It’s a consumer device with definite broadcast applications. PanaCast from Altia Systems is offering a hardware and software package for video conference calls that provides a 200-degree field of view and a virtualized camera for each viewer.
When using Apple’s Facetime, Skype or are attending a Google Hangout, a major problem is those platforms provide a limited field of view and that view is static for attendees.
PanaCast delivers an immersive, real-time panoramic video experience with up to 60fps and HD audio to anyone, anywhere with an Internet connection. Even at 3G wireless speeds, PanaCast enables panoramic HD video quality and always includes enterprise-level video encryption.
Each remote participant (using the free PanaCast app) can choose his or her own individual perspective from the stationary camera’s real-time panoramic video stream. This is accomplished with the swipe of a finger or zooming in and out with a finger pinch/spread.
The PanaCast system is fully portable. It offers the integration of both NFC and QR code technology, making the creation and joining of a videoconference session as easy as touching a smartphone to the top of the camera or scanning the QR code.
Altia Systems developed the PanaCast system through three years of engineering research with multi-imager processing technology and algorithms implemented in custom silicon. PanaCast was created through the integration of the panoramic HD video camera-server, a real-time cloud switch fabric and free apps that combine to deliver an optimized and personalized A/V experience over any connection.
The camera works with both Skype and Google Hangouts as well as other business applications, or it can be bundled with the cloud-based PanaCast service starting at an introductory price of $19/month per user to achieve the full immersive experience.
