KitPlus | Articles

Get the 8k WOW factor at NAB

by Bob Pank Issue 88 - April 2014 Once again 4K will be a prominent feature at NAB. There will be a 4K Zone in the North Hall but surely the format is now so popular that its many supporters will make it 4K everywhere and not confined to a dedicated zone. But 4K is only a part of UHD, the other being 8K, which has far more wow factor (why else go t...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 May 2014

Dick Hobbs reaches for the remote

by Dick Hobbs Issue 87 - March 2014 I spent two weeks of February working in South Africa. I tell you this not to make you jealous although temperatures were around the 30 degree mark in glorious sunshine while those I left behind in England were forming local action committees to watch puddles. Neither am I trying to suggest some sort of superiori...

Submitted by Dick Hobbs.

Published 01 April 2014

War House goes live in 4K

Issue 87 - March 2014In the next chapter of the War Horse story, National Theatre Live in collaboration with Sony, are pushing the technological boundaries of live entertainment to a new level. For the first time worldwide, the multi-award winning stage production will be broadcast live in 4K. On February 27th 2014, National Theatre Live (NT Live)...

Submitted by KitPlus

Published 01 April 2014

Location: Seychelles with the Canon C300PL

by Kieron Seth Issue 86 - February 2014 The idea that the Seychelles are all about palm-lined beaches underplays the scale and diversity of this geologically rich group of islands. Unlike many other tropical paradise destinations, a beautiful seascape is only part of the picture for this gem of the Indian Ocean. From the 900 metre peak of Morne Sey...

Submitted by Kieron Seth#

Published 01 March 2014

PAGlink: Reviewed

by Chris Newton Issue 86 - February 2014 Chris Newton is a London based photographer who has taken on the challenge of adding video production to his repertoire. As a photographer I realized I needed to add video to my skill base, so I have been honing my video skills for the last couple of years. Along side commissions, the bulk of my work is for...

Submitted by Chris Newton

Published 01 March 2014

How the cloud is changing the post production landscape

by Stephen Streater Issue 85 - January 2014 For many years, the pace of change in mass market IT has dwarfed that of broadcast technology. For example, consumer cameraphone resolution has increased over the last ten years by 30,000%. In comparison, broadcast resolution hasn\'t changed significantly. The development costs of consumer cameras are amo...

Submitted by Stephen Streater

Published 01 February 2014

Archive eXchange format (AXF) explained

by S Merrill Weiss Issue 85 - January 2014 The proprietary nature of archive storage long has made it challenging for content producers and owners to exchange archive files and media between systems. Thus, when faced with the need either to migrate archives to new generations of storage technology or to consolidate archives, media companies have be...

Submitted by S. Merrill Weiss

Published 01 February 2014

Bob is up in the air with 4K

by Bob Pank Issue 84 - December 2013 The closer you look at 4K UHD the more you see what needs to be done to make it work from scene to screen. Until that pipe is complete no practical service can flow to the consumer. The parts that are working and available now are the cameras, recorders and post production. Beyond those there are a few satellite...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 January 2014

Get the lowdown on HEVC compression

by Keith WymbsIssue 84 - December 2013 The high-efficiency video coding (HEVC/H.265) compression codec, which was standardized earlier this year, brings broadcasters and other content distributors multiple opportunities, including:- Decreased bandwidth enabling the addition of more channels and increased quality while lowering bitrates. - Improved...

Submitted by Keith Wymbs

Published 01 January 2014

Ask the experts with Shotoku

by James EddershawIssue 82 - October 2013 Shotoku has been around for quite some time, but for those who may not be familiar, can you explain who you are and what you do?Shotoku Broadcast Systems is an international leader in the manufacture and marketing of a full range of camera support products including manual and robotic pedestals as well as v...

Submitted by James Eddershaw

Published 01 November 2013

Ask the experts: your questions on wireless camera system...

by Stuart BrownIssue 81 - September 2013 tv-bay talks to Stuart Brown, Broadcast Systems Director at Cobham Broadcast about your questions on wireless camera systems. What makes wireless camera systems a viable option now as opposed to only a few years ago?When the COFDM modulation scheme was introduced over a decade ago, it revolutionised event c...

Submitted by Stuart Brown

Published 01 October 2013

Sportsnet stays ahead of the game with Quantel

by Roger ThorntonIssue 81 - September 2013 Over the last 15 years, Sportsnet has risen to become one of Canadas leading sports media operations. The Sportsnet and Sportsnet One TV channels are complemented by Sportsnet Radio, Sportsnet Magazine and its premium international sports channel, Sportsnet World. In May 2013, parent company Rogers Media a...

Submitted by Roger Thornton

Published 01 October 2013

Dick Hobbs gets up to speed with ESOMPS

The UK communications regulator Ofcom has issued a consultation document on the prospects for a technology called Earth Stations on Mobile Platforms, or ESOMPs. My first response to the consultation is that they should get a better acronym. An ESOMP is a small communications device which is attached to a mobile platform: a train, a plane, a ship or...

Submitted by Dick Hobbs.

Published 01 October 2013

Preparing for the future in television and film

by Kieron SethIssue 80 - August 2013 We prepare students for a career in television and film, says Sean Thornton of Anglia Ruskin University. As such, the technology we use has to be real-world and broadcast standard The Media Services team provides equipment to under- and postgraduate students and operates facilities that include TV and photograph...

Submitted by Kieron Seth#

Published 01 September 2013

Storage news: Space 4K Duo, the facility goes on location

Issue 80 - August 2013 The 4K location shoot is now commonplace, particularly in film, music video and drama production. However, for digital imaging technicians (DITs) working in the field, UltraHD is extremely problematic. Once data is ingested, replicating the material for insurance purposes can be taxing and the process of offloading files onto...

Submitted by KitPlus

Published 01 September 2013