VideoPreservation Website

Chapter 13

ENG And Portable Videocassette

Systems

What has now come to be known as EJ (Electronic Journalism), ENG (E lectronic News Gathering) and EFP (Electronic Field Production) could be described as technological jargon for the video version of the traditional film style single-camera system approach to program production. Ironically, early video enthusiasts used this technique with their simple black-and-white portapaks years ago- It seems that by 1975, broadcast TV had finally caught up with the pre-1970 video-freaks.

How It Came About

Monster cameras and VTR s were necessary, be cause over-the-air broadcasting required such a high degree of technical quality, such large studios and enormous amounts of light- Portable video on this level meant tractor trailer trucks and crews of 20 people! Then several key technological developments took place that changed all this:

•The introduction of the portable Videocassette Recorder (VCR). In 1975 Sony introduced the world's first portable 3/4-inch U-Matic VCR, the VO-3800- Now, a good quality, easy-to-use VTR existed that was super cheap by broadcaster's standards-

•The development of the DIGITAL TIME BASE CORRECTOR. The small-format 3/4-inch VCRs were useless to broadcasters because they used the heterodyne color system and were much too unstable mechanically to be used for direct over-the-air broadcasting. But the digital TBC is able to correct the inherent limitations of nonbroadcast helical scan VTR s. Now there were no longer any technical barriers to the use of nearly any VTR for broadcast purposes. It's as if someone finally figured out how to make the wheel round.

-Introduction of low-cost, hand-held color cameras: Until the mid 70's, all color video cameras were bulky, very expensive, and much too complex and delicate for field use. A "cheap" color camera weighed 100 lbs. and cost S60,000. Then, single tube cameras were introduced that produced surprisingly good color for under S5,000, and the big rush was on. The industry standard camera tube—the Philips PLUMBICON was reduced in size to 2/3 inch and other high quality tubes such as the Chalnicon tube and the Saticon tube were integrated into compact cameras that utilized professional 16 m/m design features- Excellent 3-tube studio quality portable cameras were soon on the market that weighed under 25 lbs- and cost from 512,000 to S35,000- The broadcasters now had their cheap $35,000 camera and the CCTV/educational/industrial/independent people had their cheap $5,000 camera. Color portable video could now really flourish and evolve.

• Computerized Videocassette Editing: Of lesser significance historically but of equal importance technologically was the perfection of rapid computerized editing systems for videocassettes- Computerized editing has been around for a long time with the big studio 2-inch quads, but only recently had it been adapted and redesigned to work with smal

format videocassette systems- Computerized editing made it possible to edit videocassettes quickly in the field or in the studio with as much accuracy and sophistication as film editing. Of course, with the elimination of the film processing time and expense, the advantage of video for news gathering became very attractive. With the addition of

portable TIME CODE GENERATORS to portable VCRs, it became possible to electronically number and reference each frame of video as it was being shot in the field, so the video material could be edited as soon as the scene was finished.

•Broadcaster-forced technological sophistication: As the broadcasters gobbled up the 3/4- inch videocassette systems by the dozens, it didn't take long for them to start complaining about how these systems weren't really designed for their purposes—which was true- Broadcast engineers take certain technical standards for granted when they pay $60,000 to $120,000 for a VTR. It's unrealistic to expect a 56,000 or $3,000 VTR to supply the same kind of quality features-

Sony, in particular, wastaken completely by surprise by the broadcaster's rush to the 3/4-inch equipment. According to Sony, the VO-3800 portable VCR and the VO-2850 editing VCR were intended solely for use by educational/industrial/and Cable TV people- For this reason, many features of the units such as audio and video plugs, audio impedances, color controls, batteries, etc., were all wrong or inadequate for the broadcaster's purposes.

So, the Japanese engineers frantically rushed back to their drawing boards and came up with a new series of broadcast 3/4- inch VTR s, TBCs and cameras that would meet the particular demands of the broadcasters. Sony calls its broadcast line the BV SERIES.

Practicality of ENG Systems

Although portable video equipment is rapidly replacing film equipment for much of the news gathering on most TV stations, portable video equipment still needs much evolution.

WEIGHT—A top quality portable ENG video camera weighs between 15 and 24 pounds with battery pack, 10:1 zoom lens and electronic viewfinder. The VTR adds another 24 pounds. Usually a strong two person crew can deal with this quite conveniently if one person carries the camera and the other person carries the VTR. A comparable 16mm film camera system would weigh about 42 pounds.

LIGHT—Nearly all video cameras take great pictures in daylight, but many models, especially the under $6,000 variety, do not work as well in less than 80 to 100 footcandles, which means 3 or 4 700 Watt Quartz lights will be needed for indoor shooting.

DEPENDABILITY—Back up systems are always required for crucial video recording. This raises production and hardware costs considerably.

COSTS—Initial investment in a video ENG system including a truck and editing equipment could run from $100,000 to $300,000 per unit. Compare this to $20,000 to S50,000 for a 16 mm camera and film processing unit and editing equipment. On the other hand, the video investment is one time only, and the videotape can be reused many times- Film stock is very expensive and must be constantly purchased, and of course, processed every time it is used.

TIME—The Great Equalizer—A video camera's picture can be microwaved immediately back to the studio and transmitted live over-the-air. If this is important, there is no other choice but to go video-

POPULAR PORTABLE VIDEOCASSETTE RECORDING SYSTEMS The Sony VO-3800 VCR

The original 3/4-inch portable system that started the ENG gold rush is the Sony VO-3800. It's a good quality VCR that uses compact 3/4-inch KCS type 20 minute videocassettes and records and plays back NTSC color- Color playback requires connection with the AC-3000 AC Power Adaptor.

Features:   Tape can be removed without rewinding-

• U-Matic standard Videocassette (no threading)   -Full pushbutton operation.

interchangeable with any 3/4-inch U-Matic

-Operates from 32°F to 104°F.

VCR regardless of size.

-Sti

-Weighs 30 lbs. with battery-   ll frame and Pause mode-

-

-Operates on any 12 volt DC power source or   Compatible with most color or b&w cameras-

120 volts AC-   -Built-in dropout compensator.

• Internal battery pack recharges in a few hours   • Internal sync generator.

and provides 1 hour of recording time,   -Stereo sound-2 audio tracks-

VO-3800 Controls:

1. VIDEOCASSETTE COMPARTMENT—Push EJECT and compartment will pop up. Insert a KCS type cassette here-

2. TAPE COUNTER—Shows amount of tape used.

3. TAPE COUNTER RESET BUTTON—Push to 000 at the start of the tape.

4. CASSETTE EJECT BUTTON—Push to remove or insert the cassette-

5. FAST FORWARD (F FWD) BUTTON—Advances the tape rapidly,

6. PLAY or FORWARD (FWD) BUTTON—Moves the tape at normal speed.

7. STOP BUTTON—Stops the tape-

8. REWIND BUTTON—Rewinds the tape.

9. RECORD PUTTON—Push to monitor (E to E) picture and sound- Push simultaneously with FWD button to start the recording-

10. AUDIO DUB—Allows sound to be added later,

11. PAUSE CONTROL—Allows a single frame display and stops the tape during recording-

12. TRACKING CONTROL—Compensates for recording variations in tapes made on other VTR s. Adjust for the best picture during playback-

13. BATTERY LEVEL METE R—Shows the condition of the internal BP-20A battery. The needle should be in the white zone,

14. BATTERY COMPARTMENT—Place a BP-20A battery in here.

15. RF UNIT COMPARTMENT—An optional RF Adaptor can be purchased which will permit VTR playback on any ordinary TV set. The playback will be in b&w only unless the AC-3000 AC power adaptor is connected.

VO-3800 Side Panel—Plugs and Connectors

1. MODE SE LECTOR—COLOR or B&W—Select the correct mode for recording or playback.

2. AUDIO TRACK SELECTOR—Select CH-1, CH-2, or MIX (both tracks).

3. M/CROPHONE INPUTS—Use 1 or 2 microphones with mini plugs.

4. CAMERA/TV —for recording—Connect to a camera, CCU or TV monitor/receiver. For playback—Connect to a TV monitor.

5. EARPHONE PLUG—Use for monitoring sound- Use a Sennheiser headset Model HD-414 or equivalent.

6. LINE OUT—Connect to an auxiliary stereo amplifying system, editing VTR or TV monitor-

7. RF OUT—Connect to the VHF terminals of any TV set.

NOTE: The optional RF Adaptor must be installed inside the VCR. The AC-3000 Power Adaptor must be corrected and turned ON for color playback-

8. AC ADAPTOR MU LTI -PIN PLUG—Connect to the AC-3000 Power Adaptor/battery charger. The AC-3000 provides AC power, charges the battery inside the VCR and provides color playback circuitry-

9. VIDEO IN—Connect to a camera- VTR or a TV monitor.

AC-3000 AC Adaptor/Battery Charger

1. AC INPUT—Connect an AC power cord here.

2. MULTI-PIN PLUG AND CABLE—Connect to the AC Adaptor plug on the VO-3800 VCR-

3. BATTERY JACK—Use for charging a second BP-20A battery-

4. PILOT LAMP—Indicates the battery is charging.

5. POWER SWITCH—Turns unit ON.

6. PI LOT LAMP—Indicates the unit is ON-

7. VIDEO OUT—Connect to an editing VTR or a TV monitor-

Power Sources

The VO-3800 will operate for 1 hour on its internal BP-20A battery or on AC Power by connecting the AC-3000.

Insertion of Battery and RF Adaptor:

Open the top panels and insert the battery and optional RF Adaptor.

Battery Charging

The internal battery can be charged while inside the VO-3800 simply by connecting the AC-3000 to the VCR unit- A second BP-20A can be charged by connecting it to the auxiliary BATTERY plug on the front panel of the AC-3000.

Sony Portable Broadcast Videocassette Recorders

Sony has created a line of sophisticated 3/4-inch portable U-Matic VCRs specifically designed for broadcasting applications- They include the discontinued BVU-100 recorder/player and the newer BVU-110 recorder/player successor and the BVU-50 record-only VCR.

The BVU-110 Features:

• Built-in color playback ability

• Optional plug-in card SMPTE time code generator

Low power consumption — only 11-6 watts

• Built-in Ni-Cad battery provides 5 hours of operation on a single charge

Electronic LED timer display for either tape time or SMPTE time code

High-speed visual picture search in Fast-Forward or Rewind with monitor lock for stability

• Full metering and status indicators

• Dual audio metering

• Flying RF confidence heads

• Servo-lock and tape and battery end warning indicators.

• Automatic back space editing

• TBC connectors

• AGC/manual audio controls

• Broadcast video and audio connectors

• Two video outputs

• 14-Pin CCQ camera input

• Weight -- 24 lbs. with battery and cassette

• Price is $4,995

Developed to be a sister machine to the BVU-100, the BVU-50 weighs only 15 lbs. and offers a handling ease and operating efficiency not possible with the more complex and heavier recorder/ players. The BV U-50 costs about $3,500.

Its features include:

• Low power consumption-3 hours recording with Ni-Cad battery

High performance-45 db

-Gyroscope error suppression with stiff servo correction

•Assemble edit capability

• Manual/Limiter audio control

Framing servo

•SMPTE address track

-Real-time display—minutes and seconds

POPULAR PORTABLE COLOR VIDEO CAMERAS Sony DXC-1600 Portable Trinicon Color Camera

The DXC-1600 is a single-tube, high-resolution (for a single tube camera) color camera that will operate from any 12 volt DC power source or standard AC power using the AC-1600 power adaptor.

F eatures:

• Horizontal Resolution-300 lines at center

• Minimum illumination-25 footcandles; optimum—more than 150 footcandles.

• 60 minutes of continuous operation with the BP-20A battery

-Built-in electret omnidirectional condenser microphone

• Built-in color conversion filter wheel •Built-in image enhancer

•V iewfinder indicators show the battery condition and VTR start/stop

-Adjustable White Balance

-Automatic/Manual control of video level, pedestal and chroma controls

•Weight—Camera and lens-8.3 lbs; CCU and Battery-12 lbs.

-Camera can be operated on internal or external sync

Full NTSC color output

DXC-1600 Parts and Controls:

1.  COLOR TEMPERATURE CONVERSION FILTER—Adjust for the proper lighting. See filter chart on the camera.

2.  MICROPHONE—Omnidirectional.

3.  LENS APERTURE—Adjust for the best light.

4.  LENS HOOD—Protects the lens. Keep on when the camera is not in use.

5.  FOCUS RING—Adjust for the best focus.

6.  ZOOM RING—Controls the zoom-12.5 to 85 mm {6:1).

7.  GRIP TRIGGER SWITCH—Turns the camera ON or OFF.

8.  HANDGR IP—Detaches for tripod mounting.

9.  CAMERA CABLE-10-Pin (CCJ cable).

10. EYEPIECE—Flips up for viewing playback in viewfinder.

11. EYE CUP for camera viewfinder,

12. ELECTRONIC VIEWFINDER—Allows RECORD mode monitoring and playback of picture from the VTR.

13. RECORD LAMP—Light illuminates when the VTR is ON.

14. BATTERY CHECK LAMP—Flashes when the battery is weak and there is 10 minutes of recording time left. A steady glow indicates complete discharge of the battery. DO NOT continue to operate the camera when the battery is discharged.

15. VIEWFINDER BRIGHTNESS CONTROL—Adjust with a small screwdriver.

16. VIEWFINDER CONTRAST CONTROL—Adjust with a small screwdriver—does not affect the picture being recorded.

17. ELECTRICAL FOCUS CONTROL—See Electrical Focus Adjust— p. 798.

18. GRiP SWITCH—Triggers ON/OF F switch.

19. TRIPOD RECEPTACLE—Connect to any tripod.

20. AUXILIARY START/STOP BUTTON—Starts and stops VCR.

DXC-1600 CCU Controls

1. VIDEO LEVEL MANUAL CONTROL—Adjusts the video level. Generally use the AUTOmatic mode.

2. PEDESTAL CONTROL—Adjusts the level of BLACK (as related to the contrast in the picture). The control should usually be left in the center detent position.

3. CHROMA—Controls the color saturation. This control should generally remain in the center detent position.

4. B/R WHITE BALANCE CONTROL—See White Balance set.

5. WHITE BALANCE METER—See White Balance set.

6. PI LOT LAMP—Indicates the CCU is ON.

7. POWER SWITCH

8. VF MONITOR LAMP—Indicates the viewfinder is in the VCR playback mode.

9. VF MONITOR SWITCH—Switches the viewfinder to VCR playback mode.

10. VIDEO LEVEL AUTO/MANUAL SWITCH—Selects AUTO or MANUAL video level mode. Generally use the AUTO mode.

DXC-1600 Plugs and Connectors

11. SYNC INPUT—Use when the camera is operated with an external sync generator and/or multiple camera SEG system.

12. VTR CONNECTOR—Use the 10-Pin cable to connect to a portable VTR (AV-8400S or VO3800).

13. VIDEO OUTPUT PLUG—Produces NTSC color composite video. Connect to any VTR or monitor.

14. DC IN—Input for a 12-volt DC battery or the AC-1600 AC Power Adaptor.

15. SYNC ON/OFF SWITCH—Turns the sync ON or OFF. CCU automatically switches from internal to external sync.

16. MIC OUT PLUG—An auxiliary camera microphone output. Use to monitor sound.

17. CAMERA HEAD—Connect to DXC-1600 camera with a 10-Pin cable.

18. BATTERY COMPARTMENT—Insert the BP-20A battery here.

NOTE: The battery can be charged while inside the VCR.