AVT Question: Please share insight and best practices for planning to integrate the next-gen streaming media ecosystem.
Thought Leader: Keith Vidger, Principal Technical Consultant at Panasonic Connect North America
Americans consume an average of eight hours of digital content every day. With so much content out in the world, it’s challenging—while critical—to differentiate content from the pack to keep audiences engaged. The pressure to captivate and retain viewers is especially prevalent for broadcast and sports production teams, where delivering quality content is at the core of operations. So what’s the answer to solving these challenges? Streamlining production workflows and delivering quality video through PTZ cameras and live production platforms.
Rather than developing additional production control rooms or renting out mobile production trucks, adopting cloud workflows makes it simple to stream multiple events or games simultaneously.” —Keith Vidger, Principal Technical Consultant at Panasonic Connect North America
Remote operation capabilities and Ethernet compatibility are PTZ must-haves. No matter their size, production crews don’t have the capacity to single-handedly film, produce, and switch live streams all in person. Remotely controlled PTZ cameras with IP and SRT streaming capabilities free up production teams’ time to focus on other operations and creative endeavors. Coupled with a switcher that supports camera tally and camera control over IP, teams can easily create a remote integrated production workflow to streamline multi-camera event coverage.
PTZ connectivity is also crucial for streaming. PTZ cameras that have built-in Ethernet connectivity allow on-site operators to send streams from the camera to the control room directly, making it easier for control room operators to remotely live switch an event.
Another key consideration is the cloud. Rather than developing additional production control rooms or renting out mobile production trucks, adopting cloud workflows makes it simple to stream multiple events or games simultaneously. Not only do cloud-based productions reduce the amount of technical infrastructure required by up to 70 percent, they also give production crews the ability to scale up and down depending on the resources they need for a particular production.
A successful streaming media environment is easier to create if you utilize the right tools. PTZ cameras and live production switchers are the backbone, with remote operations, connectivity, and the cloud being critical components to success.