WGBH recently purchased camera configurations from Shotoku Broadcast Systems featuring dual robotic and manual control setup.
Gear acquired by the Boston, Mass.-based PBS member station included six TG-19 pan and tilt heads and two TR-8T touch screen control panels. The TG-19 heads can be operated by hand or remotely, and reportedly have the ability to record movements performed by an operator and replay them exactly.
The TR-8T panels are installed in the video shading area and are fully integrated with the studio’s existing cameras and lenses. Cameras can be controlled individually or simultaneously.
The hardware from Shotoku was reportedly chosen for its ease of use, product quality and on-air performance. The vetting process involved live demonstrations in front of several dozen WGBH staff members.
“This is our first use of robotics so we gathered people from several departments to evaluate our options,” said Joe Igoe, CTO for WGBH. “The operators were impressed with Shotoku’s ability to function both robotically and manually. They also liked the units’ user-friendly operation and the control panels’ flexible GUIs.”
