MAYWOOD, NEW JERSEY, October 24, 2008—Television coverage of 2008 World Series games played in Philadelphia is looking spectacular thanks to mobile television production company NEP Supershooters and their complement of Ikegami HDK-79EC Native Multi-Format HDTV CMOS Camera Systems. NEP, a leading international provider of outsourced television production services critical to the delivery of live sports and entertainment events, has deployed 14 Ikegami HDK-79EC’s from its state-of-the art SS17 Mobile Production Unit at the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies’ Citizens Bank Park.
“Expectations go up, up, up every year for World Series coverage, along with every other major sporting event,” says George Hoover, Chief Technology Officer for NEP. “The flexibility of our Ikegami HDK-79EC cameras has been central to ramping-up our infrastructure for 2008. Their ability to provide both 720p for the FOX Network and 1080i for international feeds is a huge help.”
An historic addition to the Ikegami product line, the HDK-79EC HD Native Multi-Format CMOS Camera System employs three 2/3-inch 2.5 Mega-pixel CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) imaging sensors to achieve supreme picture quality and multi-format HD performance. These 1920H x 1080V active-pixel CMOS sensors are the first of their kind in the broadcast television industry and are switchable between interlace and progressive readout modes. These sensors provide: 1080/60i, 1080/24p, and 720/60p performance. Also available are optional 50Hz formats, 1080/50i and 720/50p, and high-speed dual-link 1080/60p, and for Super Slow Motion, 720/120p, and 1080/120i. With its SE-79D System Expander, the portable version of the HDK-79EC enables the use of “box”-syle studio or long-zoom HDTV field lenses.
“When we’re in the stadium, situated at multiple angles with long glass, capturing players in the infield and outfield, the CMOS chip of the HDK-79EC is the strong point,” Hoover says. “They work with greater sensitivity in lower light, which is a major asset.”
The HDK-79EC’s SE-79D System Expander also enables use of Ikegami’s VFL-900HD, a 16:9 color LCD viewfinder measuring 9 inches diagonally and featuring very low lag characteristic and very wide viewing angles.
“Our camera operators really appreciate those color viewfinders,” Hoover says. “Beyond baseball, the color is extremely helpful for covering racecar driving, or football where there’s a lot of people and uniforms out there on the field.”
The docking-style body of the HDK-79EC allows easy swap between fiber and triax camera cable by simply mounting the FA fiber adapter or TA triax adapter on the camera and throwing a switch at the CCU-890 side.
“The readiness of being able to use the HDK-79EC with either triax or SMPTE fiber cable – triax in Philadelphia – saves us time and therefore cost in set-up,” Hoover adds.
“Our clients come to us because they expect 100 percent reliability and solid performance,” Hoover concludes. “Ikegami is one of our no-compromise solutions for major sporting events.”
For more information and the location of the Regional Office nearest you, call Ikegami’s Maywood NJ headquarters at 201-368-9171 or visit www.Ikegami.com.
Ikegami Electronics (U.S.A.), Inc. is a leading supplier of professional broadcasting products in the Western Hemisphere. With U.S. offices in New Jersey, California, Florida, Texas, and Illinois, the Ikegami name is recognized worldwide for its state-of-the-art television cameras and closed-circuit TV equipment. Ikegami’s universal High Definition TV cameras have been widely accepted by the broadcast industry as it continues the transition to the High Definition Television Format.
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