JVC News Release --NAB 2014: JVC expands ENG live HD streaming, shares 4K plans.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NAB 2014: JVC EXPANDS ENG LIVE HD STREAMING, SHARES 4K PLANS

LAS VEGAS, NV (April 6, 2014) – Everyone wants to be first, especially news operations. Over the past few years, JVC Professional Products Company has introduced a number of firsts for the broadcast industry, and the 2014 NAB Show is no exception. JVC is dedicated to delivering products that help broadcasters be first on-air and first on-line, with innovative, built-in IP connectivity that encourages broadcasters to embrace the cloud and leave the microwave or satellite truck in the parking garage.

Two years ago, JVC launched the era of IP-based newsgathering with the introduction of its 600 Series ProHD mobile news cameras. The handheld cameras had an impressive list of features, including a built-in wide angle 23x autofocus zoom lens, native file recording and superior low-light performance. In addition, the GY-HM650’s built-in IP connectivity, combined with JVC’s exclusive dual codec design, provided advanced capabilities including tablet-based remote control and viewing, metadata insertion, and FTP clip transfers.

Last year, we upgraded the camera to allow live, real-time HD streaming from the camera using an LTE modem or mobile hotspot while simultaneously recording footage to SDHC or SDXC memory cards. Suddenly, stations could provide live reports from the field – without an add-on box or backpack transmitter. As a result, ENG workflows have been streamlined, and stations across the country are using JVC GY-HM650s to cost effectively increase their live reporting capabilities:

WWSB, an ABC affiliate based in Sarasota, Fla., saved more than $10,000 in satellite truck rental and uplink fees last June when it covered Nik Wallenda’s 1,400-foot-long tightrope walk across the Little Colorado River Gorge near the Grand Canyon with its GY-HM650 camera and a Verizon Hotspot. The Calkins Media station now uses the camera regularly to produce live shots from Venice, Fla., which is about a 30-minute drive from the station.

KATC, the ABC affiliate in Lafayette, La. owned by Cordillera Communications, Inc., uses its GY-HM650 as part of a multimedia journalist (MMJ) kit to provide live HD reports from the field two or three times per week.

Another Cordillera station, KOAA, the NBC affiliate for Colorado Springs-Pueblo, Colo., used its GY-HM650 last September to transmit live footage of deadly Colorado floods from locations that were inaccessible by traditional live trucks.

Fox O&O WJZY in Charlotte, N.C., has five “embedded” reporters that provide regional news coverage from the communities where they live. Geoff Roth, vice president of local content, has equipped each reporter with a GY-HM650, which he calls a “live truck in a camera.”


This year, JVC takes another step forward with the launch of its GY-HM850 and GY-HM890 ProHD shoulder-mount cameras, which significantly expand on the live HD streaming and file transfer capabilities of the GY-HM650. Both new cameras feature a built-in streaming engine with FTP and 4G LTE connectivity to allow live HD transmission directly from the camera without being attached to external costly and cumbersome bonded cellular solutions. A built-in processor with proprietary algorithms, advanced content aware error correction and JVC’s new Advanced Streaming Technology (AST) maximize bandwidth, provide real-time feedback of streaming status and compensate for up to 30 percent packet loss to ensure reliable transmission, even under difficult conditions.

Beyond reliable, high quality live HD transmission, the 3-CMOS cameras with interchangeable Fujinon 20x autofocus zoom lenses also deliver amazing HD (and SD) imagery, even in low light conditions. Shooter-friendly features include dual SDHC/SDXC card slots for recording footage in a variety of native file formats, four-channel audio with two XLR mic/line inputs, 4.3-inch LCD monitor and LCOS color viewfinder, HD-SDI and HDMI out, and genlock and time code terminals for multi-camera setups. The GY-HM890 also includes an HD/SD-SDI Pool Feed input for increased ENG flexibility. Plus, for studio or multi-camera field production, it accommodates JVC fiber or multi-core camera modules and is compatible with JVC’s full range of components and accessories.

Major broadcasters have quickly taken notice of our live streaming cameras:

Sinclair Broadcast Group, one of the largest U.S. television broadcasting companies, has already ordered more than 70 GY-HM890 cameras for local news operations, and is planning to standardize on the camera across its ENG operations. “The camera provides built-in live HD streaming, which is the game-changing feature we’ve been waiting for in a full-sized camcorder,” said Del Parks, senior vice president of engineering and operations, Sinclair Broadcast Group.

Raycom Media has purchased more than 300 GY-HM650 cameras for ENG across 32 stations that produce local news. Nearly all the news stations will be standardized on JVC camcorders by the end of the year. “This camera has surpassed what we have asked of JVC from a feature set point of view, and will be used as a benchmark of what is expected of a news camera for years to come,” said Dave Folsom, Raycom Media vice president and CTO.


Professional Streaming Services
Industry-leading broadcast organizations have recognized the value of transitioning from coaxial cable-based HD-SDI video distribution systems to IP-based plant infrastructures. JVC was an early pioneer in applying IP technology to the newsgathering process, but visionary organizations tell us there’s more to IP newsgathering than simple streaming.
At the 2014 NAB Show, JVC is launching its Professional Streaming Services, a cloud-based news management resource to complement our ProHD cameras with built-in IP integration. Anchored by the new ProHD Broadcaster server powered by Zixi, the new service makes it easy and affordable to deliver live HD content delivery for Web and broadcast facilities. Available as a physical server or cloud-based solution, Broadcaster receives live HD video from compatible JVC camcorders (including the GY-HM850, GY-HM890 and upgraded GY-HM650), transcodes the signal for a variety of delivery platforms and provides reliable transmission of the signal.

When used in conjunction with JVC’s Professional Streaming Services, video delivery from the cameras to the Internet is available by entering a single IP address. Content can be directed to multiple destinations, including off-the-shelf HD-SDI decoders for live broadcast. With Broadcaster’s built-in matrix switching, it’s easy to manage signals for distribution, and automatic transcoding allows live, direct-to-Web content delivery to almost any content provider.

Broadcaster also provides a cost effective way for stations to provide multiple camera coverage at a single event without a multi-camera production truck. Each camera feeds into and is identified by the Broadcaster, which provides an output signal to the station’s decoder for air. Cameras can then be chosen by station personnel and switched live. Plus, Broadcaster accepts and transcodes video from Android and iOS devices, so a station can take live video from a reporter who happens to be a near a news event but can only provide video through a cell phone.

JVC is also expanding its commitment to IP-based production technologies with the KMH-8000 StreamSuite portable webcasting production system. StreamSuite’s built-in switcher features support for up to four wireless IP live HD video sources. Minimize setup and strike time by connecting GY-HM650, GY-HM850, or GY-HM890 ProHD cameras without bulky camera cables (though the system also supports wired cameras). StreamSuite also features a built-in 23-inch touch screen, titling and graphics overlay, audio mixer, live streaming output, HD-SDI and HDMI outputs, and internal MPEG recording to HDD.

4K Digital Cinematography and Aerial Videography
In 2012, JVC introduced the world’s first handheld 4K camcorder, the GY-HMQ10. At the 2014 NAB Show, we are providing a look into an expanding 4K future with four new technology demonstrations. The first two prototypes signal JVC’s entry into the digital cinematography marketplace. The GY-LSX1 is a 4K shoulder-mount cameras equipped with a Super 35mm sensor and PL lens mount. The GY-LSX1 delivers full 4K imagery at up to 60p, as well as HD imagery at up to 240p for super slo-mo application. Also on display is the GY-LSX2, a handheld unit that uses Micro Four Thirds (MFT) lenses originally developed for DSLRs to deliver cinema-quality images in a compact camcorder. Both cameras feature a new 13.6 MP 4K CMOS image sensor developed by JVC’s sister company, AltaSens.

The new image sensor is also being integrated into a two-piece mini 4K camera, the GW-SPLS1. The tiny camera delivers full 4K performance, records to SDHC media, and offers IP control and viewing. The final prototype represents potentially disruptive technology that could literally change the ENG landscape. JVC has two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in its booth equipped with the new GW-GBLS1 small-head camera gimbal systems. The system features a high-quality 4K small camera unit with a Super 35mm CMOS sensor that delivers 4096x2160or 3840x2160 resolution at up to 60p.

Housed in a gimbal designed with proprietary technology developed by JVC, the camera records footage locally to SDXC or SDHC media cards. However, the base of gimbal also houses technology that has the same IP capabilities as the GY-HM890. So, while the camera produces images suitable for cinematic applications, the system also has applications for broadcast news. In the case of a breaking news event, for example, a news station could launch a UAV over the scene and have live aerial coverage of the event transmitted back to the station in full HD resolution – without a news helicopter. There are plenty of UAV cameras on the market, but none have the IP-based technology to deliver a live news report like the GW-GBLS1.

We’re not ready for UAV ENG today – and neither, quite frankly, is the FAA – but this concept could very well be the future of aerial videography. Reliable IP-based ENG backhaul to stations is already a reality, and stations are enjoying the savings associated with JVC’s IP-based camcorders in the field for live reports. Imagine those same cost efficiencies applied to UAV technology compared to the expense of operating a news helicopter. From major metropolitan areas to smaller markets, this could open a whole new world for broadcasters.

Continued Commitment to Innovation
JVC remains committed to our ProHD vision that includes the use of non-proprietary recording media and our established MPEG-2 workflow, delivering products with outstanding picture quality, professional features, world-class support, durability in the field and cost effective pricing. Our camera line includes models that meet the needs of studio production, ENG and multimedia journalism. Plus, we continue to improve our existing products. For example, both the GY-HM650 and GY-HM600 will be upgraded this year with the Extreme HQ 50 Mbps H.264 recording mode, which delivers virtually lossless compression at up to 60p.

Beyond cameras, we continue to offer one of the most diverse lines of flat-panel displays, from 84-inch 4K public displays to studio monitors for critical image analysis to portable AC/DC field monitors. Plus, we offer a line of professional Blu-ray recorders, including the new SR-HD1350US and SR-HD1700US, our fastest combo decks to date. Designed for easy duplication and disc authoring without a PC, the new decks can create Blu-ray or DVD discs directly from live video inputs or from video files stored on built-in hard drives.

JVC continues to earn its place as a leader in broadcast HD camera and monitor sales by staying focused on the needs of broadcasters and earning their business one customer at a time. Our Broadcast Direct program connects stations and groups with JVC experts in transitioning their newsrooms to ProHD. Broadcast Direct customers also gain access to numerous support options and special product features, and provide feedback to help JVC develop new products and remain a leader in the industry.

As the broadcast industry continues to evolve, the next few years will bring about more technological firsts, and you can expect JVC to be at the forefront of innovation. Business models and workflows may change, but broadcasters will always need video solutions that deliver performance, reliability and value. That’s why broadcasters will continue to choose the company that led the revolution against high-priced studio and ENG cameras – and is now leading the charge toward affordable IP-based ENG and multi-camera production solutions.

ABOUT JVC PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS COMPANY
Headquartered in Wayne, New Jersey, with West Coast operations in Long Beach, California, JVC Professional Products Company is a division of JVC Americas Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of JVC Kenwood Corporation. JVC is a leading manufacturer and distributor of broadcast and professional video and audio equipment, D-ILA front projection systems, and Super LoLux HD video security products. For further product information, visit JVC’s Web site at http://pro.jvc.com or call (800) 582-5825.

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