NAB: Panasonic Expands IP Camera Connectivity

New broadcast equipment includes new shoulder-mount camera

By George Winslow -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/20/2013 8:24:18 PM

Panasonic has unveiled several notable product announcements in advance of NAB, including a new shoulder mount camera, plans to connect more of its equipment to IP networks and some additional details of its AVC Ultra format, which will be the basis of its next generation camera systems.

As part of the announcements, Panasonic also noted that several of their new or recently released cameras could be tightly integrated with video uplink technologies to simplify the process of sending back video over cellular networks using equipment from LiveU, AVIWEST, Streambox and TVU Networks.

The move taps into a move by broadcasters to find less costly ways to stream video from the field back to studios.

"The demand for live video transmission in the field is increasing worldwide, and we would like to strengthen our partnership with live uplink solution providers," noted Kunihiko Miyagi, director of professional AV business unit, Panasonic Corporation, in a statement. "Panasonic will offer customers a simple, multifunctional camera that is further diversified with these uplink solution partnerships,"

In terms of cameras, the company unveiled of the new AJ-PX5000G, its first P2 HD camcorder with native AVC-ULTRA recording and built-in microP2 card slots. The 2/3-inch, 2.2M 3-MOS camera has 720p and 1080p/i recording and is the first P2 camcorder that will record in full-resolution, 10-bit 1080/60p (in AVC-Intra100).

"With AVC-ULTRA recording, terrific image quality and a variety of cutting-edge, selectable options, the PX5000G is Panasonic's best-ever shoulder-mount," said Steve Cooperman, product manager, Panasonic System Communications Company of North America in a statement. "The camcorder is absolutely customer-driven, with 1080i appealing to broadcasters, 720p ideal for news and sports, and, now for the first time in P2, 1080/60p for higher frame rate, higher-resolution recording."

As part of the company's push to make it possible to easily connect more of its cameras and equipment to IP networks, the PX5000G features wireless and wired connection ability with Wi-Fi, USB and Gigabit Ethernet, including wireless control of key camera functions from a smart phone.

The camera can be directly integrated with cellular bonded backpack technologies that deliver video back to the studio via live video uplink transmitter devices from LiveU, AVIWEST, Streambox and TVU Networks.

The PX5000G will be available this fall, with a suggested list price of under $28,000.

During the pre-NAB press conference, the company also announced several other products or the delivery dates for previously announced products:

• The AJ-PD500, its first P2 HD recorder with native AVC-ULTRA recording and built-in microP2 card slots. The PD500 is also the first P2 deck that will record in full-resolution, 10-bit 1080/60p (in AVC-Intra100).
• Panasonic noted that its new microP2 series, the world's first UHS-II compliant memory cards, will be shipping in April.
• A major free firmware upgrade for the new AK-HC3800 studio camera system that supports 720/59.94 output from the studio camera and enables IP control between the AK-HRP200 remote operation panel (ROP) and the AK-HCU200 camera control unit (CCU).  The upgrade also allows the ROP to set-up and control up to 19 Panasonic PTZ cameras (such as the AW-HE120, AW-HE60H/S, and AW-HE50H/S) via IP.
• AVC-ULTRA plug-ins for Avid Media Composer 6.5, both Mac and Windows versions.
• A firmware upgrade key that will expand the functionality of its AG-HPX600 P2 HD camcorder so that it can be combined with LiveU's live video uplink technology. The company is billing the upgrade as "the first available integrated live camera solution."
• Panasonic also announced that in addition to LiveU, it is also working with AVIWEST, Streambox and TVU Networks to integrate their solutions into the AG-HPX600 P2 HD camcorder.