Articles tagged #ONE
Articles tagged
#ONE

Why you should upgrade to the Sennheiser EW 512P G4-S

People are always looking for ways to make their lives easier. This includes finding the best wireless mic system for their needs. If you're looking for big step up, you should check out the Sennheiser EW 512P G4-S 520-558 MHz Portable Lavalier Wireless. This is a high-end mic system that offers increased frequency range and distance, as well as increased sound quality for your voice. The EW 512P is the latest in the evolution wireless series and is the high end of the G4 line.

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Using your smartphone to create video and streaming content

In this odd time when we are all looking to work differently, people are looking to use their smartphones to create video and streaming content. It may be that you don't have access to your normal equipment or that everybody else has beaten you to the 'hot product' and you are having to think laterally. .

It is worth noting that the cameras on modern smartphones are quite good if you make sure there is enough light and you are within the correct focal length of the lens. It would be no good trying to film a football match with a phone but an interview or talking head will work well. I don't imagine you will be wanting to film a football match at the moment anyway.
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Where smartphones do fail is on audio, there are several manufactures catering for smartphone audio and arguably the best is our own, homegrown, Rode. They offer options for Apple devices (Lightning connector) or Android (3.5mm jack TRRS). There are Lapel microphones like the Smartlav+ or Wireless Go which can be attached to an individual person or Directional microphones which can stay attached to the phone and work well over 2 or 3 meters. The Rode SC6 and SC6L allow you to connect two TRRS mics like the Smartlav+ simultaneously.
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[caption id="attachment_4789" align="alignnone" width="380"] Rode SmartLav+[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4790" align="alignnone" width="380"] Rode Wireless Go[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4791" align="alignnone" width="380"] Rode SC6-L[/caption]
Another main consideration is mounting your camera/phone effectively so the picture is stable and your arm doesn't fall off halfway through the interview. Manfrotto makes a simple inexpensive clamp for your phone which allows it to be connected to a tripod or mount either in portrait or landscape or should I say Insta and everything else! It's called the PixiClamp. They also make a small desk-mounted tripod called the Pixi Mini Tabletop tripod. The nice thing about the clamp is that it has standard 1/4" threads allowing you to connect it to most tripods and lighting stands.
[caption id="attachment_4795" align="alignnone" width="380"] Manfrotto Pixi Clamp[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4794" align="alignnone" width="380"] Manfrotto Pixi Tabletop Tripod[/caption]
 
[caption id="attachment_4803" align="alignnone" width="507"] Or available for purchase as a combo![/caption]
Lighting is the last hurdle. If the available light isn't giving you the production values you are used to seeing. The good news is that there are lots of powerful, battery-operated colour correctable lights available at very reasonable prices. You can consider the small Aputure Amaran AL-MX rechargeable light or a twin kit with stands like the Ledgo Luxpad E268C which offers unbeatable value.
[caption id="attachment_4797" align="alignnone" width="380"] Aputure Amaran AL-MX LED Light[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4798" align="alignnone" width="380"] LEDGO Luxpad E268C Lighting Kit[/caption]
.. For a full range of products suited to use with your smartphone click here
Anyway enjoy setting up your home studios and we can't wait to see what you create!
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Blog Post by Simon Anderson

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Product Review: RODE Wireless Go

News & DocumentaryYes, this will work.

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Videocraft builds first Esports Production Studio in Australia for Gfinity

The global esports market is booming with revenue predicted to reach US$1.65 billion in 2020. One of the industry’s drivers in this country is Gfinity Esports Australia with their new Elite Series competition which is delivering gamers and fans a clear and structured competitive framework within Australian esports. A key requirement for the Elite Series competition was the creation of Australia’s first, dedicated Gfinity esports production studio which has been designed and built by Videocraft. The Elite Series presented by Alienware sees 6 city-based clubs competing weekly in front of a live audience at Gfinity’s state of the art esports arena within the Hoyts Cinema Complex at Sydney’s Entertainment Quarter and it is here that Videocraft built the new production studio.Clubs compete across iconic game titles: Counter Strike Global Offensive, Street Fighter V and Rocket League, for a share in the some of the largest prize pools in Australian Esports history and each event is broadcast live on Twitch. COO of Gfinity Australia Sam Harris said, “Gfinity are setting the new benchmark for quality in esports in Australia. As such, we looked for experienced partners to help bring our vision to life. Videocraft played a pivotal role in the development of the high quality production capabilities for our first esports arena at the Hoyts Entertainment Quarter.” Videocraft’s Nick MacLean added, “Gfinity have produced esports events very successfully in the UK for years and set a very high standard for their productions. It was clear that all of our 45 years of broadcast experience would come into play for this project as the knowledge required to build the studio transfers perfectly into esports.”As well as creating and building a studio to create content for Twitch, Videocraft also had to send content, ready for playout, to TEN’s digital channel, One. MacLean continued, “For this studio we had to produce all the content to a much higher standard than for regular SD television which is usually 1080 50i. However, as the primary delivery and viewing platforms are online and in order to keep up with refresh rates, all of the content from the studio is 1080 60p.”

Videocraft designed and built the new Gfinity esports production studio with one of their highly-acclaimed and well-proven FlyAway kits at the core. The kit also integrates Sony HDC-2400 cameras, HDC-P1 cameras, EVS XT3 video servers, a Sony vision mixer and full Yamaha audio. MacLean added, “We deliver all of the competition match content in 1080 60p live to Twitch who in turn put it out live to their viewers. For One we had to work with Channel TEN to come up with a solution that looked equally as high quality. This meant a workflow which involved sending One the content in 1080 60i - which is the same as a live feed from the USA - and then cross converting that to 1080 50i. From there it all went out via the Telstra DVN and the whole process was flawless.” The mix of broadcast expertise and workflows combined with the new generation of esports’ requirements is an interesting one as the production crew and equipment are all from a traditional TV environment which in turn makes the esports online production values particularly high. Maclean said, “We used all of our broadcast experience and expertise to give Gfinity, Twitch and One the very best quality content possible. We also broke new ground by using the clever new Bird Dog NDI converters for supplying vision feeds to monitors throughout the new facility. This meant we could control the units, get them to accept any material we wanted in 1080 60p and put this up on the screen whenever we wanted to. The Bird Dog converters enabled us to maximise the network infrastructure we built for the new facility and made life particularly easy for operators choosing content from a single screen. There were also complexities involving the project to the cinema location that we needed to overcome. The studio floor was built in the cinema and our CAR and control room built in one of the projection bio boxes on the other side of the complex. We had an extensive fibre install completed to enable us to send signals to various parts of the cinema complex. Utilising Mediornet and a 10gig Ethernet backbone made this very simple.” In a nutshell esports is already having a huge impact in Australia and now with dedicated arenas and high end production facilities, that impact stands only to grow further. Nick MacLean concluded, “This project was all about quality and experience. We had to use all of our experience and work closely with Twitch, TEN and One to make sure everyone got the pictures the way they required them, in a seamless fashion and looking amazing. In the world of esports gamers play at 1080 60p therefore the images we give them to watch also have to be of the same ultra-high standard. This creates the very best in engaging content which in esports, is all that’s acceptable.” Season 1 of the Gfinity Esports Australia Elite Series started on 2 June and runs for 7 weeks of competition, featuring Melbourne Avant, Sydney Chiefs, Brisbane Deceptors, Perth Ground Zero, Melbourne Order and Sydney Roar. Each of the Clubs 3 teams compete on Saturdays, CSGO 3-8pm and Sundays, Rocket League 10-1pm and Street Fighter V 4pm-7pm in an action packed 5 week regular season and 2 week Finals.

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Videocraft builds State Of The Art TV Studios and Production Facilities For RMIT

Recently RMIT University undertook a significant renovation of its Melbourne city faculty specifically to open their campus up by redoing its Swanston Street facade and substantially renovating seven floors across four buildings. This huge undertaking was known as the New Academic Street, or NAS, Project. The existing buildings were where RMIT had its TV studios, originally built in the 1960s, much used and loved but long overdue for an overhaul. The NAS project provided an opportunity for RMIT to replace the old TV Studios with world class, cutting edge facilities to support both current and future trends in media production as well as RMITs research requirements in the digital media realm. To help them with the design and build of the complete project they turned to Videocraft. Before the project could start the university put out a tender for the design, construction and integration of four control rooms (two of which were to be UHD), five studio spaces and a virtual and augmented reality system. The tender also specified some unique components including a fully distributed routing system, UHD record and replay solution and the ability to quickly move any studio to any control room, or multiple control rooms. Technical Services Manager School of Media & Communication College of Design & Social Context at RMIT University David Beesley explained, “We required world class facilities with a futureproof and flexible infrastructure - a big ask - and we required a company who could work with us to enhance our vision of what these facilities would look like and how they could support our specific pedagogical needs. In conjunction with other industry leaders and after extensive research and consultation, RMIT came up with a base design which was subsequently put out to tender. Videocraft's winning point of difference was their ability to add significant value to our vision and turn it into a functioning reality.” Videocraft worked with RMIT end users to finesse the design and ultimately supplied and installed the kit for four TV studios and control rooms, a master control room (MCR), RMIT’s 'Black Box' research studio and multiple fibre-linked OB points throughout the NAS Precinct. [gallery ids="https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5135.jpg.jpeg|Head of ABC News speaking at the RMIT NAS Project opening,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5130.jpg.jpeg|James Taylor in one of the four control rooms designed and installed by Videocraft,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5136.JPG-e1522805026155.jpeg|,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5131.jpg.jpeg|James and Jeanette Taylor at the Opening of the RMIT NAS Project,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5132.jpg.jpeg|Panasonic 4K UHD Studio Cameras,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5129.jpg.jpeg|Checking out the studios on RMIT's Opening night for the NAS Project,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5133.JPG-e1522804985885.jpeg|Panasonic 4K UHD Studio Cameras,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5126.JPG-e1522804965720.jpeg|Installation by Videocraft at RMIT TV Studios,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5125.JPG-e1522804937190.jpeg|Installation by Videocraft at RMIT TV Studios,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5128.JPG-e1522804906693.jpeg|Installation by Videocraft at RMIT TV Studios,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5127.JPG-e1522804881286.jpeg|Installation by Videocraft at RMIT TV Studios"]   Videocraft Head of Engineering and Projects Nick Maclean added, “We also designed a Central Apparatus Room for the 4 control rooms and 5 studios, plus supporting spaces such as green rooms, makeup rooms and production offices. Given that this was not a greenfield site, but a retro fit of an existing building, there were considerable constraints with the spaces, but with clever design we were able to come up with a solution that met the brief.” As part of the scope required a ‘distributed’ router Videocraft decided to install a large Riedel Mediornet system as, based on a 10Gig backbone, the system can handle up to 384x384 3G HD signals. For a distributed audio network they implemented a Dante audio network and ensured that all the audio mixers, stage boxes and tie lines were IP connected over a 10GigE IP network with a Cisco Nexus backbone. Videocraft also installed IP KVM systems, IP talkback using Riedel Smart Panels, and IP wireless comms using the new Riedel Bolero AES67 wireless keypanels. To tie all these systems together they used Lawo Virtual Studio Manager, a control solution that removes all the complicated backend components and presents a unified interface for operators. Beesley continued, Videocraft also installed the first UHD EVS system in Australia, which included IP Director and XFile for file-based ingest and delivery of both HD and UHD studio content. Critically they also supplied and installed kit for our temporary TV studios, constructed for the duration of the major build, to ensure business continuity. It really was a first class job and they met our every requirement.” Other kit supplied and installed by Videocraft included Panasonic 4K UHD camera chains, Sony vision mixers, a Zero Density 'Reality' virtual set and MoSys camera tracking, Ross Expression graphics, Yamaha audio desks and ARRI lighting. Beesley continued, “Videocraft took charge of face to face meetings, design workshops, numerous stakeholder and site meetings, design revision, installation, commissioning and testing. Their approach was professional and flawless.” Now complete the new facilities are used for teaching, including live broadcasts, research and more. As a result RMIT students can now learn on the same tools they will encounter in the field to which Beesley added, “These are the first purpose built UHD studios in Australia. They are at the forefront of technology for anybody, but for a teaching facility they are undoubtedly the number one studios in Australia. They are flexible and their unique infrastructure ensures that they'll be fit for purpose well into the future.” David Beesley, clearly incredibly pleased and incredibly proud of RMIT’s new TV and production facilities felt compelled to highlight the real shining lights of the project concluding, “There are many wow factors with the new facilities with their flexibility, extensive use of fibre, VSM, and 4K UHD capabilities but the real standout is the Zero Density Reality system. Videocraft installed a two-camera system with Star Tracker motion tracking which can render full virtual sets and augmented reality elements in realtime with unbelievable realism. The system uses the Unreal Engine for 3D design and rendering and the results are simply stunning. It’s the most realistic virtual system we have ever seen. I cannot speak highly enough about what Videocraft did for RMIT during this project. They were amazing to work with, incredibly patient, understood our unique requirements and worked with us to create something that is truly great, and the envy of many.”

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Sennheiser's New HANDMIC Digital - professional sounds for mobile journalism

Sennheiser has announced its new HANDMIC Digital. An ideal choice for mobile journalism and podcasting, the microphone brings broadcast sound quality to iOS devices as well as Macs and PCs. The HANDMIC Digital is extremely rugged, highly resistant to cell phone interference, and offers excellent suppression of handling, wind and ambient noise, which is important when recording on the show floor, at events, in manufacturing spaces or in similarly noisy environments. The dynamic HANDMIC Digital features Apogee’s award-winning A/D converter and pre-amp technologies for direct connection to USB or Lightning ports.

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Using your IPhone for audio production – coming soon is the new Sennheiser FOCUSMIC Digital

At IBC, Sennheiser is previewing the FOCUSMIC Digital, a rugged mini-shotgun microphone for high-quality videography with the iPhone. Designed with a proven Sennheiser capsule and Apogee PureDigital pre-amp and A/D converter, the FOCUSMIC Digital plugs directly into the Lightning port of the iPhone and delivers high-quality, focused audio from the direction of filming. The new mic attaches to the smartphone via a rugged metal grip that can accommodate a variety of iPhone models (from SE and X to 8 plus) and case designs, and also allows the mic to rotate through 270°, including a selfie position and a transport position. The FOCUSMIC Digital will be available from Q2 2018.

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INTRODUCING X-ONE – EVS’ UNIFIED MULTICAM LIVE PRODUCTION SYSTEM

EVS has announced a brand-new product within its family of live production solutions - X-One. This all-in-one toolset, delivers the signature speed and reliability of EVS technology for live productions requiring six cameras or less. The new system is built with EVS’ software-defined technology foundation and puts all of the capabilities of a control room in the hands of a single production operator – all controlled from the solution’s touchscreen.

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