Panama. Medcom, a major broadcaster in Panama City that operates three terrestrial channels and four cable television channels, has upgraded the studio of its cable television channel Cable Onda Sports to robotic camera operations with a new robotic camera system from Telemetrics.
Remotely controlled technology is now helping to produce approximately 27 hours of sports content per week more cost-effectively. In fact, Medcom said moving to robotically controlled production systems has helped it achieve a two-thirds reduction in operating costs.
The new studio robotics, which was installed in the sports channel's popular 28 x 30-foot studio, went on the air in the fall of 2018 and includes a Telemetrics RCCP-1A robotic camera control panel with Studio (STS) software and a PT-HP-S5 panoramic/tilting head. Telemetry systems work in conjunction with an AVECO studio automation system and an AP ENPS writing system to automate shot selection.
"This was a very simple installation and we are very happy with the results," said Carlos Rodriguez, Medcom's Technology Manager. "The system helps us make more productions with the same staff. In fact, we are creating more shows than ever before with Telemetrics camera robotics systems."
Designed for larger transmission studios and legislative production centers, the new RCCP-1A includes a high-end processor that supports complex movement paths based on keyframes. STS software helps control a number of new features, such as Telemetrics' unique reFrame automatic shot correction technology. This automatic shot crop feature helps users of automatic news studios overcome unpredictable events in the studio, such as talent moving a little outside the frame or a poorly placed over-shoulder chart or two shots, and make quick adjustments automatically.
As part of this general upgrade of the facility, Medcom also purchased a new OmniGlide robotic pedestal from Telemetrics, which it will use for its Eco TV cable TV news channel. The OmniGlide provides the team with the freedom to move the camera to different positions using the RCCP-1A control panel, while eliminating human intervention in the studio.
"The OmniGlide is really helping us take our robotic operations to another level," Rodriguez said.
With the new XY scanners of the OmniGlide platform, the mobile pedestal can "learn" the physical details of the room and automatically correct its position and orientation, avoiding obstructions without operator intervention and ensuring the safety of the crew. An optional feature gives users the ability to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to allow the pedestal to analyze their environment and automatically correct it by learning study parameters.
