At IBC 2016 Axon Digital Design will showcase AZilPix Studio.One, a brand new virtual camera system for live video capture and streaming.
Developed by a team of academics in Belgium, Studio.One employs cost-effective, ultra-high resolution cameras with wide angle and/or fish eye lenses to capture every aspect of a live event from multiple angles. The system is designed to integrate into a traditional or IP broadcast environment and blend seamlessly with Virtual Reality video production, making it ideal for remote internet or broadcast live productions such as music concerts, sports events, church services and conferences.
As a founding partner in AZilPix, Axon has created an interface for Studio.One that allows the system’s cameras to link to its Cerebrum control and monitoring software. Axon is also assisting with sales and marketing for the broadcast market, where it sees significant possibilities for this exciting new technology.
Jan Eveleens, CEO of Axon, says: “We are aware that there is significant demand for technology that gives programme makers, especially those on tight budgets, the ability to efficiently capture and stream broadcast quality content. Studio.One satisfies this demand by combining camera and IT hardware and software in a highly sophisticated and cost effective way and we are very excited to be involved in this project. We are now working closely with AZilPix to develop control and monitoring interfaces for a variety of different applications.”
Studio.One essentially consists of three tightly integrated components: camera, capture server and processing software. The server ingests the raw, wide-angle video data from the cameras and allows recording and live processing of this data into one or more rectilinear views and a view mosaic. Although framing can be conducted live, a key advantage of this system is that framing can be carried out offline at the viewing or post production stage. Using software-based pan-tilt-zoom ‘virtual camera’ cut-outs, a single operator can capture perfect shots from multiple vantage points – something that would normally require the skills of a small army of cameramen.
“By generating multiple ‘virtual’ cameras from a single physical camera and by using wide angle lenses that ensure no aspect of a live event is ever missed, Studio.One gives programme makers endless creative possibilities when it comes to deciding how they want their programme to look,” says Prof. Dr. Philippe Bekaert, one of the founders and CTO for AZilPix). “The cameras are very small and unobtrusive, which means they can be used in places where you wouldn’t normally put a camera. It’s also possible to automate the system using pre-programmed camera motions or motion tracking, while our server allows cameras to be shuttered precisely and simultaneously and frames to be time stamped with an SMPTE LTC or other timecode.”
“We are very excited to have Axon on-board as a founding partner of AZilPix as this gives us immediately a strong and world-wide reach into the broadcast market” says Jan Looijmans, CEO of AZilPix. “Next to the broadcast market we also have seen strong interests for applications of the Studio.One technology in the medical domain as well as in security and defense, which we will definitely pursue as well.”
At IBC, Axon will showcase a working Studio.One system on its booth (10.A21/B21) so that visitors can zoom in and mix different camera views in real time. Full resolution pre-recorded material will also be available so that the pan and scan features can be used to define new views in post.
For more information about AZilPix Studio.One, please visit Axon at IBC 2016 – booth 10.A21/B21. Or visit the company’s website: http://www.azilpix.com/
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About Axon
Headquartered in The Netherlands, and with offices across the world, Axon develops, manufactures and markets high quality broadcast equipment for the conversion, processing, monitoring & control and compliance recording of audio and video signals. Products integrate advanced signal processing techniques, innovative engineering and modular flexibility and provide high quality, affordability and reliability within mission-critical broadcast applications. For more information, please visit www.axon.tv.
