Welcome to Broadcast Engineering's Pick Hit awards, the industry's longest-running product technology awards for broadcast and production. With a 25-year history, Pick Hits are the most prestigious technical awards given at NAB.
At the 2009 NAB Show, a panel of independent judges toured the exhibition floor for three days, looking for innovative technology. They then met to make their selections based on multiple criteria, including the technical and financial improvements the products can bring to a facility's operation. Our editors and publishers have no vote in the selection process.
Congratulations to the following manufacturers for their creative technology solutions!
HD studio camera compatible with Sony's existing large lens adaptors; can be used with triax cable runs of up to 1300m; features a 2/3in Power HAD FX CCD with 2.2 million pixels; switchable between 1080i and 720p 50/60Hz, with 525i and 625 SD modes available from the camera head and CCU; offers image controls with wide dynamic range and a 14-bit A/D; offers a range of automatic features designed to minimize the adjustments necessary during production, including auto iris with multizone weighting, auto skin tone detail, auto knee, electronic color correction, focus assist function and hyper gamma.
HSC300
Sony
+44 1256 355011
www.sony.com/professional
Video server offers four video outputs, two inputs, 12TB of storage and a broad set of server tools; plays up to four HD video streams at once, or it can record two streams while playing two others; can be used as a graphics store with linked key-and-fill capability; standard features include HD-SDI video I/O with frame synchronization for recording wild sources like tape and satellite feeds; audio formats include embedded audio and choice of AES/EBU digital or balanced +4 analog.
MAXX-2400 HD
360 Systems
+ 1 818 735 8221
www.360systems.com
Virtually any video and audio source can be fed into the Ki Pro to record pristine 10-bit Apple ProRes 422 media that is then immediately available to edit within Apple's Final Cut Studio; allows users to record Apple ProRes 422 media to removable storage modules with either spinning disk or SSD media with built-in FireWire 800 or to 34mm ExpressCard Flash-based media, for immediate editing and file access; can connect to any digital camera via SDI or HDMI, or any analog camera with multiple input options; the portable and rugged unit is designed for a variety of production environments.
Ki Pro
AJA Video
+1 530 274 2048
www.aja.com
Multiviewer auto-detects four video inputs; supports DVI, HDMI and VGA outputs up to 2048 × 1080; includes built-in video and audio alarm detection; incorporates a built-in Cat X extender, which allows digital 1080p signals to be extended up to 35m; Apantac's skin technology lets users personalize their on-screen display with any graphics tool; video windows on the display may include multiple labels and support UMD, OMD, IMD and stand-alone lables; includes 16 channels of embeded audio per SDI input; is 3G ready.
Tahoma LE-4
Apantac
+ 33 6 2483 0742
www.apantac.com
TV traffic system designed to run on modest, affordable hardware; based on the latest Microsoft .NET 3.5 platform and SQL Server 2009; developed to meet the demands of high-volume, multistation operations; offers a single point of entry for all program schedule information, global material management, efficient entry of bookings directly to the schedule, real-time reporting, industry-standard invoicing, integrated automation interface, and multiformat schedule export, including BXF; exports complete daily program schedules.
ATBTraffic
Argentem
+1 775 322 7436
www.argentem.com
Digital workstation extender provides hardware-based digital desktop extension of video, keyboard, mouse, USB mass storage and audio signals; allows users to back-rack digital workstations without impacting user operations; consists of a computer node and user node interconnected in a point-to-point configuration at GigE rates using IP protocols over a single UTP cable; meets the needs of rich digital content applications, including high-resolution video, color depth, responsiveness, CD-quality audio and compatibility with a wide range of user interface devices; removes the requirement for conditioned power in the edit suite.
HMX 1050
Avocent
+ 1 256 430 4000
www.avocent.com
Wireless, quad-split multiviewer allows four picture sources to be viewed on one handheld screen; cable-free devices let directors or any member of the production team view a shot from any camera wherever they are on the studio floor; switchable to either quad-split or full screen by a touch-screen control; allows program setup and direction from the studio floor, leading to enhanced creativity while reducing production time and costs; incorporates technology licensed from the BBC; robust even in noisy environments.
Floorman
BAL Broadcast
+44 1782 717840
www.bal.co.uk
Content distribution solution bypasses satellite deliveries of news by allowing content producers to buy, sell and exchange broadcast-quality video over the Internet; ties into local TV stations' production processes and gathers local content automatically; provides full rights, embargo and usage management tools so local stations can protect content while making money from other stations outside of their group and market area.
Oasis Media Marketplace
Bitcentral
+1 949 253 9000
www.bitcentral.com
Video capture card features SDI, HDMI and analog component, NTSC, PAL and S-Video capture and playback, combined with dual-link 3Gb/s SDI technology and hardware downconversion; instantly switches between SD and HD video, making it ideal for post production and broadcast users when working on design, editing, paint and effects tasks; includes a built-in hardware downconverter so users can monitor both SD and HD at the same time during playback and capture.
Decklink HD Extreme
Blackmagic Design
+44 1565 830049
www.blackmagic-design.com
HD-ready, dual-channel graphics system available in analog, SD-SDI and HD-SDI models; operators can leverage the functionality of both channels to create multiple overlays with the system's built-in downstream keyers, or they can add to the visual interest of their graphics output by drawing from more than 260 effects, including dissolves, credit rolls, crawls and reveals; two different streams with separate graphic looks can run from each channel; includes GenCG graphics creation and playback software for all resolutions.
CynerG2
Compix
+1 949 585 0055
www.compix.tv
Features of the 1 M/E 3Gb/s 1080p/60 production switcher include four upstream and two downstream keyers, as well as Echolab's SuperSource crosspoint and Stinger transitions; this makes it possible to build a composition of as many as 11 layers; offers 10 mixed-format inputs with built-in synchronization and scaling so that every input accepts SD or HD signals; with two of the inputs also able to accept computer signals, the switcher fits seamlessly into any production environment; includes program, preview and three auxiliary outputs in the switcher's native format.
Atem
Echolab
+1 978 715 1020
www.echolab.com
Dual polarized broadband UHF panel antenna features corrosion-resistant construction and custom-designed antenna support structures; modular construction facilitates ease of installation and custom modification; dual inputs for horizontal and vertical elements allow for circular or a selection of axial ratios in elliptical polarization; offers wide radiating slots and a completely enclosed, pressurized, internal feed system; can be designed to mount on existing customer owned towers or supplied with integrated mounting spines.
STINGRAY ESR-UDP series
ERI
+1 812 925 6000
www.eriinc.com
Lip sync analysis technology measures the lip sync error between the audio and video by analyzing the content in real time; does not introduce any type of watermarking or flag insertion into the stream; designed for on-air use; works with all types of audio and video signals; supports multichannel audio, such as 5.1; designed to support lip sync error through all sorts of processing; using VistaLink PRO, IntelliTrak reports measurement accuracy of less than 2ms and offers an optional automatic resynchronization; can be installed as a value-add option on many Evertz products.
IntelliTrak
Evertz
+44 118 935 0200
www.evertz.com
MPEG-4 AVC encoder enables the simultaneous transmission of HD signals using 4:2:0 and 4:2:2 chroma subsampling, allowing broadcasters to efficiently use either format based on their existing infrastructures; integrates a process for maintaining nondegraded 4:2:0 chroma resolution to preserve picture quality throughout the entire communications link; features DVB-S and DVB-S2 modulation.
IP-9500 4.0
Fujitsu
+44 870 242 7998
www.fujitsu.com
K2 Summit production client supports streamlined SD and HD live event news production, as well as live-to-tape/live-to-disk applications; K2 Dyno replay controller, coupled with the K2 Summit, is designed to help sports producers and other professionals capture live events and instantly replay HD content at variable speeds; ideally suited for HD sports production trucks and shared storage facilities.
K2 Summit/K2 Dyno
Grass Valley
+33 1 34 90 31 00
www.grassvalley.com
Production switcher family features six keyers per M/E, 20 channels of DPM (including a four-channel eDPM with two combiner outputs), source rules that associate keys with a source, a device control module with jog wheel interacting with its Q-MEM cue library, and defined E-MEM providing finer control of E-MEM effects; offering up to 96 inputs and 48 outputs in a single frame, the production switcher features from 1.5 to 4.5 mix effects; a half M/E with six linear/luminance keyers is standard; modular control panel provides instant access to its features.
Kayenne
Grass Valley
+33 1 34 90 31 00
www.grassvalley.com
Transmitter range consistes of two product families: the Maxiva ULX series of liquid-cooled transmitters and the Maxiva UAX series of air-cooled, solid-state transmitters; Maxima ULX transmitters are well-suited for high-power UHF applications, beginning at 1kW and extending up to the highest power levels required for terrestrial digital transmission; Maxiva UAX, designed for applications ranging from full-market coverage to gap filling, is available in digital power levels from 10W to 2kW.
Maxiva
Harris
+ 1 321 727 9207
www.broadcast.harris.com
Software configures the asigN control panels, which can be connected to a wide range of equipment to provide push-button switch control as an alternative to computer keyboards and mice; software runs as a service on a host PC; allows for easy configuration of the appearance of LCD keys; features a unique drag-and-drop function to allocate any Windows application button to any LCD key; is supplied as standard with two licenses, one for offline configuration and one for online operation.
I-asigN
Hi Tech Systems
+44 1256 780880
www.hitechsys.co.uk
LCD monitor is able to monitor and decode both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 streams; 17in 6U monitor provides a high- resolution display of the compressed DVB-ASI stream with comprehensive user button functions to select the desired data for analysis; a selectable on-screen display provides summary information as to the content of the ASI stream, the programs contained in the stream, and the audio and video content; provides a reclocked output to allow it to be daisy-chained into the environment; can display both 4:3 and 16:9 formats.
DVB-1700
J7 Broadcast
+44 207 631 2159
www.j7broadcast.com
Compact, shoulder-mounted professional HD camcorder records directly to inexpensive SDHC memory cards in the QuickTime format for Final Cut Pro, and optionally to SxS media compatible with Sony's XDCAM EX format; recording in the editing system's native format eliminates the time-consuming transfer step and speeds up the post-production workflow; includes innovations that result in improved resolution in the camera's core components: CCD/optical block, lens and viewfinder; weighs 8lbs, including the lens, viewfinder, microphone and battery.
GY-HM700
JVC
+1 973 317 5000
www.jvc.com/pro
Soft, high output light uses both 3200°K and 5600°K LEDs in a single housing; lets users quickly dial up any color — from cool white daylight to warm white tungsten — as well as adjust color temperature instantly so they can adapt to different shooting conditions and skin tones on the fly; an integrated dimmer enables instant dimming from 0 percent to 100 percent with minimum shift in color; remains cool to the touch; runs on AC or an optional snap-on battery; measures 1ft × 1ft and 1.75in thick, making it ideal for lighting in tight spots; weighs just 3lbs.
1×1 Bi-Color
Litepanels
+1 818 752 7009
www.litepanels.com
Portable sync generator features genlock with full cross lock capability, which locks the outputs to any reference sync format and standard; provides three HDTV tri-level sync outputs as well as three SDTV bi-level sync outputs; supports all SD, HD and composite (PAL/NTSC) video formats; a separate audio sync output can be switched between 48kHz World Clock or Digital Audio Reference; stability is achieved using precision temperature controlled oscillators with an accuracy of 2ppm; all controls and settings can be easily accessed from the front panel.
Yellobrik SPG 1707
LYNX Technik
+49 6150 18170
www.lynx-technik.com
Ultra-quiet 1RU multiviewer has 16 video inputs, two multiviewer outputs and an integrated 16 × 2 router; can be used with 3Gbps/HD/SD and analog video; provides 3-D stereoscopic monitoring with singals that conform to SMPTE-372M or SMPTE-425M Level B; offers integration with the NVISION router family and third-party routers to allow expansion up to 1152 video inputs and 144 multiviewer outputs; provides internal signal probing capabilities, including the display of closed captioning, WST (subtitling), XDS and Dolby metadata.
Kaleido-X16
Miranda
+44 1491 820 000
www.miranda.com
Out-of-the-box 3G audio management and monitoring system manages, monitors and meters up to 16 channels of audio simultaneously; features a proprietary loudness metering system, real-time system-wide present recall, and live mute and solo modes; users can customize practically every function to best meet their needs, including metering ballistics, channel routing, mute functions, loudness and other parameters; offers an optional Dolby metadata display.
AMP 1-16 series
Wohler
+1 510 870 0810
www.wohler.com
Channel playout solution combines video server playout, graphics and advanced audio processing, operating under the control of an automation system; offers rich branding and master control functionality; seamlessly unites three key components of a typical channel chain: the MediaDeck transmission platform, a branding and master control module, and template-based graphics software; designed for broadcasters needing a cost-effective, easy-to-deploy playout platform; plays out stored stills and animations while enabling mixing and playout of voice-overs, promos and stingers, with optional encoding and decoding of AC-3 and Dolby E audio.
MediaDeck GX
Omneon
+44 1256 347400
www.omneon.com
Waveform monitor and signal generator is compatible with all single- and dual-link SDI formats at 270Mb/s, 1.5Gb/s and 3Gb/s; contains an optional physical layer analysis package, providing jitter measurements and a production eye diagram display for 3Gb/s signals; GEN_BASIC option provides color bars and pathological matric in the selected output video format; GEN_MOTION allows the unit to play out full-motion and uncompressed video sequences; GEN-ADVANCED allows users to create and edit video frames comprising the entire raster with H & V blanking.
OTM 1000
OmniTek
+44 125 634 5900
www.omnitek.tv
Low-profile, shoulder-mounted HD camcorder records to P2 solid-state media; features individual-frame AVC-Intra recording and variable frame rates; relies on three 1/3in, 2.2-megapixel MOS image sensors; comes with a 17× HD Fujinon lens; supports interchangeable lenses; with a redesigned optical block and precise prism bonding technology, the three MOS imagers produce high-quality images while minimizing flare and chromatic aberration; a new 20-bit digital signal processor also enhances the camcorder's image performance.
AG-HPX300
Panasonic
+49 611 235 0
www.panasonic.com
Handheld test and measurement instrument contains a generator, analyzer and monitor with support for 3G-SDI, HD-SDI and SD-SDI; each of the different instruments can be selected within three presses using simple button press control and the color-coded menu system; setup preferences can be saved into the memory; displays eye and jitter diagrams with filter selection for timing and alignment measurements on its 4.3in 16:9 color TFT screen; cursors and histograms allow detailed measurements to be made; can produce eye patterns from a 3G signal.
SxE
Phabrix
+44 1635 255494
www.phabrix.com
Mini 3G/HD/SD-SDI four-to-one quad split or downconverter with four-to-one input multiplexer offers a choice of either an NTSC or PAL output, linked SD-SDI and composite outputs, and four 3G/HD/SD-SDI inputs with auto-detection; each quadrant is independent of the others, allowing any 3G/HD/SD format of any frame to be displayed simultaneously; offers variable aspect ratios per quadrant; all four inputs can be displayed simultaneously on a single output; full-screen mode allows any of the four inputs to be selected for output; features a locking DC power socket.
Decimator-Quad
Redbyte Design
+44 1926 436 945
www.redbytedesign.com
Compact HD/SD motion-compensated standards converter is equipped with up/down/crossconversion and synchronization capabilities; packages the company's motion-compensated standards conversion in an entry-level product that lets broadcasters make a smooth transition to HD transmission; the device's smooth motion portrayal produces compression-friendly video that helps minimize unnecessary motion artifacts in MPEG-2 bit streams; offers multiformat inputs and outputs; handles embedded AES (balanced and unbalanced) and analog audio; offers colorspace conversion; includes dual redundant power supply units; can be controlled remotely via Ethernet network.
Mach HD
Snell
+44 118 986 6123
www.snellgroup.com
Plug-and-play SAN provides up to 96TB of RAID 6 protected storage, allowing multistream, real-time HD editing for up to 14 simultaneous users; can be installed by an operator in a matter of minutes by loading a simple driver on each workstation and connecting one standard Ethernet cable between the computer and the SAN; starts with an eight-disk model with 16TB and can scale up to 24TB, 48TB or 96TB of raw data.
EzHDSAN
1 Beyond
+1 617 591 2200
www.1beyond.com
Two-channel hardware encoder captures HD video from SDI tape or live sources and encodes it in real time to HD editing formats, including Avid DN×HD, Panasonic DVCPRO HD and Apple ProRes 422; allows editors to access the same files in real time and begin editing content while it is being captured; enables scheduled recording of live feeds; preserves important metadata throughout the transcoding process; can be used to ingest media from tape or live sources directly into Final Cut Server; downconverts HD-SDI sources to SD formats; accepts SD-SDI sources and encodes them to SD formats; includes confidence monitoring.
Pipeline HD Dual
Telestream
+1 530 470 1300
www.telestream.net
Wireless uncompressed video link eliminates the need for a cable connection for video transport with no compression or coding of the video stream; uses the globally unlicensed 60GHz spectrum; capable of transporting uncompressed HD video up to 100m at 1.485Gb/s; is small and lightweight; applications include newsgathering and indoor/outdoor event coverage; designed for fast and easy setup and teardown; features simple, standardized inputs and outputs; automatically handles standard-definition SDI; the directionality of the signal assures virtually no interference and high security.
VuLink VL300
VµbIQ
+1 949 226 8482
www.vubiq.com
With the standard XX-Series XLR connector providing for cable diameters of 3mm to 8mm maximum, the BXX-14 XLR bushing and chuck-style strain relief provide for today's use of larger cable diameters; with a capacity for cable diameters up to and including 8.5mm, the BXX-14's bushing makes termination of these thicker cables easy; the black bushing also comes with an XXR ring to finish off the set.
BXX-14
Neutrik
+423 2372424
www.neutrik.com
