Geek News: Latest Technology, Product Reviews, Gadgets and Tech Podcast News for Geeks



Blackmagic Cinema Camera

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 12:27 PM on April 17, 2012

Blackmagic Cinema Camera The Blackmagic Cinema Camera is one of those cameras, that makes me wish I was a cinematographer. If when you think of a video camera, you think of a bulky device that sits on your shoulder then you need to take a look at the Blackmagic Cinema Camera, What makes the Blackmagic Cinema Camera special is what they concentrate on. When video cameras are being sold many times they are sold based on how many megapixels they have. More megapixels just create a larger image, it does nothing to improve the quality. The Blackmagic Cinema Camera focuses on capturing a wide contrast range rather than more megapixels. This allows them to capture more detail at the black and white level. The ability to capture a wide contrast range plus the EF and ZF lenses produces a high quality video that looks like film. Being able to capture at a wide contrast range is great but if the data is compressed it will still produce an inferior result. To solve this problem the Blackmagic Cinema Camera has an integrated SSD recorder which allows you to record full 2.5k raw sensor data completely uncompressed CinemaDNG files. It also allows you to record at DNxHD or ProRes for HD resolution files that are compatible with Avid Media Composer and Apple Final Cut Pro X.

There is a standard auto jack which allows you connect a microphone and record high quality audio uncompressed. To add metadata you simply tap on the LCD screen and add it like you would on a smart phone. The metadata is saved and is available as a file in Final Cut Pro X and DaVinci Resolve Format. You can also change many of the camera setting by the LCD touch screen.

I could tell you about the specs all day, but sometimes seeing is believing and this maybe one of those cases. John Brawley an award-winning photographer was able to get a hold of a Blackmagic Cinema Camera for testing and he put up some videos on his site showing off it’s capabilities. It is a handheld and made of blocked aluminum. Making it perfect for a professional trying to produce high quality videos. These Blackmagic Cinema Camera will run about $2995 and ship in July.

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Check Out the New Cube from Teradek

Posted by JenThorpe at 11:48 AM on April 17, 2012

Teradek has a new Cube x55, which is an upgrade from the original cube. It begins shipping on May 1, 2012. Like the original, the new Cube x55 is a camera-top wireless HD video encoder that connects with HDMI, HD-SDI or composite cameras. It can stream via a dual-band WiFi, an Ethernet port, or a single 3G/4G USB modem. Also like the original, the new Cube x55 has a compact aluminum chassis, comprehensive transport protocol support like RTP/ RTSP/ RTMP/ MPEG-TS, and a variety of camera inputs.

Here are some new features that the New Cube x55 has:

* OLED – which lets users quickly change and review the settings of their unit and to provide real-time feedback for filenames, recording status, and wireless connectivity.

* LI-ION Battery – built in, and gives up to 2 hours of runtime. The battery can be charged from an AC adapter or a suitable external battery such as an Anton Bauer.

* MIMO Access Point – improves wireless performance, enables wireless camera control for devices that don’t have built in WiFi capability, improves connectivity to iPad or Android tablets.

* Audio output – Cube comes with a headphone output for immediate audio monitoring.

* Micro SD – The micro SD slot lets the new Cube save onboard proxy recordings in real-time. The files are automatically synced to your proxy server over WiFi or cellular connections.

* Micro USB – The micro USB port can charge the new internal battery, and can connect with a computer’s USB port for hardwired configuration.

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Tiffen Rolls Out New Versions of Steadicam at NAB

Posted by JenThorpe at 5:30 PM on April 16, 2012

Tiffen rolled out brand new versions their popular Steadicam Pilot and Scout Camera Stabilizer systems at NAB 2012. There are two new models in the Steadicam Pilot HD Series: the Pilot HD/SDI and the Pilot HDMI. There also is a new SteadiCam Scout HD System available.

The New Steadicam Pilot HD Series is designed for video professionals. Both new versions have a lightweight Iso-Elastic Arm and a low-profile vest. Each has a low-mass gimbal which allows the operator of the camera to capture fluid movement. They have a No-Tools precision camera stage that provides a solid base for the camera while facilitating smooth adjustment from side to side or front and back.

The Pilot HDMI version uses a fixed aluminum post that is non-adjustable. It also has a pass-through HDMI cable. The Pilot HD/SDI system comes with a CarbonLite expandable carbon fiber post. It is available with 12V, IDX V-mount or standard Anton Bauer. The Pilot HDMI system is standard with Anton Bauer 7.2V ElipZ battery systems.

More Features of the New Steadicam Pilot HD Series:
* Lightweight
* New 7” HD/SDI Composite monitor or New 7” HDMI Composite monitor
* True three-axis gimbal
* Micro adjustable X-Y stage
* Lightweight Iso-Elastic arm with 28” (71cm) boom
* Ultra low-profile lightweight vest
* High-definition wiring on Pilot HDMI version

The New Steadicam Scout HD System is a continuation of their Flyer vest, which is said to be comfortable. The new one has an ergonomic fit of the breastplate that is combined with solid metal shoulder fasteners. This should make the vest very comfortable for those who will be using it for an extended period of time. The vest and pad covers can be removed for easy cleaning. The vest can also be easily adjusted to fit the person who will be using it.

More Features of the New Scout HD:
* 5-18 lbs. camera payload capacity
* No-tools adjustable Iso-Elastic arm
* Dual-axis vernier adjustable stage
* Unparalleled inertial control and dynamically adjustable base
* Is available with a 7” HD/SDI composite 800 nit bright LCD monitor

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Telestream Announces Episode 6.3 Enhancements

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 12:49 PM on April 16, 2012

Telestream Telestream is announcing at NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) that they are enhancing the Episode 6.3 products. Episode is a professional video encoder. These enhancements will allow support for x264 video codec bringing higher-quality H.264 encoding to all Episode software products. The Episode 6.3 will be integrated with the Autodesk finishing system software. Direct export from Adobe Premiere Pro provides access to Episode’s vast range of formats. It will also allow for centralization of encoding functions.

Episode also allows for the offloading of encoding tasks to other systems or to an encoding cluster. The Autodesk integration makes Episode the only encoder in its class that allows for browsing, monitoring and transcoding directly from the Autodesk Stone file system. This will allow users access to all of Episodes encoding capabilities. Episode is built for post production ecosystems and new media workflows that require high-quality format support. It has been developed to work with a single computer up to a workstation environment that uses both Macs and PC together to share the encoding work. It is highly scalable easy to use and is offered at an affordable price. Now even the smallest operation can quickly and easily encode their videos at the highest quality and as the operation grows Episode can grow with it.

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Mushroom Unveils Streamer PRO at NAB

Posted by Alan Buckingham at 10:00 AM on April 16, 2012

Web-based video is growing at an almost daily pace, including live-streaming video from events of all kinds, such as sports, concerts, trade shows, and more.  Today at the National Association of Broadcasters show in Las Vegas Mushroom Networks unveiled their latest offering for the live video market – the Streamer PRO.

“Streamer PRO delivers the ability to stream high-quality video from any location, to any content delivery network (CDN) using any digital video camera.”

The Streamer PRO utilizes both 3G and 4G connections in harmony within one streaming connection to handle the demands of live video streaming.  It comes with a built-in adaptive video encoder, so webcasters will only need their camera, and no longer be required to carry a separate encoder for content streaming.

The Streamer PRO is available today from www.mushroomnetworks.com.

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Panasonic and LiveU Announce Further Collaboration

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 9:40 AM on April 16, 2012

LiveUIn today’s connected world where many people and organization want to stream their video live. One of the problems that must be dealt with is trying to watch how the transmission is running plus maintaining the quality of the streaming video, while still shooting the video. This requires at least two people, something that small operations cannot afford. This is the problem that LiveU and Panasonic is trying to solve with the announcement to cooperate on using LU40I video uplink and the AJ-HPX600 P2 camcorder. The LU40I video uplink will integrate with the camcorder’s interface. It will give the camera operator a real-time look at the transmission and video quality. The camera operator can manage video uplink while continuing to shoot. Allowing a one man crew to transmit high quality live videos over the Internet.

Michael Bergeron, Business Development Manager for Panasonic System Communications Company of North America (PSCNA) “When the operation of the LU40i is integrated with the camera, the complete system provides a high-quality video feed with the easiest remote operation yet.”

This is a continuation of the cooperation between LiveU and Panasonic which began at IBC in Amsterdam last September. Where they agreed to collaborate on HD 3D live mobile broadcast over cellular networks.

Samuel Wasserman, LiveU’s CEO, said, “We’re thrilled that Panasonic, a world-leading camera developer and manufacturer, has partnered with LiveU to develop this next-generation camera uplink solution using our cellular-based technology. We are confident that ‘live cameras’ symbolize the future for broadcasting and online media, and will open up new market segments for live video transmission around the world.”

Further details are expected when the AJ-HPXL600 launches.

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NewTek Unveils New Generation of TriCaster Family

Posted by JenThorpe at 12:38 AM on April 16, 2012

NewTek now has a brand new line of TriCaster live production systems. There are three of them in this family of products: TriCaster 8000, TriCaster 855, and TriCaster 455. This new line comes with several “industry firsts” that are pretty interesting. They have Apple AirPlay support. They each have NewTek’s IsoCorder. The IsoCorder lets you record from multiple input sources and output options. It has embedded timecode and four audio tracks. IsoCorder supports most editing applications for both Mac and PC. You can delegate the audio mixing process to a separate iPad control app or to an Avid Artist series control surface.

TriCaster 8000, including the control surface, will be available later this year and will have a retail price of $39,995. This one is designed for media publishing professionals. It integrates well with social media production tools, and is capable of recording live video for large events. It has recordable macros that can be triggered simultaneously, extensive graphics and effects capabilities, and 8 M/E rows. The TriCaster 8000 also has a “Share” panel that lets you put video clips and individual stills right onto Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Flickr in a single pass.

TriCaster 855, including the control surface, is available now, and has a retail price of $29,995. It is designed for producers who want to build their businesses and brands. It has 24-channel switching, inputs for up to 8 cameras, 5 digital media players for video clips, graphics, and titles, and 2 network channels for sharing computer screens and displays from wireless iOS devices. It has 8 M/E-style virtual inputs and 3 outputs.

TriCaster 455, including the control surface, is available now, and has a retail price of $19,995. This one is designed for producers who are mobile who want to deliver professional quality live video content. It fits nicely into small spaces like a control room, small studio, production van, or blogger’s office. It has a 14-channel switcher with 4 camera inputs.

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