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University of North Texas Upgrades Broadcast Studio While Planning for the Future

The school chose A/V systems and cameras that are cutting edge now, but robust enough to last for years.

September 6, 2014 Chrissy Winske Leave a Comment

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Pictured here is one of the six Hitachi Z-HD5000 studio production cameras North Texas recently purchased. James Martin, senior lecturer and studio video coordinator of the Radio-TV Film department says, “Whatever products we buy will work in the context of an educational environment.” Before making any purchasing decisions regarding equipment he asks, “Will they stand up to the kind of use that 18-and 19-year-olds will subject them to repeatedly and over the course of five to seven years.”

This set is on a show produced by North texas students. It shows the new cameras and the lighting system working together. Martin says, “Choosing equipment is complicated because you have to look at it from several perspectives. First we want to get technology that’s as close to the edge as possible. At the same time, we have to balance that with costs and budgest, and state schools like ours have been challenged in that department lately.”

Hardware and cameras are combined with software systems like the teleprompter software in the background and the three main editing systems the school uses, Apple’s Final Cut Pro, Avid’s Media Composer and Adobe Premier.

The students at North Texas use the studio to produce a number of programs including this talk show. When the new equipment was installed Martin advocated for a third-party integrator. He says, “An independent A/V integrator isn’t aligned with any one particular vendor, and that’s the best way to make sure that everything works together.” Martin says an independent integrator isn’t aligned with any particular vendor or product so there is less likely to be issues with equipment compatibility.

A close-up of one of the six Hitachi Z-HD5000 studio production cameras purchased by North Texas. Martin says the main impetus for the studio upgrade was the need to switch to HD capability.

Installing

Once many of the product decisions had been made, such as six Hitachi Z-HD5000 studio production cameras outfitted with Hitachi CU-HD500 camera control units (CCUs) and RU-1000VR remote control panels, a Ross Vision-M 1.5-M/E multi-format switcher, Compix Synergy 2 dual-channel HD graphics system, Blackmagic Design Videohub router and a 360 Systems HD Maxx server, an installation strategy had to be formulated.

UNT is fortunate that much of the upgrade package, purchased first for one studio and then for the second, was able to installed by combinations of the department’s staff and individual vendors themselves.

However, Martin says that this is a two-sided sword: individual vendors naturally tend to be focused on their own products; that can lead to compatibility, integration and interoperability issues.

Product choices had to include making sure that any technology platform was compatible with the three main software editing systems the school uses — Apple’s Final Cut Pro, Avid’s Media Composer and Adobe’s Premiere — and getting those packages properly loaded and working on all tech platforms. Then, installation has to be timed for breaks between semesters, and that may not allow for completion, which may have to wait for the next break. The most recent upgrades took place between three semesters over 2011 and 2012.

Martin knows this is not ideal, but it’s what’s compelled by the academic environment.

He’s a “fan of third-party integration,” he says, in part because he used to work for one. “An independent A/V integrator isn’t aligned with any one particular vendor, and that’s best way to make sure that everything works together,” he says. Schools, however, may not have the budget for independent installation services and, Martin notes, school administrators often view integrators as sales people. “That’s not the case; I know, I worked on that side. But it’s all about perception.”

Nonetheless, the broadcast department systems upgrades at UNT went well, in part because they were able to take their time and coordinate various vendors to assure compatibility between platforms.

“There’s a lot that goes into planning for technology into the academic environment,” Martin says, ticking off items like cost, obsolescence and making it a good fit with overall student experience at the school and the department. “And when it works well, you get a great outcome.”

Pages: Page 1 Page 2

Tagged With: Cameras, Higher Ed, Learning Center, Studio

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