Atomos Power Station

The new Atomos Power Station is designed to solve the problem of running out of power in the middle of a shoot and having to change batteries on cameras, lights and other equipment. It can also be used for anything that can be powered using a USB port (it has two), such as iPhones or even iPads.

It can deliver up to 48W of power, which limits the size of lights or complex camera rigs that it can be used with, but for 80-90% users this should be more than enough.

Atomos Shogun 4K recorder launched

Atomos has announced a new 4K AppleProRes and RAW capable recorder, the Shogun, which uses new 12G-SDI and 4K HDMI connections.

The Shogun is the first 12G-SDI and 4K HDMI I/O monitor recorder, and features a 1920x1200 SuperAtom IPS 7-inch touchscreen (with 325 pixels per inch), 179º viewing angle and 400nit brightness. The monitor can also automatically switch frequency (48/50/60Hz) depending on video input, to give smoother monitoring and playback. [UPDATE: It also won an award from the IABM at NAB as one of five Game Changers - see end for details].

Tiny Atomos Ninja Star recorder

Atomos has announced a new $295 action camera-sized Apple ProRes Compact Flash recorder, the Ninja Star, at NAB that should be ideal for use on remote-control helicopters or with point-of-view cameras.

“Our customers screamed for a tiny, flash-based Apple ProRes recorder and player for extreme applications, their second location cameras or simply when they already had a monitor,” explained Jeromy Young, CEO and Founder of Atomos. “At $295 with low-cost Gen 1 CFast [solid state memory cards], weighing a mere 100 grams (3.5oz), its price, durability and portability is unmatched – this is one of our best creations yet.”

Atomos Samurai Blade looks sharp

Atomos announced its latest field recorder, the Samurai Blade, at NAB, which it promises will answer demand for a recorder that is also a fully fledged on-camera monitor.

It competes with the larger Convergent Design Odyssey7 monitor-cum-recorder on base price ($1,295), but unlike the Odyssey the Blade includes recording capability from the start, and will be the less expensive option if you don’t need the raw and higher-speed recording capabilities and extra screen size of the Odyssey.

LiveU LU² modular live links

The new LU² from LiveU is the first modular system for bonding cellular networks, for live transmission from the camera. It is being launched at NAB and will allow users to combine two LiveU field units for occasions where additional resiliency is needed. LiveU systems are widely used by broadcasters for news coverage.

LU² users will be able to increase the number of connections, and therefore boost the uplink bandwidth available, by connecting an additional LiveU unit via a standard Ethernet cable. This will work with its current units, so is available immediately.

Its first implementation, the LU40², combines two LU40-S units together in a lightweight backpack (under 4lbs/2kgs, including batteries), providing up to 12 cellular/network connections. The LU40² GUI is controlled remotely by a standard smartphone for greater flexibility and ease of use on-the-move.

This new development complements the Xtender, LiveU’s wireless external antenna, which can be combined with any LiveU product, and offers up to 13 cellular connections.

“The new LU² modular approach allows customers to add connections on the spot, as needed, in challenging scenarios such as crowded areas and remote locations,” said Samuel Wasserman, LiveU’s CEO. “This concept offers a highly flexible and cost-effective solution for HD live video transmission anywhere, anytime.”

By David Fox

Teradek VidiU live streaming encoder

Teradek’s latest live streaming encoder, the $699 VidiU has just gone on sale, although there will be limited supplies for the first month.

It is designed to enable you to stream SD or HD video (up to 1080p30 or 1080i/60) on the web without a PC or laptop, either direct from a camera (via a wireless link) or from a video switcher, making it easier to do live web productions (or to put live broadcasts on the web). 

It connects via HDMI and encodes video in real time using high profile H.264 compression and AAC audio from 250Kbps up to 5Mbps. Embedded HDMI audio, headphone output, and a mic/line input are supported.

VidiU has API level integration with the Ustream and new Livestream platforms, to make streaming to your channel on these platforms as simple as logging into your account. You can, of course, use any content delivery network, as VidiU has a generic RTMP interface.

For wireless use, VidiU streams over dual band MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) WiFi, Ethernet, or via a single 3G/4G USB modem. Its rechargeable Li-Ion battery allows users to roam cable-free for up to 90 minutes.

VidiU can also stream a second video feed to an iPhone or iPad, via a free iOS application, for monitoring your live broadcast. As VidiU acts as its own dual band Access Point, you can connect your device directly to it or to your local network.

It is compact enough to sit on a camera hot shoe, at 7.5cm (3-inches) wide, by 10cm (4-inches) deep, by 2.5cm (1-inch) high, and weighs 142g/5 ounces.

By David Fox

New Petrol Bags for cameras + audio

Petrol Bags will launch new audio and camera bags and accessories at NAB2013, (April 8-11 in Las Vegas), including a new backpack for compact camcorders, a bag for large cameras, mini LCD hoods for Canon’s C100, C300 and C500, and a large audio mixer bag.

The new Deca Airflow Camera Backpack (PC306 - pictured top) has a rainbow shape to allow air to flow through for greater comfort. It is designed for smaller camcorders up to the size of a Sony PMW-200. It also has a pocket for a 17-inch laptop and accessories. The main compartment has a run around heavy-duty zipper for easy camera access. Other features include sternum strap and padded waist straps for wearer comfort, and exterior pockets for extra storage.

The new Deca Camera and Accessories Bag (PA1000 - pictured above) has “an ultra-wide” opening, so that it can be used for fully equipped digital cinema cameras, such as the Sony F65 or Arri Alexa, or may be used as an accessories case.

Its internal structure is made from a one-piece honeycomb frame offering strength and protection for your equipment. It also features ergonomic interlocking grip handles and external top straps to secure a tripod.

Petrol is also launching Mini Hoods that are purpose-built for the Canon EOS C100 (PA1018) and C300/C500 (PA1016 - pictured above) to shade the LCD monitor on the popular digital cinema cameras. Both are constructed of lightweight nylon, with rigid internal panels. Sturdy black nylon binding straps should secure the Mini Hood firmly in place.

It is also launching a new raincover for the Canon EOS C100 (PR400 - pictured above).

Petrol’s sound equipment carriers have proven successful, so it is introducing the Deca Large Lightweight Audio Bag (PS617) that is designed for sound recordists who use the Sound Devices 664 mixer, with or without the CL6 Controller. This wearable carrier promises user comfort, safety, equipment organization, and practicality in the field.

Within the bag (pictured above), the mixer and controller are fully accessible and readouts are easily viewable. It offers a roomy, cushioned main compartment to safeguard delicate equipment. The standard removable internal divider accommodates the 664 Mixer and attached CL6 Controller, while offering easy access to the unit’s XLR connectors.

By David Fox

Multiple WiFi prompters on a budget

An affordable WiFi teleprompting system with centralized scripting and playback, using technology from Datavideo, Teradek and IntraTec, has been put together by the UK-based European distributor Holdan.

With this system, which uses Datavideo’s iPad and iPhone prompter kits, scripts loaded into the tablet can be played back via the speed controller to give the presenter complete control.

Now Holdan has integrated wireless streaming technology to enable remote playout to any number of prompting screens from a central PC controlled by the studio manager.

Co-ordinating scripts between prompters in this way allows presenters to read the same text from differently positioned screens around a studio. The scripts can be sent to multiple iPad-based prompters within a range of 30 metres.

This centralized approach means that any last minute edits can be made live and relayed instantly to each screen.

The wireless system is based on the Teradek Cube mini encoder combined with an IntraTec Bridge high-powered WiFi transmitter. Scripts are produced on a PC or laptop using the freely available MirrorScript tool. The scripts are streamed to any iPad-based prompter running the free Teracentral app.

The iPads, housed in Datavideo TP-300 cue kits, become fully automated distributed teleprompter systems that can be remotely controlled and updated immediately from a central point.

“This type of distributed teleprompting system used to be the reserve of broadcast TV studios. Now web studios, video studios and local TV stations can liberate their presenters from being tied to a single prompter, while centralized playback control gives the studio manager total control over the pacing of a story,” explained Richard Payne, Holdan’s Technical Development Manager.

The Holdan WiFi Teleprompting Solution should cost less than £1,500 (+ VAT) for a dual wireless teleprompter system (excluding the PC and any iPads).

By David Fox

Bradley Bonds with Skyfall + Skytrac

Bradley Engineering’s new U4-F remote pan and tilt head for digital cinema cameras was developed for the new Bond movie, Skyfall, primarily for use in cars (notably M's Jaguar) with the Alexa M split-head camera, but it could also have applications in sports production.

It has ten gears for very precise slow or fast movement, and uses a traditional style wheeled controller. What excited some visitors who tried it at IBC was how smooth it is, thanks to in-built processors, which would make it perfect for an object tracking system.

For sports applications, “our head could be used to automatically have a camera smoothly follow a player around a pitch,” said the company’s founder, David Bradley. “This hasn’t really been possible [before], because in order to make it smooth you have to have a very high data rate, but our head takes care of it. It works out the positions in between and gives a very smooth move.”

Also new is Bradley’s high-speed Skytrac Lite, which was originally designed for possible use on a natural history production, as it is small and can be battery powered.

However, the first one has been sold to Remote CameraSolutions (which also commissioned the original Skytrac HD used for Sky Sports golf coverage), and has been used for ITV and Sky Sports, including the Speedway World Championships, where its top speed of 75mph (120kph) enabled it to keep up with action.

The dolly alone weighs about 4kg. Add a GY236 gyroscopic remote head and it weighs about 9kg (plus batteries and downlink). But it would be possible to order a lighter, more basic version.

“It is simple, lightweight and easily portable,” said Rory Watson, head of special projects, Bradley Engineering (pictured with the Skytrac Lite).

At IBC, Bradley also showed two of the Torchcams it developed for the BBC to cover the Olympic Torch Relay for some 8,000 miles (almost 13,000km) around the UK - which were used in and on a converted horsebox (pictured above). 

It made four of Torchcams: a Gimball 2 (self-levelling) that was mounted on top of the OB trailer for wide shots; a smaller GY236 head, used for long-range shots of the runners; and two HD10 fixed cameras.

By David Fox

Atomos releases Avid DNxHD support

The new AtomOS 4.0 operating system upgrade for the Atomos Ninja-2 and Samurai external recorders, will support Avid’s DNxHD production codec in addition to Apple ProRes, so that user’s recordings can be directly editable in their non-linear editor of choice.

The update is free of charge and downloadable from the support section of the Atomos web site.

“There has been huge demand from our customer base for Avid support,” said Jeromy Young, CEO and co-founder of Atomos. “Now, editors have a choice of native codec for their editing system. Both Apple ProRes and Avid DNxHD provide higher quality, with higher bitrates and 4:2:2, 10-bit resolution. Both are ready-to-edit straight from the Samurai's HDD or SSD, in your preferred NLE.”

AtomOS version 4.0 allows encoding to Avid DNxHD in the following formats: High - 220/185/175Mbps (10-bit); Medium - 220/185/175Mbps (8-bit); Low - 145/120/115Mbps (8-bit). The firmware has apparently been well received by customers who were invited to beta test it following a successful preview at IBC in September.

The HDMI-equipped Ninja-2 and HD-SDI-equipped Samurai field recorders allow the recording, monitoring and playback of 10-bit uncompressed images straight from a DSLR or camcorder directly to Apple ProRes or Avid DNxHD.

AtomOS 4.0 is being released only for Samurai now, from www.atomos.com. It is a full working version, but Atomos refers to it as a pre-release because it will be further updated to support Ninja-2 in late November.

[[UPDATE: Atomos has introduced new Samurai Blade with a sharper monitor and upgraded operating system (AtomOS5) – it has also cut the price of both the Samurai and Ninja-2]]