The Producer Report: OB/Live events
Cost effective
Outside Broadcasts
Sony’s newly launched and attractively priced high definition
systems cameras, the HSC-300 and the HXC-100, have quickly
found a home in a wide variety of sports and live events outside
broadcasts. David Wood finds out what all the fuss is about
N
obody knows better than the UK’s top Both models – the HSC-300 and the HXC-100
resellers that times are tough in the UK’s – are capable of long triax cable runs and feature
outside broadcast industry. With TV a 2/3-inch 2.2 million pixel CCD.
production seemingly locked into a never ending The first company to try out the HXC-100s this
period of belt tightening commissioning editors summer has been concert tour specialist XL Video,
are looking for better deals everywhere – including which has taken delivery of 15 units through Sony
their summer OB hire contracts. specialist reseller Gearhouse Broadcast.
Coping with a cash-strapped market has seen a “They were the first HD cameras that met our
tangible change of behaviour on the part of OB budgetary constraints. We have been looking to
firms. As Sony specialist dealer CVP-Mitcorp chief make the SD to HD move for a couple of years
executive Phil Baxter declares: “Nobody’s and have looked at a couple of solutions a year ago
spending anything unless they have to and decision with HD camcorders combined with 3rd party
making over new cameras is being deferred to the back-ends to link to fibre or triax,” says Lee
absolute last minute.” Spencer, md, XL Video.
Against this tougher backdrop, Sony has added “The challenge is to get quality pictures robustly
a number of timely upgrades and additions to its with kit which could survive the rigours of concert
high definition studio and OB camera range to tours,” he adds. “The 3rd party systems weren’t up
increase its appeal. to it and we were having to look at more expensive
high end OB cameras. So the new Sony HXC-100s
MORE AFFORDABLE OPTIONS came along just at the right time.”
Notably there are two new mid-range HD cameras Furthermore, says XL Video chief engineer
designed to offer high-quality SD and HD images to Richard Burford, “It’s allowed us to take that next
those for whom the HDC-1500 – the most established step, which is moving our entire inventory from SD
HD OB camera – is too much of a stretch. to SD/HD. It’s important to continue to bridge the
30 theproducer Autumn 2009
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