Ikegami to Highlight Virtual and Remote Production at Inter BEE 2022

Central themes will be new advances developed in response to changing broadcast production styles resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.

Tokyo, Japan, [draft date October 21st, 2022]: Ikegami, a globally active innovator in broadcast media technology, will show the latest additions to its product range at Inter BEE 2022. The exhibition will be held from November 16th through 18th at the Makuhari Messe Convention Center in Chiba City near Tokyo. Opening times are 10:00 - 17:30 (Wednesday, and Thursday) and 10:00 - 17:00 Friday.

Central themes of the Ikegami demonstrations on Booth 6211, Hall 6, will be new advances in virtual and remote production developed in response to changing production styles resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. Ikegami will also exhibit in the IP Pavilion and collaborate with other companies at their respective Inter BEE 2022 booths.

Ikegami R2 Real Remote Production System

Ikegami's R2 Real Remote production system allows highly efficient remote camera operation between the studio and the sub-control room as well as ensuring social distancing and studio crowd avoidance when necessary to guard against infection particularly in close-up sequences. It is designed for use with remote pan/tilt/zoom cameras such as the compact full broadcast quality UHD/HD Ikegami UHL-43. Support is provided by a 6-axis programmable articulated robot arm mounted on a motorised pedestal. This combination allows fast and easy changes in camera height from a minimum of 400 mm to a maximum of 2,350 mm above floor level.

Integral automation enables precise high-speed dynamic camera motion to be achieved with the R2. Individual or simultaneous changes in the angle of view can be captured live and stored as a preset. Camera and support movements can be reproduced directly from stored memory, overcoming traditional limitations in terms of operator skill. Multi-vector motion sequences can be achieved smoothly, quietly and fully remotely under intuitive timeline-based control.

The R2 ensures precise reproducibility of the stored camera distances and angles. Forward, backward, sideways and height parameters can all be rehearsed, stored and adjusted, including bird's-eye views. Motion data can be entered via an intuitive combination of graphic user interface and real-time or recordable joystick control. A viewfinder in the GUI displays the incoming video.

Occupying just 1,100 mm in pedestal width and depth, the R2 is much more compact than a traditional studio crane and can be relocated easily from one studio to another.

Ikegami UHK-X700 and UHK-X750 IP-capable UHD HDR HFR cameras

A recent addition to the Ikegami range of cameras, the UHK-X700 is a robustly built model combining high signal quality with versatile connectivity. Designed for pedestal or tripod mounting or over the shoulder operation, the camera supports HFR capture for slow-motion of events such as sports.

The camera's front end comprises three 2/3-inch CMOS UHD sensors with a global shutter to minimise artifacts when shooting LED screens or scenes illuminated with flash or strobe lighting. Full HDR/SDR support is included plus the ability to choose between BT.2020 and BT.709 chroma spaces. HFR shooting at up to 2x speed in UHD or up to 8x in HD via the base station is possible as an option.

When combined with the Ikegami BSX-100 base station or CCU-X100 camera control unit, the UHK-X700 can output UHD/HD video formats simultaneously. IP interface of video, audio and intercom I/O is available conforming to SMPTE ST.2110 standards as an option at the base station or CCU. UHD video is available as a 12G-SDI feed directly from the camera head, allowing integration into a wireless system. Weighing only 5 kg, the UHK-X700 comes with a B4 lens mount and has an optical sensitivity of F11 when operating at UHD/50p.

Ikegami’s UHK-X750 full studio camera incorporates all the UHK-X700's advanced features except those that apply to portable shoulder operation. The UHK-X750 offers a lower centre-of-gravity and easier staging compared to a portable camera with telephoto lens and supporter. In addition, the Ikegami UHK-X750 full studio camera features a greater design emphasis on ease of service and cool operation.

Japanese market introductions

New Ikegami products intended primarily for the Japanese broadcast market will be introduced at Inter BEE 2022. These include the IMR-200 IP Media Gateway and UHSM-120120 router, plus a new compact control panel and ID display for the established MuPS-5000 Series UHD/HD video production switcher. Also new are the OnePackII Series modular range of UHD/HD video system peripherals plus the DAF-040 audio processor and the PF-911 microwave link. A standalone file-based editing system and remote workflow for use with Avid and Harmonic systems will additionally be demonstrated.

Ikegami (www.ikegami.de) is a leading supplier of high-quality professional broadcast equipment. The Ikegami name is recognised globally for state-of-the-art television cameras, medical cameras and CCTV equipment. World-class CMOS imagery, UHD and 8K technology, multi-format flexibility and unparalleled customer support define the Ikegami experience for users in broadcast, sports venues, mobile production, houses of worship, education, corporate and many more applications.