16 CREATION
March 2017
Embracing new technologies and production techniques with the right support
by drago flores
Drago Flores is marketing coordinator at Shotoku Broadcast Systems .
The past decade has witnessed astonishing advances in camera and data transfer technology , in turn bringing competition into a space traditionally reserved exclusively for larger broadcasters .
Super-high-quality 4K / Ultra HD ( UHD ) and 8K video cameras and television sets , once novelties , are becoming not only viable , but also mainstream . Personal video cameras , once analogue and recording in SD , now offer full HD recording in formats ready for immediate upload to any number of video hosting websites .
Streaming online video , once slow and unorganised , now offers more choices and more novel content to more people than ever before . This surge in entertaining and novel content has led many consumers to cut the cord completely , throwing away their cable box .
In such turbulent times , how can traditional broadcasters adapt to re-gain their foothold and bring back their audiences ? Novel and creative content , and a trusted partner who understands your team ’ s aspirations are key .
Increasing competition
Gone are the days when the sunk costs to creating content and broadcasting it to the world were barriers to entry . Today , all it takes is a small investment for anyone to create their own channel , broadcast it around the world , and gain hundreds of thousands , if not millions , of fans . Advances in online data transfer technology has only added fuel to the flame as providers of streaming videoon-demand services announce record numbers of subscribers year-on-year . Being able to watch what you want , when you want , has been one of the greatest strengths of this trend , but there are several areas where new entrants may have difficulty competing in . While the content may be novel , a lack of funding and knowledge may be evident in the quality of the video , and remains one of the greatest weaknesses of these new entrants .
Traditional broadcasters , on the other hand , have a long history
No matter how good the quality of the camera and lens , the image produced will be poor if the support system is inadequate or unstable .
and knowledge of industry filming techniques . The studios , camera operators , and the entire broadcast teams are refined , professional , and dedicated to the creation of great content around-the-clock . However , while this may sound like they are poised to have the upper hand , the competition seems to have struck precisely on broadcasters ’ Achilles heel : the slow integration of novel and creative filming techniques and content trends .
One technique which may be unavailable to new entrants is virtual reality ( VR ) and augmented reality ( AR ). VR and AR studios are gaining popularity among larger broadcasters in South-east Asia and around the world for their ability to produce stunning images and previously impossible shots . Newscasters are now able to interact with virtual representations of athletes , politicians , and any other graphic data seamlessly and professionally , creating captivating and novel content in real time .
Vital to any virtual studio is the ability to track the exact position of the camera . The key is to invest in equipment capable of accurately tracking pan , tilt , zoom , focus , height and floor XY movement , and correctly outputting that data to a graphic engine , jitter-free . The problem is many such systems either suffer from data “ jitters ”, are overly complicated , or just plain too expensive .
Shotoku Broadcast Systems has been proud to offer high-accuracy position tracking equipment for VR and AR studios which offers jitter-free data output and is easy to use . Setand-forget calibration and a patented touch-screen serial position interface
Vital to any virtual studio is the ability to track the exact position of the camera . The key is to invest in equipment capable of accurately tracking pan , tilt , zoom , focus , height and floor XY movement , and correctly outputting that data to a graphic engine , jitter-free .
( SPI-Touch ) mean calibration takes less than 30 seconds , allowing camera operators more time to focus on setting up their shots .
Shotoku ’ s top model , the TK-53L VR crane / TI-04 VR dolly system ( pictured , right ) , has been adopted by some of the most renowned studios in the world , with great success . Handbuilt from the ground up , these systems have been a staple of the VR / AR community for years , but there was always something missing in the range .
In response to this , Shotoku ’ s position tracking technology has been joined with the rigidity and servo performance of CamMate cranes to create Graphica , a new range of VR cranes purpose-built for VR and AR applications .
Launching this month , Graphica has been jointly developed from the ground up and provides much improved tracking accuracy over competing and existing retrofit products , at a price point which many studios should find very attractive .
As Tony Hanada , Shotoku Broadcast Systems ’ managing director , said : “ This fills a gap in our VR range and will now allow customers and integrators to source any kind of VR tracking solution from Shotoku .”
This April ’ s NAB Show 2017 will see the launch of seven product variants with arm lengths of 2.5m-12.4m , along with Graphica 770 ( 7.7m ), to be revealed at Shotoku ’ s booth C6015 .
Implications of 4K / UHD on camera support
4K / UHD and even 8K are already being exploited by creators to create stunning images in creative ways , demanding systems that provide consistency and inspire confidence . No matter how good the quality of the camera and lens , the image
Shotoku Broadcast Systems has been offering high-accuracy position tracking equipment for virtual and augmented reality studios . Offering jitter-free data output , these include the TK-53L VR crane / TI-04 dolly system . According to Shotoku , this system has been adopted by some of the most renowned studios in the world , covering events such as the FIFA World Cup 2014 .
The TK-53LVR Crane / TI-
04 VR Dolly System .
produced will be poor if the support system is inadequate or unstable . Thus , it is of upmost importance to provide robust , reliable , high-performance camera support with smooth , intuitive and quiet on-shot , on-air movement at any payload .
In fact , such requirements are expected to become even more critical as image quality and demands to create novel and creative content increase . Camera support design has always been rooted in these same basic principles ; finding a manufacturer who understands this right now is a sure sign of the quality of the products and services one can expect , decades into the future .
Beating the competition
New pressure from increased competition has traditional broadcasters seeking creative ways to re-gain their foothold in the market and build up their viewer base . Utilising cameras and lenses that offer better-than-ever quality is undoubtedly important , but taking advantage of cutting-edge high-performance VR technology to fabricate novel and creative content may be the key to getting an edge over the new kids in town .
Traditional broadcasters have a wealth of technical expertise and ideas . The next step for them is to pair those ideas with the most suitable , preferred support equipment for the job . It is about trust . Innovating for the future begins with fostering that relationship today . ❑