MAYWOOD NJ, August 12, 2008 – Production equipment rental companies have always faced the challenge of keeping up with changing trends in technology, and the needs of a broad range of clients and end-users. At New York-based Keslow Television (KTV), the decision to expand their HDTV camera inventory led them back to Ikegami. KTV’s recent purchase of Ikegami’s HDK-79EC Multi-Format CMOS HDTV camera systems provides users with the ability to operate in 1080/60i, 1080/24p, or 720/60p. Optional formats also available include high-speed dual-link 1080/60p, 1080/50i, and 720/50p, and – for Super Slow Motion – 1080/120i and 720/120p.
“At this point the majority of acquisition, both live and in studio, is being done in HD, regardless of distribution format,” states Jim Palmer, Vice President and General Manager of KTV. “With all that in mind we needed total flexibility to meet our clients’ requests. KTV has always had a large inventory of Ikegami cameras, and as we prepared to grow our HD inventory, Ikegami’s HDK-79EC camera system was a very easy choice for us.”
The Ikegami HDK-79EC camera system’s three 2/3-inch 2.5 Mega-pixel 1920H x 1080V CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) imaging sensors are switchable between native interlace and progressive-readout modes, providing native multi-format HD video and Super Slow Motion HD performance. CMOS technology provides additional advantages as well, including reduced power consumption, reduced heat, and no “vertical smear.” In addition, the digital video output of the CMOS sensors in the HDK-79EC camera system is processed by Ikegami’s exclusive ChipC4 ASIC technology for superior performance that easily handles the wide dynamic lighting encountered in outdoor broadcast environments.
“We’ve been working with Ikegami since NAB to complete our equipment package for the summer Olympics in Beijing,” continues Palmer. “Even though this is an all-HD broadcast, there are still many distribution outlets that require feeds in SD, both in PAL and NTSC. The HDK-79EC is a very flexible, multi-format camera. It addresses all the issues that we have in the HD marketplace with the different formats and it even supplies SD signals simultaneously. That gives us the flexibility to work with anyone who is format-dependent. This camera allows us to address any situation, and the image is the warmest, most pristine picture that a camera can produce.”
Ikegami’s HDK-79EC camera system is configurable for either hand-held use or “hard” field-camera operation using the Ikegami SE-79D System Expander, which includes a 9-inch 16:9 color LCD viewfinder (with wide viewing angle and low lag) and an interface for “box-style” HD or SD studio or telephoto zoom lenses. The camera also has docking-style construction, allowing easy interchange between triax and fiber adapters.
“Our client, Broadcast Systems & Equipment Inc., based in Canada, has built out a state-of-the-art broadcast center in Pangu Plaza overlooking the Olympic Stadium and Aquatics Center,” Palmer stated. “They are providing multiple studios, control rooms, and MCR facilities for non-rights holders covering the games. Their facility is operating around the clock, and serving clients from around the world in HD and SD, PAL and NTSC; needless to say they need to be prepared to provide any format at any given time. The applications with these cameras are virtually limitless. It [the camera] can be used in a football game on the sideline as a handheld camera, or it can be set up in the back row of a concert with a long lens. It’s ideal for multi-camera studio production, for both live and episodic formats. This is really the appeal of the HDK-79EC: It can be retrofitted depending on the job.”
In addition to the performance and versatility of Ikegami’s cameras, Palmer explains that Ikegami’s dedication to customer service has made KTV a customer for over 20 years. “The support behind the product is as good, if not better, than the camera itself, which is impeccable,” he declares. “From the sales people down to the service department, Ikegami has always been helpful to us. They stand behind their product 100 percent, and are always ready to address any issues with us, or with the end-users. The combination of a beautiful image, a top-shelf product, and A-plus customer service is why a lot of our clients choose to exclusively use Ikegami cameras.”
Ikegami’s HDK-79EC camera systems have been a big hit at KTV, and Palmer plans to order more in the future. “We’re very excited for the post-Olympic season,” he notes. “We already have systems booked for election coverage here in the states, and are actively quoting packages for the upcoming NFL season. Among the elite engineers in our business, they have always had a high preference for Ikegami. From a system standpoint, Ikegami’s menus, interfaces, and control units are very intuitive. Ikegami has always made a high-quality product, and the HDK-79EC is no exception.”
Keslow Television, KTV is a production equipment rental company based in New York City that serves clients domestically in the U.S. and worldwide. Specializing in HD storage and acquisition, KTV maintains a diverse inventory of products to suit all forms of television production. KTV serves all the major broadcast networks, independent production companies, and mobile production units. For more information, go to www.keslow.com.
Ikegami Electronics (U.S.A.), Inc. is a leading supplier of professional broadcasting products in the Western Hemisphere. With U.S. offices in New Jersey, California, Florida, Texas, and Illinois, the Ikegami name is recognized worldwide for its state-of-the-art television cameras and closed-circuit TV equipment. Ikegami’s universal High Definition TV cameras have been widely accepted by the broadcast industry as it continues the transition to the High Definition Television Format.
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For more information and the location of the Regional Office nearest you, call Ikegami’s Maywood NJ headquarters at 201-368-9171 or visit www.Ikegami.com.
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