Well-known in the sports television community as a source of novel solutions for capturing exhilarating and professional video from challenging views, Admiral Video uses Marshall cameras as its exclusive POV (point of view) camera solution provider. Marshall cameras have become a staple in Admiral’s specialty solutions, including its PylonCam 2.0 system, which incorporates Marshall’s CV500-series miniature POV cameras directly into football pylons.
After seeing some of the creative footage captured on fields and courts, Admiral looked for other ways to implement the concept of a wired camera to capture uncharted views with a remote-control, fiber-optic transmission solution. A football pylon was a natural progression, and the company set out to build on its experience using Marshall’s miniature POV cameras when it built PylonCam. Admiral is now well into its third season of using PylonCam, and introduced PylonCam 2.0 at the end of the 2016 season, which puts cameras in the corners of the pylon for a simultaneous view of both the sideline and goal line. The design allows for total coverage of some of the most crucial plays of football games at the college and professional level.
“Prior to Marshall’s solution, the options in broadcast-quality POV cameras were limited to large box-type POV cameras that had good image quality, but were complicated to set up, or small consumer-type cameras that were not adaptable for broadcast use,” says Paul Halsey, president of Admiral Video. “Marshall cameras filled the gap between the two, providing a small and uncomplicated POV camera with broadcast-quality picture and professional features like HD-SDI output and remote-control ability. The simplicity of using a Marshall camera — mount the camera, plug it in and get video out — provided the foundation for our PylonCam 2.0.”
By integrating multiple Marshall CV500-series cameras into end zone pylons, viewers can experience different goal line POV camera angles. PylonCam 2.0 played a crucial role in the last play of a 2017 championship game, when the running back carried two defenders and stretched past a third to place the ball into the end zone before his knee hit the ground during overtime to win the game. Marshall cameras were there to capture every detail and gave the referees the angle they needed to make the game-deciding, crucial touchdown decision.
“With four pylons per end zone and three cameras per pylon, Admiral needs the ability to remotely adjust each camera to account for changes in brightness, gamma and colors, and match footage from other cameras involved in the production,” says Tod Musgrave, director of cameras, Marshall Broadcast & Pro AV. “Our cameras offer an affordable option to capture broadcast-quality footage in a variety of weather environments and lighting situations. Additionally, the ability to remote adjust from the relative comfort of a broadcast van or control room is very beneficial and doesn’t require an OSD menu.”
Last year, Admiral converted its entire rental fleet to include Marshall’s CV502-WPMB camera, a 3G/HD-SDI, 2.5MP mini broadcast camera with a 3.7mm lens encased in a weatherproof IP67-rated casing that’s submersible up to one meter. Having a camera that is completely weatherproof is a huge advantage for Admiral’s outdoor sports productions. The camera’s design has just a single cable that exits the back of the camera, a feature that’s aesthetically advantageous and makes for neat installations. This also allows the cameras to be mounted almost anywhere, including behind the backboard for basketball, on the goal post for football, on the net for volleyball, behind the pinsetter for bowling and so on.
Admiral can integrate any Marshall camera to fit its clients’ needs. Several of the same image sensors, internals and firmware are shared across the product range, enabling a simple swap to a camera with a different form factor or a lens change to be all that’s needed to capture the best shot.
About Marshall:
For over 30 years, Marshall has been a trusted provider of high quality and reliable video, audio and multimedia systems for Broadcast Video, Pro A/V, Pro Audio and OEM applications worldwide. Marshall is dedicated to supplying the Pro A/V market with innovative POV and PTZ cameras, format converters, conferencing microphones and production equipment at great value without sacrificing quality or reliability. Marshall Electronics, Inc. operates manufacturing facilities in the US, China, Japan, Korea and Russia.
For more information on Marshall Electronics, visit www.marshall-usa.com
