News

Hitachi Introduces a New Affordable HDTV Production Camera (5/4/2005)

At NAB 2005, Hitachi Denshi America, Ltd.'s Broadcast & Professional Division will introduce the SK-3010P, a new high-performance economical member of its SK-3000 series of Digital Processing HDTV cameras. The new Hitachi SK-3010P is intended for HDTV and SDTV field and studio production applications requiring multi-format (SD + HD) capabilities at an affordable price-point. A new studio configuration adapter design model SA-3100 makes the SK-3010P camera system the lowest cost HDTV camera offered in the company's lineup.

The SK-3010P is available with natively scanned HDTV 1080i or 720p, Inter-line Transfer, 2/3-inch CCDs. Included in the standard configuration are the SDTV (480i) digital and analog signal outputs. In this new camera system, Hitachi offers a half-rack, 2RU base station model CU-3100 that is well suited for Òpurely SDI video signalÓ facilities. Optionally offered is a full-size CCU model CU- 3300 that includes additional analog and digital IOs leading to additional connection and operational flexibility.

The design of the SK-3010P camera body lends itself to prolonged 'on-shoulder' use due to its lightweight body. In tripod or pedestal-mounted production applications, the low center of gravity offered by the new SA-3100 studio adapter is ideal. A new 6-inch high-resolution color LCD viewfinder model VFL6HD is offered with the EFP configuration which modernizes the complete camera system. Flawless picture quality is guaranteed by the use of Fiber-Optic cable between the camera head and CCU. Standardized SMPTE311M cables and connectors are used throughout thereby providing multiple sources of acquisition and wide compatibility. Additionally, the HD-SDI signal is available directly from the camera head so no CCU is required when configured in difficult shot productions such as cranes or sporting events.

"Hitachi has brought this third-generation HDTV production camera to market with the goal of helping those production companies and broadcasters on the 'DTV Fence' make a technically sound and economically wise decision about the purchase of their DTV transition cameras. The SK-3010P will have wide appeal for users coming to terms with the inevitable need to broadcast SD and HD format DTV signals" stated Emilio Aleman, Product Manager, Broadcast and Professional Products.

The SK-3010P is part of the company's SK-3000 series of HDTV cameras thereby sharing all existing control panels and accessories. Four different control panels are available as well as a CF memory card allowing quick offline storage and transfer from camera to camera of all setup parameters. For multiformat DTV stations, the SK-3010P camera system has separate SD and HD adjustment parameters that allow for quick operational readiness throughout the broadcast day when switching from multi-SD to HD DTV transmission.

Internally, the SK-3010P uses Hitachi's top-of-the-line 38-bit per pixel per channel Digital Signal Processing VLSIC. HD component digital transmission is 10-bit quality at 1.5Gbps. Full audio, intercom and prompter facilities are available. Other performance specifications include >1000-line resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio (>54db), F11 sensitivity, digital shading compensation, high-chroma detail, flesh-tone masking, fully automatic dual flesh-tone detail correction, linear and vector color correction.

The SK-3010P camera system will be available July 2005. Pricing will be announced at NAB 2005 Hitachi booth C5119 North Hall exhibit area.

www.hitachidenshi.com