SCIENCE OF AUTOMATION Basic surveillance-style cameras have fixed lenses and fixed camera heads. True pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras can often pan by as much as 340° horizontally and tilt by as much as 120° vertically. This allows a single camera and remote operator to cover a huge area of the local environment. PTZ cameras can be permanently mounted at venues using wall mounts or used for portable applications by mounting on tripods. Auto-tracking, basing on video analysis technology, is an advanced function of PTZ cameras that enables a single one to cover a large area and automatically detect, follow and record video of moving objects such as humans or vehicles. It makes PTZ cameras versatile so they can be used in many different situations. The aspects to consider when choosing an auto-tracking PTZ camera include application, size of
the space the camera needs to cover, including how much zoom is required, camera control, and powering camera and video signal transmission. How much pre-programming do you need for your application, and how dynamic do you need your robotic camera to be? Auto-tracking PTZ cameras create a dynamic live stream without the added cost and complexity of video crews and equipment. They can be used with SDI video production switchers, HDMI extension systems, NDI or IP video workflows and USB, and controlled using an IR remote (for short distances), joystick controller and software. These devices are now possible to control with software such as OBS, vMix, Wirecast, Tricaster, Mimo Live and Livestream Studio to name a few. Typically, a robotic camera installation will comprise a number of remote PTZ cameras, remote controllers for easy PTZ control of multiple remote cameras, option boards to connect cameras to remote control panels, and video edge analysis. They also feature AI-led video analytics technology, chromakey-less CG overlay for supporting graphics, and PTZ auto-tracking and focus area cropping. A single Ethernet cable can now be used for low-latency IP video, camera control, and to power a PTZ camera using a PoE (Power over Ethernet) WE NEEDED CAMERAS THAT COULD WORK NO MATTER THE CONDITIONS, RAIN OR NO
network switch. PoE is an access layer technology that combines data signals and electrical power into a single Ethernet cable connection to enable remote-powered devices. LIVE ACTION WITH BOTS Two years ago, Big Voice Media Group was contracted by Swimming Australia to provide the host production for the 2021 Australian Swimming Championships and Australian Age Swimming Championships streamed live to Amazon Prime Video. Held at Gold Coast Aquatic Centre in Queensland, the entire event was held outside – forcing Big Voice Media Group to confront challenging weather conditions throughout. “Swimming is one of those interesting sports where rain doesn’t come into it – the athletes are going to get wet regardless,” says Big Voice Media Group co-founder Kristian Shepherd. “As a production, we needed to have cameras that could work no matter the conditions – rain or no rain.” The event ran for 13 days – both day and night sessions – and there was constant rain across the opening three days of the Australian Age event. It would only have been suspended if there was severe lighting or dangerous weather in the vicinity of the pool. With that in mind, Shepherd and company enlisted Birddog A200 weatherproof PTZ and P200 PTZ cameras, which allowed the production to go on without any stoppages. “With the image quality plus the rain wiper, anti- fog, and water resistance, the A200s ticked all the boxes we were looking for when approaching this type of outdoor production,” says Shepherd. “This was our first interaction with Amazon Prime Video. So there was an expectation that the product that was delivered would reach a certain level of quality – across sound, graphics and picture.
POOL YOUR RESOURCES Birddog PTZ cameras brought the Australian Swimming Champs to life
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