AJA brought out a device for taking the feed from 3d camera rigs, converting it and displaying the content on inexpensive consumer 3d screens. The Hi5-3d mini-converter has horizontal and vertical picture flip modes so it can be used for multiple different 3d camera rigs.
It takes the feed from 3d camera rigs, and flips the mirrored image to orient it properly. Using HDMI 1.4a, it then displays the ‘muxed’ 3d image on affordable consumer 3d displays (non consumer 3d displays can cost upwards of $10k) to provide instant 3d on location. The device costs $495, and will be available next month.
AJA also launched a smaller, cut-down version of its portable KiPro file-based recorder. The new, slimmed down £1,995 KiPro mini records edit-ready 10-bit ProRes 422 QuickTime files onto two CompactFlash cards.
It’s lightweight, compact and can be slotted on to virtually any camera, and has a number of useful applications. On a multi-camera shoot where different cameras and formats are being used, by putting a KiPro mini on all cameras they will all record in the same file format, enabling a much quicker turnaround time.
The device also makes it possible to use cameras such as Sony’s XDCAM EX models and make HD recordings accepted by broadcasters.
The user interface of the KiPro mini is the same as the KiPro and it has the same menu controls and navigation structure. However, compared to its larger sister device, the KiPro, the KiPro mini doesn’t offer SD to HD conversions and cross conversions.
Autoscript
Autoscript has brought out an innovative teleprompter– the iPlus – that runs on an iPad, iPhone or iTouch. Designed for “shoot and scoot” news operations, Autoscript’s app turns the iPad into a fully featured portable teleprompter.
The iPlus software can be used as a bridge to WinPlus in a newsroom or studio to download/transfer scripts or running orders to the iPhone/iPad/iTouch. A handheld control – the Scroll Plus Controller – is then used to scroll smoothly through the script.
A lightweight plate is available to encase the iPad and mirror the screen as with a conventional auto-cueing device. It also allows the prompter to position the iPad in a convenient place for ease of viewing by the presenter.
Autoscript has packaged the app with the plate and assembly, which is a available as a complete portable teleprompter system for £700.
Grass Valley
Grass Valley used IBC to demo a means of doing high quality instant super slo-mo replays in stereo 3d, which is one of the key remaining challenges in providing compelling 3d sport broadcasts.
Using two of its LDK8300 systems cameras and a 3ality mirror rig, a Grass Valley disc recorder auto-flips the mirrored camera image and syncs the two camera channels together to create the stereo 3d image.
Grass Valley’s K2 Summit server then provides straightforward user controls to enable the marking of in and out points and the immediate playback of stereo 3d super slo-mo replays.
Avid
Avid showed off a technology demo of a new web based craft editing system that makes it possible for an editor to cut images from anywhere, via the web. All the processing power and the media stays is at the facility, so a standard laptop is enough for the fully featured editing software to function ok. The main consideration is the speed of the web connection.
Avid’s Patrick McLean says you need decent speed access (around 6 to 8Mb) for seamless, uninterrupted full blown editing, but, he says, Avid has also created an iPhone app for approvals, which works fine on even a 2Mb connection.
McLean says the system is “very responsive and includes vfx and audio as well as editing tools.” He adds that it’s “a different way of working. It’s not going to displace regular editing suites overnight.”
He says there are lots of “workflow issues to think about” before Avid can turn the technology demo into a full blown product. Currently, the editor has been built in Java specifically for the demo, but has features and functionality that will be familiar to Media Composer users.
Staff Reporter
Share this story
