LAKE FOREST, Calif.—Boland Communications has announced that it will introduce its new QD4K315HDR10, a 31.5-inch QD-OLED monitor at the 2026 NAB Show.

The new monitor delivers exceptional color accuracy, contrast, and real-time confidence for shading and grading across live production, film, post production, and broadcast environments. The company is also introducing a new 27-inch model in the same series, extending QD-OLED performance to additional workflows and applications where space is limited.

The QD4K315HDR10 combines Quantum Dot and OLED technologies to deliver true blacks and high contrast with an expanded color gamut, giving production teams greater confidence in how content will appear across distribution platforms. Built for modern SDR and HDR workflows, the monitor supports major HDR formats, including PQ (ST 2084), Hybrid Log-Gamma (BT.2111), and S-Logs, enabling accurate evaluation of high dynamic range content prior to delivery.

Designed for real-world production environments, the QD4K315HDR10 supports 4K via 12G-SDI (single or quad-link) and HDMI 2.0, with native compatibility across the full range of formats and frame rates. A New ST 2110 with NMOS Accessory provides full digital connectivity for new systems. Integrated tools—including waveform, vectorscope, false color, and 3D LUTs support—provide operators with the precision required for critical decision making.

“The industry continues to push for higher brightness, wider color gamut, and greater accuracy in HDR production,” said Mike Boland, founder and CEO of Boland Communications. “By combining quantum dot and OLED technologies, this new QD series gives our customers a clearer, more accurate view of their content before it leaves the facility—whether they’re working in live production, mobile units, or post.”

With industry-standard 1000 nts peak brightness, a contrast ratio of up to 1,000,000:1, wide viewing angles, and the full 99% DCI-P3 color space, the QD4K315HDR10 is engineered for consistent performance in demanding environments. The lightweight aluminum design, flexible remote control options (IP, NMOS, IR, GPI, and RS-232/422), and a robust feature set make it well suited for control rooms, trucks, and on-set use.

The QD4K315HDR10 and its 27-inch companion model will be showcased at the 2026 NAB Show, April 18-22 in Las Vegas, at the Boland booth, C3519.

More information is available at www.bolandcom.com.

MAHWAH, N.J.—Ikegami will feature its latest generation of broadcast-quality cameras, controllers and monitors during the 2026 NAB Show, April 18-22, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

"High signal quality, versatility, ease of operation and futureproof continue to be major requirements when broadcast content creators are expanding or upgrading their infrastructure," said Alan Keil, senior engineering fellow at Ikegami USA.

"Among the latest-generation products we will demonstrate at NAB 2026 are our flagship UNICAM XE 3-CMOS ⅔-inch 4K-UHD cameras.”

The cameras share the same network camera control architecture, allowing crews to transition easily between the various models in the series.

A recent addition to Ikegami’s 4K lineup is the ultra-compact UHL-X40, which is optimized for robotic applications. Ikegami will also show other UNICAM XE cameras, including the studio/portable UHK-X700 and UHK-X750 full studio version as well as the studio/portable UHK-X600 and HDK-X500, which are HD models with upgrade paths to 4K-UHD.

IP connectivity continues to play a key role in broadcast production. The IPX-100 compact IP base station allows broadcast content creators to adopt SMPTE ST 2110 IP remote and studio operation while supporting the familiar workflow of baseband live production.

Each UNICAM XE or UNICAM HD camera can feed into an IPX-100 via up to 2 miles of conventional SMPTE-hybrid fiber cable. The IPX-100 powers the camera head so there is no operational difference compared to using a conventional fiber-cabled camera. An integral test signal generator allows system configuration before cameras or other sources are connected.

Support is also included for the video trunk channel. An HD-SDI video monitoring output allows a monitor to be connected directly to the IPX-100, facilitating initial setup. Remote setup and monitoring of the IPX-100 can be performed using Ikegami's XE WebView browser.

The company will also feature its OCP-500 slimline control panel. Shown as a prototype last year and now in production, the panel takes up minimal desk space while offering complete remote control of all camera functions, including full setup adjustment via an LCD touchscreen and associated rotary encoders. Ethernet interface, including power, is featured. Direct connection via RS-422 control cable is also available.

The company will also show its UHL-X40 two-piece box camera and two video monitors. The UHL-X40 consists of an ultra-compact, 2.4-pound camera head and separate CCU. It offers a built-in fiber extension system allowing a distance up to six miles between head and CCU using just a duplex fiber cable. Included in the fiber transmission system is an Ethernet trunk channel for control of the PTZ head or other external use.

The CCU provides simultaneous 2160p (4K) output, HD clean output and HD monitoring output with focus assist and other viewfinder-style indicators and markers for the remote operator.

Ikegami will also show the HLM-2460WA 24-inch video monitor, which reproduces more accurate dynamics of the source images thanks to a 1920 x 1200 pixel IPS LCD panel with 1,800:1 contrast ratio and 400 nits peak brightness. It is designed for use in broadcast environments, such as edit suites where a computer-friendly WUXGA display resolution is preferred, and for integration into monitor walls.

The company will also feature its HLM-1860WR, an AC- or battery-powered 1920 x 1080 pixel HD multiformat monitor with an 18.5-inch IPS LCD panel. It offers a 1,000:1 contrast ratio and 500 nits peak brightness.

See Ikegami at 2026 NAB Show booth C3819.

More information is available on the company’s website.

Wohler has said it has added three Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) connections to its new iVAM2-MPEG monitor.

The enhancements to the monitor include CALLER and LISTENER modes, monitoring of encrypted SRT streams, and the ability to select STREAM-ID for multistream endpoints. The advanced MPEG stream analyzer is now also directly available via the front panel in addition to the web interface, Wohler said.

With the update, the iVAM2-MPEG now supports both CALLER and LISTENER modes, enabling operators to initiate or accept SRT connections according to workflow. The unit can also monitor encrypted SRT streams, giving customers confidence when observing secured contribution and distribution feeds, the company said.

For workflows that carry multiple SRT streams over a single IP/port, operators can now select and monitor the desired stream using its STREAM-ID, reducing setup friction and simplifying multi-program confidence monitoring. The integrated MPEG stream analyzer is now available on the front panel, it said.

The iVAM2-MPEG has long supported viewing and selecting packet identifiers (PID) tables on the web interface. Providing this capability on the front panel gives operators a structured, at-a-glance view of parsed MPEG tables and programs and allows the direct selection of specific audio, video or subtitle packet identifiers (PIDs) for decoding on the fly, without having to pivot to the web UI, it said.

“These enhancements and improvements reflect our focus on delivering best-in-class solutions for real-world broadcast and production needs,” Amol Natekar, vice president of engineering, said. “Dual-mode SRT, encrypted stream monitoring and STREAM-ID selection combined with a front-panel MPEG analyzer help operators connect faster, monitor securely and make the right selection immediately—without extra configuration overhead. We remain committed to continuously improving usability and capability across Wohler solutions.”

All features are available as a free software download.

More information is available on the company’s website.

MELBOURNE, Australia—Atomos today introduced its all-new Ninja TX, a re-engineered, advanced addition to its Ninja monitor-recorder family.

“This is the most advanced and capable Ninja we’ve ever built,” Atomos CEO Peter Barber said. “While it may look similar at first glance, Ninja TX is a completely new product, re-engineered from the ground up. There’s nothing carried over from previous models. The mechanical design, electronics and thermal system have all been rebuilt to make this possible.”

Ninja TX features both 12G-SDI and HDMI 2.0 inputs and outputs as well as integrated Wi-Fi and AirGlu timecode technology. With a new industrial design, Ninja TX offers improved thermal efficiency, lower weight and enhanced portability in a 5-inch form factor, the company said.

The new monitor-recorder delivers features previously reserved for the larger Shogun Ultra. It also adds support for ultra-fast CFexpress Type B media and recording to USB-C external drives. The all-new AtomOS Linux-based operating system provides faster performance, over-the-air updates and a streamlined user experience, the company said.

The addition of high-performance CFexpress media enables fast RAW video capture, while high-speed USB-C adds the flexibility to record directly to external storage.

An external monitor offers greater control over a shot than a camera’s built-in screen. The new Ninja TX’s 5-inch, 1,500-nit screen is 50% brighter than other Ninjas and is packed with pro monitoring features, including EL ZONE false color, focus peaking, waveform, RGB parade and vectorscope. Having an external monitor also helps creators fine-tune framing, exposure, color and sharpness, the company said.

With integrated Wi-Fi and AirGlu, Ninja TX ships ready for cloud workflows, including 20GB of free ATOMOSphere storage. Creators can upload footage directly to Frame.io, Dropbox or other camera-to-cloud services, or stream via NDI 6/HX3, enabling real-time collaboration and faster delivery from anywhere, it said.

Unlike other models, Ninja TX comes with all major codecs pre-activated, so shooting can start immediately with the codec best suited to the project. Out of the box, Ninja TX supports Apple ProRes, ProRes RAW, Avid DNx and H.265/H.264. It can also handle a wide range of resolutions and frame rates, depending on the output of the camera—up to 120 frames per second at HD resolution, up to 60 fps at 4K UHD/DCI and up to 30 fps at 8K UHD/DCI resolution.

Atomos has developed a unique, rugged locking system to maintain a secure grip on connected HDMI and USB-C cables. Ninja TX is supplied with special brackets to facilitate use of the locking system. The company provides a USB-C locking cable with the unit. HDMI locking cables can be purchased separately.

The Ninja TX will ship at the end of August. It has an MSRP of $999.

More information is available on the company’s website.

CARY, N.C.—SmallHD has launched the Quantum 27, a new 26.5-inch Quantum-Dot OLED monitor designed to deliver postproduction image quality in a compact, set-friendly form.

Building on the Quantum 32, which was launched in 2024, the Quantum 27 offers the same display technology in a smaller, more versatile chassis that’s well-suited for multimonitor setups.

“The Quantum-Dot OLED panel is truly stunning, and we heard from our users that they wanted more flexibility,” Matt Eidenbock, product manager for SmallHD, said. “The Quantum 27 offers the same incredible image quality as the Quantum 32 but in a more manageable size, making it easier to deploy multiple units and speed up decision-making on set.”

Continuing the partnership with Samsung Display, SmallHD is using Quantum-Dot OLED panels that directly emit narrow-spectrum RGB light evenly in all directions, delivering uniform luminance of up to 1,000 nits, extending color gamut coverage to 99% of DCI-P3 and enabling a viewing angle of up to 60 degrees. Consistent color reproduction across the entire screen allows for precise creative decision-making and ensures accurate calibration, SmallHD said.

The Quantum 27 was optimized for set life by offering such features as a handle and feet for easy handling as well as a Universal 100-millimeter VESA mount and ARCA Rail on the back for easy mounting. This monitor includes dials for tactile control and is about 6 pounds lighter than the Quantum 32. Power features include 2x two-pin LEMO power output, a USB-C power output and a USB-A power output. It is also compatible with either Gold Mount or V-Mount battery brackets.

PageOS powers the Quantum Series monitors, the intuitive monitor control center that has become ubiquitous on movie sets. Features include exposure tools like EL Zone, Waveform, Vectorscope and Monitor Calibration Wizard with Calman integration.

More information is available on the company’s website.

SHENZHEN, China—Viltrox has launched the DC-A1 camera monitor, a 7-inch ultra-bright 1920-by-1080 full high-definition (FHD) touch screen, designed to meet the needs of filmmakers and photographers looking for a compact, clear monitor.

The DC-A1, which supports signal input and output up to 4K, delivers lossless, high-definition HDMI 2.0 signals for a clear, smooth monitoring experience, Viltrox said.

The 2,800-nit ultra-bright high-resolution wide-angle display works well in strongly illuminated, complex lighting environments, ensuring clear visuals in any situation, especially when shooting outdoors shooting. The new monitor includes a detachable, easy-to-use sun hood, the company said.

Equipped with advanced monitoring tools and functions, such as 3D LUT, gyroscope, focus peaking, false color and anamorphic desqueeze, the DC-A1 delivers precise image control to enhance shooting accuracy and efficiency, it said.

The DC-A1’s custom Lookup Table (LUT) import enables seamless color consistency from on-set monitoring to postproduction, it said.

The monitor’s tactile knob and button controls enable users to navigate functions easily and quickly with one hand. The customizable preset buttons help them instantly access key monitoring features with one touch, it said.

The touch screen ensures all functions are at a user’s fingertips to support an intuitive and seamless creative process. Pinch-to-zoom allows for detailed inspection of every corner of the frame, it said.

With versatile power supply options, the DC-A1 ensures uninterrupted operation in any environment, making it well-suited for extended shooting sessions. The monitor supports three power sources: the included NP-F series lithium batteries, DC IN (direct current) and USB-C charging.

The quiet cooling fan automatically adjusts speed according to the temperature of the monitor, ensuring stable operation even during long hours of work and keeping the monitor cool without excessive noise. The monitor measures 7.4 x 4.3 x 1.1 inches (188 x 110 x 28 millimeters) and weighs 0.7 pounds (348 grams).

The DC A1 monitor comes with a hard carrying case, custom-designed tilt and swivel mount, NF-F550 battery, quick-release sun hood, custom-fit screen protector, HDMI cable, mini HDMI cable and USB-C power cable.

The monitor has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $278.

More information is available on the company’s website.

NEUSS, Germany—Ikegami will make the European debut of the 24-inch HLM-2460WA and 18.5-inch HLM-1860WR broadcast-quality monitors at 2024IBC, Sept. 13-16, at the Amsterdam RAI Convention Center.

“Both monitors are optimized for 1920 x 1080 HD, which continues to be the most popular resolution for routine broadcast production and transmission,” said Gisbert Hochguertel, Ikegami Europe product specialist.

“Building on the features and performance of its HLM-2460W predecessor, the 24-inch HLM-2460WA reproduces more accurate dynamics of the source images thanks to a 1920 x 1200 native pixel in-plane switching (IPS) LCD panel with 1,800:1 contrast ratio and 400 nits peak brightness," Hochguertel continued. "It is designed for use in broadcast environments, such as edit suites where a computer-friendly WUXGA display resolution is preferred, and for integration into monitor walls.” 

The HLM-2460WA provides picture-in-picture and side-by-side video display, preset and operator-configurable onscreen markers and red, green and yellow tally. It also offers dynamic and static under-monitor display facilities as well as closed caption and vertical interval timecode display, it said.

User-selectable test signals, waveform monitoring and vectorscope display tools, image and test signal mix, dot-by-dot display, and 2x and 4x zoom are included. The monitor provides audio capabilities that include SDI audio de-embedding, eight-channel audio level metering and 5.1 channel surround-sound down-mix output, the company said.

Automatic calibration software that ensures consistent and accurate color reproduction for the life of the monitor is available as an option. The software aligns R/G/B gain levels to exhibit the correct white balance by acquiring real-time measurement data via a choice of colorimeters from JETI Specbos (model 1211-2), Klein Instruments (K10-A) or Konica Minolta (CA-310/CA-410), it said.

The HLM-2460WA can be controlled remotely via Ethernet, RS-485 or GPIO, or directly from its front panel. High dynamic range support is available as an option, including HLG1, HLG2 and S-Log3 HDR EOTF, in addition to conventional gamma, it said.

The HLM-1860WR is the successor to the HLM-1760WR. It is a 1920 x 1080-pixel native HD multi-format monitor with a larger 18.5-inch IPS LCD panel. It fits within the same 19-inch rack-width, 7U-high housing as its predecessor, the company said. 

The new monitor has a 1,000:1 contrast ratio and 500 nits peak brightness, allowing it to reproduce clear images even in outdoor environments. Features include user-definable reference marker lines or boxes that can be created using a USB mouse, eight channels of SDI-embedded audio metering and seamless tally integration. The HLM-1860WR requires 48 watts of mains power or 43.2 watts of 12-volt DC battery power. The monitor’s width, height and depth measurements are 17.3 x 11.85 x 3.15 inches (440 x 301 x 80 mm). 

See Ikegami at 2024IBC Stand 12.A31.

More information is available on the company’s website.

LOS ANGELES—As a Los Angeles-based post-production rental and support company, Vortechs provides equipment and ADR services, along with access to editing suites, screening rooms and soundstages, among other offerings. 

We manage close to 100 suites between Silverlake and Santa Monica, Calif., and support productions in Atlanta, New York and London. The core of our business is renting editing gear and rooms, but we have also more recently started offering remote production systems for teams working off-site. Another aspect of our business is sourcing other types of production equipment to clients, for which we’ll specify, set up and support the gear.

On the Road 
When required, we also travel on-site to clients’ shoots to help with the productions. This includes several recent major motion pictures, like Chris Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” which was filmed in New Mexico; the movie adaptation of “Wicked,” which was shot and edited in London; and “Gladiator II,” filmed in Malta and Morocco. Other recent projects include TV series like FX Networks’ “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” HBO’s “Righteous Gemstones,” Apple TV+’s “Physical” and Amazon Prime’s “Peripheral;” as well as films such as “My Spy 2,” “Strays,” “A Man Called Otto,” “Champions,” “Amsterdam” and Sony Pictures’ “65.” 

To support these high-profile projects, it is imperative that we use equally matched equipment, such as JVC broadcast monitors, which have been our go-to solution from the very beginning. There are many LCD monitor brands to choose from, but JVC is the leader among all editing rental houses throughout Los Angeles. I think this is because JVC hits a lot of marks―not only brand recognition, but also its products’ standout features combined with an unmatched price point. 

Whether it’s the current DT-N24F ProHD Broadcast Studio LCD Monitor or the legacy DT-V24G1Z Verité Series Studio Monitor, JVC can be found in nearly every Vortechs editing bay. We also deploy the brand’s DLA-RS4500K Projector in our screening rooms for VFX-heavy projects. 

The Right Specs
The most important factor in our choice of JVC was the support for SDI, which provides us with the I/O necessary to set up our editing bays. The DT-N24F supports up to 3G-SDI (SMPTE 425M), including Level-A and Level-B, which are capable of transferring 1080p uncompressed digital video data at a max rate of 60fps at 3Gbps. 2K-SDI (2048x1080p) is also supported to downsample to full HD display. 

Additionally, the DT-N24F is compatible with ITU-709 standard color for HDTV, so the contrast and color reproduction is very good right out of the box, and it is always reliable. The JVC monitors also have built-in waveform, vector scope and histogram, along with a 16-channel audio level meter with alerts and output selections, so you can just hit a button and quickly pull up all the necessary information. 

As a rental company, it’s important for us to provide equipment that is straightforward and easy for our customers to use. I would say 95% of our clients expect us to supply gear that they can just simply turn on/off and switch between inputs without having to know the intricacies of the product. The JVC monitors definitely deliver on these needs. When you consider all that you get for the price, the brand has a lot of selling points for us and our clients. 

For more information visit http://pro.jvc.

MARLOW, U.K.—TSL will introduce its new MPA1-MIX-NET-V-R, a fully redundant 1U audio confidence monitor and mixer with 16 instantly recallable independent mixes, during IBC2023, Sept. 15-18, at RAI Amsterdam.

TSL engineered the MPA1-MIX-NET-V-R in accordance with key industry standards, including SMPTE ST 2022-7, to ensure fully optimized network topologies that reduce user risk and network complexity without limiting operational agility, the company said. 

The latest MPA1-MIX-NET innovation safeguards against disruptions and system failures, empowering broadcasters to deliver top-tier, uninterrupted broadcasting experiences.

“It is increasingly clear that IP is the future, and to get there, we have to build products that provide a bridge to the new IP paradigm with familiar workflows and monitoring tools, but which will also be completely at home in an all-IP world,” said TSL president Ian Godfrey. 

“Combined with TSL's cutting-edge redundancy capabilities, customers can meet specific challenges head-on cost-effectively. It’s a customer-centric approach that caters to unique scenarios by providing an unmatched IP solution that ensures continuous audio monitoring 

The MPA1-MIX-NET-V-R is well-suited for ST 2110 trucks and installations. Two 1G AoIP connections provide 64 channels of input, with a further 64 available via an optional MADI SFP. Support for in-band NMOS is built-in for integration with TSL control and leading third-party systems, the company said.

The unit offers:

• 64 channels and an optional MADI input provides a further 64 channels, with an intuitive interface and easy-to-use controls.
• A simple and intuitive way to monitor multiple audio sources by using its eight dedicated rotary controls.
• Provides full integration with today's broadcast IP networks. 
• Offers a comprehensive webpage and SNMP support, allowing remote configuration and control.

See TSL at IBC2023 Stand 10.B4.

More information is available on the company’s website. 

HAYWARD, Calif.—Wohler Technologies has introduced vMON, a new line of 4K and 8K video monitors that includes SDI and HDMI inputs.

Available in 17-, 27- and 32-inch sizes in both 4K and 8K formats, this premium range of video monitors has been designed to address multiple applications ranging from Electronic Field Production (EFP), studio and shooting to playout, post-production, OB and events, the company said. 

The vMON range supports a variety of professional production and processing features, including support for 3840 x 2160 4K to 8192×4320 8K resolutions, HDR indication, QUAD View, various video scopes, markers and quality aids, including darkness check and focus assist. The combination of features makes the vMON range suitable for the most demanding 4K and 8K workflows, it said.

Other features include 2SI and SQD 4K/8K signal support, 16-channel embedded audio level meters, built-in speakers, rack mount (17-inch only) or Vesa mount, support for 608/708 CC closed captions and picture flip.  The quad display can simultaneously support four different formats of 4K/HD/SD signals on different windows, making the range well-suited for 4K, 8K studio, high-end color grading and film production.

More information is available on the company’s website.

LAS VEGAS—Sony Electronics is launching a premium 30.5-inch 4K HDR professional monitor for critical evaluation, color grading, live production and post-production. The new BVM-HX3110 features a Sony-designed dual layer anti-reflection LCD panel with Sony proprietary signal processing, supporting a higher peak luminance of up to 4000cd/m² while maintaining deep blacks, the company announced. 

“Content creators are always seeking tools that help to accurately match and represent their creative vision and the BVM-HX3110 does just that,” said Anthony Kable, CCS Group Manager, Sony Australia. “We continue to act on customers’ feedback, which is why this new model offers a host of new features including an IP interface for enhanced flexibility. And of course, in keeping with Sony’s monitor design philosophy, it color matches with our most popular professional monitors.” 

Along with characteristics such as accurate color reproduction, picture consistency and precision imaging, the BVM-HX3110 offers brighter specular highlights and introduces a new optional fast pixel response mode for reduced motion blur. It also provides a wider viewing angle, as well as standard IP interface for SMPTE ST2110 signals, to complement Sony’s Networked Live ecosystem. The well-established BVM-HX310 remains available as a companion model to the BVM-HX3110, offering consistency in color reproduction, gamma curve and operation, the company reported. 

The monitor’s new standard toolset incorporates Waveform Monitor/Vector Scope (WF/VS), false color, focus assist, closed captioning, 3D LUT processing, and quad and side-by-side viewing modes, among other valuable features. In addition to fast pixel response, supplemental benefits include support for JPEG-XS as well as Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) through optional licenses. Additional optional licenses enable tools such as HDR/SDR conversion and a user 3D LUT signal-output.   

Sony also reported that the BVM-HX3110 utilizes the same color gamut and works seamlessly alongside several of Sony’s monitors, including the BVM-HX310, as well as the PVM-X and LMD-A series monitors and the just-announced LMD-A180, an 18.4-inch HD HDR high grade picture monitor with a wide color gamut. Ideal for on-set monitoring, the LMD-A180 can also be rack mounted for general monitoring purposes. It replaces the LMD-A170 monitor.

A prototype of the BVM-HX3110 will be in Sony’s booth, #C8101, at NAB Show 2023 from April 16-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. It is expected to be available in November 2023. The LMD-A180 is planned to come to market in the fall of 2023. 

RALEIGH, N.C.—SmallHD today launched its Smart 5 Monitor Series, which includes the Ultra 5, Cine 5 and Indie 5 touchscreen displays. 

The introduction also includes two additional wireless versions of the Ultra 5: the Ultra 5 TX and Ultra 5 RX. Each of the new 5-inch monitors is powered by the PageOS 5 software toolkit, the company said.

“The Smart 5 series was designed in response to significant demand for smaller touchscreen monitors with the same quality and functionality of SmallHD’s Smart 7 and Ultrabright Series,” said Dave Bredbury, product manager for CS Cine. “We shrunk the display and increased the overall capabilities. Finally, users have access to our camera-control licenses for ARRI, RED and Sony VENICE on a 5-inch monitor.”

Together, the Ultra, Cine and Indie Smart 5 Series monitors deliver three tiers of brightness, I/O capability and physical interface options. Each is equipped with multi-touch interfaces. The Cine 5 offers a joystick and back button for camera control functionality. The Ultra 5 includes customizable function buttons for monitor access and control of software functions while wearing gloves. The monitors are encased in a unibody chassis of anodized aluminum and offer multiple mounting points, the company said.

The PageOS 5 toolkit included with the monitors offers EL Zone Exposure Assist, best-in-class waveform and false color, Look-Around Camera Control and Advanced Teradek RT Overlays, it said.

Features of each include:

• Ultra 5 delivering touchscreen functionality with full complement of front-facing physical buttons; 3000nit brightness; 2x 3G-SDI (I/O), 2x HDMI 2.0 (I/O), Ethernet port, 2-pin locking power connector; locking 5-pin USB.
• Ultra 5 Bolt 6 RX 750 and Ultra 5 Bolt 6 TX 750 offering 6GHz connectivity; wireless camera control; seamless operation with Teradek RT for full wireless FIZ control.
• Cine 5 providing a combination of touchscreen experience with side-mounted joystick and back button; 2000nit brightness; 3G-SDI (I/O), HDMI 2.0 (I/O); 2-pin locking power connector; locking 5-pin USB.
• Indie 5 offering a touchscreen-only interface with physical power button and sliding touchscreen-lock switch; 14.4 oz. weight; 1000nit brightness; 3G-SDI (I/O), HDMI 2.0 (I/O), barrel power input; micro-USB connection.

More information is available on the company’s website.

NEW ORLEANS—After having positive experiences using Sony’s OLED monitors for years, I chose their PVM-X2400 24-inch 4K HDR monitor to use on my latest project, the upcoming film, “Where the Crawdads Sing,” based on the best-selling novel.  

I had worked with other HDR monitors in the past, which were too big, too heavy and too expensive. When I knew we needed HDR for this movie, the latest Sony model appeared to be a viable option. Due to my previous experience with HDR monitors, I prefer to use my own technology and after learning more about Sony’s PVM-X2400, it met most of my requirements.  The 24-inch option is a good size for looking at content, without being too small to see details or too large to be practical.

Sony’s LED technology was the primary reason I chose the PVM-X2400. I’ve always valued the black levels of Sony’s OLED monitors and while LED didn’t offer the exact same experience, it still gave me a really good on-set view of HDR. It’s also beneficial that I can calibrate all of my Sony monitors to match consistently.

Working in HDR
As HDR becomes a standard request—or a requirement—from studios, having my own HDR monitor has helped me maintain my standard of work and ensure that everything I produce is of high quality; and having a good monitor makes it all that much easier! Working in HDR in an on-set environment is a relatively easy workflow to adapt to, as the highlights are fairly precise.  Working in HDR provides more longevity and possibilities for the content.

I appreciate that the monitors have a lot of powerful built-in tools—on-set, my Sony monitors are on a cart, where they’ve proven to be durable and reliable. 

In terms of workflow, I take a log feed out from the camera and get a log feed on my monitor and then use a live grade to add a LUT to the feeds. Then I use my scopes in watch mode, primarily to review my false color for exposure. The false color setting is a valuable feature as is the ability to upload and compare user LUTs. 

At a Glance
Ultimately, I need my monitor balanced because we have an A and B camera next to each other. I also have a switcher where I can put multiple cameras onto one monitor so we can make judgments right away, compare images and see everything in the blink of an eye.  

I tend to work on projects that have a darker look so it’s helpful to have a monitor that can handle the blacks and shadows as well as it handles the lights and brights. I find that Sony’s monitors don’t give you a bleached out image—they give you deep blacks. Every camera and monitor can do bright, but it’s how they behave in the dark and how they can control shadows and balance highlights that’s most important.

In my position, having an accurate representation of what the camera is capturing gives the production crew peace of mind and that’s something I feel confident I’m able to do with Sony’s impressive monitors. l

For more information visit https://pro.sony/ue_US/.

PARAMUS, N.J.—Sony has joined GPA’s Partner Program as a strategic global display vendor. 

GPA is a global organization of audio, video, and unified communications business units, who are committed to sharing best practices to guarantee the same excellent customer experience across the globe.

The GPA partnership allows Sony to fill the gaps and ensure a strong offering of its Professional Displays and Solutions to new and existing customers.

“We are thrilled to announce that we have joined GPA as a display vendor, joining one of the world’s largest AV organizations, and bringing our spectacular products and solutions to clients across the globe, including our newly launched BRAVIA 4K 100” and 32” professional displays,” explained Damien Weissenburger, head of professional displays and solutions Europe. “For a long time, our customers have asked for central contact points with local supply and support who understand the local nuances of doing business in their market, to make it easier for communication and a seamless deployment for the end user. By joining the GPA network, we can collaborate with talented professionals in the AV industry and ensure that the ultimate customer experience is delivered every time. We look forward to engaging with each individual local GPA business unit to build a strong relationship and solidify mutual growth plans,” 

GPA has a proven track record of working with Sony Electronics in America, who have been working with AVI systems (GPA Regional Business Unit in America) on a meeting room “tech in a box”, offered through a finance model. 

“As business needs grow globally, we at Sony are taking measures to continue our transformation. Being able to provide solutions for our customers regionally and internationally is critical and we see the GPA as an important partner in the delivery of Pro AV technology to our customers,” said Rich Ventura, vice president of B2B, Sony Electronics’ Imaging Products and Solutions Professional Division, North America. “Their proficiency in standardization, knowledge of best practices and ability to leverage the strengths of their member organizations augments our best-in-class solutions. Together we’re enabling a streamlined process that emphasizes quality, expertise, speed and scalability and supports our shared commitment to deliver a superior end-to-end experience to our customers.”

Sony is exhibiting in Hall 3, booth 3E400, at FIRA Barcelona, Gran Via 10-13 May 2022. For more information visit https://pro.sony/ise

GPA is exhibiting in Hall 2, booth 2H700 at FIRA Barcelona, Gran Via 10-13 May 2022.

NEUSS, Germany—Ikegami plans to spotlight the latest additions to its range of broadcast monitors and cameras, including the UHK-X700 4K camera and BSX-100 base station, at Hamburg Open 2022, scheduled to take place Jan. 19, 2022, at Congress Center Hamburg.

Ikegami also will highlight the UHL-43 compact 4K camera, HQLM-3125 master grade 4K monitor and HLM series HD monitors, the company said.

“Interest in 4K production is accelerating, both for the on-demand video streaming sector and among forward-looking broadcasters,” said Michael Lätzsch, manager of Ikegami Europe’s broadcast and professional video division. 

“HDR is also gaining ground given the rapidly increasing user base of HDR-compatible TV displays. The UHK-X700 is designed for a very wide range of studio or location applications and couples with the BSX-100 to form a highly versatile system. Our UHL-43 is a compact 4K camera for applications such as remotely controlled or self-op studios and remote coverage of live events.”

Products to be featured include:

• Ikegami UHK-X700 2/3-inch 4K 3-CMOS global shutter sensor system camera, a new member of the UNICAM XE 4K system camera series. The camera delivers high signal quality, versatile connectivity and a robust build. Offering full HDR and SDR support, the camera can be set to BT.2020 and BR.709 color spaces. It supports up to 2x speed in 4K and 8x speed in HD via the base station.
• BSX-100 UHD/HD multi-format fiber base station, offering a coherent upgrade path for broadcasters and production companies progressing from SDI to IP, from SDR to HDR and from an HD to HD/4K dual-format workflow. The base station is available for Ikegami HD and 4K camera systems, offering 12G and 3G HD-SDI connectivity. SMPTE ST 2110 is available as an option.
• Ikegami UHL-43 compact 4K HDR camera for applications such as robotic studios, OB live events, parliamentary TV, POV image capture, weather coverage and traffic and public security monitoring. Using three 2/3-inch 4K 8.3-megapixel (3,840 x 2,160 pixel) CMOS sensors, the camera offers true UHD capture resolution and delivers high-quality color reproduction.
• HQLM-3125X master grade 4K monitor, offering a 4,096 x 2,160 pixel 10-bit resolution and 1,000-candela-per-square-meter brightness. Designed for critical image evaluation in broadcast production control environments, it has a double-LCD-layer panel delivering a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio with true black reproduction. A layer of light-modulating cells allows pixel-by-pixel control of backlight intensity, reducing light leakage and black floating.
• HLM series Full-HD monitors with HDR option. With the option the HLM-60 family of HD broadcast-quality monitors supports HLG, S-Log and S-Log3 HDR in addition to conventional gamma.

See Ikegami at Hamburg Open 2022 in Stand H.339, Hall 8 of Congress Center Hamburg. 

More information is available on the company’s website. 

PARAMUS, N.J.—Sony Electronics announced it has begun shipping the PVM-X3200, the latest addition to its PVM-X series of 4K HDR TRIMASTER monitors during the company’s Oct. 12 live, online press conference.

Announced in April, the 32-inch monitor, joins the 18- and 24-inch members of the PVM-X series. The high-grade monitor incorporates a Sony-specified premium LCD panel offering 1000 cd/m2 luminance and color matching with the BVM-HX310 4K HDR master monitor, making group monitoring easy on-set, in the studio and onboard production trucks, Sony said.

The monitor uses Sony’s TRIMASTER architecture to deliver accurate picture reproduction, precise imaging and quality picture consistency, the company said. 

Sony plans to offer a firmware update for all three PVM-X series monitors in February 2022 as a free download. The update will include Focus Assist and False Color, as well as a new gamut scope that enables users to verify their content against the CIE 1931 chart, the company said. 

The V3 firmware update also offers time-saving features, such as Settings Copy, which enables users to copy settings from one monitor to another via USB, as well as support for auto white balance software, it said.

An optional PVML-HSX1 HDR-to-SDR conversion license is available for the PVM-X3200. It supports high-dynamic-range-to-standard-dynamic-range conversion in live production environments. The license activates 4K-to-HD down-conversion, color space conversion, OETF conversion, progressive-to-interlace conversion and Quad-link-3G-to-Single-link 12G conversion. It also provides for the output of converted pictures to other 4K or HD monitors via the Enhanced Monitor Output, the company said.

More information is available on the company’s website. 

GRANITE BAY, Calif.—Amazing Facts Christian Media Ministry has produced religious content for national television networks for more than 50 years. We also have our own streaming platforms, print/digital media and satellite channel, as well as an international presence. In addition to our regular weekly worship services, we produce a variety of content, such as our flagship “Amazing Facts with Doug Batchelor,” which airs on multiple networks and satellite channels, including Lifetime and Discovery. We also host “Bible Answers Live”—a weekly streaming and radio call-in show, produce historical and religious documentaries and other smaller shows.

We recently built a state-of-the-art 4K-capable studio complete with control and video engineer rooms, which include 4K broadcast monitors for referencing, color correction and color grading. When we installed our new infrastructure, we selected the JVC Professional Video DT-U31Pro, a 4K-capable, HDR, multi-use interface studio monitor. We also use the monitors in a master control setting, with signal feeds from all our locations during a live transmission, as well as for troubleshooting SDI signals from the other stations to ensure conformity.

ESSENTIAL FEATURES

We looked at models from different manufacturers but there were a few things that stood out to us about JVC, which offered a very appealing price and just as important, an attractive feature set. We wanted to have a built-in waveform, monitor, vector and histogram, along with built-in audio, which would give us more reference for broadcast signals and monitoring abilities.

The monitors also have built-in HDR capability and a single-link 12G-SDI connector, which is perfect for our new facility as it is built on a 12G-SDI coax infrastructure. It is difficult to find monitors that can receive a native IP video signal without needing a conversion to a standard SDI coax interface, but JVC has that ability. This will enable us to follow the transition of coax to IP, making JVC a future-proofed solution.

FUNCTION IS KEY

When we first acquired the monitors, we used them to color correct and synchronize our 4K cameras to our desired standard. They also helped us troubleshoot SDI signals by providing us different aspects of the SDI signal, like the exemplary data streams captions, multiple audio channels and other more detailed SDI components.

Since deploying the monitors, we discovered additional features that enhance our workflow, such as tally display, focus assist and timecode reading. We also found that they’re quite user-friendly; the menus are very straightforward; and the buttons are self-described and useful. Additionally, all the connectors are on the side and easily accessible, which is perfect for the wall-mounted application of our monitors. We have volunteer operators, so we need technology that’s not cumbersome and overly technical. The JVC monitors provide an ease of use not only for very technical individuals but also our volunteers.

Goce Shamakoski has been with Amazing Facts for more than 15 years, having first started with the production/post-production team and gradually transitioning to the broadcast sector. Shamakoski has also worked with various other TV networks, local cable channels and over-the-air transmitters, providing technical support and studio build services focused on modern IP infrastructure. He can be contacted at goces@amazingfacts.org.

For more information, contact JVC at 973-317-5000 or visit www.jvc.com.

DALLAS—I was fortunate to have a busy early career of consistent work on low-budget features, then two seasons shooting second unit and three seasons as the main director of photography on “Chicago Fire.” Following that show I moved back to features until the pandemic hit and I finally had some down time.

Recently I was brought in as the DoP for a new drama series shooting in Dallas. The unconventional thriller, “Cruel Summer,” takes place in a small Texas town over the summers of 1993, ’94 and ’95. Popular teen, Kate, goes missing and Jeanette, a sweet, awkward outlier, goes from being the most popular girl in town to eventually becoming the most despised person in America.

It’s a dynamic story. My philosophy is that powerful visual storytelling comes from collaboration—the director, producers and crew pitch ideas and we go with the best ones. One of my functions is to coordinate how the set runs, and the pandemic brought unique challenges.

ADJUSTING TO THE NEW NORMAL

Safety protocols called for compliance with a zone system that included three Covid tests per week and new working practices. I had my own video village but I didn’t spend much time in the tent. Being very hands-on, I am constantly moving—I’m one of the only people without a chair on set.

The camera package consisted of two Alexa Mini’s with Panavision Primos and wireless transmission via a Teradek Bolt transmitter and four receivers positioned with the focus puller, DP station, director’s monitor and distribution station. Everyone on the team needs visuals, so Teradek’s Serv Pros and Links allowed multicam viewing. Other crew—from hair, to assistant directors, to the boom op—used Teradek’s VUER live video monitor app on their personal devices.

The proliferation of monitors on set has been a major change. No longer just for ACs to use for focus, screens are everywhere and on our set most are SmallHD. The operators have SmallHD 703 7-inch Ultrabrights on camera, the ACs have 13-inch 1303 HDRs and the directors have 1703 17-inch reference-grade monitors.

There’s always a SmallHD within 10 feet of me so I can stay on set to talk to everyone. I can go adjust a camera, then run and talk to the director; I can check waveform and false color with a button press on any SmallHD monitor—and I know they will all match. It’s a real benefit to my working style.

MATCHING SHOTS

SmallHD has become a secret weapon for us because our show is so ambitious. The story follows multiple characters and, time-wise, jumps between three different years, making it a fun creative, visual and editorial challenge. It makes shooting for transitions and edits crucial.

One day the director wanted a pretty specific match cut. We tried SmallHD’s “Image Capture” function for a particular shot and used “Overlay” to quickly line up the image. That would usually require significantly more time, but the director and I were amazed at how fast and useful this function was on the SmallHD monitor. We were soon doing exact matching of shots quickly on the fly: a closeup of a character one year and an exact match cut of the character in a different year—or a different location, or another character—enabling more creative choices. It’s become a signature tool we use on virtually every episode. Now the SmallHD capture and overlay capability is a vital part of my toolbox.

“Cruel Summer” premiered on Freeform, April 20, then on Hulu the next day, and will stream on Amazon International in the future.

Jayson Crothers is a director of photography who lives in Los Angeles. He can be reached at www.jaysoncrothers.com or contact@jaysoncrothers.com.

For more information, contact SmallHD at 919-439-2166 or visit www.smallhd.com.

Telestream is releasing six new models in its PRISM waveform monitoring product line, designed for the next generation of engineers.

The new models include a touchscreen interface, replacing the traditional buttons usually found on the front of the hardware.

Users will still find the familiar tools they would expect on the waveform monitors, which all operate in the same way they used to, but the company says the software approach on PRISM allows users (young and old) to personalize the instrument to match the way they like to use it and with the tools they like to use.

The move to touchscreen is something the company has been working on for some time, according to Ian Valentine, vice president of product management, who discusses the product's evolution with Jenny Priestley, editor of TVB Europe. 

Click here for the article in full.  

INDIANAPOLIS—Bayonet Media is an Emmy Award-winning, Midwest-based production company with full production/post capabilities. I have worked with them for the past eight years, producing everything from feature films and branded content to high concept commercials for Jim Beam, Toyota, Walmart, Eli Lilly, Makers Mark, GE and AT&T.

We pride ourselves on creating world-class visuals and realize that takes the highest caliber gear. Long before the pandemic, it was standard for us to go out with an entire crew, marketing agency team, client team and fully equipped Alexa cameras, in addition to aerial and stabilizer rigs. SmallHD and Teradek Bolt wireless video transmitters have long been critical components of our camera package and have grown even more important as we shoot safely during COVID-19. Having individual monitors and remote viewing opportunities allow us to continue bringing brands to life and pushing our creativity forward.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF VIDEO VILLAGE

It’s been a learning curve but we have worked out ways to meet social distancing safety protocols while still respecting the stakeholder’s creative input. We limit the number of people on set to only essential personnel—if you can function off set, that’s safer. In the past, when we shot commercials, we usually had a large number of agency creatives on set. Now, to run a safe set, we limit that to a very small team, sometimes even just one person from the client and marketing agency, with the rest working remotely. We also eliminated the “video village” on set—it was just too tempting for people to gather around a large monitor.

We value everyone’s opinion, which means people need to be virtually connected to what’s being filmed. For viewing we use two workflows: SmallHD monitors with Bolt wireless video transmitters as well as the Serv Pro, which adds the ability to stream the camera, video switcher or DIT cart feed to everyone’s iOS, Mac OS or Android devices on set. We have started implementing its newly updated firmware to enable remote Core (cloud) streaming through the VUER app on client desktops for monitoring off set. This is a game-changer and really shows Teradek’s commitment to its users and products. It’s great to know a product we already had could get better. We are using it on every shoot now.

Gone are the days of peeking over shoulders to see a screen. Now every critical decision maker on set gets individual SmallHD wireless monitors that receive the consistent, zero-delay signal from the Bolt on the camera. The A.D., director and DP each get a SmallHD 703 Bolt 7-inch, 3000-nit bright full-HD monitor with built-in Teradek wireless receiver. Other departments on set and those at home watch on their own iOS devices, thanks to the Serv Pro, so that works out well.

The clients have been very accommodating. On a recent Jim Beam spot, the agency team was really impressed with their individual Focus Bolt 500 RX touchscreen monitors. It’s a nice compact package, feels good in your hands and really shows off the images.

Since COVID-19, every day is longer on set. There’s lots of prep, safety, medics on most shoots, PPE, Purell on C-stands everywhere and social distancing. But things are getting smoother and the wireless SmallHD monitors have been a big part in keeping us shooting.

Kevin Grazioli is EP/head of production for Bayonet Media, as well as a freelance producer. He has produced agency work, episodic TV shows and PBS Emmy-winning documentaries. He can be contacted at kevin@bayonetmedia.com.

For more information, visit www.smallhd.com.

NEW HAVEN, Conn.—When I started out shooting action cinematography—a category that has exploded in recent years—I would go with whatever I could carry in a backpack because I was simply creating my own social media content.

After forming my own production company, Vision Aerial Media, the work quickly evolved into more complex and elaborate shoots. I can’t tell you how many things I’ve strapped myself into this year, filming off the back of an ATV or out of a helicopter with no doors. That one backpack has quickly turned into a van full of multiple camera systems, plus gimbals, drones and any other motion-related gear. It also usually includes more than one Atomos monitor or recorder.

DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT

Since my project requirements vary from week to week, I rely on the entire Atomos ecosystem, which includes 7- and 5-inch monitors, so I can select one that suits each job. If I’m shooting in tight quarters, working fast or need a lower profile, I’ll use the 5-inch. If I’m locked down or I need to do critical image evaluation, I’ll use a 7-inch to frame my shot and make sure I really nail it.

With my varying camera setups, Atomos monitors give me a consistent base point. I can load in the same custom LUTs I use in editing and have those on set. I know if it looks good on the Atomos monitor, then it’s going to look good when I get back to the editing suite. There are no surprises like “We’re actually one or two stops overexposed here when we really should have been there.” That consistency is big for me.

I also like the flexibility of using a recorder for better bit depths or a monitor-only version for exposure, critical focus and framing.

ADAPTING TO THE SITUATION

We were recently out capturing drift cars in the blazing sun. I was recording in ProRES RAW, which I love to work with because of the highlight recovery. The challenge was to get the exposure right without crushing any of the blacks. A car’s undercarriage might have sway bars or other cool parts the owners have installed. Car guys want to see those details, so you need to make sure you’re not putting too much contrast into your initial image.

I love using Atomos monitors on fast-action projects like this where framing and focus come even before nailing your exposure. A car may come into frame quickly and you don’t get to say, “Hold for focus and get your marks.” You have to make a decision before you hit “roll.”

On other shoots, I’ll use my 5-inch SDI Shinobi monitor. It’s super compact and runs all day on a tiny battery, but I know I can trust it for making critical decisions on false colors, zebras or focus peaking. For studio shoots or agency work with a client on-site, I’ll use the Sumo 19-inch as a dedicated client playback monitor and as a recording device capturing wireless camera signals. Plus, it’s touchscreen, so clients like using the “thumbs up or down” tags when approving shots.

In the field or studio, Atomos helps speed up my workflow and gives me peace of mind because I know I’m getting all the shots I can’t afford to miss.

Mike Steidley built a name for himself in the extreme sports world claiming 13 National Mountain Bike Stunt Championship Titles. He also operates Vision Aerial Media, a full-service video and digital content production company, ranging from action sports to corporate and commercial advertising projects. He can be contacted at visionaerialmedia@gmail.com.

For more information, visit www.atomos.com.

PARAMUS, N.J.—Sony Electronics unveiled a variety of new products and enhancements, including improvements for its Venice digital motion picture camera and FX9 full-frame camcorder; upgrades to its 4K HDR professional monitors; enhanced hybrid asset management that unifies its Ci cloud collaboration and management tools with NavigatorX; and a new Media Analytics Portal.

“Our industry is seeing rapid evolution as the need to develop content for cross-platform distribution has transformed both the creative process and post-production workflows,” said Theresa Alesso, Pro Division president, Sony Electronics.

“Our goal is to help customers maximize their return on investment with technologies that enable them to reach the broadest possible audience, across the widest array of distribution channels, with the simplest production process.”

CAMERAS

Sony has announced new firmware for both the Venice and FX9 cameras. Venice Version 6.0 firmware, to be released in November, adds the ability to import a new Advanced Rendering Transform (.art) file, including a new “Technicolor-look library,” a second user frame line and expanded high frame rate (HFR) capabilities.

FX Version 2.0 firmware, available in October, expands shooting capabilities and user operation with the addition of support for 4K 60p/50p recording via oversampling from a 5K cropped area of a 6K full-frame sensor and 16-bit RAW output.

NEWS AND LIVE PRODUCTION

Sony also is announcing other enhancements to its camera line, camera remote control and a new XDCAM disc drive. The company will make the PXW-Z450C 4K 2/3-inch shoulder mount camcorder available in a production package with 18x zoom 4K lens, viewfinder and mic in August.

The PXW-Z190 and PXW-Z280 4K handheld compact camcorders will be offered with RTMP/RTMPS FHD streaming capabilities supporting live streaming and content upload to video sharing sites and social media platforms in early 2021.

Sony also will begin shipping the MSU-3500 and MSU-3000 master setup units, system camera control panels for multicamera remote control in summer 2020. Both include a 70-inch WVGA LCS touch panel. The former is a half rack that is vertically oriented, and the latter is a full rack width that is horizontally oriented.

The PDW-U4 XDCAM professional disc drive, available in January 2021, is a high-capacity unit supporting up to 128GB (Write Once) and 100GB (Rewritable) of storage. It supports four-, three-, two- and single-layer XDCAM Professional Disc media. The unit leverages four-channel Dual Channel Head System (DCHS) technology to deliver file transfers that are 2x (read) and 1.7x (write) faster than the existing PDW-U2.

HDR SUPPORT

Sony also is unveiling support for high dynamic range (HDR) across its portfolio. SR Live Metadata eliminates the need for two separate production workflows—one devoted to HDR and the other to SDR. 

The SR Live workflow relies on Sony HDC camera settings being captured by the camera, which are then sent through the production process. Using this metadata makes it possible for an SDR production to be perfectly replicated as intended by a shading craftsperson. Only the HDR signal needs to be switched and routed.

Support for SR Live Metadata will be available for the HDRC-4000 HDR production converter unit, HDC series system cameras, including CCU recording capability, PWS servers and the Sony’s new PVM series 4K HDR monitors in summer 2020.

File-based production systems including the PXW-Z750, PXW-Z450 and PXW-X400 camcorders will support SR Live Metadata with the Catalyst Prepare application software by the end of the year.

Sony also announced the CBKZ-SLHL1 optional software license for the PXW-X400 2/3-inch camcorder that adds 1080 60p/50p HDR support. It will be available in July.

The company will also make available an optional upgrade that adds internal HDR-to-SDR and 4K-HD conversion to its PVM-X2400 and PVM-X180 monitors. The 24- and 18.4-inch monitors, respectively, are scheduled for a July launch with the upgrade due in March 2021. The 4K HDR monitors with Trimaster technology support an all-white luminance of 1000 cd/m2 and match 100% of the color gamut of the BVM-HX310 Trimaster HX master monitor.

Sony also is adding HDR conversion to its XVS series production series in early 2021. It also will offer two mix-effects boards—the XKS-8215 for the XVS-9000/8000 switcher and XKS-7215 for the XVS-7000 switcher. They add four fully functional keyers per 4K ME with resizers, chroma key and key priority.

IP, THE CLOUD, AI

Sony will update its NXLK-IP50Y/IP51Y SDI-IP converter boards in September with an enhancement to its SDR/HDR and up/down conversion licenses that adds color correction.

The company will enhance its Ci Media Cloud platform in May with the launch of Ci Catalog, which streamlines asset management for large media enterprises and enables better management of finished assets. In June, it will unveil enhanced hybrid operation of NavigatorX and Ci that will make it possible to manage content in any facility or in the cloud.

Sony is also expected to deliver in the fall its Media Analytics Portal, a cloud-based solution offering AI analytics models and services, such as object recognition and speech-to-text, via a single web-based portal. It integrates with Ci Media Cloud Services, XDCAM air and Media Backbone NavigatorX.

More information is available on Sony’s website.  

Sony Electronics unveiled a prototype of its new 24-inch 4K LCD professional picture monitor for the first time at the International Broadcast Equipment Exhibition 2019 (Inter BEE 2019) in Japan. The portable monitor offers high grade picture quality and accurate color reproduction and is ideal for 4K HDR productions - giving professional content creators a reliable tool for versatile applications such as on-set monitoring, non-linear video editing, studio wall monitoring, rack-mount monitoring in OB trucks or machine rooms.

The professional monitor prototype has been developed to offer the industry a solution with unrivaled 4K HDR picture quality, accuracy and consistency.

Boasting an ultra-high definition resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels) and an all-white luminance of 1000 cd/m2, the monitor reproduces images in exceptional detail. For optimum color verification, its wide color gamut offers consistent and faithful color reproduction. Additionally, the monitor’s wide viewing angle, 12G-SDI input and HDMI connection provide even greater flexibility and efficiency for creatives out in the field and for live production needs, as well as for cinema and commercial content creation.

Additional details and specifications of the new monitor will be released at a later date. Sony is showcasing a prototype of the monitor at the International Broadcast Equipment Exhibition 2019 (Inter BEE 2019) in Japan from November 13-15, 2019.

For more information about Sony’s professional business, please visit http://pro.sony.

ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Any weak link in the video production chain will result in reduced quality images or sound, so continual improvement of each category of component is essential. For example, you won’t get all the benefit from better cameras if your monitors aren’t up to the task.

Now that high dynamic range (HDR) video is becoming a production reality, monitors need HDR capability to correctly show the contrast range of the images. In these early days of HDR products, there are different HDR standards and even different approaches to the underlying technology within the monitors themselves. Interestingly, manufacturers also approach UHD/4K and HD HDR displays differently.

“Around 2012, an international standard was created that defined Ultra High Definition formats, employing a much wider color gamut,” said Hugo Gaggioni, chief technology officer for Sony Imaging Products and Solutions America. “This standard was the ITU-R-BT.2020. State-of-the-art professional monitors can support around 80-85% of this color gamut. Therefore, HDR is not only about extensions in dynamic range but also the adoption of new color gamuts, which together give rise to new colors never before seen.”

Of course, in addition to a wider color gamut, HDR is about the range between black and white shades on the screen.

“The primary concern with HDR monitoring is how well the dynamic range is handled,” Gaggioni said. “The monitors must support the brightest highlights and deepest blacks—this is why exceptional contrast ratio capability is so important in HDR applications.”

Making this more complicated is that there are multiple standards for HDR, including standards that are semi-proprietary to manufacturers like Sony.

“Sony supports multiple formats: SMPTE ST.2084 [PQ], HLG [Hybrid Log Gamma], and Sony’s HDR production curves, such as S-Log3, S-Log2,” Gaggioni said. “Our HDR monitors must support all standardized HDR EOTF [Electrical-to-Optical Transfer Functions], but which ones are best for the job at hand depends upon the application.”

RANGE OF STANDARDS

Other manufacturers support their own range of HDR standards, and these may vary between UHD and HD displays.

Ikegami’s 4K monitors support HLG (BT.2100), PQ (ST.2084), and S-Log3 as well as HLG (BT.2100) and S-Log3 as options for its HD monitors, according to Alan Keil, vice president and director of engineering at Ikegami.

“For HDR, we are paying close attention to the reproduction in the blacks, as well as overall contrast and brightness,” he said. “We are looking for wide color gamut, as well as accurate LOG curve and color reproduction.”

Building an HDR display might seem a simple case of extending the capabilities of existing displays. But in reality, it turns out to be more difficult.

“Premium consumer TVs with HDR capability are using either LCD with local dimming backlight system or OLED screens,” said Charlie Shin, division leader and managing director for TVLogic Broadcast Equipment. “Neither of the two technologies reproduces HDR perfectly, but both are roughly accepted by consumers.

“For broadcast and movie professionals, LCDs with local dimming backlight systems and LCDs with dual-layer technology were introduced for Grade-1 (precision or mastering) monitors,” Shin added. “The first one can cover higher luminance but has some inherent side effects such as halo and relatively low simultaneous contrast. Also, dual-layer LCDs have very good blacks but the peak luminance is limited to 1,000 nits, which is good enough for HLG but not enough for PQ. It also has some side effects, such as inherent double image and noise in fine diagonal lines.”

HOW MUCH?

All this comes with a cost, of course.

“Both these LCD technologies [local dimming and dual-layer] are extremely expensive, which makes HDR implementation a little difficult,” Shin said. “HDR displays cost about 5-10x more than professional SDR LCD monitors.”

There has been a lot of press about OLED technology and how it is the next big thing for displays. How does this figure into the HDR calculation?

Using OLED for HDR is a big challenge, according to Shin. “The first challenge is the availability,” he said. “There are only a limited number of OLEDs available: large OLEDs for consumer TVs and small OLEDs for smartphones. Only a few OLEDs are available between 17-inches and 32-inches with Full HD or UHD resolution.

“Then there is the challenge of picture quality,” Shin continued. “Only a few OLEDs can be used for professional displays, but the peak luminance is not good enough for HDR’s requirement of 1,000 nits. Also, the lifetime of the phosphors is short and white balance changes over time faster than other display technologies.”

Yet, OLED is the preferred approach for a couple of manufacturers. Sony created a professional monitor using very sophisticated RGB OLED technology about five years ago, according to Gaggioni.

“The contrast ratio on our BVM-X300 mastering monitor—which is the primary function required for high dynamic range monitoring—really blew people away,” Gaggioni said. “It represents the deepest black and the brightest white—a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio—something no other monitor could reproduce. [That is equal to] 20 stops of dynamic range. Typically, cameras today can capture up to 16 stops of dynamic range.”

Sony also developed an LCD-based display that uses signal processing to create the contrast ratio necessary for HDR applications: The BVM-HX310 provides 1,000 nits of brightness with 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio.

Sony is not the only company proud of its OLED HDR displays. Boland was one of the first to offer professional OLED displays, according to Mike Boland, president of Boland Communications in Lake Forest, Calif.

“That is one great way to offer the extended luminance ratios required by HDR, while also offering extended gamuts,” Boland said. “Shiny screens can be somewhat of a problem, however.”

ROOM CONSIDERATIONS

If you are considering an expensive precision display for HDR monitoring, you should probably also consider the environment surrounding the display.

“We suggest careful consideration of the use of SMPTE RP166 at 100 cd/m²,” Boland said. “Care to control the surrounding color temperature and light level are key. These ergonomic considerations of the viewing environment are human factors, which are time-proven.”

Boland recommends low-reflectivity monitor screens that have a “haze value” of greater-than-or-equal-to 10%.

“All post houses have their own preferences in terms of a proper setting to do mastering,” Gaggioni said. “There are international standards and recommendations that indicate that dark viewing conditions in the range of 5-10 lux are best for precise color grading and HDR applications. In that dark room, a colorist can make proper judgement of blacks, tones and highlights.”

If you are looking for an HDR display, Boland recommends that you look for screens that maintain correct grey-scale tracking (D65 color temperature) and color gamut without shift when in HDR modes.

“HDR is a powerful presentation tool some say has more impact than resolution in the display environment,” Boland said.

TRICKY PROPOSITION

We’re still in the early stages of acceptance with HDR. Although you can buy a camera and shoot 4K HDR for less than $3,000, handling the video properly through post-production, rendering and distribution is still a tricky proposition.

HDR displays are a key component in preserving HDR through the production and post-production process; as these displays become more available and widespread, they will help us develop the techniques and workflow to maintain image quality.

In the meantime, Shin from TVLogic had what sounded like good advice.

“Proper HDR monitoring requires far much higher cost than SDR, and even worse is that there are only a few options,” he said. “Display technology has to evolve in order to make HDR practically successful. But for the time being, I think we need to accept HDR displays with reduced luminance range—a monitor with 10,000:1 contrast ratio can be good enough for practical use. It is still 10 times more contrast than SDR monitors.”

WAYNE, NJ (Oct. 17, 2018) – JVC Professional Video, a division of JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation, will introduce two new 31-inch UHD/4K LCD monitors to support today’s growing 4K workflows at the 2018 NAB Show New York (Booth N333), which runs Oct. 17-18 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City.

Ideal for critical video applications in the studio and on location, the affordable monitors feature 10-bit panels and 14-bit color processing to ensure high quality image processing and display. The DT-U31, previewed earlier this year at the 2018 NAB Show, offers UHD (3840x2160) resolution, while the DT-U31PRO offers full DCI 4K (4096x2160) native resolution.

Both monitors support HDR functions, including Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) and PQ-3 formats, and a range of camera log LUTs including S-Log, C-Log, and JVC’s J-Log. Color gamut support includes BT709 and BT2020, with auto calibration possible via an external X-Rite sensor probe. Calibration can be performed directly from the front-panel USB connection, so the monitor does not need to be removed from its installation.

A new zero latency image processing mode creates minimal delay, which is ideal for lip sync monitoring. Both monitors include 12G SDI or quad 3G HD-SDI input, as well as HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 for 4K input support. Users can also display four independent SDI sources in quad view mode for broadcast monitoring applications, and additional connectivity options are available for legacy sources.

Other features include convenient front panel controls with dual speakers, AC/DC power with integrated battery port, and on-screen tools including tally and 16-channel audio meters, waveform monitor, vectorscope with line selector, and histogram. The new DT‑U models also include an expansion slot for future options, including a fiber-to-SFP adapter. The DT-U31 is priced at $4,995 will be available in November, while the DT‑U31PRO will be priced at $8,495 and be available in early 2019.

ABOUT JVC PROFESSIONAL VIDEO

Headquartered in Wayne, New Jersey, JVC Professional Video is a division of JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of JVCKENWOOD Corporation. The company is a leading manufacturer and distributor of broadcast and professional video equipment, as well as D-ILA front projection systems. For more information, visit JVC’s website at http://pro.jvc.com or call (800) 582‑5825.

# # #

The IP era in broadcasting is upon us, and there was plenty to see in this area at the 2018 NAB Show. Television is also beginning to move into its next stage of advancement—ultra high definition, high dynamic range, extended color gamut and higher frame rates.

However, whether its IP, SDI or analog signals flowing through the equipment racks, one thing is inevitable, and that’s the need for monitoring, signal processing, and test and measurement gear. There was plenty to see along these lines at the NAB Show this year.

EAS/CAP

DIGITAL ALERT SYSTEMS showcased its EAS-NET Advanced Emergency Alerting (AEA) upgrade for their DASDEC product. It facilitates urgent communications between broadcasters and their audiences via text graphics and audio, and provides a more interactive way to convey emergency messages.

GORMAN REDLICH demonstrated their Capwatch system for sending weather alerts received from NOAA weather service servers via digital signage, email, public address systems and other methods of dissemination.

NVERZION showed off their NFinity Plus package for the company’s automation system. It includes an EAS interface, an enhanced graphics package and more.

CLOSED CAPTIONING

AJA introduced v2.1 firmware update for its Helo streaming platform with support for closed captioning streaming from SDI input.

COMPROMPTER premiered Caption Central Multi—Gen 2, an enhanced version of the company’s captioning systems. It accommodates the voices of as many as eight speakers, sending the name/title of each along with the speech-to-text conversion.

EEG ENTERPRISES highlighted the latest enhancements to the company’s Lexi automatic captioning “Topic Model” technology that recognizes topics and context for higher accuracy in speech-to-text conversion.

ENCO premiered updates to its enCaption4 automated captioning system which provide both higher processing speed and greater accuracy. The speed enhancement brings the system’s caption processing/delivery time performance close to what can be achieved with a human captioner. The updates also bring the accuracy up to 90 percent or better.

LINK ELECTRONICS took the wraps off their ACE-2200 automated captioning engine for converting speech into data for encoding via a TS-232 port or TCP/IP.

TELESTREAM spotlighted their new “one box solution” for closed-caption encoding requirements that’s part of the company’s latest version of Lightspeed Live Stream live encoding and packaging system. It handles 608/708 insertions and allows simultaneous captioning of multiple streams.

VOICEINTERACTION demonstrated a range of new multilanguage features for their Audimus.Media live real-time automated closed captioning software. Features include an automatic live translation module that provides a subtitle stream in a different language than being delivered by the speaker and a live dubbing module that creates an audio track with a synthesized foreign voice.

ENCODERS/DECODERS

APPEAR TV debuted a range of codec encoders spanning the bitrate and latency gamut, and all designed for use in the company’s X10/20 platform. Models included an updated low-latency model that handles TICO JPEG 2000 and HEVC applications all within a single unit.

BULEFISH444 demonstrated their Kronos product lineup, which provides multi-channel 4K, high dynamic range, high frame rate SDI and SMPTE 2011 support for video-over-IP workflows.

COBALT DIGITAL premiered their OG-PC-x86 PC-on-an-openGear circuit board. While not strictly an encoding/decoding product, it could prove to be a good tool for monitoring such operations.

FOR-A displayed their FRC-9100 frame rate converter that provides high-quality conversion and is ideally suited for live transmission applications.

HITACHI-COMARK demonstrated their future-proof Titan software-based encoding technology that supports all resolutions from SD to 4K, as well as just about any codec, including MPEG-2, H.264, and HEVC. It’s slotted for replacing ATSC 1.0 transmission encoding systems, in preparation for 3.0 broadcasting. The company also announced a partnership agreement with Ateme Corp. for ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 encoding solutions.

VITEC VIDEO INNOVATIONS demonstrated the all-new MGW Diamond Touch military-grade HEVC and H.264 four-channel unit that delivers IP video from SDI sources. It provides HEVC encoding from a very small and compact package, and its low power consumption makes it ideal for mobile applications.

PROCESSING

AJA took the wraps off a new firmware for its FS-HDR converter/frame synchronizer. The enhancement provides users with several new and expanded capabilities including Colorfront Engine support for ITU BT.2408-0 Operational Practices in HDR Television Production, support for simultaneous 4K and 2K output modes with independent SDR and HDR control, local monitoring via HDR-capable displays, standardized HDR test patterns and more.

APERI exhibited the V-Stack third-generation virtualization product with expanded functionality in handling multiple processes, including logging and monitoring. Booth visitors also viewed the company’s new TICO 4K compression app.

APPEAR TV featured their Live OTT Transcoder software product which allows broadcasters to deliver high-quality multiscreen content with commercial off-the-shelf hardware, and features frame rate conversion, de-interlacing, logo insertion, and adjustment of delivery speed versus quality level.

ATEME demonstrated their Titan codec product with support for AV1, as well as CMAF (fMP4) on Apple devices.

AXEL TECHNOLOGY featured their PC-based multiple channel Multi Cross Converter that simultaneously inputs and outputs SDI, NDI or IP with selectable output resolutions and frame rates.

CRYSTAL VISION showed off their Marble-V1 hardware media processor for video-over-IP applications. It features powerful CPU/GPU processing capability, and includes six bidirectional SDI I/O ports, four 10G Ethernet ports and eight AES audio ports.

EVERTZ rolled out their Scorpion Smart Media Aggregation platform for dark fiber and managed IP networks. The device supports industry IP standards and interfacing of broadcast signals with IP networks. Various signal types are accommodated via mini-modules that allow users to custom tailor the system for their individual requirements. Evertz also got showed its Render-X high-speed transcoding solution, as well as the 570iTXE video delivery platform that handles receiving/decoding of content, as well as normalizing and multiple encoding duties.

GRASS VALLEY spotlighted their IQUCP25/50 universal computer processor, a configurable hardware platform for IP processing and interfacing applications. It handles essence, network and signal processing requirements, and is optimized for broadcast applications and is designed for scalability and flexibility.

HARMONIC featured their VOS Software SW Cluster media processing technology that provides encoding, playout, packaging for multiple deployments, including private and public cloud.

MAGEWELL ELECTRONICS demonstrated a number of PCIe-slot signal processing cards, including the Pro Capture Dual HDMI 4K Plus/Pro Capture Dual SDI 4K Plus with two independent 4K/60fps channels. The SDI version supports 12G single-link, 6G dual-link, or 3G quad-link operations

NEVION touted the latest updates for its Virtuoso software-defined media node, which includes support for both UHD/4K TICO and JPEG 2000 encoding.

TELESTREAM featured its Vantage Platform which supports UHD, HDR and IMF, and handles ingestion, editing, transcoding, and packaging functions.

CONVERSION

AJA introduced four new converters: the OG-UDC 3G-SDI Up, Down, Cross-Converter; OG-4K2HD 4K/UltraHD-SDI to 3G-SDI Down-Converter; OG-Hi5-4K-Plus 4K/Ultra 3G-SDI to HDMI 2.0 Converter; and the OG-HA5-4K HDMI to 4K/Ultra 3G-SDI Converter.

BLACKMAGIC DESIGN debuted the Black-magic Mini Converter UpDownCross HD, a new broadcast quality standards converter that lets customers convert any SD or HD video format to any other SD or HD video format via SDI and HDMI input and output connections. In addition, customers also get automatic scaling of computer resolutions to standard broadcast formats.

COBALT DIGITAL spotlighted their 9904-UDX-4K 12G-SDI UHD up/down/cross converter that provides quad 3G-SDI and 12G-SDI I/O, along with SDI muxing/de-muxing.

FOR-A introduced the USF-106UDC-12G 4K up/down converter. It provides conversion to and from a range of signals ranging from SD to UHD and offers interlaced or progressive scan outputs, frame synchronization, audio/SDI error correction, browser-based control via a built-in web server, and more.

MULTIVIEWERS

APANTAC debuted the TX #, part of its TAHOMA Series of multiviewers. The modular TX # features 64x64 router outputs, 16 unique fully featured, assignable and independent multiviewers.

APERI showed an IP multiviewer app with capability for monitoring hundreds of IP inputs and five fully-independent outputs in IP, SDI or HDMI.

BLACKMAGIC DESIGN debuted the Black-magic MultiView 4 HD, a new multi-viewer that lets customers monitor 4 completely independent SDI video sources on a single display. Customers can monitor any combination of SD and HD formats and frame rates at the same time.

CINEGY highlighted its multiviewer product which receives RTP/UDP streams via Ethernet and features analysis and alerting capabilities for instantly detecting signal problems and more.

DVEO demonstrated their DVB-ASI O Mon HD ASI/4 quad display and transport stream analyzer. It displays four streams simultaneously and also provides signal analysis and alarms.

LAWO launched the vm_dmv64-4, calling it “the world’s first infinitely expandable true IP multiviewer.” Complementing Lawo’s existing vm_mv16-4 and vm_mv24-4 multiviewer line-up, the new virtual module (VM) vm_dmv64-4 for Lawo’s V__matrix IP Routing, Processing & Multiviewing Platform provides unlimited inputs and heads, as well as full support of IP and SDI sources in 4K/UHD, 3G, HD and SD.

UTAH SCIENTIFIC demonstrated their SynView 4k and IP multiviewer for Utah 400 Series hybrid routers. Its SynView technology from Axon features single field latency and external looping for accommodating multiple inputs.

COLOR CORRECTION

AJA spotlighted a new software release—v2.0—for its FS-HDR processor, which provides users with 12 new controls for color correction,

CRYSTAL VISION spotlighted their Safire 3 real-time SDI chromakeyer product that includes color correction along with lighting compensation, internal frame synchronization, and more.

TEST & MEASUREMENT-VIDEO & AUDIO

AJA offered a tech preview of its new HDR Image Analyzer it has developed in partnership with Colorfront. The 1RU product feature waveform, histogram, vectorscope and Nit level HDR monitoring.

MARSHALL ELECTRONICS introduced the AR-DM61-BT, a multichannel digital audio monitor with preview screen. The audio/video QC solution which features a 10-inch LCD intuitive touchscreen panel and displays up to 64 channels vertical or two detailed channels horizontal with LKFS bars and peak indicators.

QLIGENT introduced Match, the latest software addition to its flagship Vision platform. Match delivers real-time detection of programmatic and playout errors across multiple content delivery platforms. An automated solution that monitors by exception, Vision Match can mine, compare, and analyze a tremendous amount of data and relay just the most meaningful information.

ROHDE & SCHWARZ introduced new features to its ETL TV analyser, including support for HEVC and UHD. It combines video and MPEG transport stream TS analysis, and serves as a spectrum analyser.

OMNITEK featured its Ultra 4K Tool Box that provides conversion, generation and analysis of TV and digital cinema signals in formats up to 4096 x 2160/60. It performs format conversion and includes SDI eye and jitter analysis.

PHABRIX introduced SMPTE ST 2110 and 2022-6 support for its Qx Series analysis and monitoring platform and its Sx Series portable analyzers. Also new for Qx is Packet Profile Generator (PPG), an advanced toolset for stress testing video networks, and Packet Interval Timing (PIT) analysis for rapid diagnosis of issues such as packet congestion.

TEKTRONIX introduced new features for its Aurora file-based QC system, which supports the latest IMF standards, has expanded AWS workflow compatibility and S3 storage support, and can validate 4K-HDR content.

STREAMING

INTERRA SYSTEMS spotlighted their Baton quality control platform for checking formats and detecting video artifacts and baseband issues in video streams.

LAWO introduced the smartSCOPE Deep Packet Inspection & Network Analyzer, a media-agnostic, high-density 24/7 analysis platform for IP flows in live production and delivery networks. The company also debuted smartDASH System Monitoring and Realtime Telemetry, a vendor-agnostic enterprise software suite designed to provide full network and media visibility across an all-IP, all-SDI or hybrid WAN/LAN broadcast infrastructure

NEVION demonstrated its Virtuoso TNS4200 hardware tool for continuous monitoring of broadcast streams on IP/Ethernet and DVB-ASI. It enables fast fault detection and diagnostics with an easy-to-use user interface.

SENCORE introduced its VB440 100G SMPTE 2110 Analyzer that monitors multiple SMPTE 2110 HD/3G/4K signals in real time.

TEKTRONIX showed off its PRISM real-time streaming analyzer for hybrid IP/SDI facility operations and maintenance. It can be used for 4K with wide color gamut and high dynamic range evaluations, and monitors IP formats including ST2022-6/-7, ST2110 and ST2059-2.

TELESTREAM debuted a new open API that can be used for configuration, control and data extraction for its Inspector LIVE and Surveyor ABR Active systems The company also demonstrated an upgrade to its multiscreen end-to-end monitoring and analytics solution that includes new versions of its Surveyor ABR and Inspector Live systems.

RF AND MPEG

SENCORE launched the latest version of its VideoBRIDGE Nomad-Pro portable probe that provides simultaneous IP, RF, Sat, ASI and OTT monitoring, now with 8VSB/QAM-B RF input.

TRIVENI DIGITAL launched StreamScope Portal II analyzer, designed for ATSC 1.0 and 3.0. It features a two-in-one hardware platform design, high-res touchscreen interface, advanced RF spectrum analysis capabilities, rules-based troubleshooting, and ultra-portability factor. StreamScope Portal II handles a variety of input options (i.e., Ethernet, ASI, and basic or advanced RF).

HITACHI-COMARK demonstrated the QoS-1000 and QoS-1000RT ATSC monitoring systems for determining transmitter or repeater site ATSC 1.0 performance and are ATSC 3.0 upgradable.

VIDEO MONITORS

IKEGAMI debuted the HQLM-3120W, a 31-inch 4K monitor with full 4096 x 2160 resolution, 10-bit processing, and a 178-degree viewing angle.

JVCKENWOOD spotlighted their DT-U 4K HDR monitor series that feature 20-bit color depth and are available in 28-inch (DT-U28U) and 31.5-inch (DTU31U screen sizes. Both models offer native 3840 x 2160 resolution, LED backlighting along with wide color gamut and HLG/PQ HDR compatibility. The DT-Us offer quad-split display capability with SDI inputs, multiple 4K input ports, and are available with an optional SFP adapter. The company also showed its DT-G monitor series that also offer 4K signal support, 10-bit color processing and a 1000:1 contrast ratio.

SMALLHD showed several new additions to its FOCUS series, including the 5-inch HDMI 1920 x 1080 OLED touchscreen model with a Micro HDMI input; the OLED SDI, which is identical to the HDMI, but with an SDI input port; the Bolt TX, with a 5-inch LCD touchscreen and a built-in Teradek transmitter with a 500-foot range; the Bolt RX, also with a 5-inch LCD touchscreen, and compatible with the Bolt TX; and the 703 Bolt Wireless Director’s Monitor a 7-inch, full HD monitor with built-in wireless Teradek receiver.

SONY’S big spotlight was trained on the BVM-X300 V2 30-inch Trimaster EL OLED 4K critical reference monitor which features a very high standard of color reproduction and offers a very wide viewing angle. Exhibit visitors also got to view the 55-inch 4K PVMZ550 Trimaster EL OLED high-grade monitor, as well as the company’s Crystal LED modular display technology that features a borderless panel design that allows the creation of displays of virtually any dimension and with any desired aspect ratio.

TV LOGIC launched four new 4K models: the LEM-550R, a 55-inch OLED model engineered for critical viewing applications and with 12G-SDI and HDM v2.0 input ports; the LUM-313G (350-nit brightness) and the LUM-318G (850-nit output 31.1-inch displays; and a 43-inch version accepting both quad 3G-SDI and HDMI 2.0 sources. Also featured were two new HD models, the LVM-1715 (17-inches and 1920 x 1080 resolution) and the LVM-241S (24-inches and 1920 x 1200 resolution). Both offer wide color gamut capability.

WOHLER demonstrated a newly-upgraded iAM-VIDEO-2 monitor. The unit now sports a more user-friendly touchscreen and 3G-SDI support, as well as MPEG-2 and MPEG-4/H.264 AVC via IP or ASI connectivity, allowing users to monitor both pre-and post-encoded signals.

SEOUL, S. KOREA—TVLogic—a manufacturer of LCD and OLED high-definition monitors, has acquired Nexto DI, a South Korea-based provider of portable field backup storage units for digital cameras.

According to Jin Lee, spokesman for TVLogic USA, in Burbank, Calif., “When the acquisition was completed in January 2018, Nexto DI moved its operation to TVLogic’s Seoul, Korea headquarters, bringing the total number of employees there to over 100. Charlie Shin, vice president of TVLogic’s Broadcast Monitor Division, is  now the CEO of Nexto DI.

[Read: TVLogic Monitors Pass The My Eye Media Test]

TVLogic designs and manufactures LCD and OLED HD displays—from 5.5" to 55"—designed specifically for broadcast, production, postproduction, digital signage and multiviewer applications. TVLogic’s advanced display portfolio includes: the XVM Series of precision LCD monitors, the LEM Series of OLED monitors, the LUM Series 4K/UHD monitors, and SRM Series Sunlight Readable monitors.

Nexto DI manufactures high-performance backup systems, which provide data security, even in the most challenging environments, by integrating the company’s patented “Xcopy” technology, as well as M‑copy, which copies to multiple drives simultaneously.

“This is a very exciting development for both companies, as well as for our partners and our clients,” said Denny An, TVLogic’s Director of Worldwide Sales. “The synergy created from TVLogic’s reputation as a pioneer in advanced display technology, combined with Nexto DI’s experience in the portable storage area, will result in greater efficiencies all around, and a position of greater strength in the broadcast equipment market.”

LAS VEGAS—At the 2018 NAB Show, JVC Professional Video, a division of JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation, unveiled a broad range of new products, including the CONNECTED CAM,  which provides for what the company calls "a complete news-over-IP workflow solution in the field." 

The GY-HC900 “CONNECTED CAM” broadcast camcorder features three 2/3-inch CMOS image sensors for full HD imagery, as well as enhanced connectivity. When paired directly with the optional ProHD Dockable Bridge or via Wi-Fi with any ProHD Bridge unit, the new GY-HC900 allows on-air talent to conduct a two-way interview with return video while streaming live to air without any external boxes or backpacks. It is JVC’s first camera featuring a new communications engine that optimizes both image processing and IP performance. The engine enables simultaneous recording, low latency streaming, and simultaneous decoding for return video and IFB. Latency can be as low as 500ms for both outgoing and incoming video.  

The GY-HC900’s complete IP workflow includes streaming performance up to 20 Mbps and built-in Wi-Fi (2.4Ghz/5GHz) with dual external antennas. The camera also features Zixi error correction with automatic repeat request (ARQ) and SMPTE 2022 forward error correction for reliable transmission.

Beyond ENG, the GY-HC900 also targets high-end EFP and studio fiber applications. It works with the FS-900 camera module, which attaches seamlessly to the camera via a 68-pin interface, and feeds 3G-SDI signals, control, audio, sync, and intercom to a base station via fiber.

ENHANCED 4KCAM

JVC also launched two new 4K cameras at the show. Designed for enhanced single-camera production, the GY-HM250U and GY-HM250SP both feature built-in streaming with Wi-Fi and 4G LTE-connectivity providing live access to Facebook Live, YouTube, and other CDNs. The cameras also work as part of JVC’s S.L.I.M. multi-camera production system, which uses the RM-LP100 remote camera control as a CCU for JVC IP-capable cameras.

The GY-HM250U integrates lower-third and full-screen titling without an external CG or production switcher for both recorded or streamed video output. Lower-third graphic overlays may be generated and controlled using a tablet, smartphone or other browser-equipped device, and logos or icons can be uploaded and displayed in the lower-third of the recorded video. With the in-camera storage for up to 50 .JPG or .PNG graphics, such as team logos or religious icons, users can manually advance the full-screen graphics, or present them as slideshows with user-defined timing during production.

Also joining the 4KCAM product line is the GY-HM250SP, which adds sports-specific score overlays, while a third new model, the GY-HM180U offers 3G-SDI and live 4K via HDMI output, only without built-in streaming or graphics. The GY-HM250SP’s score overlays—for football, baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer, and volleyball—can be placed in various screen positions. Scores can be updated using an external Wi-Fi connected smartphone or tablet, or real-time scoreboard data delivered automatically via wireless connection to a Sportzcast Scorebot integrated with the venue’s scoreboard.

Both new 4KCAM models feature 4:2:2 recording for 4K/30p and 4K/24p and a 4K/60p HDMI output; a tele-macro shooting mode for greater focusing on close objects; and a new Zero Config function that provides automatic, one-click configuration when the camera joins the same LAN as other cameras. All three models record footage in a variety of file formats and frame rates, including up to 120fps slow motion, to economical Class 10 SDHC/SDXC memory cards.

PROHD DECODER

When paired with JVC IP-enabled cameras, the new JVC BR-DE900 ProHD decoder provides bandwidth-efficient, error-free streaming over any IP network. When paired with the JVC BR-800 ProHD Broadcaster streaming server, the BR-DE900’s H.264 codec—and integrated Zixi or SMPTE 2022 Pro-MPEG stream protection technologies—enable broadcast-quality video to be delivered anywhere over public networks.

Designed for field use and fly packs, this low-latency appliance supports H.265 and H.264 compression standards with versatile A/V connectivity for ENG field reports and other video-over-IP applications. It also enables reliable HEVC decoding or H.264 streams up to 10-bit 4:2:2 1080p/60, with bit rates up to 50 Mbps, and dual 3G-SDI, HDMI 2.0, and composite connectivity.

PRODUCTION SWITCHER

Also new is the ProHD Studio 4000 compact live production and streaming studio. Also available as the ProHD Studio 4000S for sports production, the self-contained, four-channel system includes a complete control room solution for smaller, budget-conscious facilities. 

The ProHD Studio 4000 includes four SD/HD-SDI inputs, four IP stream inputs, and four NDI inputs. An additional HDMI/NDI input with keying can capture an external screen, so users can include content from a smartphone or PowerPoint presentation. Users can record the program output and the streaming output, along with simultaneous ISO recording of all cameras, directly to the ProHD Studio 4000.

Unique features include automatic motion tracking for JVC KY-PZ100 PTZ cameras, as well as Zero Config, which provides automatic, one-click configuration of any IP-enabled JVC camera when it joins the same LAN as other JVC cameras. The ProHD Studio 4000 also includes an integrated remote control for JVC cameras, including full PTZ control for the KY-PZ100. For live sports production, the ProHD Studio 4000S adds automated multi-channel instant replay and slo-mo, as well as an integrated sports CG for scores and timers   

LCD MONITORS

To support today’s growing 4K workflows, JVC also introduced new DT-U and DT-G series LCD studio monitors that feature multiple 4K inputs, including 12G-SDI, 3G-SDI quad link, 4K/60p HDMI 2.0, and more, as well as display of four independent SDI sources in quad view mode.

Designed for critical video applications, the DT-U series provides native 4K-resolution with 10-bit color depth and HDR compatibility, while the more economical DT-G series converts 4K and 2K sources to full HD. Both offer zero latency image processing, remote control via a web browser, built-in auto calibration, color generator and calibration software, and support for user-uploaded 3DLUT cube files for color creation in post.

Available in the fall of 2018, the DT-U series includes: the 28-inch DT-U28U and 31.5-inch DT-U31U, which feature native 3840x2160 4K-resolution, LED backlight, wider color gamut and HLG HDR and PQ HDR display for more realistic imagery. And with sizes ranging from 17.3 to 27 inches, DT-G series monitors—including the DT-G17U, DT-G21U, DT-G24U and DT-G27U—support 4K/60p HDMI and 2K-SDI signals. Available this summer, the DT-G monitors feature an 8-bit panel with 10-bit signal processing and LED backlight, with the three largest models offering a 1000:1 contrast ratio.

NEW YORK—SportsNet New York (SNY), the official television home of the New York Mets and New York Jets, covers the New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania regions and is also available nationally on cable packages. We recently moved from midtown Manhattan to a new studio in the 4 World Trade Center in lower Manhattan. As part of the move, we included 90 new and existing Plura monitors ranging from 9 inches to 55 inches.

We began using Plura almost nine years ago. The experience since has been nothing short of bright, with years on end without an issue. Our stock of 46-inch and 55-inch multiviewers, 32-inch program and preview displays, and 17-inch and 19-inch QC monitors must match exactly over time and the Plura displays have proven themselves project after project.

SNY has installed Plura monitors throughout their new facility at 4 World Trade Center.

CALIBRATION CAPABILITIES
The Plura monitors have proven as the standard for our facility. Edit rooms, graphic rooms and control rooms are fully outfitted to meet the demanding broadcast needs.

Plura Monitoring & Timing solutions are used extensively throughout the facility and control rooms to provide consistent SMPTE-calibrated colorimetry and intelligent MTDoE (Multi-Time Display over Ethernet) technology. MTDoE, an exclusive studio-timer solution, was developed and designed by Plura to deliver a reliable, accurate and feature-rich system.

Selection of the Plura displays and MTDoE was not difficult as Plura products offered the performance we were looking for and the product support history confirmed by other installations in the marketplace. For example, we selected the operator-friendly Plura SPT Studio Production Timer because it can be configured at any workspace, offers swift implementation using an Ethernet infrastructure, is PoE capable and can sync to NTP as a reference source.

Plura offers the PSC-400/500 free remote control application, which is designed to control a large number of Plura monitors in multiple locations via a TCP/IP interface. It can create and edit a system control map for all Plura monitors in the facility that are connected to our network.

TEST & MEASUREMENT
I’ve seen other companies add a variety of test tools to their monitors, but the resulting purchases proved to be low quality and didn’t offer many advantages. In general, waveform monitors ensure proper exposure (no clipping), black level and gamma. Many video attributes can be corrected in post applications, but getting the camera exposure correct goes a long way in reducing the time spent correcting the images later.

Plura monitors feature excellent rasterization, ensuring very usable waveforms, while also offering the ability to present SDI data in a textual format. This helps QC ensure the connected camera is operating properly. The monitors also provide audio bar graph displays and can monitor any of the 16 embedded audio signals through an earpiece.

Plura has every type of monitor you need from an economy application to the highest end. The price points and feature sets run the gamut from top to bottom. You can always find a fit for Plura in your facility.

Alex Blanding is vice president of engineering for SportsNet New York. He can be contacted atablanding@sny.tv.

For more information, please visit www.plura.tvor call 602-944-1044.

Video monitors as seen at the 2017 NAB Show are no longer just display devices. They are now crucial components that are an integral part of the production chain.

AEQ-KROMA presented their Series 9000 Broadcast Monitors using 10-bit processing ready to meet the need for 4K (UHD) signal monitoring. Two models: 24-inch with 3840x2160 resolution and 31-inch with 4096x2160 pixels were featured.

Atomos Sumo monitor-recorder

ATOMOS had their 19-inch Sumo monitor-recorder that delivers 4Kp60 HDR to the set and the studio. It’s the first production monitor that also records 4K 12-bit RAW, 10-bit ProRes/DNxHR, plus 1080p60 live switching and recording.

BENQ’S latest 31.5-inch 4K SW320 UHD monitor was seen featuring HDR at 4K UHD resolution and a 96 percent DCIP3 color gamut. The SW320 comes with BenQ’s Palette Master Elements software for hardware calibration (14-bit LUT) with a compatible device.

BOLAND COMMUNICATIONS introduced the BVB07DB and BVB17DB DayBrite displays that feature full 1920x1080 native resolution LCDs, built-in scopes, and anti-glare screens for sunny daylight viewing use. They also premiered the new 4K24-12G model in 24-inch size with 12G SDI single link. All of Boland’s 4K monitors 24-inch and larger support HDR.

Flanders Scientific DM240 color-critical professional broadcast monitor

FLANDERS SCIENTIFIC featured its DM240 color-critical professional broadcast monitor in an all-metal chassis. The company’s third-generation Color Fidelity and LUT Interpolation Engine (CFE3) houses multiple 4,913 point (173) calibration and DIT LUTs for highly accurate color reproduction.

IKAN showcased their model OBM-U550L 55-inch native 4K HDR broadcast monitor with 12G-SDI Single Link 4K, 3D LUT, waveform, vectorscope, color space and gamma comparison. The OBM-U550L supports UHD/Full DCI 4K.

JVCKENWOOD’S new DT-V G2 multiformat LCD HD production monitors are designed for critical image evaluation, offering improved gamma and grayscale for accurate colors and new technology to eliminate digital aliasing. Models include the 16.5-inch DT-V17G25Z (a near EBU Grade 1 LCD monitor) and 24-inch DT-V24G2Z with 10-bit IPS panels, plus the 21.5-inch DT-V21G2Z and 16.5-inch DT-V17G2Z.

Leyard LED MultiTouch video wall

LEYARD AND PLANAR, a Leyard Company, debuted the Leyard LED MultiTouch video wall, the industry’s first completely seamless interactive LED video wall enabled by patent-pending Leyard PLTS (Pliable LED Touch Surface) technology. It allows up to 32 touch points enabling multiple people to simultaneously interact with the video wall without affecting other users.

OSEE AMERICAS LTD. unveiled three production monitors: the LCM156-E 15.6- inch wide gamut/color correction accuracy model; LCM170-E 17-inch wide gamut/high contrast/color correction accuracy model; and the LCM230-E 23-inch high contrast/color correction accuracy model intended more for the video village or post.

PLURA BROADCAST displayed their new PBM-4K monitor series, available in sizes 24-84 inches, with support for SMPTE 2036-1, 2x12G/3G/HD-SDI inputs with active loop, and 1xSFP slot to support multiple IP and fiber I/O standards. Plura also featured their new UNB-4K “Ultra Narrow Bezel” series which can control up to 100 monitors via LAN IP network and/or RS-232 daisy chains.

SmallHD 1703-P3

SMALLHD debuted the 1703-P3, its first reference grade monitor. The billion-plus color 17-inch display covers 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color space, features a 1500:1 contrast ratio and 179-degree viewing angle, along with SmallHD’s Pagebuilder OS. Each 1703- P3 monitor comes precalibrated for DCI-P3 mastering with a Delta E average of 0.5.

SONY did have dazzling 4K OLED monitors on display, but the screen they wanted to highlight was their new LMD-B240LCD HD production model. It features natural ventilation that doesn’t need a cooling fan and a unique Sync-Free Side by Side function. It can be configured for SDI and HDMI, as well as HD, SD, different frame rates, interlace, PsF, and progressive inputs.

TV LOGIC showcased their LUM-310R, a 31-inch 4K HDR reference monitor with 2,000 nit peak luminance supporting multiple HDR formats, as well as multiple color gamuts including Rec.709, DCI-P3 and Rec.2020. TV Logic also had their LEM-550R, a 55-inch UHD OLED monitor with multiple HDR format support and their LVM-171S, a 17-inch HD LCD display for broadcast QC and on-set critical viewing.

For audiences, TV screens are a window on the world, but for attendees of NAB Show 2017, video monitors are a window on the latest display technology in our industry. Here are some of the more exciting introductions you’ll see in the LVCC this year.

BOLAND COMMUNICATIONS will debut a new 17-inch 4K model, ideal for a rackmount setup, or on-location for 4K monitoring needs. They will also show the BVB-07DB & BVB17DB DayBrites that feature full 1920x1080 native resolution LCD’s, built-in scopes, and anti-glare for sunny daylight viewing use. Boland says it has added HDR for all of their 4K displays 24-inches and larger, including the 4096x2160 model 4K31-12G.

IKAN will show the 31-inch OBM-U310 4K monitor that was produced in conjunction with Postium. The OBM 4K series is equipped with standard 12G-SDI input interface (X2), 3G HD-SDI input interface (X2) and supports 4K Quad Link.

JVC DT-V21G2Z

IKEGAMI will highlight the HQLM-3120W, a 31.1-inch broadcast-quality monitor that incorporates a 10-bit, LED backlit, UHD LCD panel with a contrast ratio of 1450:1. Two 4K inputs, 3G/HD SDI and HDMI input come standard. Ikegami will also display an alternate model with a special panel supporting HDR.

JVCKENWOOD will debut the DT-V G2 multiformat LCD HD production monitors, designed for critical image evaluation with improved gamma and grayscale for accurate colors and new technology that eliminates digital aliasing. You’ll also be able to see the 16.5-inch DT-V17G25Z (a near EBU Grade 1 LCD monitor) and 24-inch DT-V24G2Z with 10-bit IPS panels, plus the 21.5-inch DT-V21G2Z and 16.5-inch DT-V17G2Z. All of them monitor up to 16 channels of embedded audio, while a new Lissajous meter displays the stereo field of a signal and shows possible phase issues.

Plura PMB-4K

SmallHD 1703-P3

OSEE AMERICAS LTD. will introduce the 15.6-inch LCM156-E, 17-inch LCM170-E, and 23-inch LCM230-E, all designed for field acquisition or post-production color correction. All come with 10 camera delog LUTs, four User LUTs that are automatically combined with color gamut, focus assist, zebra and luma zoom. For broadcast, Osee Americas will show its JE200 1920x1080 20-inch and JE320 1920x1080 32-inch displays, each boasting a very small footprint considering the size of their screens.

PLURA BROADCAST will introduce the Plura PBM-4K and LCM-4K series, available in multiple sizes from 24- to 84-inches. The new Plura PBM-4K Series supports SMPTE 2036-1, 2x 12G/3G/HD-SDI inputs with active loop, 1x SFP slot to support multiple IP & fiber I/O standards, and 1x HDMI 2.0, in addition to all other legacy I/O.

SMALLHD will introduce its first reference grade monitor, the 1703-P3, featuring true 10-bit color processing to deliver over a billion colors. It covers 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color space, features a 1500:1 contrast ratio and 179-degree viewing angle, along with SmallHD’s Pagebuilder OS and large toolset.

Sony BVM-X300

TV Logic LUM-310R 4K HDR Reference Monitor

SONY will highlight its PVM-X550, a 55-inch OLED display with 12-bit signal processing. The quad-view monitor allows customized individual display settings across four distinct views in HD. Sony will also have its flagship BVM-X300 30-inch, 4K, OLED master monitor on display.

VIDEO DEVICES, a brand of Sound Devices, LLC, will debut v3.50 firmware for its PIX-E Series line of recording field monitors, now including video assist monitoring features, including the ability to add, delete, and locate to cue markers, create a custom playlist, loop playback of individual recordings, regions or playlists, and more.

TV LOGIC will show its LUM-310R 31-inch 4K (4096x2160) HDR Reference Monitor, featuring 2000 nit peak luminance and supporting multiple HDR formats. We’ll also see their LEM-550R 55-inch UHD (3840x2160) OLED Monitor with multiple HDR format support and their VFM-055A 5.5-inch HD (1920x1080) OLED viewfinder/onboard monitor with HDR emulation.

WOHLER TECHNOLOGIES will debut its iAM-VIDEO-2-MPEG display, which offers high-quality, intuitive monitoring of multiple signal types within a compact form factor.

WAYNE, N.J.—A new series of multi-format LCD production monitors has been announced by JVC, the DT-V G2 line. JVC is releasing four models as part of the line, the 16.5-inch DT-V17G25Z, the 16.5-inch DT-V17G2Z, the 21.5-inch DT-V21G2Z, and the 24-inch DT-V24G2Z.

The DT-V17G25Z and DT-V17G2Z each feature a 10-bit IPS panel, wide gamma range, 1500:1 contrast ratio and an integrated toolset. Both models also include a carrying handle JVC also says that the DT-V17G25Z is a near EBU Grade 1 LCD monitor.

All of the DT-V G2 models can monitor up to 16 channels of embedded audio and come with a Lissajous meter to display the stereo field of a signal and possible phase issues. A waveform monitor, vectorscope, histogram, zebra, four gamma preset modes are built in to the monitors. All monitors deliver 1920x1080 resolution, save the DT-V24G2Z, which offers 1920x1200.

Additional features include two function keys for saving customized functions; color temperature settings; time code display; SDI closed captioning support; built-in stereo speakers; and a tilt desk stand. All monitors are capable of supporting 3G-SDI and Dual Link with Dual-HD-SDI inputs.

JVC is offering the monitors at the following prices: DT-V17G2Z for $2,900; DT-V17G25Z for $4,150; DT-V21G2Z for $3,550; and DT-V24G2Z for $4,295.

ALEXANDRIA, VA.—As the broadcast industry has steadily moved forward with UHD/4K production the demand for monitors that are up to the task has increased. Several companies including Canon, Dolby, Sony and Vizio have launched HDR/4K monitors and as the industry continues to move in that direction other makers could follow suit.

At the 2016 NAB Show, a number of vendors introduced the latest monitors aimed for production facilities, for use in remote operations including trucks—and one thing was clear: one size doesn’t fit all needs. The professional monitor market now has become very much like the commercial TV market where there are screens of many different sizes to accommodate a wide variety of uses and locations.

GOING BIGGER WITH OLED
Over the past several years TV screen sizes have steadily increased, and this has been driven by greater consumer adoption of 4K sets, which offer greater resolution to accommodate the larger picture. For professionals, screen size has also been on the rise.

Fusion, a startup founded by industry veterans Carl J. Dempsey (pictured), and Steve Farmer, debuted a 55-inch OLED 4K reference display at the 2016 NAB Show. Fusion, a startup founded by industry veterans Carl J. Dempsey and Steve Farmer, proved that sometimes you need to go big or go home. In making its NAB Show debut, the company rolled into Las Vegas with a 55-inch OLED 4K reference display.

The Fusion ORD-55 features independent-processing quad-mode operation (IPQ), which allows four individual processors to provide independent control of all channels while utilizing a single-link 12G input. In quad mode, the ORD-55 can handle four independent 27.5-inch FHD displays—or be configured to show one large 4K picture with three smaller preview panes.

“Clients want something that is on the large side,” said Dempsey. “Production houses want something nice and large that is of good quality to showcase their work.”

Sony also unveiled a 55-inch 4K OLED monitor at the show. The PVM-X550 is also designed for client viewing and verifying 4K footage during production. This monitor also offered a quad-view, with customized individual settings across the four distinct views in HD. This included Electro-Optical Transfer Function (EOTF), Color space, Transfer Matrix and color temperature Contrast, Bright and Chroma, Interface (3G-SDI, HD-SDI including Single Link/Dual Link and HDMI), and Signal structure (RGB and YCBCR).

For Sony, 4K support is very important, according to Gary Mandle, senior product manager. “Everyone on cameras today is 4K and above and we’re seeing that from other manufacturers,” he said.

Mandle also highlighted the PVM-X550’s ability to provide customized settings in the quad split.

“Having a global setting on four images doesn’t really get you much,” he added. “This separates the display into four images, but each has its own independent processing, which is managed at the monitor. This can allow for different deliverables with different comparison and other different variables. Each has its own color space, white point, gamma and frame rate setting. It provides side-by-side comparison in one pass. This is the first monitor to do that.”

The PVM-X550 joins Sony’s BVM-X300, a 30-inch OLED master monitor that was introduced last year and replaced the long-used BVMD24S CRTs. It utilizes a unique wide color gamut RGB OLED panel along with Sony’s original color management system.

Both Fusion and Sony have stated that production issues, including relatively low yield, with OLED have largely been resolved.

“We’re proudly using LG glass,” said Dempsey. “They’re putting the commitment into the glass, and we get a grade-A product from them. There isn’t a true reference standard, but what we put in our monitors is what we call ‘reference quality.’”

Mandle also highlighted the efforts that have been made to address production yields with OLED glass. “We’ve also gotten through the image burn-in issues and the blue phosphor issues,” he said. “These monitors should run for easily 30,000 hours or seven years in normal use cases.”

SMALLER SOLUTIONS
On the other end of the size spectrum JVC Professional Video and Ikegami introduced much smaller displays at the NAB Show.

JVC’s new LCD LED backlight DT-N monitors support 1080p, 720p, 1080i, 576i and 480i formats in a variety of frame rates, as well as 2K support—and include SDI, HDMI, Y/Pb/Pr, CBS and VGA video inputs, as well as SDI, HDMI and CVBS output loops. The monitors, designed for studio and field use, are available in three sizes including the 17.3-inch DT-N17F, 21.5-inch DTN21F, and 23.8-inch DT-N24F.

“Broadcasters and other professional content creators are delivering content to multiple outlets, from broadcast to the web,” said Craig Yanagi, product marketing manager at JVC Professional Video. “They are also looking for flexible ways of operation, both in the studio and the field. They need monitors they can trust to perform critical image analysis and make sure viewers are receiving the best possible image.”

All three new JVC monitors feature built-in waveform monitor, vectorscope, and histogram. Other notable features include zebra stripes, peaking focus assist, red/green/blue only display, picture freeze, and selectable gamma preset, plus three user profiles for easy image customization.

Ikegami introduced its first 4K monitor, the HQLM-3120W at the 2016 NAB Show. The DT-N17F ships with a 19-inch rack mount, which Yanagi noted makes it “ideal for rack-based production units, while the DT-N21F and DT-N24F include a VESA wall mount for use in production vehicles.”

Ikegami debuted its HLM-1751WR17 HDTV/SDTV Multi-Format LCD Color Monitor, which employs a 17-inch Full HD (1920x1080) LED backlight panel. It offers a wide critical view angle and supports multiformat SDI input, as well as 3G-SDI, DVI-D and VBS inputs. The company also introduced the HLM-1705WR17 HDTV/SDTV Multi-Format LED Backlit Monitor, designed for use in scenarios where space is limited such as sub-control rooms, editing rooms, monitor walls, transmission control desks, and outside broadcast vans.

Ikegami also introduced its first 4K monitor, the HQLM-3120W, a 10-bit LED backlit LCD panel, which features 4096x2160 resolution along with wide critical viewing angle and wide color gamut. It features 4K input via quad 3G SDI and single 12G SDI. Ikegami also offered an alternate HDR version with special high contrast panel.

“Although the 31-inch size requires close viewing to realize the benefit of 4K resolution, we have received customer requests for even smaller size 4K monitors, including rackmount size,” said Alan Keil, vice president and director of engineering at Ikegami. “As a result, we may see smaller sizes added to the product line going forward.”

The need to provide compact monitors resounded with other manufacturers, even those that went big this year. In addition to its 55-inch OLED monitor, Fusion introduced the FVM2104 series UHD dual 10-inch quadsplit monitor, which offers a full UHD resolution of 3840x2160. This side-by-side setup can display four channels of SD, HD, FHD and UHD video along with a quadsplit for all resolutions.

“Our 55-inch monitor isn’t ideal for all situations,” said Dempsey. “We introduced this product, which we think will be useful in very different areas of production.”

In front of a climbing wall in the Atomos booth, Brooke Benton-Smith (R) explains the Atomos Ninja Flame to Jin Lee of Preco.As the Bard once said, “Displays the thing!” and at NAB Show 2016 monitors and displays provided windows into the souls of new technologies.

Atomos debuted their new HDR flagship Shogun Flame and Ninja Flame with a 1,500 nit/10-bit screen and 4K/60p over Quad- SDI recording capability. The seven-inch Atomos Flame Series monitor accurately displays 10 stops of the luminance detail of Log with 10 bit HDR Post Production color accuracy—the first time in a field monitor, according to the company.

Boland introduced large format versions of their BVB17 “Ultimate Production Monitor.” The new models, BVB42, BVB49 and BVB55, all feature true 10-bit panels (1.07 billion colors) and a full 10-bit path. The company also featured the 55-inch BVB55OLED with 200,000:1 contrast ratio.

Dolby showcased the latest in Dolby Vision- enabled consumer TVs including LG’s 2016 OLED TVs and Vizio’s 4K Ultra HD TVs. We also saw the company’s own flagship Super UHD TVs, the TCL X1, destined to debut in the fall.

Eizo demonstrated the ColorEdge CG318- 4K, a 31-inch monitor with DCI-4K (4096 x 2160) native resolution, designed for media and entertainment, cinema and broadcasting, 2D and 3D CGI, visual effects, compositing, and color grading.

Flanders Scientific introduced their BoxIO advanced color management device for on-set calibration. The 4K BoxIO has dual I/Os and supports 3D and 1D LUTs.

Fusion introduced its ORD-55, a 55-inch OLED 4K reference display system. It features Independent Processing Quad Mode Operation (IPQ), in which four individual processors provide independent control of all channels, offering flexibility previously unavailable in a quad display.

Ikan debuted the DH7 seven-inch monitor, featuring a 1920 x 1200 full HD Plus LCD panel and support for UHD 4K HDMI input and loopthrough output signals. Its five-inch brother, the DH5 is designed for small rigs and features sun visor, screen protector, screen wipe and USB port for software updates.

Ikegami introduced two new 4K monitors: the 31.1-inch broadcast quality HQLM-3120W, featuring a 10-bit, LED backlit, UHD LCD panel with 1450:1 contrast ratio, and the HQLM-3120WH, an alternate model with a special panel supporting high dynamic range.

JVCKENWOOD’s DT-N24F

Marshall Electronics’ V-R173-DLW Desktop/Rackmount Monitor

Planar’s UltraRes 84-inch pro LCD displayJVCKENWOOD unveiled the DT-N line of ProHD broadcast studio LCD monitors. Three of them—the 17.3- inch DT-N17F, 21.5-inch DT-N21F, and 23.8-inch DT-N24F—are designed for studio or field use. Three other monitors include the DT-X16H (15.6-inch), DT-X21H (21.5-inch), and DT-X24H (23.8-inch) models, each with full HD resolution 1920 x 1080 LCD panel.

Lilliput Electronics introduced a trio of monitors: the 7-inch Full HD model Q7 with SDI/HDMI cross conversion and 23.8-inch and 28-inch 4K UHD broadcast director monitors with metal carry on case. Each has 3G-SDI, four HDMI, DVI, VGA, and AV inputs.

Marshall Electronics showcased their new V-R173-DLW Desktop/Rackmount Monitor and Digital Analytics Workstation with a robust set of analytics tools packed into a 17.3- inch 1920 x 1080p LED-backlit display. A selectable quad-view mode simultaneously displays waveform, vectorscope, digital audio and live video preview.

Planar Systems introduced its Planar UltraRes Series, a line of 75-inch, 84-inch and 98-inch Ultra HD resolution (3840 x 2160) pro LCD displays for native 4K and upscaled content.

Plura Broadcast launched its Plura PBM-4K and the Plura LCM-4K Series, ranging from 24 to 84 inches. The Plura PBM-4K series supports SMPTE 2036-1, 2 x 12G/3G/HD-SDI inputs with active loop, and the LCM-4K Series handles up to 3840 x 2160 resolutions. The Plura PHB series of 7-inch and 9-inch screens feature high brightness for outdoor use.

SEETEC debuted its 17.3- inch SEETEC P173-9HSD monitor, which supports multiple inputs including HDMI, 3G/HD/SD-SDI, DVI, YPbPr, Audio (L/R), Video. The P173-9HSD also features an intuitive operating system with built-in professional tools such as waveform, vector scope, audio level, meters, histogram, focus assist, exposure and false color.

SmallHD has integreated its hallmark technologies into new full-size 17-inch, 24-inch and 32-inch production monitors. Each offers up to 2,000 nits brightness, an intuitive operating system, HDR compatibility, 1920 x 1080 resolution, 8- and 10-bit IPS LCD panel with 4up signal view, up to 5,000:1 contrast ratio, and integrated LUT support.

Sony debuted the TRIMASTER PVM-X550, a 55-inch OLED panel with 12-bit signal processing that they say is perfect for client viewing. Also new, the EL PVM-X550, a quad-view OLED monitor, supports HDR through various Electro-Optical Transfer Functions (EOTF), such as S-Log3, SMPTE ST.2084 and Hybrid Log-Gamma, covering applications for both cinematography and broadcast.

TVLogic launched the LUM- 240G, a 24-inch, 10-bit native 3840 x 2160 reference monitor with 3G quad link and 6/12G single link input plus HDMI 2.0 for 4K 60p. It provides an ultra-wide color gamut up to DCI, 10-bit color, and includes 3D LUT import/export, HD 1:1 or full-screen up scaling function and TVLogic’s free color calibration utility.

Transvideo debuted StarliteRF, a 5-inch 3G-SDI touchscreen OLED wireless monitor/recorder with built-in receiver being delivered with the TitanHD2 transmitter. With a range of 600 feet/200 meters (LOS), StarliteRF can even be used for monitoring and recording aerial shots from drones.

ViewZ came with their ViewZ 50 UHD designed for professional security and mission-critical digital signage applications. The ViewZ 50 UHD supports Quad- Full-HD/4K resolution at 3840 X 2160 with MVA technology for extra wide viewing angle and high brightness of 400 nits from panels designed to run 24/7.

Wohler introduced the UHDM-4K-TT series monitor, providing a range of high-quality 4K output screens configurable in either Full 4K or Quad Full HD mode, providing versatility in a range of applications.

CARY, N.C.—After unveiling its new daylight-viewable HDR production monitors at the 2016 NAB Show, SmallHD has announced that it was developed studio editions for both the 17- and 24-inch models. These 1080p production monitors are designed to be used in controlled lighting environments.

1703 Studio model

The 1703 and 2403 Studio models are housed in billet aluminum and hold a 3mm thick polycarbonate screen protector. It also comes with a RapidRail Shoe Mount system for quick mounting and powering of third party accessories.

The monitors utilize SmallHD’s Pages software presets to adapt to professional’s needs. The Multi-View page offers simultaneous viewing of all three inputs, or multiple views of the same input with a different feature or LUT applied. There is also built-in ColorFlow technology that enables custom 3D LUTs through custom display calibration, real-time preview of LUTs to be used in post-production, and the ability to imbed LUTs in the video stream for display on monitors downstream. Built-in HD Waveform is also available for analysis on pre-LUT and post-LUT video data.

SmallHD will officially release the new monitors at the end of May. The 1703 will be available for $2,999; the 2403 will be available at $3,499.

The way digital content creation technology is going, it’s not “what you see is what you get,” it’s more “what you see is what you got!” and “what you got” can only be seen on a video monitor with the latest HDR, HFR and wide color gamut technology. Here’s what to expect in video monitors at the 2016 NAB Show.

Boland BVB42Boland Communications will debut new large format versions of its BVB17, what the company calls their “ultimate production monitor.” The BVB17 is now joined by the 42-inch BVB42, 49-inch BVB49 and 55- inch BVB55. All models feature true 10-bit panels (1.07 billion colors) and a full 10- bit path. For those looking to replace aging plasma technology, Boland will offer their 55-inch BVB55 OLED, with HDR and a contrast ratio of 200,000:1.

Dolby will showcase the latest in Dolby Vision-enabled consumer TVs including: LG’s 2016 OLED TVs and the company’s flagship Super UHDTVs, the TCL X1 models, set to debut later in the fall. We’ll also get a gander at VIZIO’s 4K Ultra HDTVs, which are the first commercial displays to incorporate Dolby Vision.

Eizo will showcase the ColorEdge CG318- 4K, a 31-inch monitor with DCI-4K, a 4096X2160 native resolution. The monitor is designed for media and entertainment, cinema and broadcasting, 2D and 3D computer-generated imagery, visual effects, compositing and color grading. Also from Eizo, the ColorEdge CG248-4K, a 23.8-inch monitor with a UHD, (3840X2160) native resolution and features high-density 185 pixels per inch resolution.

Flanders Scientific BoxIOFlanders Scientific will be at the Las Vegas Convention Center with their BoxIO, an advanced color management device that supports both 3D and 1D LUTs for post production and production applications. BoxIO is equipped with 2x12-bit 3 Gbps SDI inputs, 2x3 Gbps SDI outputs, and a 12-bit DisplayPort output compatible with HDMI and DVI devices.

Ikan will highlight the DH7, a full HD 7-inch monitor that features Ultra HD 4K HDMI capabilities all within a lightweight, affordable package. The DH7 monitor’s 1920X1200 HD resolution, combined with an IPS screen, delivers vibrant color and strong viewing angles. For a super-sharp image, Ikan’s VX9i packs 2.304 million pixels in its 8.9-inch screen, displaying 254.4 PPI.

Ikegami will introduce two new 4K monitors: The HQLM-3120W is a 31.1-inch broadcast quality monitor, incorporating a 10-bit, LED backlit, UHD LCD panel with a contrast ratio of 1450:1; the HQLM-3120WH is an alternate model with a special panel supporting HDR.

JVC will introduce six new ProHD LCD monitors for studio and field use. Integrated with a wide range of professional functions, the new DT-X92 monitors will replace corresponding DT-X91 models in the JVC ProHD monitor lineup. The DT-X92HX2 features two 9-inch IPS LCD panels with embedded audio meters and 3G/HD/SDSDI, HDMI and CVBS inputs. A single 9-inch monitor with similar features, the DT-X92H, is also available, while another new 9-inch monitor, the DT-X92F, adds on-screen waveform, vector scope and RGB histogram. Rounding out the count, three new larger monitors will include the DT-X16H (15.6-inch), DT-X21H (21.5-inch), and DT-X24H (23.8-inch) models, each with a full HD resolution 1920X1080 LCD panel.

Lilliput Electronics will introduce three new monitors this year. Their 7-inch model Q7 Full HD monitor with 1920x1200 resolution and SDI/HDMI input/output features SDI/HDMI cross conversion, advance functions like waveform, vectorscope, timecode and peaking. Lilliput will also showcase its 23.8-inch and 28-inch 4K UHD broadcast director monitors with metal carry-on cases, each with 3G-SDI, 4 HDMI, DVI, VGA, AV inputs.

Marshall Electronics will shine the spotlight on their new V-R173-DLW desktop/ rackmount monitor and digital analytics workstation featuring a robust set of analytics tools packed into a 17.3-inch 1920X1080p LED-backlit display. With selectable quad-view mode the Marshall Electronics V-R173-DLW simultaneously displays waveform, vectorscope, digital audio and live preview with support for closed-caption decoding (CEA-608-B & CEA-708-B), timecode, VANC and tri-color tally data.

Plura PBM-224-4KOSEE will presenti four lines of new monitoring products at the NAB Show. All models have 12-bit Image-Fidélité processing, tuned with algorithms for model-to-model repeatable image accuracy. OSEE’s BCM and XCM models feature wide gamut IPS and OLED panels that can be pre-loaded with 15–30 33 Point 3D LUTS with 14- bit interpolation accuracy for DCI-P3 and ITU.709 color space.

Plura Broadcast will introduce a complete portfolio of 4K monitors in Las Vegas this year, including the Plura PBM-4K and LCM-4K Series, available in multiple sizes from 24- to 84-inches. The Plura PBM-4K Series will support SMPTE 2036-1, 2x12G/3G/ HD-SDI inputs with active loop. LCM-4K Series 49- and 84-inch monitors, supports up to 3840x2160 resolutions with HEVC decoder.

SmallHD 702 LiteSeeTec will highlight the SeeTec P173- 9HSD, with support for multiple inputs: HDMI, 3G/HD/SD-SDI, DVI, and YPbPr, and both analog and digital inputs have looping outputs. The P173-9HSD also features an intuitive operating system with built-in tools like waveform, vectorscope, audio level, meters, histogram, focus assist, exposure and false color.

SmallHD will debut new full-size 17-inch, 24-inch and 32-inch production monitors. The monitors’ features include up to 2,000 NITs of brightness, intuitive operating system, compatibility with new HDR footage formats, 1920x1080 8- and 10-bit IPS LCD panel with 4up signal view, up to 5000:1 contrast ratio,

Sony will showcase its flagship BVM-X300 30-inch 4K OLED master monitor, featuring the inherent performance of Trimaster EL OLED monitors, including deep black performance, accurate color reproduction, quick pixel response and wide viewing angles. The BVM-X300 supports HDR mode, can output higher brightness and higher contrast, enables full 4K resolution (4096X2160), offers a wide color gamut conforming to DCI-P3 and displays up to 80 percent of the new ITU-R BT2020 color gamut.

Video Device’s Pix-E7 The Video Devices division of Sound Devices will be bringing its PIX-E7 4K recording monitor, which it says helps you “capture with confidence” thanks to its optically-bonded, capacitive touchscreen for maximum light transmission and minimal reflection. The PIX-E7 offers a full HD 1920x1200 display, a suite of precision monitoring tools, SDI and HDMI I/O, and Apple ProRes codecs, up to 4444 XQ 12-bit.

TVLogic will exhibit six new models including their new 24-inch LUM-240G. Designed to accept both Quad 3G or two single 6G/12G 4K/UHD inputs as well as “two sample interleave” via SDI, the LUM- 240G also supports 4K/UHD resolutions up to 60p via HDMI 2.0 input.

Wohler Technologies will debut its UHDM-4K-TT SD and HD rackmounted and table-top video monitoring series that provides a range of high-quality 4K output screens that can be configured in either full 4K or quad full HD mode, delivering versatility in a range of applications.

FULLERTON, CALIF.—Leader Electronics has announced that its LV 5490 and LV 5480 4K-capable waveform monitors have a few new tricks, as they now feature 12G SDI, high dynamic range and video over IP options. Leader will demo the new options at the upcoming BE 2016 in London from Feb. 23-25.

LV 5490

The monitors are able to achieve 12G-SDI connectivity through an optional interface card that comes with four SD-SDI inputs. This will support 12G-SDI, 3G-SDI quad link, 3G-SDI dual link and HD-SDI, with the ability for each input to handle a quarter of the 4096x2160 pixel 4K or 3840x2160 pixel UHD image.

In addition, the HDR screen zone display supports SMPTE ST2084 and ARIB STD B-67. It also allows the false-color technique to be used to highlight areas of concern and has the ability to switch between HDR and SDR. Both monitors also support for ASPEN video over IP technology.

The trio of options will be able to help implement UHDTV baseband workflows for broadcasters and production companies, as well as VoIP infrastructures further down the line. Each option is available at the initial time of purchase, or can be added later.

OTTAWA, ONTARIO—As both broadcast and consumer electronics industries push forward with UHD and 4K resolution, monitor manufacturers are looking at how techniques such as high dynamic range will affect the overall picture. In fact, Canon, Dolby, Sony, and Vizio have already launched their own HDR/4K monitors, and more will likely be in the pipeline as interest in HDR and 4K heats up. And while not all monitor companies are doing HDR yet, most are adding a number of new features for the professional monitor market.

A SMALL TRICKLE

Vizio’s “Reference Series” monitors are among the first on the market to feature HDR with Dolby Vision playback technology. The 2015 NAB Show saw a handful of production HDR/4K reference monitors on display, including Canon’s 24-inch DPV2410 and 30-inch DP-V3010, Dolby’s Dolby Vision 32-inch monitor; Sony’s 30-inch BVMX300, and Vizio’s 65-inch and 120-inch monitors, which run on the Dolby Vision system.

Given that HDR/4K has yet to penetrate the broadcast world, it may seem counterintuitive for manufacturers to be offering HDR/4K reference monitors so early. But these units do have a place in today’s TV production environment, according to Gary Mandle, senior product manager for Sony Electronics. “There are post houses who are working in 4K today—especially for feature films—who can definitely benefit from having an HDR/4K reference monitor to see every single aspect of their image contrast,” he said. “Broadcasters would also be well-advised to have access to a BVMX300, so that they can get to know HDR/4K before the ATSC 3.0 standard is finalized.”

Currently in the standards development process, ATSC 3.0 will make it possible for broadcasters to transmit HDR/4K signals over the air. The downside is that ATSC 3.0 is not backwards compatible with today’s ATSC 1.0 transmission equipment.

Roland Vlaicu, vice president for Dolby’s Consumer Imaging division expects that the company’s Dolby Vision HDR/4K technology—which Dolby is licensing to manufacturers such as Vizio—will gain traction in the near-term with consumers and video producers alike. “I think equipment will need to be HDR-capable in the next few years to be included in OB trucks,” Vlaicu added. “It can still be set to operate in SDR [standard dynamic range] now, but it must have the room to step up to HDR in the future.”

Canon’s 24-inch DP-V2410 reference display is equipped with a Canon-designed RGB LED backlight with a 10-bit IPS panel and antiglare coating to support a wide-viewing angle. It has a specially developed image-processing engine to deliver uniform brightness, with 4096x2160 resolution and 17:9 aspect ratio and can display high contrast and rich-mid tones of HDR content ordinary not visible to SDR. Canon’s 30-inch DP-V3010 has a DCI-compliant contrast ratio of 2000:1; a 16:10 aspect ratio and 4096x2560 (V) resolution. The Sony 30-inch BVMX300 uses a Sony manufactured RGB OLED panel that offers 4096x2160 resolution, at a 17:9 aspect ratio. It has settings to display HDR as SMPTE ST2084 and also display the new ITU-R BT2020 wide color gamut.

WAIT AND SEE

JVC recently released its new DT-X92 line of ProHD LCD monitors for field and studio. JVC, another provider of monitors to the professional market, is waiting to see what kind of demand arises for professional HDR/4K monitors before taking the plunge. “HDR is still on our workbench,” said Craig Yanagi, manager of marketing and brand strategy for JVC Professional Video. “We are still waiting to have that dialogue.”

In the meantime, JVC has unveiled six new ProHD LCD monitors for field/studio use, including a dual 9-inch rack display. These new DT-X92 monitors will replace corresponding DT-X91 models in the JVC ProHD monitor lineup. The DT-X92HX2 has two 9-inch LCD HDTV (1900x1200 resolution) panels with embedded audio meter, scale markers, SDI time code, and customer-editable video title displays. Meanwhile, the DT-X92F single 9-inch LCD HDTV monitor has the same features plus adds on-screen waveform, vector scope, and RGB histogram. JVC also offers larger models in 15.6-, 21.5-and 23.8-inch sizes. All can be powered by DC or AC power.

Although aimed at the digital signage market, Marshall Electronics’ 12.1-inch DV-1204 monitor may be useful to broadcasters for a number of interior applications. Offering 1200x800 resolution and compatibility with a range of HDMI/VHA connections, the DV-1204 is perfect for “always-on” situations. “We have engineered the DV-1204 to run for 50,000 hours,” said Perry Goldstein, director of multimedia sales for Marshall Electronics in El Segundo, Calif. That works out to 5.7 years’ service on a continuous 24/7 basis.

WAYNE, N.J.—JVC is preparing its ProHD and 4KCAM camera lines, as well as its latest Blu-ray/hard disc drive combo desk and range of monitors for CCW 2015.

GY-LS300

One of the cameras JVC is readying for the conference is the GY-LS300 4KCAM Super 35 handheld, which offers “JVC Log” gamma setting , Cinema 4K (4096x2180) and Cinema 2K (2048x1080) recording modes. Exclusively on the GY-LS300 is JVC’s Variable Scan Mapping technology that adapts the camera’s CMOS sensor for native support of MFT, PL and EF mount lenses. It also provides the Prime Zoom feature.

The GY-HM200 and GY-HM170 4KCAM cameras are also set to be on display. Each camera features a new slow motion mode that records HD footage at up to 120 fps; the update will be available starting in December. All three 4KCAM cameras include a histogram to verify brightness distribution, as well as 70 Mbps recording mode.

JVC’s pair of ProHD camcorders, GY-HM890 and GY-HM850, are also set for CCW. Both cameras include an interchangeable Fujinon wide angle 20x zoom lens, three CMOS sensors, F11 sensitivity, and a built-in HD streaming engine with Wi-Fi and 4G LTE connectivity for live HD transmission to hardware decoders. The GY-HM890 is able to be used for both ENG, studio or multi-camera field production with a 68-pin connection that accommodates JVC fiber or multi-core camera modules.

The new SR-HD2700 Blu-ray/hard disc drive combo deck that will be on hand was designed for duplication and disc authoring of Blu-ray or DVD discs. JVC will also display its DT-X92HX2, DT-X92H and DT-X92F monitors.

CCW 2015 takes place from Nov. 11-12 in New York. JVC will be located at booth 1119. For more information, visit www.ccwexpo.com.

WAYNE, N.J. – JVC Professional has officially introduced six new ProHD LCD monitors that are designed for use in both the field and studio.

DT-X92H

Three new DT-X92 monitors will replace corresponding DT-X91 models in JVC’s ProHD monitor lineup. First is the DT-X92HX2, which features two nine-inch IPS LCD panels with embedded audio meter, scale markers, SDI time code, and customer editable video title display. Both monitors delivers 1920x1000 resolution, 800:1 contrast, 170-degree viewing angle and offers 3G/HD/SD-SDI, HDMI, and CVBS inputs. The DT-X92H is a single nine-inch monitor with similar features. The DT-X92F is another nine-inch monitor that adds on-screen waveform, vector scope, and RGB histogram. Both monitors can be monitored by AC or battery.

The other three monitors are larger. DT-X16H is 15.6-inches, DT-X21H is 21.5-inches, and the DT-X24H is 23.8-inches. Each comes with a full HD resolution, 1920x1080 LCD panel. The monitors feature HDMI, composite, and two 3G/HD/SD-SDI inputs, 3.5mm audio out and 3G/HD/SD-SDI loop outputs. Each monitored can be powered by AC or battery.

All the monitors will become available in July. JVC Professional is a division of JVCKENWOOD USA.

Blackmagic Design introduced its Video Assist 5-inch touchscreen monitor/recorder at the 2015 NAB Show.
PADUCAHY, KY.—It wasn’t that long ago that getting monitors to “agree” in a production control room was a full-time job. (Anyone who ever carried around a blue filter in their pocket will certainly understand.) Lately though, improved reliability and more features, along with high resolution, color match, and high contrast ratios have been just something broadcasters have come to expect.

FEATURES AND GADGETS

Broadcasters love technology (except when they hate it), and one sure way for equipment manufacturers to get their attention is to add value to their monitors, when it comes to multi-tasking.

“We put everything you can think of into these monitors,” said Wes Donahue, director of channel sales and marketing for TV Logic, in describing the new monitors the company launched at the 2015 NAB Show. Those new features include audio metering, timecode, waveform/vector-scope, multiple inputs, focus assist, HV Flip, Key Lock, and Luma Zone Check.

Ray Kalo, president of Plura Broadcast in Phoenix, noted the variety of customers looking for more feature-filled professional monitors now. Among the more popular features on Plura’s monitors are LKFS audio monitoring and logging, audio de-embedding, V-Chip decoding, HDMI preview output, waveform/vectorscope, multiple SFP slots, HD-SDI, SDI with active loops, fiber and coaxial connectivity, SDI to HDMI conversion, and even a built-in 6 x 6 cross point switcher.

With van and truck space always at a premium, Marshall expects their new Lynx 503 5-inch HDMI, composite, SD/HDSDI monitor to be a hit, along with their popular M-Lynx 702 dual 7-inch, which includes tilt view, physical knobs, and optional WFM/vector. “There have been a lot of changes in the past three or four years with regard to what our customers demand,” said Devan Cress, director of sales,

Broadcast AV Division for the El Segundo, Calif.-based company. According to Cress, their MD Series (modular) is a first with direct fiber-optic inputs, using Telecast Fiber’s (Grass Valley) TeleCube modules, with other features including H/V delay, IMD, tally, HDMI, test signals, modular input slot, adjustable backlight, loss of input curtain, and more.

Another endorsement of how fast the monitor industry is changing comes from Bob Caniglia, senior regional manager, Eastern North America for Blackmagic Design. “One big change over the past few years, industry-wide, has been the demand for screens on the front of control panels,” he said. In addition to Blackmagic’s Smartview Duo, Duo with WFM/Vector, and the Smartview 17—which all feature tallies and throughput—their 6G 1RU audio monitor features a built-in 2.1-inch real-time LCD monitor, HDMI out, and plenty of buttons on the front.

Regarding features, Gary Litwin, national sales director at Boland Communications in Lake Forest, Calif., had plenty to say about where the industry is going. “Broadcasters and production companies seem to need products categorized as ‘good,’ ‘better,’ and ‘best,’ and Boland has new product lines to supply those needs, including custom rackmount models for mobile, from 7-inches up to 20-inches, all the way up to the highest quality OLEDs.” Customers can find custom solutions via the Boland website by answering questions along the way, and Boland offers a rich feature set as well, including audio de-embed/monitoring, closed captioning, etc.

At the 2015 NAB Show, Plura expanded its PHB-3G Series of high-brightness portable LCD monitors with a new 7-inch model, designed for a wide range of broadcast mobile, indoor and outdoor applications.

4K/UHD AND BEYOND

Feature-rich products are not the only demands of broadcasters of late; much as faster cars require better tires, higher video standards are requiring display manufacturers to step up and deliver. HD was the first new benchmark in decades, but 4K is the latest generation, and it seems that there is no time to waste.

ITU-R Recommendation BT.2020—the latest benchmark for display manufacturers—is more commonly known by the abbreviations “Rec. 2020” or “BT.2020.” The recommendation defines various aspects of UHD such as display resolution, frame rate, chroma subsampling, bit depth, and color space. For cinema and high-end video productions where 4K has been the norm for awhile, it seems that camera-top displays are having to evolve at a fast pace as well. “It doesn’t matter how good the display is, if you can’t see it, it’s useless,” responded Litwin, referring to Boland’s new camera-top DayBrite Models with anti-glare, cross conversion, and off-axis viewing features.

For the best quality, Litwin points to OLED, and at this year’s NAB Show, Boland unveiled the BVB55OLED, one of the industry’s first 55-inch OLED professional monitors. “A few years ago, CRTs and plasma displays were making a run at hanging around,” he said. “I’m just glad they are gone, although if you run OLEDs at full bright, it does shorten their life.”

Kalo noted that resolution is just one aspect in determining the quality of an HD or 4K monitor; what about color tracking, contrast ratio, rate sampling, resolution, and gamut? “That’s one reason we provide automatic color calibration with Plura Intelligent Connection for Alignment and Calibration and 10-bit digital signal prcessing,” he said.

For 4K (or HD), Marshall offers their top-of-the-line Orchid, up to 32-inches, with features including tri-color tally, histogram, markers, and more. According to Cress, “4K seemed slow to gain traction, but at this year’s NAB Show, there was a huge amount of interest.” For camera-top, Marshall offers new full-resolution camera-top monitors, including a 7-inch and 10-inch. Cress says many 4K cams have HD1080 out, so these are a great fit.

Blackmagic Design hit the 4K market head-on in 2014 with their Smartview 16 4K, which features battery or internal supply, HV delay, blue only, zoom, peak, 3D LUTs, markers, and support for SD, HD, 3G, 6G, and 12G SDI sources, according to Caniglia. For camera-top, he touted BMD’s new Video Assist 5-inch touchscreen monitor/recorder, a 6G unit that uses two Nikon batteries, (drains weakest first), and can connect to DLSRs via HDMI to provide 10-bit recordings inside the Video Assist unit.

“There are two things happening in video display: 4K and watching HDR [high dynamic range],” said Donahue, who adds that, for consumers, 4K alone is not going cut it on its own; with a 55-inch or 65-inch screen, viewers have to be close enough to discern the resolution difference. “HDR is key with 4K to make a completely different look,” he said, adding that, in his opinion, the CEA gave their manufacturers “a pass” on the REC2020 [BET2020] spec, which has a wider color gamut, among other attributes.

Donahue acknowledged that he believes no manufacturer currently makes a monitor that can meet the entire REC2020 spec, but manufacturers are trying to provide what broadcasters need. At the NAB Show, TV Logic showcased the 31-inch 4K LUM-310a reference display for HD and 4K, which does about 75 percent of REC2020 and features 10-bit processing, about 1.07 billion colors, and a contrast ratio of 1450:1.

In today’s monitor market, there are a mixture of display types available, including LED, LCD (different backlighting schemes), and OLEDs. For 4K, applications can be digital cinema projection, multi-viewers with higher resolution (over HD), studio, field, camera-top, or in the home. One thing is for sure, 4K/UHD is here to stay, and so are monitors with creative features.