Wayne Norman, Video Engineer
888-44-WAYNE
888-449-2963

Video Engineer
Video Controller (Shader)
Technical Director
Video Painting Engineer

Digital Image Technician
Engineer in Charge
Technical Manager
Technical Supervisor

Wayneweb@videoengineer.net
Sit-Coms
Talk Shows
Webcasting
eSports
Concerts
Sports
Reality Shows
Dramas
Corporate
Commercials
Music Videos
New Media

Triax, Fiber, and Copper Camera
Set Up and Operation Specialist

Experienced with all brands of Digital Cinema Cameras,
including Alexa, Red, Sony, Canon, and Phantom

4K HDTV, HD-SDI HDTV

Field, Studio, Flight Packs, Mobile Units

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4K Multi-Camera Shoots

For most multi-camera productions shooting in a pure 4K environment is expensive and not worth the added cost.  Many shows use 4K media recording at the cameras, but monitor the cameras using convectional HD-SDI.  This allows the Director and Producers to see high quality HDTV images from each camera, plus an HD-SDI  line cut can be made using certain models of switcher that create an EDL (Edit Decision List) which can be imported into NLE (Non-Linear Editing) System. 

Since most shows edit using proxies, shooting in an HD-SDI environment is a natural alternative.  It gives the director a clear view of what the cameras are shooting, but reduces signal distribution costs dramatically and allows the use of conventional Video Cable instead of the more complex 4K alternatives.

The HD-SDI signal is of high enough quality that it can be used by the Video Controller to color and shade the cameras, greatly reducing your post-production color correction costs

This makes a 4K multi-camera shoot affordable without sacrificing quality.  I have a complete package spec sheet for shoots like this and can offer you cost-effective 4 K multi-camera production for a little more than a typical HD-SDI show.

4K Technology

Technology is always advancing and now HD-SDI HDTV is quickly being overtaken by 4K HDTV.  This technology is not a passing fad, but is the future of broadcast and internet media distribution.

The technology requires enhanced media capture and far greater bandwidth than typical copper cable can handle.  Fiber Optics is going to become the standard connection method, and with Fiber comes a huge increase in the need for technical proficiency.  Unlike Copper, Fiber Optic Signals cannot be easily or cost-effectively split into multiple paths.

When regular coax cable is used, you have to use 4 High Quality 75 Ohm BNC Cables to deliver just one 4K stream, whereas a single Fiber Optic Cable can deliver the media without compression. The signal can also be sent on incredibly long lengths of cable without any distortion or loss of signal.

But whenever Fiber Optics is included in the mix of signal connections, the complexity of set up and distribution is greatly increased.  All Fiber Cables must be very clean, and the connections must match precisely for ideal signal pass-through.  This complexity can add to the set up time because each fiber connection may have to be cleaned and checked for quality of signal.  With Fiber you either have a connection or you don't.  If there is any dirt on the connection the signal will not be able to pass and the connection must be thoroughly cleaned and evaluated.

One great advantage of fiber is that it can be multiplexed, so more than one camera feed can go down a single fiber.  This is especially useful in environments such as a theater or arena where the signals have to be sent to a remote control point.  These same multiplexers can also deliver data for camera control and add audio and intercom communications.

The only thing slowing down the conversion to 4K is the enormous infrastructure investments required by the media distribution companies.  The Cable and Broadcast Networks have not fully amortized their HD-SDI upgrades and now they are being forced into a new media hierarchy that is capital intensive. 

As a producer you should always be looking to the future and the immediate future is 4K HDTV.  But further down the road there is even higher definition, but it's influence on the market has not yet been felt as much of the technology is not ready for full scale manufacture.

 

   
Copyrighht 2015 Wayne Norman