BirdDog has some very exciting product announcements this week that cover their existing products, adding more features and increasing the value of their existing customers investments as well as some brand new products that shift up a level what can be done with Video over IP.

NDI^® was the catalyst for the start of BirdDog and remains center to the companies product design and functionality.

4K NDI^® taken to the next level.

At NAB 2019 BirdDog will be featuring their brand new 4K family. Factory fresh these 3 products are set to take the live video production industry by storm. All three versions feature full NDI^® encoding at rates up to and including 4K60p, feature BirdDog’s trademark and unique large and useable Tally indicator, Power over Ethernet, Comms integration and Central routing abilities.

BirdDog 4K – HDMI $895
HDMI 2.0 input – up to 4K60p
HDMI 2.0 active loop out – including Tally border overlays
12G-SDI active loop out – live cross conversion and Tally border overlays
Full NDI^® Encode and Decode
10Gb SFP+ cage – ability to extend NDI over Fibre optic cables for increased cable length
OLED display – Immediately see all settings and status on the clear display
All-Aluminium construction – beautifully designed and tough design.

BirdDog 4K – 12G-SDI $995
12G-SDI – up to 4K60p
12G-SDI active loop out – including Tally border overlays
HDMI 2.0 active loop out – live cross conversion and Tally border overlays
Full NDI^® Encode and Decode
10Gb SFP+ cage – ability to extend NDI over Fibre optic cables for increased cable length
OLED display – Immediately see all settings and status on the clear display
All-Aluminium construction – beautifully designed and tough design.

BirdDog 4K – 12G-QUAD $1995
4x 12G-SDI bi-directional independent ports – up to 4K60
HDMI 2.0 active loop out with multi-viewer
Full NDI^® Encode and Decode
10Gb SFP+ cage – ability to extend NDI over Fibre optic cables for increased cable length
OLED display – Immediately see all settings and status on the clear display
All-Aluminium construction – beautifully designed and tough design.

The 4K product family is the product of thousands of hours of research and development of BirdDog’s custom silicon solutions and is the most advanced in terms of engineering product range in the companies history. BirdDog is looking forward to shipping these units in Q3 and demonstrating them in some upcoming roadshows near you much sooner than that.

BirdDog Eyes series cameras – on display and in manufacturing.

BirdDog launched the Eyes series of full NDI^® cameras at IBC in Amsterdam to a huge amount of excitement – the BirdDog Eyes series is the first full NDI^®enabled camera range which means the lowest possible latency and the benefit of high-bitrate NDI^® quality. They have been preparing for shipping of these cameras for some time and are very excited to announce that the products are now beginning manufacturing.

Featured on BirdDog’s booth at NAB- the BirdDog Eyes P200 demonstrating end-to end NDI utilising BirdDog’s record breaking speed of full NDI encode and decode, this shows not only the speed and quality of the Eyes series Sony sensors but also the amazing flexibility of NDI^® with Power, Video, Audio, Comms and Tally all connected down one single cable.

The BirdDog Eyes series cameras are not only the world’s first full NDI^®cameras but the image quality of our hand-picked Sony backlit imaging modules sets them apart from the pack.

Software assisted workflows.

At NAB this year BirdDog is showcasing their very latest versions of BirdDog Comms Lite and BirdDog Central Lite software. Both of these applications are free of charge and work with any BirdDog hardware. In addition to making the best hardware it is important to unlock the full potential of a production with complimentary software tools.

Central Lite is a video routing and control application that allows you to see any full NDI^® source on your network, preview the source and immediately switch a BirdDog decoder to that source with a beautiful touch-friendly interface. Central automatically finds all sources and destinations on the network and is simply the easiest routing platform available for video distribution.

Comms Lite allows your crew to communicate easily and effectively. All BirdDog devices are equipped with a headset connector, by installing Comms Lite on a computer on the same network you are able to connect up to 4 camera positions and a Director into a communications group where everyone can remain in contact and on the same page. Utilizing the same easy to use, touch friendly paradigm as Central, Comms is intuitive to use and automatically discovers all devices on the network.

These free tools avoid thousands of dollars of additional equipment needing to be purchased for smaller productions and make BirdDog NDI^® devices the only choice for a truly collaborative production.

NDI^® Decode and Dual-channel encoding.

Existing BirdDog customers who have purchased either a Studio NDI or a Mini have some great new features available in the latest firmware.
 
In another first, BirdDog has enabled NDI^® Decode on all hardware products, further adding to the feature set of Studio NDI and Mini. Simply update to the latest firmware available now from bird-dog.tv and your BirdDog NDI^® encoder is transformed into an NDI^® encoder AND decoder. Built on the custom BirdDog platform this allows for the lowest latency and highest possible decoding of an NDI^® signal. Couple BirdDog NDI^® decode with BirdDog Central and you have the easiest to deploy, highest quality, lowest latency video distribution platform available today.
 
For larger AV based installations BirdDog also released remote control abilities to the NDI^® decode functions to allow for integration with 3^rd parts control systems or web sites, simply send a command to the BirdDog over the network and it will instantly switch sources.
 
Studio NDI has an additional update which makes it the lowest cost full NDI^®encoder per channel. Dual-encode capabilities have just been launched which allows both the SDI and HDMI inputs to be active simultaneously. This free update allows asynchronous sources (each input is completely independent and can accept different resolutions and frame rates) and real-time cross conversion lending itself extremely well to esports, corporate and fixed AV installations.

The future of NDI^®.

BirdDog is extremely excited about NDI^®, with this week’s announcement of NDI 4.0 and NewTek’s acquisition by VizRT, we feel the future has never been brighter. Having more robust underlying networking functions combined with a larger, software-defined focussed company means NDI^® is solidified as the industry format for interchange of audio and video for many years to come.

BirdDog is out to prove that video production can be easier with IP, hardware can be better, and your investments can be extended by consistently updating and adding features.

NAB 2019, Las Vegas, NV – Broadfield Distributing, Inc., a proud distributor of RED Cameras, is pleased to announce the addition of Core SWX(“Core”) batteries, chargers and bundles to better service North American RED camera dealers.

Broadfield and Core have developed select RED battery bundles with HC9 Mini RED battery packs and charger options, at a price that makes it the perfect attachment for every RED Digital Camera purchase. These bundles will be made available to all RED dealers immediately and shipped direct from Broadfield’s newly expanded Long Island, NY warehouse.

Gary Bettan, President of Broadfield Distributing said “We are always happy to expand our product lines, but I am always most proud when we can bring our dealers the products and solutions that THEY ask us to carry. Since we started distributing RED last October Core SWX has been at the top of the list and the new bundles are a natural upsell.”

Since the release of DSMC2, Core has been the preferred battery option for powering RED cameras. The HC9 mini battery packs were designed to fit the RED DSCM2 camera’s compact profile perfectly, and offers a 98wh capacity which can sustain draws of up to 12A. The battery packs have been used on productions with RED cameras spanning from wildlife expeditions to prominent sporting events.

“We’re excited to add Broadfield as a partner in our efforts to continue to support the RED market,” says Ross Kanarek, CEO, Core SWX. “The bundles provided give RED dealers as well as RED users, the ideal option for powering their camera systems.”

The complete Core SWX catalog will be available from Broadfield Distributing, Inc. and the special RED bundles will be stocked immediately.

Call a Broadfield sales representative at 800-634-5178 or e-mail broadfield@broadfield.com for pricing and information.

Broadfield Distributing Inc. has been the leading distributor of video editing and production equipment since 1980. We have grown with the changes in the industry and now we are pleased to offer hardware and software systems from more than 40 manufacturers and thousands of products in-stock, ready to ship. In the past 30 years we have been proud to call thousands of dealers our loyal customers, and friends, and we look forward to the next 30 years of success! Learn more about the advantages of buying from Broadfield at www.broadfield.com

Core SWX is the market leader in batteries and charging solutions for the digital cinema and the professional video industries, along with emerging markets such as drones and virtual reality. Our flagship products, including the Hypercore line of batteries, remain at the forefront, providing the power to create in a variety of applications. Compatible with leading professional and consumer manufacturers, such as Sony, Panasonic, Canon, RED®, Blackmagic Design and more, Core SWX stays ahead of the curve in a technology-driven era that is constantly evolving. For more information, visit www.CoreSWX.com.

The new version of NewBlue’s on-air graphics solution, Titler Live 4, offers live streamers and broadcast professionals a solution at a fraction of the cost of competing systems.

Available in multiple versions that meet the needs of everyone from major networks to YouTubers, Titler Live 4 offers users a series of enhancements as well as numerous powerful new features.

Released today, Titler Live 4 represents the latest generation of NewBlue’s Titler Live product suite, which has a rapidly growing international customer base of live streamers and broadcast professionals. Titler Live 4, offers, according to New Blue, professional broadcast quality graphics and streamlined live production workflows at a fraction of the cost of competing systems. This version also offers many user experience enhancements as well as numerous powerful new features….read more

(Los Angeles, CA–June 30, 2018) Roland Professional A/V has released the new version 1.2 firmware and software updates for the Roland XS-62S HD Video Switcher, an integrated six-channel video switcher and audio mixer with PTZ camera control capabilities in a space-saving design. The new update introduces support for Roland’s RCS Remote Control Software and adds display indication of edit status in Preset Memory Mode and Panel Information commands to the already available RS-232 control for use with connected touch panel or other programmable interface devices.

The RCS software, available now as a free download for both Mac and PC, provides remote control of the XS-62S over a connected LAN. In addition to the comprehensive virtual control provided by RCS, Roland’s Smart Tally function provides wireless tally capability to any smart device on the LAN via an IP browser setup screen, thus eliminating the need for wired tally cables typical to live production setups.

PTZ camera control using the VISCA protocol allows compatible cameras to be remotely controlled by the XS-62S Remote Control Software. PTZ camera control functions include Pan, Zoom, Tilt, Focus, and Brightness. Up to seven PTZ cameras can be controlled from the software, and each camera on the network can store and recall eight memory settings and position. This version 1.20 also adds a (FAST/SLOW) speed setting control of the zoom function.

The Roland XS-62S HD Video Switcher, which began shipping in February, is optimized for installed or portable live event, recording, broadcast and streaming productions. The XS-62S delivers a powerful feature set in a compact 1RU form factor and can be operated by a single user from easy-to-use front panel controls, or remotely from a Mac or PC or programmable interface.

The Roland XS-62S supports seamless six-channel switching between four SDI inputs, featuring de-interlacer along with scaled HDMI and RGB inputs from computer, tablet and other video sources, plus two still images stored in internal memory. Two SDI and two HDMI outputs may be assigned to program (PGM), preview (PVW) or auxiliary (AUX) buses.

The multiview output displays all six video input sources, two still images and PGM and PVW outputs with audio meters. Three video switching modes are available, enabling the XS-62S to handle a wide range of applications, including presentations, performances and special events, corporate AV conferences and distance learning.

In PGM/PST Mode, the XS-62S operates as a traditional video switcher, enabling the grouping of multiple images on a single screen, with independent assignment to the AUX bus supporting confidence, downstage monitor or additional presentation screens.

Downstream keyer (DSK), which supports both luminance (black/white) and chroma (blue/green) keying, plus PinP (picture-in-picture) functionality, enables compositing of titles, graphics and inset video.

PinP may be selected in circle, heart or diamond shapes in addition to the typical square or rectangle.

Dissolve Mode offers video switching and composition with cross-dissolve to the PGM bus and is suitable for a system where the user directly operates the main unit in a meeting space or event.

The separate AUX bus is also available in Dissolve Mode.

In Matrix Mode, the XS-62S allows individual video input signals to be assigned to three different destinations on three buses with fade-to-black seamless switching. This mode is effective for routing signals in applications using multiple screens while simultaneously mixing program audio and controlling PTZ remote cameras.

The XS-62S features an 18-channel audio mixer with four TRS jacks and an RCA stereo pair, plus audio de-embed from the six video inputs.

Roland’s innovative discreet eight-channel analog audio embedding enables the operator to select which audio source to embed separately to SDI outputs 1 and 2, for example, to fix audio issues or separate multi-language audio sources when editing after an event.

In addition to the high-quality preamps, powerful on-board audio processing includes a high-pass filter, gate, compressor, three-band EQ and delay, plus the ability to select audio-follows-video channels. Processing may be controlled from the front panel screen menus or using Roland’s powerful Remote Control Software (RCS) for PC or Mac. Integrated auto-mixing automatically adjusts the audio inputs based on weighting, ensuring even levels for the room mix, recording and web streaming even from hard-to-manage sources as multi-microphone discussion panels.

The XS-62S is designed for direct control and intuitive operation by a single user in any AV application, with a dedicated menu screen and audio volume knobs easily accessible on the front panel. Programmable PTZ camera control eliminates the need for individual camera operators through one-touch recall of preset camera positions and angles and, combined with the audio auto-mixer, allows the operator to focus on switching video.

Professional broadcast-quality crosspoint buttons are back-lit with brightness control for use in bright daylight or dark performance spaces. Along with its RS-422 port providing PTZ control (VISCA), and the RS-232 connector for remote control from external hardware devices, the XS-62S features a USB port for still image uploads and for saving program files.

To download the V1.2 updates, please visit http://proav.roland.com/global/support/by_product/xs-62s/updates_drivers/. To learn more about the Roland XS-62S, please visit https://proav.roland.com/global/products/xs-62s/.

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About Roland Professional A/V
Roland’s professional A/V division is dedicated to providing solutions in support of audio and video professionals demanding excellence in both performance and functionality. Through the development and support of video and audio products, we endeavor to improve workflow and maximize creative possibilities in a variety of markets including Broadcast, Corporate, Education, Legal, Live Production, Sports, Theater, Theme Park, Videography, Visual Performance, and Worship. Roland is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. For more information: http://proav.roland.com.

From NewTek

Capture 4K UHD video directly from the source and translate to NDI for use with any compatible system, device, or software on your network with the NewTek Connect Spark Pro video converter…read more

4K UHD to NDI^®

Multicast Mode

Have your 4K UHD source available wherever you need it on your network. With the optional multicast mode enabled, the same NDI^® output from your Connect SparkPro can be served to multiple destinations simultaneously, saving valuable bandwidth.

Sleek Design

Camera-mountable, with built-in tally lights and support for Power over Ethernet (POE), Connect Spark Pro integrates effortlessly into any professional production setup or studio environment.