Danilda Martinez
WEST PALM BEACH, FLA.: Here at Palm Beach Atlantic University, our Media Services department provides audiovisual support for the university's campus events—about 900 such events each academic year. These range from a simple one-speaker presentation to full concerts and commencement ceremonies. Our staff includes two fulltime media specialists, as well as 11 student parttime crewmembers.
LABOR-INTENSIVE IT'S NOT
Last year we decided to upgrade our portable video mixer and multicamera live setup. In our search for new gear, we discovered the Rushworks Remo II and were impressed by its ability to let one or two people run a three or four camera remote live shoot from setup to teardown.
We purchased our Remo II in November, and quickly used it to cover our fall commencement ceremonies the following month. It allowed us to successfully stream the event to viewers worldwide, and only required two technicians to handle the setup and system operation.
The Remo II is a ruggedized portable integrated production system that features a software-based switcher along with a simple, but sophisticated, pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) camera control. It uses a touchscreen interface providing nine customizable presets for each camera. These are laid out in numerical keypad fashion, allowing a full range of remote control via the touchscreen. Each camera's iris, focus, zoom speed, and white balance parameters can be manipulated by the operator. If PTZ cameras are purchased as part of the system, they can be controlled with the included joystick, which connects to the Remo II via a USB port.
System setup is quick and easy. You just connect the camera video feeds to the Remo II I/O panel, then connect the CAT-5 cables from the cameras through a mux unit to the Remo II through a USB connection. Add audio and you're all set to go. Setup is as simple as turning on the system and using the joystick to frame shots for naming and saving to memory. You can even link lower-third graphics to specific presets so they're automatically selected when a preset is touched. It's really that easy to set up and use. And you can just click the record button to capture MPEG-2, AVI and WMV files, or click the Stream button to output a live signal to a network connection through the I/O panel.
Our department's goal is to provide the highest quality support and customer service. In bringing new student audiovisual members on board, anything that will allow them to work more efficiently while running events and productions is a worthwhile investment. The Remo II has proven to be just that. Most new recruits learn how to use the system in a single sitting, and completely master it after the first event.
If you're searching for a multicamera production system that provides professional quality and can be quickly set up, the Remo II should be at the top of your list.
Danilda Martinez is the lead media specialist at Palm Beach Atlantic University and has worked in the academic media field for eight years. She may be contacted at danilda_gutierrez@pba.edu.
For additional information, contact Rushworks at 888-894-7874 or visit www.rushworks.tv.
