A new Pan and Tilt camera system from Videosys was deployed for the first time at this year’s Gemini Boat Race.
All four boats (two for the women’s race and two for the men’s) were fitted with the new Pan and Tilt radio camera system, which was designed by the company’s custom engineering division for broadcast hire specialist, Presteigne Broadcast.
The system included full Pan and Tilt control with compressed air lens cleaning and cameras controlled over an IP link, said the company. Feeds from each camera were sent to a Videosys Broadcast STX transmitter enclosed in a custom-designed housing containing a video switcher, which allowed the director to choose between feeds.
EMG UK, BBC Sport’s technical partner for the event, provided technical facilities with live coverage produced by FilmNova.
Matthew Coliandris, senior director at FilmNova, said: “The new on-board cameras provided a real uplift in both picture quality and manoeuvrability. Very often, cameras of this type can look out of place when put up against the rest of the technical specification of the OB, however this was plainly not the case at the Boat Race this year. The shots and technical operation were of a quality befitting of such a prestigious event, all the more commendable when you consider the logistical challenges required to deploy this particular kit.
“Our transmitter sent the feeds from the boat cameras to an Outside Broadcast truck on shore so that they could be incorporated into the overall broadcast,” Tomlin adds. “Control of our system was via an IP radio data link that was already part of the broadcast workflow, so we had to ensure we were compatible with that.”
