May 17 2000 Meeting: New Cameras from Philips

May 17 Meeting

Philips Cameras in the Lights

by Gary Stigall

I was taken aback at the NAB Convention by the term manufacturers were using to describe their third-generation CCD cameras: "12-bit." Apparently it doesn't mean that the cameras were worth a dollar and a half, but that they have a depth of modulation and colorimetry worthy of a 12-bit A-to-D converter for serial transmission. For someone who used to sit next to a film camera for hours at a time trying to get something barely acceptable to come out, I was impressed.

Philips Digital Networks showed a prototype 2/3 inch CCD HDTV portable camera system that they say "supports native 1080i/60, 720p/60 and high-end SDTV as formats to provide the best picture quality in the industry.... The LDK6000 camera series [is] the first multi-format camera series available on the market using native 9.2 million pixel CCDs, and available in switchable and non-switchable versions."

That's a lot of pixels, and it means simply that you use as much of the pickup as you need for your output format. Presumably, in high def, you use the whole device to transfer a crisp image.

You noticed the word "portable" didn't you? How about less than 12 pounds?

George Palmer, no technical lightweight himself, will give a presentation on the technology at KFMB-TV's Studio B, Wednesday, May 17, 2000. George is a life member of SBE, a CPBE, and one of the charter members.

A social hour with hors d'oeuvres will be served at 6:00 PM, followed by a short meeting at 7, then the presentation. A tour of the station's new high definition master control will be given afterwards. Guests are welcome.

KFMB is at 7677 Engineer Road, San Diego. From I-805, take the Clairemont Mesa Boulevard exit east. Proceed two long blocks to the top of the knoll at Ruffner Road (not be confused with Ruffin Rd. two miles east). Turn right. KFMB is at the corner with Engineer Road, four blocks south. From SR-163, take the Balboa Avenue West exit. At the stop sign, turn right on Mercury to Engineer Road, one block north. Turn left and proceed several blocks to KFMB studios on the left just past the light at Convoy. Enter the employee parking lot through the gate. You may need to request a gate opening at the security card box just outside the gate if no one is there.