Panasonic didn’t exhibit on the show floor at IBC, but did host a press conference at which it said that more than 100,000 pieces of P2 gear had been sold worldwide. It also unveiled a redesigned company Web site for Europe.
At a separate D-Cinema presentation at IBC2008, Panasonic PBITS Professional & Broadcast Systems showcased the benefits of production with P2HD, the AVC Intra codec and its AJ-HPX3000 camera. The presentation featured several examples of HD content currently being broadcast around Europe and shot on Panasonic products including the AJ-HDX900 and AJ-HPX3000 camcorders, which both can use the company’s AVC Intra codec. Key European directors explained the advantages of the Panasonic IT and HD workflow, using their own material, including documentaries, drama series and live concerts.
The AVC-I codec is also resonating with broadcasters and other manufacturers alike. Germany’s ZDF network has become the first European broadcaster to use the AVC-I for its production and archiving activities. Two others plan to adopt the advanced codec soon, according to company reps. The company said P2 format had been adopted by 121 broadcasters in 22 countries.
Among other vendors, Autodesk and Avid Technology are among the latest to support AVC-I compression across their product lines.
At the press conference Panasonic also announced its new Varicam cameras, the AJ-HPX2700 and 3700, which were shown at NAB in the spring. They both offer three codec choices, multiformat HD acquisition and variable frame rates from 1fps to 60fps.
