Twin Cities Public Television will use the Panasonic AK-HC931 specifically for the HD production of two weekly, live shows: “Almanac,” and “Almanac from the Capitol.”
Twin Cities Public Television (tpt) has purchased two Panasonic AK-HC931 720p studio cameras, an AJ-HDC27 VariCam HD Cinema camera and an AJ-HD1200A DVCPRO HD VTR.
The PBS affiliate is based in St. Paul, MN, and operates six digital stations in addition to analog channels tpt2 and tpt17.
The AK-HC931 SD/HD cameras are being installed in the station’s recently-upgraded studio and control room. According to Scott Rivers, the station’s engineering manager, the multi-standard AK-HC931 was selected because it meets the station’s technical parameters for an advanced studio camera, specifically for the HD production of two weekly, live shows, “Almanac,” a public affairs program, and “Almanac from the Capitol.”
tpt’s AJ-HD1200A will be paired with an editing system using Apple’s Final Cut Pro HD software. Material shot in 24fps with the station’s VariCam can be transferred without loss via the VTR’s IEEE 1394 interface directly into Final Cut Pro HD.
Once transferred, the material will be available instantly for real-time editing operations. All footage maintains its camera-original quality, because the IEEE 1394 FireWire interface transfers the native DV-HD high-definition files, allowing users to edit camera-original quality HD content on their desktop.
The AK-HC931 has three 2/3in. 1-million pixel (1280 x 720 progressive scan) IT CCDs. Weighing less than 10lbs., the compact AK-HC931 also features a 480i standard definition output.
The AJ-HDC27 VariCam replicates many of the key features of film-based image acquisition, including 24-frame progressive scan images, time lapse recording, and a wide range of variable frame rates (4fps to 60fps in single-frame increments) for “overcranked” and “undercranked” off-speed in-camera effects.
For more information, visit www.tpt.org and www.panasonic.com/broadcast.
