Public Television broadcaster KSMQ of Austin, MN, has outfitted its new HD production studios with a Vinten Radamec camera robotic system. The unmanned system helps keep productions moving when staff is low, but the cameras can be operated manually if necessary.
The station has installed a three-component system. An Autocam Multicontroller II Desktop Control unit provides control of both the robotic pan and tilt heads and native lens drives. Three Radamec HS-105P robotic pan and tilt heads, designed to mount on manual pedestals, provide pan and tilt function in both robotic and manual mode. And three NLD-FED Autocam native lens drives give full control of the Fujinon ENG digital lenses mounted on cameras in the studio.
Robotic pedestals were not an option, because station management felt their studio is too small to justify it. Instead the station bought a pair of Vinten Pro-Ped Studio Pedestals for two teleprompter-equipped cameras, and a Vinten Osprey Elite pedestal for the camera without a prompter.
The operational efficiency of KSMQ’s robotics allows the station to do five local productions a week.
