-- DAZN, the London-based global over-the-top (OTT) subscription video streaming service that expanded to the United States last year, has invested in seven Panasonic AW-UE150 4K pan/tilt/zoom cameras to support production of its recently-launched daily offering, The Pat McAfee Show.
With McAfee--the former Indiana Colts' Pro Bowl punter--as headliner, the show streams live on DAZN from 10 a.m.-noon ET Monday through Friday. McAfee is also creating football-focused segments for DAZN Canada and Germany, where the streamer has NFL rights. Additionally, DAZN has begun video streaming McAfee's podcast, which has expanded to three times each week. McAfee is also a commentator for ESPN's coverage of Thursday night college football games.
According to DAZN's Technical Operations Director Petro Mynch, the summer build-out for the show, working with McAfee's existing warehouse space in Indianapolis, represented the very first ground-up field studio implementation for the company. Pat continues to work with his longtime crew, but this is really DAZN's first opportunity to associate our brand with football, and we wanted a high-end, future-proofed production studio, he said. (DAZN continues to build a footprint in the U.S. with several recent rights deals for boxing and MMA programming.)
Mynch explained that five AW-UE150s are permanently installed in the Indianapolis studio, with the remaining PTZs placed in McAfee's mobile studio. At least one show per week is produced on the road, keeping up with McAfee's travel schedule. DAZN likewise invested in two companion AW-RP150PTZ control surfaces (one each in the Indianapolis and mobile studios), and three Panasonic BT-LH1770 17 Panasonic monitors (two installed in Indianapolis, one in the mobile van).
As a host, Pat is always on the move, very kinetic, so robotic cameras were a natural choice for us, Mynch said. We wanted our production kit to be good for at least a few years, and while we presently produce in 1080i/59.94, we have built-in 4K acquisition with the UE150. Our research identified Panasonic as a leader in the PTZ field, with the UE150 at the top of any list of remote cameras.
We built the studio on an extremely accelerated schedule, and Panasonic worked with us very quickly in terms of delivery and training. There is no on-site engineer, it's literally all hands on deck with camera ops, and everyone has been impressed with the UE150's ease of set-up and use, he added.
Mynch went on to cite the UE150's superb picture quality, as well as the plug-and-play abilities of the AW-RP150 remote controllers and the real-time color correction support afforded by the BT-LH1770 monitors.
Beginning with our very quick studio build, then moving on to demanding weekly live production assignments, the UE150s and support gear have worked impressively well and dependably, he noted.
For more information about DAZN and its offering, visit https://watch.dazn.com/en-US/sports/.
The AW-UE150 PTZ and Companion AW-RP150 controller
This new flagship model PTZ features 4K/UHD 60p output and a wide horizontally viewing angle of 75.1 degrees (both firsts in their class), plus a 20x optical zoom/32x intelligent zoom (in HD mode).The UE150 is equipped with a large 1 MOS sensor and various 4K interfaces including 12G-SDI, HDMI, optical fiber and IP connectivity. The camera simultaneous outputs 4K and HD, assuring the right output for the production. The camera teams with the AW-RP150, a new touchscreen camera controller. Offering a 7 GUI LCD screen for monitoring and menu settings, the controller offers intuitive, single-hand operability with a joystick (with a seesaw lever for zoom or focus control). For more info on the AW-UE150, visit https://bit.ly/2PSN7ru. For info on the AW-RP150, visit https://bit.ly/38QbmPS.
For more information about Panasonic professional video products, visit us.panasonic.com/broadcastor contact Panasonic at 877-803-8492.
About Panasonic System Solutions Company of North America
Panasonic System Solutions Company of North America, a division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, delivers game-changing technology solutions that deliver customized experiences to drive better outcomes-for our customers and our customers' customers. Panasonic designs and manufactures reliable, flexible and dependableproducts and solutions to help create, capture and deliver information of all types, especially where, when and how it is needed. The complete suite of Panasonic professional solutions for government and commercial enterprises of all sizes addresses unified business communications, mobile computing, security and surveillance, retail point-of-sale, office productivity, audio and visual systems (projectors, displays & digital signage) and professional video production. To learn more and Panasonic's business products and solutions visit https://na.panasonic.com/us/audio-video-solutions.
About Panasonic Corporation of North America
Newark, NJ-based Panasonic Corporation of North America is committed to creating a better life and a better world by enabling its business-to-business customers through innovations in Sustainable Energy, Immersive Entertainment, Integrated Supply Chains and Mobility Solutions. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic Corporation. One of Interbrand's Top 100 Best Global Brands of 2018, Panasonic is a leading technology partner and integrator to businesses, government agencies and consumers across the region. Learn more about Panasonic's ideas and innovations at www.na.panasonic.com/us.
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