would be all too easy to fall into; enough to put people off the whole idea! The answer is simply to learn about the subject before seriously jumping in with both feet. Clearly it adds a whole new layer to all parts of the scene-...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 September 2010

USB 3 King of Connectivity

They call it SuperSpeed, and for a very good reason. USB 3.0 boasts a data throughput of 4.8 Gb/s. We’ve long known this ubiquitous I/O technology as the Universal Serial Bus, and the improvements gained by USB 3.0 over USB 2.0, along with its backward compatibility, have already shown the USB king of connectivity is going to undoubtedly retain its...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 September 2010

ALEXA bringing new creative freedom to filmmakers

ALEXA brings new creative freedom to filmmakers. A compact, lightweight and affordable digital camera, ALEXA redefines the limits of motion picture capture with ultra-fast workflows and image quality akin to 35 mm film. From major motion pictures and high-end dramas to commercials, music videos and mainstream TV, ALEXA suits a wide variety of appli...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 August 2010

OLED question and answer

Q: What is OLED?A: OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode. OLEDs are relatively simple in structure, made up of an electrically active organic material sandwiched between an anode (a electron-releasing electrode) and a cathode (an electron-receiving electrode). When an electric current runs through the system, the anode sends electrons to the...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 August 2010

Splitting Image

The traditional CRT monitor stack is now all but consigned to the annals of history. Not the vain claim of some clever marketing agency or the opening pitch of a sharp dressed sales rep but more the demise of a technology that is becoming less and less available. While manufacturers still have a few CRT models available in their portfolio we’ve see...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 August 2010