Cameras: News and Updates

P2 Handheld Camcorder, Portable AVCCAM Recorders, DLP Projectors Round Out New Pro Video Equipment Investment

(Secaucus, NJ) Beginning this season, college football’s all-time winningest team, the

University of Michigan Wolverines, is shooting with Panasonic AG-HPX370 P2 HD camcorders to capture game action and practices for coaching analysis.

In addition to four AG-HPX370s, the Big 10 team has also invested in five AG-HMR10 handheld AVCCAM HD recorder/players, an AG-HPX170 P2 HD handheld camcorder for roaming coverage, and PT-DZ570 series DLP, native WUXGA resolution projectors to display footage in meeting rooms for coaches and players.

“Approaching our transition to high-definition, solid-state capture, it was clear to us that P2 was the technology standard bearer, delivering fantastic image quality at a dramatically lower cost than competitive offerings,” said Phil Bromley, Senior Media Designer for Michigan football.

“The editing process is simple,” he added. “We use a XOS Digital software package (Thunder Football HD), which meshes incredibly well with Panasonic hardware, a big sell on the football customer side.”

Bromley explained that he teams each HPX370 P2 HD with an HMR10, taking advantage of the AVCCAM recorder’s ability to take an HD-SDI feed. The Panasonic P2 HD camcorder with AVCCAM recorder configuration provides the lower data rates of AVCCAM recording and the redundant, higher quality recordings of P2 HD.

“We’ve mounted the HMR10 behind the P2 camcorders,” he said. “We shoot with three camcorders at a game (two on end zone platforms, one on the sidelines) and four at practices. The footage is recorded through the HPX370s’ HD-SDI out directly to the HMR10, and the software developed by XOS Digital is allowing us to serve the AVCHD video to many clients at a very low bit rate.

“The P2 recordings are used for post production and back-up. We want the high-end P2 quality to produce highlight tapes and any premium content. The back-up capability is terrific as well, and has saved critical shots for us when operators might forget to close the door on an HMR10.”

Bromley noted that he has outfitted the HPX370 with Fujinon BERM 18X HD lenses. “The extended lens helps to get that zoomed-in, far shot,” he said.

The Michigan Wolverines football has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history. Since the inception of the AP Poll in 1936, Michigan has finished in the top 10 a record 37 times. The Wolverines claim 11 national championships, most recently that of the 1997 squad voted atop the final AP Poll. Michigan has won or shared 42 league titles, more than any other football program in any conference.

Resources:

http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/mich-m-footbl-body.html

http://www.panasonic.com/broadcast