WAYNE, NJ – Connectivity is at the core of the end-to-end IP-based production solutions provided by JVC Professional Video, a division of JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation. At the forefront of JVC’s family of connected systems is the new GY‑HC900 CONNECTED CAM, a 2/3-inch broadcast camcorder unveiled today at the 2018 NAB Show (Booth C4315) in Las Vegas, Nev. It is JVC’s first model featuring a new communications engine that optimizes both image processing and IP performance in advanced models. Designed as a complete news-over-IP workflow solution for live ENG reports, it delivers streaming performance up to 20 Mbps, and features Zixi™ error correction and SMPTE 2022 forward error correction for reliable transmission.
When paired with any of JVC’s ProHD Bridge products, CONNECTED CAM simultaneously records and streams live video, plus it decodes return video and IFB. Latency can be as low as 500ms for both outgoing and incoming video. As a result, a reporter in Houston, for example, can have a real-time conversation with an anchor at a sister station in Seattle. Its connectivity also extends to studio applications; CONNECTED CAM seamlessly connects to the JVC FS-900 camera module and feeds 3G-SDI signals to a base station via fiber.
“Connectivity is at the core of our professional video solutions,” explained Joe D’Amico, vice president, JVC Professional Video. “Our engineers have designed our product lines to share protocols and integrate seamlessly. With JVC, you don’t have to worry that various pieces of gear will work together, and that level of connectivity helps our customers reduce costs and work more efficiently.”
JVC has been building and reinforcing its IP-based production workflow solutions since 2012, when it announced the GY-HM650 mobile news camera. It was the industry’s first professional camera with built-in FTP and Wi-Fi connectivity. Back then, the GY-HM650 was not considered a serious replacement for microwave or satellite trucks, but times have changed.
Today, with better cellular networks and bonded cellular solutions, stations like KOAA in Colorado Springs-Pueblo, Colo. (DMA #88) are using JVC cameras and ProHD Portable Bridge wireless cellular uplinks to produce live ENG shots from across its viewing area. And Televisa, the largest mass media company in Hispanic America, is using more than two dozen ProHD Wireless Bridge units for live ENG field reports from 21 different markets throughout Mexico.
Beyond IP-enabled cameras, JVC has the components to deliver a complete IP-based solution from. For example, the ProHD Command Center, which was introduced last fall, makes it easy to monitor and track JVC IP assets in the field, including cameras and ProHD Bridge units. It provides a full screen, real-time map of all GPS-enabled resources, allows control of specific camera parameters, offers an optional newsroom system interface, and includes one-touch routing of live video to master control, websites, and social media platforms.
JVC’s lens-to-playout connectivity continues through the ProHD Broadcaster, powered by Zixi. Through its web interface, it receives streams from multiple JVC IP-enabled cameras and routes them to decoders as well as content delivery networks (CDNs) like Facebook. The ProHD Broadcaster can also provide real-time transcoding, record footage for VOD or time shift playout, and provide multiple stream outputs.
Another new component in JVC’s video-over-IP workflow is the BR-DE900 ProHD decoder. It supports H.265 and H.264 compression standards, and is built for portable use or permanent installation. When paired with JVC cameras, the BR-DE900 provides a bandwidth efficient, error-free streaming solution over any network, including the internet. Hardware-based decoding provides optimal quality of service with low latency for ENG field reports and other video-over-IP applications.
Connectivity also extends through the production process with the ProHD Studio 4000, a four-channel, portable live production and streaming system that supports HD-SDI, HDMI, and IP cameras. The system offers integrated camera control, ISO recording for each camera, full PTZ control of JVC KY-PZ100 cameras, and simultaneous recording and streaming output. Other features include a built-in audio mixer, CG, four key layers, dual monitor support, and direct streaming integration for Facebook Live. For live sports production, the ProHD Studio 4000S adds the SCOREPLUS live sports CG software package to quickly generate real-time, database-driven graphics and slo-mo replays.
The same technology that can drive major market broadcast news can also be scaled to deliver affordable, high-end results for a church, school, or government facility. JVC offers a variety of IP-enabled cameras in a number of form factors (handheld, shoulder, and PTZ) with pricing to suit any budget. The economical ProHD Studio creates a compact control room for webcasts or broadcasts of worship services, student programming, or local government meetings.
A small but powerful part of JVC’s connectivity story is the RM-LP100 remote camera control. Its joystick and zoom rocker provides smooth and precise camera movements for the KY-PZ100 PTZ camera, but it also acts as a virtual CCU for any JVC IP-enabled camera. A seven-inch touchscreen panel provides control of camera groups, presets, and camera settings. The RM‑LP100 is also a key component of JVC’s S.L.I.M. studio camera system, an affordable multi-camera production approach that uses the remote camera control as a CCU for JVC IP-capable cameras.
Even single-camera productions can benefit from JVC’s connectivity. The new GY‑HM250U offers live streaming as well as lower-third and full-screen titling solutions without an external CG or production switcher. Graphics are generated and controlled through a tablet or smartphone, and up to 50 graphics can be stored in the camera. The new GY-HM250SP adds sports-specific score overlays, which can be placed in various screen positions and updated manually or automatically (when wirelessly connected to a Sportzcast Scorebot that is integrated with the venue’s scoreboard.
JVC’s vision of IP connectivity continues to grow. News-over-IP has become a reality, and a number of other vertical markets are now embracing an IP production future. With new cameras and new system components, JVC delivers a complete video-over-IP solution that can be customized for broadcasters or scaled for smaller installations. The result is an affordable approach to video production that delivers high-end imagery and secure, reliable workflows.
ABOUT JVC PROFESSIONAL VIDEO
Headquartered in Wayne, New Jersey, JVC Professional Video is a division of JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of JVCKENWOOD Corporation. The company is a leading manufacturer and distributor of broadcast and professional video equipment, as well as D-ILA front projection systems. For more information, visit JVC’s website at http://pro.jvc.com or call (800) 582‑5825.