NHTV Reporter with JVC GY-HM200 Streaming

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ELECTION 2016: CONNECTICUT COMMUNITY STATIONS
TO STREAM LIVE FIELD REPORTS WITH JVC 4KCAM CAMERAS

WAYNE, NJ (August 17, 2016) – JVC Professional Video, a division of JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation, today announced Branford Community Television and North Haven Community Television, two public access channels in Connecticut, will produce local election coverage with live reports from the field for the first time this November using JVC GY-HM200 4KCAM cameras and BR-DE800 ProHD decoders.

The two private, nonprofit PEG (public, education, government) channels are located about 15 miles apart, and are available for local Comcast cable and Frontier Vantage TV subscribers. Both channels also offer on-demand programming on the web. While the two entities are separate, the equipment at both stations is similar and some personnel resources are shared.

Walter Mann, station manager for BCTV and executive director of NHTV, said the two stations serve as a “hyper-local information service” for their respective communities. “We do more than just fulfill our PEG responsibilities,” he said. “If we don’t go beyond the basics, we’re not increasing our value and importance.”

Beyond coverage of various government meetings, BCTV produces coverage of local events and high school sports, as well as a number of in-studio productions. BCTV has three JVC GY-HM790 cameras in the studio, while NHTV uses JVC GY-HD250s. “It’s a really nice setup for public access,” noted Douglas Sisson, operations coordinator for BCTV.

One specific area of interest is local election coverage. With limited capital budgets, neither station could afford to rent a microwave or satellite truck for live remotes. According to Sisson, during past elections there was a minimum 45-minute delay to deliver comments from local election headquarters, because the footage would have to be physically transported back to the station and transcoded for use on the air.

With the JVC GY-HM200 cameras and BR-DE800 decoders, combined with a tailored data plan, the stations will not be limited to delayed coverage. “It’s going to be a game changer,” Sisson said.

“We have been looking for a while for a cost-effective solution,” Mann added. “JVC came up with what I think is a great alternative, even to the higher cost of bonded cellular solutions. This way, we’ll be able to go live, and we can do it at an affordable level.”

With most funding based on grants, the two stations have staggered their equipment purchases. BCTV already has two GY-HM200 cameras, while NHTV has ordered its own camera. Decoders for both stations are already on order as well, and will be in place in the fall.

Sisson was looking for something more advanced than the station’s aging pool cameras when he selected the GY-HM200s last summer. Specifically, he liked the GY-HM200’s focus and iris control rings on the integrated 12x optical zoom lens, built-in ND filters, intuitive controls, and dual media card slots. “It’s leaps and bounds better than the other cameras we use,” Sisson said. “It’s amazing what you get for the price point.”

One BCTV community producer is using the GY-HM200 to shoot an independent film in 4K. Sisson has shot some 4K as well, but his projects are mastered in HD. He uses the 4K resolution so he can crop the image and create different shots from the same footage.

Sisson has also been impressed with some live YouTube tests. The GY-HM200 features support for Real Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), which allows a direct connection to YouTube, Ustream, and other content distribution networks (CDNs). “I was amazed at how good it looks,” he said.

“We are always looking at ways we can do more with the budget we have. The JVC’s streaming abilities were a big selling point,” Mann said. “Really, just the overall quality of the product for the cost made all the sense in the world.”

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.

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Caption: Connecticut’s Branford Community Television and North Haven Community Television will produce local election coverage this fall with live reports from the field using JVC GY-HM200 4KCAM cameras.