Broadcast Sports, Inc. partners with NAC to develop RF links for high-speed cameras

NAC manufactures high speed camera systems and prides itself on producing complete, integrated systems with the most light sensitivity, the best image quality, the largest memory capacities, the smallest camera heads, the fastest download times and the most inclusive software packages in the industry. The NAC camera operates at 400 frames per second compared to a normal HD camera, which operates at 25 frames per second. This means that High Definition video can be slowed right down to show even the fastest sports action in minute detail, frame by frame, in sports action replays.

BSI’s wireless implementation of the NAC system retains the camera’s full capability. At the heart of this new wireless system is BSI’s own Dual Stream Mini Transmitter which provides the RF links for the live and playback video streams while a separate receiver provides the link for the remote control.

BSI has just completed the development of the wireless links for the NAC camera and will exhibit the new system, for the first time ever, at IBC this year.

“The NAC camera was not designed to be wireless, and this was not an easy development,” says BSI’s Technical Director Tony Valentino. “The engineering work was a major achievement for BSI and now this new system has everything that’s required for live sports broadcasts.”

The company has also revealed its new Pan Tilt Roll Zoom remote-controlled wireless camera system at IBC.

The Pan Tilt Roll Zoom camera, known as PTRZ, is a waterproof camera originally designed to be mounted on sailing vessels, and has several additional water-based sporting event applications including rowing, kayaking, yachting, surfing, water skiing, jet skiing, and swimming. The PTRZ debuted this summer as it captured action shots during an international, world-class sporting event in the UK. BSI is also adapting the camera for land-based applications that would benefit from the camera’s robust functionality and sealed mechanism.

The PTRZ is a premium 1080i HD camera with a small footprint. Its high-quality 10x optical zoom lens provides outstanding performance for its compact size of just 8.25 inches x 6.5 inches, and weight of less than 4.5 pounds.

All aspects of the camera are adjustable remotely via a wireless UHF transmission channel to the built-in data receiver. The operator can adjust the pan, tilt, roll, and zoom functions as well as the red/blue gain, iris, focus, shutter speed, saturation, master gain, and master pedestal. The operator also has the flexibility to change the RF parameters of transmission frequency and modulation scheme, and switch from standby to operational mode.

The PTRZ camera uses a COFDM transmission scheme (QSPK and 16QAM) and encodes high definition video using H.264 MPEG-4 and audio using MPEG 1 Layer II. It operates on frequencies from 1.4 – 1.5 GHz or 2.0 – 2.5 GHz, and BSI can supply models for other frequencies.

Mechanically, the PTRZ will pan 360° continuously, tilt through 60° (+40°/-20°) and roll +/- 30°. The whole camera system is sealed in a waterproof unit for harsh environments, and there is a quick install and release mechanism for faster set up.