NAB 2019: Sony Intros HDC-5500 Camera; Enhances Use of AI for Ci Media Cloud

Sports production professionals will find a number of new products at the Sony booth (C11001) that will offer opportunities to improve operations as the company embraces the tag line “Live Your Vision.” Topping the list is Sony’s new HDC-5500, a multi-format live camera equipped with the world’s first 2/3-inch 4K global shutter three CMOS sensor.

Theresa Alesso, president of Sony Electronics, Imaging Products and Solutions division.

“The HDC-5500 provides industry leading flexibility for live production,” says Theresa Alesso, Pro division president, Sony Electronics. “We’ve listened carefully to the requirements of this rapidly evolving market and provided new capability for today’s 3G systems and tomorrow’s IP-based and HDR requirements. We’ve elegantly addressed production needs such as 4K, HDR, HFR, IP, digital triax and wireless. We are providing our customers with a flexible and cost-effective path to upgrade their current systems to a very special toolset. We also continue to enhance our HDC series so that our customers can reach even higher levels of creativity and efficiency.”

The camera is capable of outputting 4K directly from the camera using a 12G-SDI interface, enabling 4K field monitoring and 4K / HDR wireless applications. Combined with the new HDCU-5500 camera control unit (CCU), the system offers Ultra High Bitrate (UHB) transmission, capable of sending two channels of full 4K signals simultaneously, allowing two signals to be sent to the CCU inputs or to send 4K images back to the camera for full monitoring 4K / HDR monitors capability. The new CCU provides 12G-SDI 4K output as standard and a SMPTE ST 2110 IP interface with a hardware option.

The HDC-5500 also provides 4x High Frame Rate as standard and offers up 8x HD and 2X 4K with a future software option. The HDC-5500 system responds to the needs of 4K, HDR, HFR, IP and wireless requirements for today’s and tomorrow’s production needs and will take our customer well into the future. The recently announced HDC-5500 and HDC-3500 systems offer compelling options for flexible and cost-effective migration paths from last generation technology.

One of the big philosophical changes at Sony in recent years has been the company’s efforts are intelligent media services. The goal is to help customers transform traditional media chains, unlock more value for richer audience engagement, and provide OTT subscription services for additional digital and linear revenue streams through cloud collaboration, AI, IP, data analytics and software automation capabilities. At NAB, Intelligent Media Services will be shown in a variety of workflows for broadcast operations, as well as Sports and Production workflows.

“To meet our clients’ imminent demands during this time of significant change, our mission and guiding principle is to work hand-in-hand with our customers to create compelling solutions,” says Alesso.

For example, integrated AI capabilities supporting object recognition, speech-to-text and facial detection in Sony’s Ci Media Cloud improve discoverability, searchability and provide enhanced transcription. Ci also offers live contribution, streaming and clipping for capturing and watching live streams anywhere. And Media Backbone Navigator X content and workflow management solution in on-premises, hybrid and cloud configurations include an improved workflow editor with the ability to schedule workflow execution and native support for additional professional formats, including R3D, DNG, DPX and EPS.

Also look for XDCAM air, which integrates with Navigator X and Media Backbone Hive New, to offer new features that include support for audio intercom functionality, HEVC (H.265) streaming, and multi-point distribution streaming. Media Backbone Hive is an integrated news and sports production system, streamlining production workflows from planning to archive. New features include ST2110 ingest and playout; XDCAM air live-stream and file-based workflow integration; and HTML5 browser-based editing, including effects, subtitling, 16CH audio and waveforms.

Enhancements to IP Live Production

Sony is enhancing its IP Live Production Solutions with the Live Element Orchestrator, its first system orchestration software to improve production system availability, increase workflow efficiency through more effective utilization of production resources, and to reduce system downtime, thereby improving productivity in content production.  Resources can be shared across multiple locations and configurations.

Sony’s two new SDI-IP converter boards—the NXLK-IP50Y and NXLK-IP51Y (12G-SDI)—offer support for SMPTE ST 2110 standards with optional format conversion and HDR compatibility. At Sony’s booth, visitors can see a complete complement of IP Live production products supporting SMPTE ST 2110 in HD and 4K.  In addition, Sony’s booth will be connected with HyperX eSports Arena, using a network provided by CenturyLink, for remote a production demonstration over SMPTE ST 2110 using Live Element Orchestrator.

For those in sports embracing for high-end cinematography, VENICE newly released version 3.0 software adds two new imager modes: 5.7K 16:9 and 6K (full-width) 2.39:1, as well as X-OCN XT and Cache REC. Version 3.0 software also enables the use of Sony’s new portable and lightweight CBK-3610XS Extension System, which allows for cabled separation between the VENICE camera body and image sensor block. In addition, Version 4.0 firmware was recently announced, adding High Frame Rate (HFR) shooting of 4K 120fps and 6K 60fps with an optional license. Version 4.0 firmware is planned to be available in June.

NAB attendees will also want to check out the BVM-HX310 31-inch grade 1 reference monitor which is being showcase for the first time at NAB. Sony says it is ideal for 4K HDR color grading, shading and QC applications as it supports wide color gamut, including DCI‑P3, ITU‑R BT.2020, S‑Gamut3.Cine and S‑Gamut3. The advanced performance of the TRIMASTER HX panel enables the BVM-HX310 to achieve 1,000 nits of full-screen brightness with a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. With consistent and faithful color reproduction over the entire luminance range, it is an excellent tool for digital cinematography and post production workflows. In addition, the BVM-HX310 has useful functions such as User LUT, Quad View and automatic HDR setting by VPID for various workflows.

In other Sony news:

Sony’s popular PXW-FS7 and PXW-FS7 M2 XDCAM camcorders will be optimized for news gathering with the new CBK-FS7BK ENG-Style build up kit and an LA-EB1, B4 lens to E mount adapter. The build-up kit enables ENG like operator experience, while the LA-EB1 allows operators to shoot deep Depth of Field (DoF) with the high zoom ratio necessary for traditional news production. The build-up kit also features an extension unit with a wireless audio receiver slot and built-in wireless capability provides advanced network operation for broadcast usage.

And with a new compact and lightweight design, the latest UWP-D wireless microphone series offer NFC sync for easy and fast channel setting and supports a Multi-Interface Shoe (MI shoe) with Digital Audio Interface that achieves high-quality sound with low noise for Sony’s PXW-Z280 and PXW-Z190 XDCAM camcorders. The new UWP-D series provides advanced integration with the camcorders for enhanced usability.

In addition the PXW-Z280 and PXW-Z190 will enhance their capabilities with Version 3.0 firmware, which includes wireless file transfer with Dual Link connection, file transfer without the use of a mobile app, and support for a Multi-Interface Shoe (MI shoe) with Digital Audio Interface to enable superior sound and enhanced usability for the new UWP-D wireless microphone series.

And for those sports content creator that want to run-and-gun the new HXR-MC88 palm-sized camcorder enables cost-effective and professional quality HD capture that responds to the growing demands for video content in various scenes including education, corporate and government environments. With a large 14.2 megapixel 1.0-type stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor, users can capture high-quality images with less noise in both light and dark conditions. The camera also features a Fast Hybrid Auto Focus system for seamlessly capturing motion. Additional highlights include built-in 4 step ND filters and 12x optical zoom, which can be doubled to 24x with Clear Image Zoom while maintaining full resolution using Super Resolution Technology and 48x zoom with Sony’s Digital Extender.

Lastly, in recording, the PZW-4000 4K XAVC recorder supports XAVC-L422 QFHD 200 recording/playback along with XAVC-I QFHD 300. It also allows for direct playout from SxS memory cards, without ingesting media into an internal SSD, in addition to simultaneous recording to the internal SSD and SxS card. A VTR-like, simple control panel is included, enabling professional users to easy-to-control operations by their familiar and experienced skills. And the SBP-120F (120GB) and SBP-240F (240GB) are the newest addition to Sony’s durable and reliable SxS PRO X Card line-up. Both offer ultra-fast transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps and enable stable capture of high bit rate content. Used in conjunction with the new reader/writer, SBAC-T40 equipped with Thunderbolt™ 3 interface*, enables the transfer of 240GB of video content in approximately 3.5 minutes.