Woodbury, NY April 10, 2015 — In recognition of Hitachi Kokusai Electric’s innovation in 4K acquisition and production, Hofstra University of Hempstead, New York has purchased eight of the industry leader’s SK-UHD4000 4K broadcast cameras. Engineered to satisfy the highest TV production standards with a quick return on investment (ROI), the SK-UHD4000s will support educational initiatives in broadcast, journalism and more across two departments as The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication finalizes the HD transition of its production studios.
The SK-UHD4000 is a multi-format studio and field production camera suitable for HD and 4K workflows, enabling users to gradually transition to 4K as requirements evolve. That flexibility was a significant reason for selecting Hitachi, according to Evan Cornog, dean of The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication at Hofstra University.
“We have set out to create the best possible HD facility with our infrastructure rebuild, which will continue through this summer,” said Cornog. “Camera technology is well ahead of studio infrastructure equipment, and we saw an opportunity to leap forward on the content acquisition side as we finalize our HD transition. With Hitachi and its 4K expertise, we, as an early adopter, have the benefit of working with a major international innovator that also has a significant local presence near campus. It’s an ideal opportunity to navigate how this cutting-edge technology will benefit higher education.”
Cornog envisions an “exploratory process” in the early going, with the SK-UHD4000 as the educational cornerstone for learning how to use 4K technology. Faculty and students in the Radio/TV/Film and Journalism/Media Studies/Public Relations departments will use the cameras for a variety of curricular and extracurricular productions.
Randy Hillebrand, training coordinator and adjunct associate professor of Radio, Television, Film at Hofstra University, envisions the 4K production message as an enticing draw for future students. Coupled with Hofstra’s proximity to the production hotbed of midtown Manhattan, offering a forward-looking technical infrastructure will be attractive to students exploring a career tied to the two departmental curricula.
“Upon researching Hitachi, it was apparent that while they would offer exceptional quality and reliability, these cameras would introduce us to that next level of 4K technology,” said Hillebrand. “At the same time, these are the best HD cameras you can buy on the market today, with unparalleled image quality. This means we can absolutely proclaim to prospective students that we offer a state-of-the-art learning environment. We are excited about helping our 1200 dedicated students learn about the future of communication, and how the richness of the 4K environment can help them tell stories in new and innovative ways. We have a real opportunity to be explorers.”
Hillebrand adds that from a technical perspective, the transition from the existing triax cable system to fiber-optic will strengthen interconnection between the building’s master control and production studios, while simplifying ongoing maintenance and providing a more flexible and longer potential life span. It also allows us to expose students to a connectivity technology that is quickly becoming the industry standard.
The SK-UHD4000, which employs standard, 2/3-inch, bayonet-mount Broadcast Television Lenses, offers a pristine 4K image today but, also the best 2K, progressive images attainable with modern digital technology.Hitachi will demonstrate the SK-UHD 4000 alongside its existing range of broadcast, production and film cameras this week at the 2015 NAB Show (Booth SL3190, Las Vegas Convention Center). A complete list of features and benefits can be found here.
ABOUT Hitachi Kokusai America
Hitachi Kokusai Electric America, Ltd. designs, markets and sells video cameras & systems, digital transmission, processing and recording devices for the broadcast television, cable, video production, and industrial vision markets. For more information, please call (855) 891-5179 or visit Hitachi's web site at http://www.hitachikokusai.us.
Hitachi Kokusai Electric, Inc. (TSE, OSE: 6756), is a Hitachi, Ltd. group company. Full versions of all press releases and product images are posted on the web site in the pressroom section: www.hitachikokusai.us.
# # #
