KitPlus | Articles

The vital role of communications in live production

Live event production is extremely challenging under the best of circumstances. Whether it be sports, concerts, theater or some other event, live production only gives you one chance to get it right. Staging, sound, lighting, cameras, video, special effects, costume, makeup and more, can all go into making a successful live production. Starting hou...

Submitted by Tom Turkington

Published 26 September 2016

NAB Review

by Duncan Payne Issue 113 - May 2016 As I emerge from the customary post-NAB haze and try to formulate a coherent analysis of the 2016 show, perhaps the most striking realisation is that despite pacing the halls for four long days, I barely scratched the surface. The scale of the event, much like Las Vegas itself, is simply extraordinary, with over...

Submitted by Duncan Payne

Published 13 May 2016

Being heard in the jungle

Professional wireless sound solution specialists, Raycom, were asked in summer 2015 to specify, supply and commission a huge new RF wireless distribution system for ITV's popular reality television show, "A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!"The show is set in 500,000 square metres of dense Australian jungle. The celebrities competing are filmed in vari...

Submitted by Andy Clements

Published 01 April 2016

Ask The Expert- Post Production Supervisor at BBC Studios...

by John Loughman Issue 109 - January 2016 ¢ Tell us about you, your job role at BBC S&PP and what led your career in this direction? I received a BA in Media Production from Cumbria Institute of the Arts. In April of my final year at University, I applied for a Trainee Post Production Assistant role at the BBC and I joined In September 2004. I wor...

Submitted by John Loughman

Published 21 January 2016

Sony PXW-FS5 Review

by Alister Chapman Issue 106 - October 2015 I was lucky enough to get some hands on time with a prototype FS5 in Amsterdam at IBC. In case you havent heard about it, the PXW-FS5 is a compact interchangeable lens, super 35mm camcorder from Sony that can record in HD or UHD 4K. It shares many of the features of the already incredibly popular PXW-FS7...

Submitted by Alister Champman

Published 01 November 2015

No broadcast without flawless communication

Issue 105 - September 2015 Reliable and fail-safe communications for the broadcast of live events are more important than ever. On site, broadcasters only have one chance to grab the perfect image for the viewer with time being a crucial factor. The larger the event, the more viewers it reaches and the higher the risk that something could go wrong....

Submitted by KitPlus

Published 01 October 2015

The production desk finally gets innovative

by Kieron Seth Issue 104 - August 2015 The video switcher (aka vision mixer) is at the heart of all live television, all AV and many a live webcast. But despite its core role, its remained essentially the same concept for decades, consisting of a digital video effects processing unit, matrix switcher and control panel. Fundamentally this hardware-b...

Submitted by Kieron Seth#

Published 01 September 2015

Picking the right prompter

by Jon Hilton Issue 104 - August 2015 There is so much choice available today for prompting devices. From phones and tablets to full Broadcast Studios systems and with non-word prompting techniques like Interrotrons becoming popular choosing the best prompting system for your productions needs some serious consideration. 1. The Talent comes first...

Submitted by Jon Hilton#

Published 01 September 2015

Dynamic display revolution!

Issue 104 - August 2015 Projection mapping and dynamic video displays have transformed live events and performance art. Blended projection and massive video walls have given event directors the ability to deliver a whole new level of creativity to theatre, music and outdoor events. One of the companies at the forefront of this revolution is SNP Pro...

Submitted by KitPlus

Published 01 September 2015

The IP Solution - intercom systems without extensive new...

by Manuel Brico Issue 101 - May 2015 When a broadcasting or TV station wants to install a new intercom system in its broadcast centre or headquarters - or wishes to replace its entire intercom system - it is faced with two big investments. One concerns the capital investment in terms of hardware and software. This will include investment in equipme...

Submitted by Manuel Brico

Published 01 June 2015

Expanding Arqiva into HD playout

ATG Broadcast recently completed a major SD to HD upgrade for Arqiva broadcast transmission centre at Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire. The expanded system enables Arqiva to process and transmit four fully-operational 1080i HD channels as well as six new SD channels. It includes the installation and equipping of a server-based ingest suite, playout...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 January 2015

Sony PXW-FS7

by Alister Chapman Issue 94 - October 2014 At IBC Sony launched a new camera. In fact Sony launched several new cameras. This is nothing new, every year Sony launch cameras. But this year Sony really created quite a stir with one camera in particular, the Sony PXW-FS7. So what is it about the FS7 that is so special? Looking at the specs alone this...

Submitted by Alister Champman

Published 01 November 2014

Communicating via IP

by Andy Covey Issue 93 - September 2014 At the turn of the 21st century the concept of IP-based systems first started to emerge, and with all things new, there were those who said it couldn’t be done with intercom systems. Communication, some reasoned, was simply too important to trust to perceived IT infrastructure issues of bandwidth and latency...

Submitted by Andy Covey

Published 01 October 2014

The evolution of Wired Intercom

by Simon Browne & Ed Fitzgerald Issue 93 - September 2014 Early Beginnings What do you think was the fi rst DIGITAL communications system devised? Of course you could think of the evolution in standardised parallel data backplanes and digital ICs in the 1980s and the swathe of multi-rack Time Division Multiplexed switching systems that it enabled,...

Submitted by Simon Browne

Published 01 October 2014

KVM extenders and matrix switches in broadcast

by Enno Littmann Issue 92 - August 2014 How successful has exhibiting at IBC been in the past?IBC 2014 marks the fifth successive year that IHSE has exhibited at the exhibition. Each year since 2009 we have moved to a more prominent position, increased the size of the stand and generated greater levels of interest amongst visitors. Many of whom hav...

Submitted by Enno Littmann

Published 01 September 2014