Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/491563
B r o a d c a s t e r s S h o w D a i l y 1 7 Tu e s d a y, A p r i l 1 4 , 2 0 1 5 BLONDER TONGUE TO SHOW WIDE RANGE OF SOLUTIONS AT NAB Today's broadcasters need high-quali- ty, affordable solutions that enable them to deliver superior video quality on any screen. Those solutions need to be flexible and scalable, while sup- porting the latest video requirements. At the 2015 NAB Show, Blonder Tongue is showcasing a variety of dig- ital video solutions that meet these capabilities, optimizing video distribu- tion. The company will introduce the High-Definition Decoder Module (HDDM), a low-cost professional video decoder capable of decoding MPEG-2 and H.264 video content into HD/SD-SDI, HDMI, component and composite outputs from a digital off- air 8VSB signal, clear-QAM signal or IP MPEG-2/H.264 transport stream source. By offering video profession- als a product that decodes both digital and analog video distributed over man- aged networks, the HDDM significant- ly increases operational efficiencies. Also new at the NAB Show is Blonder Tongue's Scalable Transcoder-Encoder Platform (STEP), capable of performing high-quality HD/SD MPEG-2 or H.264 encoding, HD/SD MPEG-2 to H.264 and H.264 to MPEG-2 transcoding, HD to SD downscaling, as well as creating adap- tive bit rate live profiles supporting popular HTTP streaming protocols such as HLS, HDS and IIS for any- screen video delivery. Available as a 1RU, 2RU or 3RU integrated system, STEP helps operators meet the latest video requirements and migrate to next-generation video network archi- tecture by carrying out a variety of scalable video processing tasks. During the NAB Show, Blonder Tongue is also launching the FlexCoder, a versatile new solution that combines edgeQAM, off-air transcoding and IP grooming tech- nology into one integrated package. Using the FlexCoder, broadcasters can convert IP video streams into QAM or ASI in addition to translating 8VSB (digital off air), clear-QAM or ASI-to-IP sig- nals. By providing a wide range of functionality in a compact solution, the FlexCoder brings remarkable cost sav- ings to broadcast operations. To round out the company's new video processing solutions at NAB, Blonder Tongue is demonstrating the HDE-4S-PRO, a high-performance MPEG-2 HD encoder designed to deliver superior motion optimization for programming such as fast-paced live sporting events at an attractive price per channel. Using the encoder, operators can broadcast high-quality video content with extremely low latency. Blonder Tongue is also showcas- ing a comprehensive range of test and measurement analyz- ers, including the B T P R O - 7 0 0 0 S tablet-based test sig- nal analyzer and MTSA-PRO MPEG transport stream analysis device, that help operators in the broadcast, cable, satellite and IPTV markets deliver high-quality video and audio content. Blonder Tongue's new analyzers provide reliability, flexibili- ty and affordability that are essential for detecting transport stream issues, all from a unique, compact and light- weight design that enables use any- where to ensure a superior quality of service. All attendees who stop by the Blonder Tongue booth to see a demon- stration of the products will be entered into a drawing for a free HDE-4S-PRO encoder, AQT8 transcoder or MTSA- PRO analyzer. To learn more about Blonder Tongue and its products, visit Blonder Tongue at booth #SU6524. After the show, visit www.blondertongue.com. VISION RESEARCH'S PHANTOM BRAND OF HIGH-SPEED CAMERAS An interview with Toni Lucatorto, Media Product Manager at Vision Research. BSD: Tell our readers about your compa- ny. What's your main line of business? TL: Vision Research designs and man- ufactures the Phantom brand of digital high-speed cameras. We are based in Wayne, N.J. and have been in the high- speed imaging industry for over 60 years, primarily developing camera sys- tems targeted at scientific and industrial applications such as manufacturing, automotive, defense and medical research. In 2007, we entered into the TV and motion picture industry with the Phantom HD. We now offer a compre- hensive product line geared towards our more traditional scientific markets as well as cameras like the Phantom V642, Flex and Flex4K which were designed specifically for TV broadcast and the digital cinema industry. BSD: What would you say makes your company unique? TL: We are a relatively small company and have good relationships with our cus- tomer base. This allows us to design cam- eras and imaging solutions for specific applications completely driven by our customers' needs. BSD: What was your program last year? What's your current product emphasis? TL: For the media market, 2014 focused on rolling out the Phantom Flex4K. The Flex4K has a native resolution of 4096 x 2304, and supports both stan- dard and high frame rates up to 1,000 frames-per-second (fps) at 4K resolution, and 2,000 fps at 1080p. Besides its high frame rate capabilities, the camera is also revered for its excellent image quality. This is our first com- pletely self-contained profes- sional cinema camera, where all the menu controls are built in to an intuitive on-camera control interface. The camera can be battery operated, has interchangeable lens mounts, and has all the inputs and outputs that are needed for a successful production. Our current emphasis remains on the Flex4K and the roll out of planned fea- ture updates, such as higher memory sizes, audio recording and the option for in-camera compression. BSD: What distinguishes your products from the competition? TL: Phantom cameras have always stood out in the high-speed market based on advanced features, image quality and workflow. We have an extensive line of cameras that range from small, compact and portable systems to some of the most powerful high-speed cameras in the world. Competition in the digital cinema market is a little different than our traditional mar- kets, and the Phantom Flex4K is definitely unique. The Flex4K pro- vides the ultimate in flexi- bility by shooting any- where between 15-1000 FPS at 4K resolution, up to 2,000 fps at 1080p, faster at lower resolutions and it supports several different control options, output formats and workflows. BSD: How can our readers find out more about your company? TL: Visit us at NAB 2015 booth #C11435 for a hands-on demo of the Phantom Flex4K as well as the com- pact Phantom Miro LC320S. For the latest information on all our products visit www.visionresearch.com and stay up to the minute by following us on Twitter @PhantomFlex4K and @PhantomHiSpeed. For more information, visit www.vision research.com or stop by booth #C11435. HD-VU2 RAW VIEWER FROM IMAGINE PRODUCTS HD-VU2 is the new and improved raw viewer from Imagine Products. This all- in-one player offers the user the ability to view almost any HD format and frame rate with any audio bitrate with proper syncing during playback, scrubbing and frame-by-frame advance/reverse. HD- VU2 can also apply temporary LUTs to the files, giving the user the ability to see his or her files in the field or on set instantly. HD-VU2 never transcodes or modifies files. With a simple user inter- face, HD-VU2 is a necessity to any film- maker or DITs pre-post production workflow. When a camera card is loaded into a reader, the user will have the ability to instantly view the native files from almost any camera in the industry, including Amira, Arri Raw, Blackmagic, GoPro, JVC, Panasonic and Red. Files can be sorted into different folders and playlists for better organization and future reference as well. With the media and entertainment industry moving toward higher resolu- tions, the ability to view 4K files is imper- ative. HD-VU2 has the capability to view these higher resolutions and apply a tem- porary LUT to them. HD-VU2 will never transcode or alter the users files in any way, but has the ability to apply tempo- rary LUTs. This gives the user the ability to see the files with a more finished look on the fly. When a video file is selected, HD- VU2 will provide basic information about that file, including the date, run time, the size, what LUTs have been applied and a thumbnail. HD-VU2 also displays the time code in multiple formats such as natural, NDF, DF, frame, elapsed time or by frame number. More detailed metadata can be found in the player. HDVU2 also supports popular editing key commands (J, K, L, space) and up/down, forward and reverse keys. Key controls do not require the Video Controls panel to be visible. One of the greatest attributes to HD- VU2 is its ability to associate independ- ent audio files. By automatically syncing the audio and video files, the user is able to have a much better sense of how these files will look and sound. The ability to do so on set or location will save valuable time, resources and money for all involved in the project. HD-VU2 is a native file viewer that will revo- lutionize the media and entertainment industry. With the ability to apply temporary LUTs, automatically sync independent audio files and provide rich metadata, HD-VU2 is a must-have. Imagine Products specializes in workflow solutions for the media and entertainment industry. From file acquisi- tion to archiving, Imagine Products focuses on building powerful applica- tions simple enough for beginners yet powerful enough for professionals. For more information, visit www .imagineproducts.com or stop by booth #SL11127.