MAYWOOD, N.J.– Ikegami helped Thistle Communications to deploy their new unit, Senior HD, in 30 days by supplying them with four new Ikegami HDK-77EC HD native multiformat CMOS cameras.
Thistle Communications provides its clients with technical management and system design, satellite transmission and more for a variety of broadcast and event production projects. The company set out to build a small-footprint truck offering maximum production power, and getting the cameras right was a top priority.
“The expectations of our clients for superior quality continue to rise,” said Jim Thistle, partner and general manager at Thistle Communications. “One of the first questions our clients will ask when they want to book a truck is, ‘What cameras do you have?’ Having Ikegami onboard helps us to sell it right out of the gate.”
The 35-foot Senior HD was designed by Thistle Communications and systems integrator Little Bay Broadcast Services to offer its video production capabilities in a compact unit. “That’s the reason we chose Ikegami HDK-77EC cameras – they make it a superior truck for its size,” said Thistle.
“Our clients absolutely love the picture quality of the Ikegami cameras,” said Thistle. “As we’ve rolled out Senior HD, we’ve gotten tremendous feedback on the look they provide.”
Equipped with a high-performance HDTV triax camera adaptor, the HDK-77EC also provides long-term flexibility. “Versatility was a top priority,” Thistle confirms. “To invest in these cameras, we needed to know they would maintain their place in the market for the next 10-15 years. A lot of stadiums are currently triax, but they’re looking to upgrade to a fiber backbone. With the adaptor, the HDK-77EC gives us what we need right now, but we’ll also be able to keep rolling for years down the road.”
Ikegami demonstrated its commitment to customer support when it provided the cameras within an extremely tight schedule. “Ikegami’s sales team understands the truck market and the immediate need to keep the timeframe – they came through with flying colors,” said David Raynes, a Little Bay partner.
