The Nuts and Bolts of Our HD Upgrade

For those who enjoy reading up on image resolutions, frame rates, HD-SDI, output bus counts, and H.264, I've compiled this list of the major components in TBC's new full HD video production system.

Black Magic Design ATEM 1 M/E

This is a 1 M/E (Mix Engine), 8 input, 3 discreet aux out, 5 program out broadcast switcher with a built in multi-viewer.  It has 4 SDI inputs, 4 HDMI inputs, and one analog input which can be use in place of one of the HDMI inputs.  We'll be using two SDI, one HDMI, and the analog input.  This enables the operator to switch three cameras + computer graphics in 1080/60i HD.  The aux outs will feed our main projector and one of our video venues.

This switcher is also a true preset/program bus switcher.  If you serve as a video director at TBC, you'll appreciate this, as its a big improvement over our old A/B bus switcher.


Panasonic HPX250

This unit will become our primary camera for capturing teaching and worship.  It has a 22x lens and can shoot in resolutions up to 1080p.  It has 3 of the same 1/3" CMOS sensors found in Panasonic's HPX370 but in a compact format.  HD-SDI out and genlock allow seamless integration with professional broadcast systems.

Black Magic Design H.264 Pro Recorder

This handy device allows for real time HD H.264 encoding of our services.  This means that they are immediately ready for uploading to the web or can be edited quickly and easily.  It will take in our 1080i video over HD-SDI and output via USB to an iMac.

Black Magic Design Media Express

This is a easy to use media capture program that works with the H.264 Pro Recorder to capture and organize our video.

Sony VPL-FH500L Projector

With 7000 lumens of output and 1920x1200 resolution, this higher-than-HD projector will provide incredibly clear, high definition content for our main auditorium.  Its lamps and filters are rated for over 6000 hours of use, making it extremely affordable to maintain compared to similar units.  And because it features an HD-SDI input card, it can receive an extremely low latency, all digital signal for pristine image quality.


There are lots of other pieces involved in tying this system together, but those are the big ones.  If you have any questions or want to get involved in tech ministry at TBC, drop me a note below!