ProHD

= State of the Industry =

The U.S. consumer appetite for high-definition television (HDTV) programming is undeniable. The Consumer Electronics Association says that more than 50 percent of U.S. households now own a digital television. It is predicted that 25-30 million U.S. households will purchase an HD-capable television in 2008. Of these TVs, 27 percent will be connected to an HDTV service via cable, 14 percent via satellite, and eight percent via digital terrestrial television.

This stunning HDTV adoption rate has led to the cable and satellite industries using HD as a key selling point for their services. Terrestrial stations have begun to do the same, using TV ads to boast about their newscasts in HDTV. In today’s highly competitive media environment, it’s all about attracting eyeballs and keeping them glued to your channel.

Yet even with these impressive CEA sales figures, the reality is Local HD programming is still not commonplace. Among the roughly 1,300 full power stations licensed to operate in the U.S., about 750 produce or present a daily newscast. Thus far a mere 85 are airing HD newscasts and only a handful of these 85 are actually capturing local news in the field in HD.

This deficiency is due in large part to the unavoidable fact that broadcasters face a number of challenges when it comes to migrating their production facilities to HD and the economics, or return on investment, do not immediately justify it. Advertisers are not willing to pay more for their commercials in HD and the audience is smaller than it is for standard-definition digital television. These market factors will continue for some time after the transition to DTV is complete.

Add to this the fact that the broadcast industry continues to see significant consolidation and a reduction in capital budgets and one can clearly recognize the challenges broadcasters face. This has led to station groups reducing staff and moving to increasingly automated systems that require less staff to operate the station. We’re seeing newscasts run by a single operator, graphics and weather reports created at a central hub for multiple stations, and centralized master control facilities where commercials are inserted at a remote site.

Then there are the physical plant costs that are causing many stations to proceed to HD with caution. The first step in any HD migration is implementing the backbone or cabling infrastructure required to pass HD files around the station: from ingest area; to a video server; to an edit suite; to the journalist/producer’s desk; and back to the edit suite; before it's sent back to a server for playout. The choices represent a wide spectrum of options, from enhancing an existing DV/25 plant, to increasing that to 1.5 Gbps to building out an entire wideband 3 Gbps architecture. Although the routers and fiber links necessary for 3 Gbps HD-SDI plant design are now becoming available— allowing a producer of sports and primetime entertainment events to capture programming using one of the existing proprietary high bit rate production formats--the later appears extremely prohibitive for all but the largest market stations and network production departments.

Thus, what’s become clear during the HDTV transition is that even as many broadcasters recognize the importance of strengthening an on-air brand in today’s multichannel universe, few have actually made the transition to HD news.

The R.O.I. of ProHD.

The most practical solution many stations have found is to leverage their existing facility infrastructure where possible and make the most of legacy systems. This is a reflection of station management demanding that new facility designs and capital expenditures must yield maximum efficiency and a fast ROI. As traditional studio cameras are replaced, HD studio cameras are often installed in anticipation of the station's complete migration to HD. Indeed, when stations do begin broadcasting local news in HD, it’s the studio that transitions first. Recognizing this trend, JVC designed its GY-HD250 ProHD camera with a robust studio configuration, complete with camera control unit, remote operations panel, studio viewfinders and lenses.

JVC showed the ProHD Studio concept for the first time at NAB 2006. Since then, the GY-HD250 Studio system has become an important part of JVC’s camera business. Now in daily HD broadcast studio use across the country in major cities as well as in smaller markets, JVC's GY-HD250 has replaced dedicated studio cameras delivering both outstanding quality and significant cost savings.

In a studio configuration, the GY-HD250 offers both 720p and 1080i digital output, allowing it to be used in either environment. The camera's size and flexible mounting options allow it to be employed in a multitude of ways: on a pedestal, tripod, jib, or mounted on a robotic platform to the ceiling. This flexibility also includes the ability to use the camera outside the studio, for field ENG work or as part of highly specialized POV systems--such as within weather-resistant housings from Troll Systems. These systems, with full remote camera control, are used by stations to provide unique high-definition POV shots and camera views from locations not able to be manned. The affordability of the GY-HD250U, combined with the camera's built-in MPEG2 encoder makes these types of applications practical.

Further expanding its usefulness, the GY-HD250 will be shown at this year’s NAB 2008 show configured with a full range of new studio options, including a fully featured CCU with remote operations panel (OCP), a new 8.4-inch HD studio viewfinder, as well as a wide range of studio (box-style) lenses and lens controls.

New HD Video Switching

At NAB JVC will significantly broaden the scope of its HD studio peripherals with a preview of two new HD video production switchers, the KM-H3000 and KM-H2500. The KM-H3000 is a powerful 12-input single Multi-Level Effects (MLE) switcher ideal for small production studios, OB vans and flight packs. Its fully digital multi-resolution design makes it perfect for use with JVC GY-HD250 series ProHD cameras. The KM-H3000 features a compact single-piece design, allowing it to be installed virtually anywhere. Yet despite its small size, the KM-H3000U is packed with high-end features and performance, including frame synchronizers on four of its twelve input channels. The KM-H2500 is a 6-input version of the KM-H3000. Both models are expected to be available at the end of 2008.

Field HD ENG Implementation

The latest generation HD electronic newsgathering solutions present real timesaving advantages for production because they introduce the benefits of a file-based workflow. However, HD ENG solutions using data rates of 35, 50 or 100 Mbps may actually undermine the productivity gains of handling video as digital files. Too often they actually drive costs higher by limiting users to proprietary media, necessary multiple transcoding as part of the workflow, more expensive editing and storage systems, and potentially high archive costs. Generally, as data rates rise, so do workflow and facility infrastructure costs.

Understanding the way stations prefer to produce their SD newscasts is important to developing new HD newsgathering tools. Production systems must be optimized for efficient workflow while making economic sense. To be truly useful, new HD News workflows must take into account the entire content chain, from acquisition through to final transmission delivery. Ideally, all the capabilities previously available in SD news must be equally available for HD News. If so, then a file-based workflow will facilitate increased productivity and a fast ROI will be realized.

Unfortunately, there are “holes” in many HD News system architectures now being proposed, which limits the benefits and can make the transition to HD news a counter-productive proposition.

HD News: The Parts of the Story Some Choose Not to Tell.

Some manufacturers like to distill their HD News quality story to a simple “numbers” game, promoting the “false hope” idea that the higher the number (bit rate) during acquisition, the better the quality. Although there is some merit in this broad-brush approach, the reality of making it work goes a bit deeper. Beyond the numbers, one should consider how HD News quality is captured and preserved. One un-told HD News story is what happens after original field footage is captured. A second “gotcha” involves the hidden sacrifices linked to bit rate numbers, both as they relate to acquisition and microwave transmission.

While some are battling over proprietary compression solutions, they are devoid of real world perspective. Despite the “beautiful picture” that some manufacturers are promoting, there are hidden sacrifices linked to acquiring footage at 50-100 Mbps. Among them is the high (and expensive) computing horsepower necessary to process and compress files sizes to an easily manageable house format. Another is the difficulty or inability to affordably send “live” news and other field footage back to the station via microwave.

After acquiring HD images at a high data rate, the news producer must transcode it--either to a form usable by the station’s news editing system or to an uncompressed HD-SDI signal, or both—in order to seamlessly insert it into that evening’s newscast. The edited story is then often stored on a server. To conserve storage space, footage routed in the HD-SDI format might be transcoded again to an intermediate data format. Accessing the story for final airing may involve another transcoding step back to HD-SDI, after which the story is again transcoded to the long GOP MPEG-2 format for final transmission.

Each of these transcoding steps is not only costly, but can also degrade quality. As any chief engineer will tell you, in the end, the quality that matters is the quality aired. Avoiding excessive compression and decompression steps throughout the HD News workflow by working in a lower bit rate format not only preserves capital, it preserves quality.

In addition, when sending HD footage back to the station, data rates above 21 Mbps are incompatible with widely available RF microwave systems. They also don’t travel as far. So, with high data rate materials, compression is your only practical solution. Yet then there’s the concern about quality loss.

A second sacrifice linked to high data rate production is the cost of required proprietary media and the speed at which the media is consumed. Although the ideal of a tapeless workflow sounds promising, news organizations accustomed to the cost of tape-based media are often shocked by the cost of proprietary form factors.

An ideal HD News workflow, then, would have capabilities and economics virtually identical to an SD News workflow. It’s an end-to-end system that stays “native” across the content creation process and delivers virtually original HD quality to the viewer.

HD News Workflow: “Affordable HD” Becomes PRACTICAL HD.

The key to a practical HD News transition is taking full advantage of available real-world technology. Because facility and operating costs rise in direct relation to data rates, the greatest benefits and greatest efficiencies result when data rates are kept low. At 20 Mbps, long GOP HD material looks great and fits perfectly within the most common Broadcast News infrastructures. Fortunately, long GOP encoding has matured over several years, enabling HD to be manipulated and complete programs created at SD data rates. Today, the MPEG-2 HD standard has evolved into a powerful, effective balance of quality and economy. Its use in a file-based news workflow based around a sensible facility infrastructure enables first-generation HD quality to be maintained throughout the production process, from ingest to the studio switcher. It also looks great on an HDTV screen.

JVC has supported and championed long-GOP encoding in its ProHD product family, including the its GY-HD250U camera. JVC recognizes that the most practical and cost-effective way to make a smooth and quick transition to HD News hinges on a station’s ability to leverage low data rates while still maintaining a high-quality signal. Why transcode and continuously compress and decompress all along the production chain--which has a negative affect on image quality--when you can acquire footage in a native long GOP format at a low data rate and keep that content as a native file (and maintain high quality) during editing, in storage and even when broadcasting it to viewers?

At NAB2008, JVC demonstrated a news workflow solution based on a 20 Mbps native file structure —one that keeps the signal in its native encoded format from camera, through editing and storage, onto the media server—all the way to playout. -

20 Megabits per second is the ideal bit rate because:- It's compatible with many stations' existing infrastructures- It's easy to microwave- It's economical to store and archive- It can be recorded on non-proprietary media.- And most importantly, the original quality can be maintained throughout the process

As JVC will demonstrate at NAB, the best way to maintain quality and cost benefits is to keep the data in its original native format. A native or open workflow utilizes the same file format for acquisition, editing, storage and playout, whereas a “proprietary” workflow employs different manufacturer-specific formats for each step—requiring multiple conversions, re-wrapping and transcoding. In this scenario, special wrappers are introduced all along the production chain, and although they help ensure compatibility with existing equipment, they often drive up costs.

Among all of the camera manufacturers, only JVC is promoting the unique and cost-effective concept of a native file based workflow. Of course, this workflow involves other key component manufacturers besides JVC, such as those that provide non-linear editing, storage and media servers.

The benefits of a native file workflow are huge. The economics alone are so great that a broadcaster can't ignore them. That’s why a major U.S. broadcaster is implementing this type of IT-centric workflow, across multiple stations. It has increased productivity and enabled them to successfully compete. And the on-air look of each HD newscast is among the best in their respective markets.

HD News: More PRACTICAL HD: Local HD Remotes via Microwave Is now a Reality

In today's broadcast environment, creating the image is only part of the story. The fast-paced world of breaking news and live events requires a reliable and cost-effective means of getting those signals back to the studio and broadcast center.

Among those stations broadcasting their news in HD from the studio, acquiring native HD in the field and getting it back to the station via digital microwave continues to be the missing link. Most now upconvert SD images from the field. The difference between real HD and upconverted SD is often very noticeable to viewers with large-screen HD sets. Thanks to JVC’s ProHD strategy, however, true HD transmission back to the station or a production truck is now possible and completely practical.

With the GY-HD250U's integrated HD SuperEncoder, it's possible and cost effective for stations to upgrade from SD remote transmission to live HD remotes. This unique capability is already being adopted by several major-market news operations in the U.S. A ProHD camera-encoded (20 Mbps) signal can be easily connected to a truck microwave using an inexpensive ASI bridge, allowing full resolution HD to be sent back to the station.

JVC is even taking HD remotes to the next level with its Libre camera-mounted microwave system. For news crews looking to get a competitive edge, it’s now possible to shoot live HD in the field without being tethered to a news van.

With a range of 1,000 feet, ENG crews can send signals within a 20 Mbps data stream from the news event to a microwave truck, then on to the station for air, without the need for external encoders or third-party transmission boxes. It’s also possible to air images straight out of the camera.

HD News: Recording Media Suited to The Mission and The Budget

In the early days of digital production, the recording format was a primary contributor to image quality. In today’s file-base world, image quality is independent of the storage medium. For the user, it means that they can now choose media based not on the quality of the image, but on the capacity required, the convenience factor, the speed at which data is accessed, and on the cost of media.

The industry has developed numerous approaches to a file-based workflow, most of them relying on proprietary media and file formats. Each approach has it merits. However, with proprietary systems dominating the industry, costs have remained high and interoperability is either difficult or nonexistent. Technology has advanced to the extent that it is now possible to achieve many of the benefits of high priced dedicated systems in products that utilize mass-market media and more widely accepted universal file formats. JVC's ProHD approach is founded on the utilization of non-proprietary media. At NAB, the company will exhibit current and future products that take this concept to the next level.

Storage Flexibility For An Ever Changing World

Hard disk recording (model DR-HD100) has been part of the JVC strategy for several years, as it offers immediate editing of raw footage without transfer from tape. With this product, JVC has helped pioneer a workflow that allows users to remove the hard drive from the camera and immediately start editing. The native file recording process has helped thousands of production teams streamline their operations and turn around projects faster than they ever could with tape.

JVC recently added native 60p QuickTime (.mov) file format recording to its DRHD100 hard disk system, allowing users with Apple's popular Final Cut Pro to directly edit footage without conversion. We’ve seen that more than half of JVC's field camera users have also purchased the DRHD100 option, either as their primary recording medium, or for redundant recording that provides an instant (and secure) backup.

New Solid-State Recording

Solid-state memory speed and capacity continue to advance at an unprecedented pace, while costs of the media have seen sharp declines. Based on current trends, it will soon be possible to consider solid-state media devices as economically “consumable,” much the same way magnetic tape is thought of today. By consumable, we mean that the costs of some types of industry-standard, solid-state memory cards will become similar to the cost of videotape. . With applications as far-reaching as digital photography, consumer audio and home video recording driving the price down, the possibilities of consumable solid state media are really endless and the potential is huge.

At NAB, JVC will preview a new camera-mounted, combination hard disk/solid-state media recorder, the MR-HD200, which offers long record times at affordable prices while also leveraging nonproprietary Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) solid-state memory.

Designed to attach permanently to current and future ProHD cameras, the new recorder features a detachable module that utilizes widely available SDHC memory cards. A single 16GB SDHC memory card can store 1.6 hours of HD in the 720p mode, and about 1.2 hours in the 1080i mode. Additionally, the unit has a built-in hard disk drive for longer recording times—up to 10 hours. Files are recorded in an editing-friendly native format so that postproduction can begin without file conversion, transcoding or re-wrapping.

With SDHC, users get significantly more capacity at a cost per minute; one that’s similar to Betacam SP videotape. JVC feels the SDHC format will be very popular in the production community because the solid-state media is widely available while the quality is not compromised.

Offering a combination of hard disk and non-proprietary solid-state recording in the same module offers advantages not found in any other product. JVC recognizes that the different formats offer their own set of advantages, so we’re placing the choice in the hands of the customer, who knows their workflow best. This modular approach allows JVC to consider other types of high-performance, removable, solid-state storage going forward, ones whose form factor won’t become obsolete and that make the most of the current industry trends to leverage cost efficiency for the customer.

JVC ProHD: High-Quality Signals Captured With Full HD CCDs

At the end of the day it’s all about the pictures viewers see in their living room, which will keep them tuned in to your HD channel. JVC ProHD cameras use true native progressive-scan, full-raster 1280 x 720 CCD imagers that offer pixel-for-pixel HD compliance. Images captured with progressive CCDS have better resolution, especially with motion, and are much easier and efficient to compress than interlaced signals. Pixel-for-pixel compliance in a native 720p workflow environment means that the image will never be scaled or converted in the production chain, further ensuring the highest quality HD signal.

Therefore, committing to use progressive CCD technology in all of JVC’s cameras is one of the main reasons the company is able to offer such a high level of quality. The advantage of a 720p system is something JVC has recognized for a long time and will continue to support.

Interchangeable HD Lenses: Adaptable Front-End View

Another HD production area sometimes overlooked is the lens, which may well be one of the most important pieces of the production chain. JVC understands that professionals need to have flexibility in what lenses they use and how they use them.

That’s why JVC cameras feature a Bayonet-style mount that accommodates a wide range of interchangeable lenses. The user should not be limited by a fixed lens selected by a manufacturer that may or may not be optimal for their type of projects. All types of lenses, from wide-angle, telephoto, ENG-style to box-style studio models are being used every day, for a variety of applications, with JVC cameras.

High-quality lenses--including those with 2X extenders--are also part of the JVC production landscape because that’s what our customers have told us they need. We’re in a time of technology choice, so that choice should be afforded to the user in every way possible.

JVC ProHD Monitors: Displaying HD In Its Best Light

At the same time, JVC also continues to market four unique high-quality flat-panel studio monitors that fit in nicely with the ProHD product family and accurately display these native HD images in the best possible color renditions. The technology is now so advanced that these latest-generation models rival traditional CRT monitors, including those from JVC, used for live feed evaluation.

While many manufacturers have chosen to offer matte finish screens that cut down on reflections and glare, this has been proven to compromise color rendition quality. JVC provides its monitors with a clear flat-panel screen in order to maintain deeper colors, rich tones and color saturation, and better viewing angles.

As one of the largest OEM display suppliers, JVC’s innovative technology and manufacturing quality empowers many familiar Broadcast display brands. JVC monitors are widely respected and can be found in studios, postproduction suites and on production trucks across the country. They are by far the clearest, sharpest, most color-rich, most cost-effective LCD monitors on the market today.

Our impressive broadcast flat-panel monitor line now includes four models, each designed for specific applications. Along with wide viewing angles, high-speed LCDs, and precise color reproduction, they also offer area markers, tally, AC/DC power supply, and rotary images controls.

There’s the DT-V24L1DU, 24-inch monitor (1920 x 1080 native HD resolution) and the DT-V20L1DU, 20-inch monitor (1680 x 945 display), as well as the compact DT-V17L2DU 17-inch unit and the DT-V9L1DU, 9-inch monitor. There are also built-in HD-SDI and DVI-D digital inputs, for direct connection to broadcast and studio sources.

ProHD: A Total Commitment to the Broadcast Market

With the success and acceptance of JVC’s ProHD product line, JVC has undertaken a direct to market sales initiative directed at Broadcast Networks and Group station owners in the United States. Unique demands come with selling to broadcasters and JVC has decided to expand its initiative to include a group of highly capable broadcast reps that will operate under a newly established JVC Broadcast Rep program. JVC Broadcast Reps are highly qualified sales and service organizations that will represent a limited number of JVC models available exclusively--and directly--to call-letter broadcasters. One such model is the Libre microwave ENG camera system. Another is a specially configured GY-HD250 camera with a special “LoLux” feature that allows ENG users to shoot more effectively in extreme low light conditions.

JVC

JVC is the only company to offer the ability to facilitate and manage the entire production chain of an HD program, from acquisition to contribution. And we do it at a price and operating efficiency stations can’t afford to ignore.

At about one-third of the cost of other HD production equipment, ProHD systems are ideally suited to today’s tightening economics. This includes cameras, player/recorders and LCD displays. JVC’s ProHD product family also offers the most economical media costs: whether it be tape, hard drive or non-proprietary, solid-state media. Prices will continue to come down while the quality will only improve with time.

Now fully embraced within the industry, JVC ProHD products also perfectly complement other companies’ low-cost workflow solutions, such as those from Apple, Bit Central, Omneon, and others.

For those looking to be the first in their market with HD, while reaching those millions if HD sets already in consumers’ homes, there’s no better or more cost-effective way to get it done than with JVC ProHD. The quality compares favorably to any competitor, in any market.

2007 ProHD Statement and Product Introductions

In 2007, HDTV is everywhere!

According to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), more than thirteen million HD television sets were shipped to retailers in 2006. Today, about thirty million U.S. households own ATSC digital sets; about thirty percent of households with annual incomes greater than fifty thousand dollars own one or more HDTV sets. Moreover, twenty-four million DTV sets will be sold in 2007, with HDTV sales eclipsing SDTV.

HDTV is, indeed, everywhere.

This explosion of HD in the home has created a voracious appetite for HD programming. An increasing proportion of primetime network programming is being produced and aired in HD. National and local news have begun the migration to HD. In local news, a primary revenue source for most stations, the competition for eyeballs is fierce. HD technology necessarily becomes part of a larger competitive strategy. To remain competitive in a reality of continuous technological evolution, many organizations have adopted "interim" or "hybrid" tactics to their capital planning. Solutions enabling an HD transition while maximizing use of a pre-existing SD infrastructure can maintain a highly competitive edge while optimizing capital equipment R.O.I.

About thirty-five broadcast stations now originate local news in HD; in most cases, the transition to HD news brought ratings and viewer demographic benefit. As multiple HD news organizations populate each market, a finer edge will come to competition for viewers: this is where ProHD's extended capabilities push the competitive envelope. Capabilities including:

Live HD Remotes First-to-Air News Workflow ProHD Libre wireless camera capability Easy news archive Field-to-Studio operational flexibility and Full bandwidth, native HD quality. JVC's visionary ProHD design and partnership with other leading technology providers bring unparalleled flexibility, functionality and R.O.I. to HD News. The result is unrivaled competitiveness in HD newsgathering.

SEAMLESS HD MICROWAVE TRANSMISSION: ProHD Libre

In today's broadcast environment, creating the image is only part of the story. The fast-paced world of Ôbreaking news' and live events requires a reliable and cost-effective means of getting those signals back to the studio and broadcast center.

With the GY-HD250U's integrated HD SuperEncoder5, it's possible and cost effective for stations to upgrade from SD Remote transmission to live HD remotes. This unique capability is already being adopted by major-market news operations in the U.S. In a local variation, ProHD Libre enables wireless HD camera operation, up to 1 km, giving news crews freedom to do live remotes untethered to the news van.

The HD explosion is not exclusive to the broadcast domain. Cinematography, Documentary, Faith-based Organizations, Independent Producers and Corporate producers are moving to HD origination. It is the responsibility of the manufacturers like JVC to provide technology solutions to fulfill the requirements of this exploding demand for HD program material.

ProHD CAMERAS

Today, it seems there is an HD camera for every application and at every price point, with consumer camcorders available for about $2,000. Unlike some competitors' so-called "Professional" cameras that are derivatives of consumer designs, JVC's ProHD is firmly established in an original and unique design, inspired and influenced by actual Broadcast, Cinematography and Independent Producers. In stark contrast to massive camera designs that appear increasingly dated, JVC pioneered the "Compact Shoulder" form factor now valued by many shooters. Incorporating full bandwidth HD, native HD imaging and recording and JVC's SuperEncoder5, the only things missing in ProHD are excessive weight and excessive cost.

From the entry-level GY-HD110U to the selectable 24/25/30/50/60P recording frame rates of the 200 Series, ProHD cameras are being used for short-form commercial production (in either 24p or 60p) and in cinematography (at 24p) for major productions to the ever-expanding and exciting independent community. The increase in local HD news and sports production has found 60p highly effective. In its HD-SDI studio configuration, the GY-HD250U is HD picture format agnostic, equally capable of 4:2:2 full bandwidth 720P/60 or 1080i/30. Today, JVC cameras are at work today in all facets of professional production. More than 30,000 ProHD units are in use today, worldwide.

AFFORDABLE MEDIA STORAGE

While tape media leads in its affordability and convenience (and JVC believes market acceptance will extend for many years) non-tape storage is enjoying increasing popularity as an ever-increasing variety of storage option.

Currently relatively expensive, solid state storage is practical for limited applications. While JVC is optimistic about the future of solid state storage, to be truly effective in field recording applications generic solid state technical performance must rise, as must cost/capacity. Hard disk media has distinct advantages in long form recording applications such as concerts, theater events or to record Iso-cam feeds. While hard drive media has distinct advantages, it will take time to solve cost and archive issues. Optical disk has certain cost advantages but a number of workflow shortcomings. Current competitive implementations require relatively costly proprietary media that is unacceptably large, physically.

In today's reality, JVC believes a Hybrid media system including direct file access/native file based offers the optimum price/performance option. Products like the DR-HD100 recorder enable Hybrid recording in HDV or DV to both drive and tape using a single Firewire connection. And, DTE drives provide instant editing access to leading non-linear editing systems. In keeping with its commitment to Affordable HD, ProHD offers low initial cost of ownership and non-proprietary media.

JVC ProHD. Here and Now.

Four years ago, JVC ignited HD production with its controversial "Affordable HD". Unlike the earliest (ca 1995) frame-bound HD systems, ProHD's MPEG recording makes full advantage of modern processing power by using a GOP infrastructure. This newer method enables full bandwidth HD at a relatively low data rate, maximizing its flexibility while conserving archive and bandwidth requirements.

At NAB2007, the original ProHD vision is broadened to embrace an unequalled range of full system options. Taking HD well beyond the basics, ProHD is now wireless HD cameras, live HD remote capability, field-to-studio dual functionality, hybrid media options and blazing-fast workflow on multiple platforms. Technical cooperation with leading organizations like Troll Systems, BMS as well as leading NLE and server providers has greatly extended ProHD's range of applications.

ProHD maintains the full 1280 x 720 signal - full raster HD. ProHD operates using native pixel-to-pixel transfer of data, without scaling. That means a 720p camera begins with 1280 x 720 CCDs and maintains that resolution throughout the recording process. JVC provides the most practical and affordable means to fulfill evolving market needs.

HIGH DEFINITION STUDIO MONITORS

Today's professionals are looking for affordable, high-performance flat panel displays. Historically, flat panels did not provide the performance level of equivalent CRT displays. But through significant advancements in display and processing technology, JVC's new DT-V series of monitors boast superb contrast and color performance, with full native HD resolution available in both 1080 and 720 picture formats. The DT-V24L1DU and DT-V20L1DU panels accept analog and HD/SD-SDI inputs while the sister models DT-V24L1U and DT-V20L1U accept analog and DVI inputs. All DT-V panels provide safe zone indications for accurate monitoring of SD and HD images, display of up to twelve channels of audio levels, and individual display designation.

In combination with JVC's exceptional line of CRT monitors, we are providing solutions for just about every studio monitoring requirement.

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMITMENT

2007 marks the 80th Anniversary of JVC. For years, the company has been developing and offering high quality, competitively priced equipment.

JVC's commitment to efficient, full-featured HD is realized in all its product lines. But under no circumstances does efficient, full-featured HD mean compromises in performance or quality. As a founding co-developer of intra-frame and MPEG compression technology, JVC has a long history and deep resources in High Definition.

JVC marketed the industry's first 1080i model camera, and we were among the first companies to develop a recording system for SD intra-frame compression and the first to create an HD MPEG recording system.

JVC believes in delivering quality without compromise, maintaining its long-standing promise of quality combined with efficiency. In today's ever-expanding market, ProHD offers the most practical, affordable, and complete HD production solution.

JVC ProHD: Here and Now.

ProHD, History and Product Introductions

Explosive sales of HD flat panels, HD rear projection and HD front projection products is creating unprecedented consumer appetite for high definition programming from cable, satellite and over-the-air broadcasters. This in turn is fueling demand for HD content of all types, including episodic, documentary, news, sports and reality shows. Content producers are demanding products that allow them to migrate to HD while maintaining established workflow and production budgets.

Ever since JVC introduced the concept of "affordable HD" in 2003, HD is no longer thought of as a technology for the exclusive dominion of an elite few. JVC Professional Products Company has been at the forefront of this "democratization" of HD technology with ProHD, pioneering the concept of practical and affordable products. It began in 2002, with JVC's D-VHS-based Digital Dailies system, still used in motion picture screenings today. It continued with JVC's introduction of the first ever HDV camcorder that broke technological barriers of size and performance.

In 2005, JVC introduced the GY-HD100U camcorder and BR-HD50U recorder for professional HD acquisition. These products have been enthusiastically adopted by industry leaders in every market segment for a wide range of applications. The GY-HD100U alone won more than 12 industry awards including NAB's coveted Award for Innovation in Media (AIM). "We believe that HD can be accessible to all areas of production, operating in an efficient and economical workflow," says Craig Yanagi, National Marketing Manager, Creation Products, JVC Professional Products Company. "The success of our products is based not only on their design and technology, but also with the synergy resulting from the collaborative efforts of our partner companies. Together we are establishing the foundation of an ideal HD workflow environment."

In the first eight months of delivery, more than 12,000 GY-HD100U camcorders entered the global professional arena. Monthly sales volume of HD models eclipsed sales of SD models during this time.

GY-HD100U camcorders can be found at work creating films for theatrical release, documentaries, commercial production and in local and network news operations.

JVC's introduction of the GY-HD100U broke a number of technological barriers, and offers full native HDTV capture and recording, progressive scanning, interchangeable lenses and 24 frame film-like recording in a compact, shoulder-mount design. The camcorder's unique form factor has established a new category of product, embraced by virtually every market segment from schools of television and cinema to seasoned network-level shooters.

In 2005, JVC fulfilled its stated commitment to provide "Affordable HD".

In 2006, JVC continues pioneering new HD ground by expanding the ProHD product line with models that address a broader range of applications.

Building on the success of the GY-HD100U, JVC continues to empower HD users with the introduction of two new cameras: The GY-HD250U and the GY-HD200U.

The GY-HD250U adds 60p and studio capabilities. Building on the 'compact shoulder" form factor, the GY-HD250U adds next generation 60p ultra-efficient encoding, HD-SDI output with embedded audio, time code synchronization and genlock. The camera also has composite video outputs, pool feed, and BNC connectors. Ideal for Electronic News Gathering (ENG) applications, the GY-HD250U performs equally well in SD and HD environments. Capture and recording in 60p provides high resolution and smooth motion for news and sports.

By adding the optional DR-HD100U Hard Disk Drive Recorder, the camera system provides dual-media recording on both tape and HDD. The unit also has retro-recording capability that enables the capture of up to 8 seconds of material prior to pressing the record button. A single 80GB drive will record up to 7 and _ hours of HD. Plus, the DR-HD100U provides advanced Direct-to-Edit capability with the future implementation Apple's .mov file structure eliminating the need to ingest the recorded material so you can start editing immediately on your Final Cut Studio timeline.

The GY-HD250U can also easily be converted to a cost-effective studio camera with the KA-HD250 Studio Kit. This new camera follows in the tradition of the JVC GY-DV550U Professional DV camera, which has found wide use in educational, religious, and local cable origination applications as well as in many broadcast studios.

Operating in both SD and HD, the GY-HD250U offers an affordable bridge to HD for all of these applications.

The GY-HD250U, like the GY-HD100U is also ideally suited for digital cinematography with Enhanced Cinema Gamma, true 24p recording, and interchangeable lenses.

JVC's second new camera offering is the GY-HD200U, which provides ideal features for specialized markets such as film schools and rental facilities as well as broadcast ENG applications.

The GY-HD200U expands on the GY-HD100U with the addition of a 60p encoder, enhanced cinema gamma, and additional key features specifically designed for cinematography applications.

With the introduction of JVC's exclusive HZ-CA13U 16mm Film Lens Adapter with PL Mount, the GY-HD200U will be able to accept a variety of stock prime and zoom lenses, greatly enhancing the camera's lens choices. The GY-HD200U also has an Image Inversion function, which allows for the compensation of picture reversal created by prime lenses, so the image is recorded in its correct proportion.

While providing additional capabilities such as 60p capture and Image Inversion, cosmetically the GY-HD200U is virtually identical to the GY-HD100U, so all of the accessories currently available can be fully utilized.

A third piece of JVC's expanded ProHD offerings is the SA-HD50U ProHD Encoder/Decoder, a major breakthrough in the recording and transmission of HD. This advanced SA-HD50U Encoder/Decoder takes the uncompressed HD-SDI signals and encodes them into a compressed HDV720P 19Mbps or HDV1080i 25Mbps stream in real time, which can be recorded directly onto an HDV720P (19.7Mbps) or HDV1080i (25Mbps) studio deck, or transferred directly to a disk based recording or editing system.

The SA-HD50U Encoder/Decoder comes equipped with a number of multi-format interfaces, including HD-SDI with embedded audio, IEEE 1394 and Analog Component connections. Input/Output capabilities include HD-SDI 720/60P/50P and 1080/60i/50i. IEEE 1394 interface includes 720/60P/50P/30P/25P/24P and 1080/60i/50i.

Its small size and low power consumption allow for easy mounting in restricted space such as vans and helicopters. When used with a DVB-ASI bridge (such as DVEO) the SA-HD50U provides economical microwave/satellite transmission at a fraction of the cost of conventional encoders.

The SA-HD50U facilitates efficient record and playback, economical archiving of news footage through use of the BR-HD50U ProHD VTR as well as broadcast quality delayed program playback capabilities at 19Mbps. Coupled with the BR-HD50U, users can ingest audio and video content from varied HD sources to a native HDV editing system. The two components also provide editing professionals with economical HDV distribution and archiving to inexpensive media formats. For example, the BR-HD50U can store up to 276 minutes of HD programming on a single economical LA-DV276PRO standard size Professional DV cassette.

The SA-HD50U is ideally suited for television stations and networks and post production suites.

Much of the success of the GY-HD100U can be attributed not only to strength of the camera itself, but to JVC's ever-expanding relationship with 3rd party suppliers. To date, more than 30 manufacturers have developed GY-HD100U compatible products from lens adapters and matte boxes to non-linear edit systems creating a smooth workflow environment. Current NLE partners include Apple, Adobe, Avid and Canopus, as well as Aspect HD, HDVxDV, Lumiere HD and MainConcept.

At NAB 2006, JVC is demonstrating continued expansion of HDV720P workflow by showcasing the new capabilities of our 3rd party partner companies, specifically the ability to edit HDV720/24P natively, providing the most efficient and economic platform for professional 24P editing and distribution ever.

JVC's NAB exhibit also features an entire section focused on digital cinematography. Several new lenses for the ProHD line of cameras will be unveiled. Leading cinematographers will be presenting and be available to answer questions from attendees to assist in bringing out the best of their JVC Professional equipment.

JVC Professional Products Company is a leader in premium video display products for the professional video market. With the rapid adoption of LCD displays in more and more professional applications, JVC has developed products that offer specific advantages in a variety of professional uses. At NAB 2006, JVC is showing its 40-inch GM-L40L2G display featuring multiplexed HD signals in both 1x4 and 1x6 configurations. The exceptional HD picture quality of the monitor allows multiple HD signals to be viewed. It is the ideal LCD monitor for control rooms (camera/source monitors) and newsrooms (competitive monitoring). The new GM-L40L2G also accepts HD-SDI signals via a plug-in option card, which makes it ideal for a wide range of studio monitoring applications.

In the display arena, JVC is also showing the 20-inch DT-V19L1GU, the 24-inch DT-V24WL1GU LCD monitors, along with the TM-1051G 10-inch utility monitor. This rugged-cased monitor features aspect ratio select and on screen audio level metering. Dual SDI (with imbedded audio) input/output make this an excellent monitor for general studio use.

JVC's NAB 2006 exhibit also highlights a number of JVC 3 Chip D-ILA 1920 x 1080 Native Resolution projectors including the DLA-HD10K. In addition JVC will also be displaying the DLA-HRM1 48" reference monitor with 12 Bit Color Processing powered by Teranex HQV Technology. New prototype products including a 37-inch LCD monitor will also be on display.

JVC's commitment to providing the most efficient and economical yet robust professional products, from Displays to ProHD, is fully demonstrated at NAB 2006.

JVC's ProHD vision ignited market imagination in 2004. From that relatively modest beginning, ProHD now embraces a range of cameras, decks, HD workflow, HD encoders /decoders, HD displays and projection systems. Yes, HD is here, today, to empower your creative vision.

ProHD Products

GY-HD250

See http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/features.jsp?model_id=MDL101625 -->

LIBRE

See http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/features.jsp?model_id=MDL101715 -->

GY-HD200

See http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/features.jsp?model_id=MDL101623 -->

GY-HD110

See http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/features.jsp?model_id=MDL101642 -->

GY-HD100

See http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/features.jsp?model_id=MDL101539&feature_id=01 -->

OTHER REFERENCES

See http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/category.jsp?productId=PRO1.1 --> See http://pro.jvc.com/prof/pr.jsp -->