BSI Ref Cam puts viewers ‘on the field and in the action’

Broadcast Sports, Inc. has developed another wireless camera system that, says the company, aims to put television viewers ‘on the field and in the action of their favourite sports’. The Ref Cam is a person-wearable wireless camera configuration that uses an HD mini POV camera paired with BSI’s HD mini transmitter. The camera is positioned at the eye level of a referee giving viewers his first-person perspective of the field.

The Ref Cam – which debuted at the Stade Francais vs. Toulon rugby match last month through a collaboration between BSI and Canal+/Euromedia – features 1080i resolution and full remote control capability, including iris and paint functions. High quality images from the camera can be incorporated in real-time into a live broadcast production, giving viewers a first-person view of what the referee sees during the game. The components are mounted on the referee using a customised vest and head strap, with the system taking less than two minutes to set up.

Full remote control functionality allows the video operator to adjust color balance, saturation, black level, detail and iris live during the game depending on the referee’s shot.

“The other huge benefit of having remote control of the system,” says Tony Valentino, BSI’s technical sales director, “is that we can switch the HD transmitter on and off as required to save battery life. This enables us to cover an entire match without needing to change the batteries on the unit.”