Robycam camera system provides new perspectives at the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS World Championship

Careful with that axe, Eugene: sports involving the axe and saw dominated the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS World Championships.

On November 11-12 the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS World Championships took place at Stuttgart’s Porsche Arena in Germany. As part of an extensive and sophisticated technical specification, a Robycam cable camera system provided new perspectives for the TV coverage of this event.

Specifically, a Robycam Head, together with a Grass Valley LDX C80 Compact Worldcam and a Canon HJ14 optics, enabled endless pan of 360 degree. Throughout Europe Robycam is distributed by German systems integrator Broadcast Solutions. Support at the event was handled by the technicians of the German system integrator together with the product specialists.

Lumberjack sports

More than 100 athletes from 23 countries gathered in Germany to compete in the world championships for sports lumberjacks. The STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series consists of six disciplines, three with the axe (Springboard Chop, Standing Block Chop and Underhand Chop) and three on the saw (Stock Saw, Single Buck and Hot Saw). Most of the disciplines are based on traditional lumberjack techniques and have been practiced for more than 150 years. At the Stuttgart event both team and individual competitions were on the agenda.

For the first time, event organiser German company STIHL selected a Robycam cable camera system to offer viewers in the hall and at home even more attractive views of this fascinating event. The winches of the Robycam 3D cable camera system were mounted in the Porsche Arena at four rigging points, to fly the system above the entire interior of the arena, covering around 2,000 sqm. The Robycam system’s movement was managed around the four winches. Within a working height of 3-8 meters, Robycam recorded interior views and reached a maximum speed of 9 m/s. A fifth winch, equipped with fibre cable, took care of transmitting the control signals of the camera and the optics. Using the same fibre cable the camera’s HD/SDI signal was sent directly to the OB van without any delay. Together with the RobyHead a Grass Valley LDX C80 compact camera (with Canon HJ14 optics) was put in place. The Robycam head – together with the perfectly aligned camera – provided endless pan of 360-degrees.

Revealing the Robycam

Robycam is a 3D camera system consisting of two key elements. Gyro-stabilised camera heads, which make 1-2D or 3D camera movements possible, are used with cable camera systems, cranes, sleighs or rails. Together with a powerful remote control, the systems can deliver spectacular images.

The RobyHeads are gyro-stabilised, carbon-fibre camera heads that offer low weight and maximum stability under the toughest production environments. They can be operated with all commercially available 2/3 box cameras and integrated into 1-2D and 3D motion-controlled Robycam systems. The remote control provides access to all functions of the cameras and optics as well as to comprehensive functions of the heads, cranes or sleighs.

The largest Robycam 3D system is ideally suited to large indoor or outdoor events. It uses four real-time controlled automatic winches and a sophisticated motion control system that allows fast camera movements up to 10 m/s and with millimetre-accuracy in all axes. With its transmission power action radiuses of up to 250m x 250m and more are possible.

On November 11-12 the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS World Championships took place at Stuttgart’s Porsche Arena in Germany. As part of an extensive and sophisticated technical specification, a Robycam cable camera system provided new perspectives for the TV coverage of this event.

Specifically, a Robycam Head, together with a Grass Valley LDX C80 Compact Worldcam and a Canon HJ14 optics, enabled endless pan of 360 degree. Throughout Europe Robycam is distributed by German systems integrator Broadcast Solutions. Support at the event was handled by the technicians of the German system integrator together with the product specialists.

Careful with that axe, Eugene!

More than 100 athletes from 23 countries gathered in Germany to compete in the world championships for sports lumberjacks. The STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series consists of six disciplines, three with the axe (Springboard Chop, Standing Block Chop and Underhand Chop) and three on the saw (Stock Saw, Single Buck and Hot Saw). Most of the disciplines are based on traditional lumberjack techniques and have been practiced for more than 150 years. At the Stuttgart event both team and individual competitions were on the agenda.

For the first time, event organiser German company STIHL selected a Robycam cable camera system to offer viewers in the hall and at home even more attractive views of this fascinating event. The winches of the Robycam 3D cable camera system were mounted in the Porsche Arena at four rigging points, to fly the system above the entire interior of the arena, covering around 2,000 sqm. The Robycam system’s movement was managed around the four winches. Within a working height of 3-8 meters, Robycam recorded interior views and reached a maximum speed of 9 m/s. A fifth winch, equipped with fibre cable, took care of transmitting the control signals of the camera and the optics. Using the same fibre cable the camera’s HD/SDI signal was sent directly to the OB van without any delay. Together with the RobyHead a Grass Valley LDX C80 compact camera with Canon HJ14 optics were put in place. The Robycam head – together with the perfectly aligned camera – provided endless pan of 360-degrees.

Revealing the Robycam

Robycam is a 3D camera system consisting of two key elements. Gyro-stabilised camera heads, which make 1-2D or 3D camera movements possible, are used with cable camera systems, cranes, sleighs or rails. Together with a powerful remote control, the systems can deliver spectacular images.

The RobyHeads are gyro-stabilised, carbon-fibre camera heads that offer low weight and maximum stability under the toughest production environments. They can be operated with all commercially available 2/3 box cameras and integrated into 1-2D and 3D motion-controlled Robycam systems. The remote control provides access to all functions of the cameras and optics as well as to comprehensive functions of the heads, cranes or sleighs.

The largest Robycam 3D system is ideally suited to large indoor or outdoor events. It uses four real-time controlled automatic winches and a sophisticated motion control system that allows fast camera movements up to 10 m/s and with millimetre-accuracy in all axes. With its transmission power action radiuses of up to 250m x 250m and more are possible.