The end is nigh for video based Electronic News Gathering (ENG).
In a move that will revolutionise the way news teams gather and report information, JVC has introduced the world’s first Hard Disk Camcorder, an acquisition device capable of recording up to 140 minutes of footage at 25 mbits/s onto a removable hard drive.
And if the positive reaction received from TV journalists so far becomes actual sales, then ENG teams around the world will no longer record onto video but onto a hard disk.
“This new camcorder will revolutionise news gathering,” said Ian Scott of JVC, speaking to digital studio at the exclusive first public showing of the camcorder (so far unnamed but nicknamed “The Big Pink Thing”) at the Cairo 2000 equipment exhibition.
By recording to hard disk news teams will be able to plug footage directly into a non-linear editing environment for direct data transfer that will result in no loss of quality.
Greater Speed
First generation information will be retained and efficiency and speed will almost certainly be increased. JVC is actively negotiating with NLE manufacturers in order to come up with the direct data transfer port.
The initial launch will see a 140 minute disk released but a disk twice the size, offering 280 minutes at 25 mbits/s will be released shortly afterwards.
The “Big pink” camcorder should retail at around US $10 000 and will be commercially available in January 2001.
