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PANASONIC
AJ-SPX800 CAMPUTER™ DVCPRO P2
SOLID-STATE MEMORY CAMCORDER DELIVERING IN MAY
LAS VEGAS, NV (April 18, 2004) – Panasonic
announced here at NAB 2004 that its
next-generation AJ-SPX800 Camputer™ DVCPRO
P2 camcorder begins delivering in May. The AJ-SPX800
offers the extensive benefits of solid-state memory
recording and IT domain integration, elevating digital
video acquisition to a new level of speed and cost
efficiency.
The AJ-SPX800 combines a high-performance 2/3" 3-CCD
camera with 24fps and 30fps progressive and 60 fields
interlace recording in 25Mbps DVCPRO and 50Mbps DVCPRO50
format on a P2 card.
By eliminating all moving parts from the camera recording
path, Panasonic has ensured the AJ-SPX800 is extremely
reliable and resistant to environmental hazards,
such as the shock, vibration, cold, dust, moisture
and humidity that threaten camcorders based on mechanical
recording transports. AJ-SPX800 images are stored
on a P2 card using MXF file format to ensure IT compatibility
for file transfer.
"The AJ-SPX800 is a breakthrough in camera design," said
Stuart English, Vice President, Marketing, Panasonic
Broadcast. "Quite apart from eliminating the
mechanical transport, which provides vastly improved
reliability under adverse operating conditions, P2
offers the fantastically high-transfer rate, IT capabilities,
MXF file format and metadata support to optimize
news workflow efficiencies."
Switchable between 16:9 wide and 4:3 aspect ratios,
the AJ-SDX800 has three 2/3" 520,000-pixel,
IT CCDs that delivers 750 lines of resolution, 65dB
S/N ratio, a high sensitivity of F13 at 2000 lux,
and minimum illumination of 0.09 lux (at +48dB),
or 0.01 lux (at +48dB plus with +20dB Digital Super
Gain). The camcorder is equipped with an advanced
12-axis matrix color correction system, and gamma
curves specially optimized for the demands of field
news acquisition. Its top-level audio performance
supports four channels of 48kHz/16-bit PCM audio
in DVCPRO50, DVCPRO and DV.
The AJ-SPX800 features five PC card-sized P2 card
slots, providing up to 80 minutes record capacity
at DVCPRO and 40 minutes in DVCPRO50 with 4Gb P2
cards*. A unique advantage of the DVCPRO P2 series
is that recording time increases as the capacity
of available P2 cards increases.
A sixth PC card slot is provided to accept a range
of IT communications options, such as wireless LAN
card or MPEG-4 Proxy Video Encoder. Proxy video and
audio may be recorded to P2 card and SD Memory card,
and subsequently viewed on a journalist’s personal
digital assistant (PDA), while IEEE 802.11 wireless
protocols provide a path for GSM cellular phone or
other wireless internet media delivery.
In addition to USB 2.0, the AJ-SPX800 offers an optional
IEEE-1394 interface for connection to laptop computers
running a range of popular NLE applications, thereby
providing a self-contained field editing solution.
The IEEE-1394 data interface also provides a path
for extended duration recording to backup videotape
or hard disk recorders to complement P2 card recording.
The AJ-SPX800 starts recording from the moment it’s
switched on, so users can feel confident that they
won’t miss an important shot. Its hot swap
function assures non-stop recording, because it allows
a user replace any card (expect the one being recorded
on) on the fly
By inserting pre-recorded P2 cards directly into a PC card slot of a laptop,
the
AJ-SPX800 can be freed for additional image acquisition, while the P2 card
mounts into a desktop laptop or additional drive. Because of its seamless integration
with the IT domain, no digitization steps are required prior to editing, duplication
or other image processing operations.
Reflecting on its IT domain flexibility, the AJ-SPX800 offers many new innovative
functions:
· Three recording modes – Continuous, pre-record or loop-record
assure a news crew has less chance of missing an important event, and eliminate
waiting
for tape scanners or optical media to spin-up prior to recording.
· Voice Memo - A built-in memo microphone permits the addition of metadata
audio description to clip metadata.
· A large 3.5" high-resolution color LCD display built into the
AJ-SPX800 makes operation significantly easier when shooting from low- or high-angles.
· Shot marker indication on clips of video.
· Thumbnail clip display and selection – the built-in color LCD
monitor provides easy review of video clip thumbnails and the creation of an
in-camera
storyboard.
The camcorder is highly customizable with features
like four user scene files, three user setup buttons,
and Camera Setup Memory (up to eight camera setups
can be saved to a SD Memory card).
Other invaluable features of the AJ-SPX800 include:
Auto Tracking White Balance, 2X Digital Zoom, electronic
shutter speeds (1/100 to 1/2000 sec.) with Synchro-Scan
capability (1/60.3 to 1/250 sec.), 4-position optical
filter, zebra pattern display, and built-in SMPTE
time code generator/reader. Video input/outputs include
video and/or Genlock in, plus camera and recorded
video out. Audio input/outputs include 2Ch XLR audio
and Microphone in (all with available +48V phantom
power) plus UniSlot wireless Microphone in, and 2Ch
XLR audio plus two stereo headphone mini-jacks out.
The AJ-SPX800 will be available in May at a Suggested
List Price of $19,500.
The DVCPRO P2 product family also includes the AJ-SPD850
studio recorder,
AJ-PCD10 drive, and AJ-P2C004S 4GB and AJ-P2C002S
2GB capacity P2 cards*.
* P2 card capacity shown above reflects capacity
of unformatted card. Useable capacity will be less.
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