April 17, 2017 – Burbank, CABy Edd Bonner, Vice President of Engineering and Operations, Bexel

Today’s sports fans expect an ever-more-amazing viewing experience through features such as high-frame-rate (HFR) replays. But until now, broadcasters have faced limited choices for high-speed, POV cameras that can offer these effects with the real-time processing critical for live sports. In response, Bexel developed a small POV camera that could support the same workflows and provide the same functionality as a large high-speed camera, but at an affordable price point.To capture a beautiful, high-quality image, we chose a Micro 4/3-inch imager. By running a slightly larger image than a normal broadcast camera, our solution could capture as much light as possible for high-speed video capture.Next, we focused on making the camera fit easily into production workflows. Through connection to a DDR, the camera processor could convert the video stream into separate phases for high-speed data in real time, while providing all the necessary video handles. Raw high-speed data is brought to the camera processor, where a FPGA circuit processes converts the data into the outputs needed for live high-speed video recording. Users can control the video image and create handles for all the usual controls a video engineer is accustomed to.The result is Clarity 800-HD, a camera with a slightly larger footprint than a standard business card that can output HD video at a frame rate up to 8x (480 FPS) at 1080p and offer the complete functionality of a larger high-speed camera. The 4K Micro 4/3-inch CMOS imager and 1080p HD signal processing deliver outstanding images and clear, sharp replays.

The Clarity 800-HD offers real-time processing via fiber optics and integration with industry-standard video servers, with a full-function camera remote control panel (RCP) for paint control and a positive-locking lens mount with lens control of focus, iris, and zoom motors. Handles on the video allow the camera to be painted to match the larger cameras on the production, and yet the Clarity 800-HD can be mounted and placed in areas that have not been accessible for other HFR cameras.Today’s broadcasters need solutions that will help them stay ahead of viewer demand for the latest formats, and high-quality, real-time HFR video is no exception. We believe that a robust and affordable high-speed camera like the Clarity 800-HD is a highly desirable solution. The Clarity 800-HD camera is currently available for rent exclusively through Bexel and Camera Corps.

Originally published on Asia-Pacific Broadcasting.

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