Under the posts: How Aerial Camera Systems' PostCAM is bringing Autumn Nations Cup viewers closer to the action By Will Strauss, Editor
Tuesday, November 17, 2020 - 09:48
Print This Story
Saturday's Autumn Nations Cup rugby match at Twickenham between England and Georgia might have been a somewhat un-noteworthy one-sided affair on the pitch but off it there was at least one thing that caught the eye: the debut of PostCAM.
As the name suggests, PostCAM is a specialist camera system that is installed on the goalposts at either end of the playing area. It provides a unique view of try-line and end-of-field action and can be used for both live shots and replays.
At the weekend, PostCAM was used in the host broadcast as part of the world feed for England vs Georgia (pictured above) and to aid the Television Match Official (TMO). It will be used again on all England's home games at Twickenham during the tournament and at the Parc y Scarlets stadium in Llanelli for Wales vs England.
Supplied and operated by Aerial Camera Systems (ACS), the innovation consists of eight 1080p 3G POV minicams (four at each end) attached to the rear of the posts in the in-goal' areas using specially designed low profile adjustable mounts.
Powered by battery, PostCAM includes multi-channel video encoding and transmission equipment housed in a padded enclosure which is clamped to the post.
The enclosure is installed immediately above the lower sponsored padding while the mounts and the main body of the cameras fit inside the post diameter with the two inside cameras on each set of posts. The Reverse inside' and Gantry inside' are remotely operated pan and tilt cameras that can follow play.
As production gets more familiar with it, we would expect its use to become more common. It will depend to a certain extent on the flow of the game though.
Speaking to SVG Europe following the debut of PostCAM, ACS sales director Matt Coyde explained how the idea came into being.
Over the years we've watched a lot of rugby and seen the innovations that are brought in, he said. We've always felt that there's something that we could do in-and-around the goalposts because that's an area where there's a lot of action.
Once we had the idea, we went through various testing iterations looking at what was currently available on the market in terms of cameras.
Obviously there's a lot of challenges in placing cameras on the posts because they have to be small and discreet and you can't run power out to the posts as there's a live area of the pitch behind them. Also, there was the question of how you get all those feeds back? Do you just put one camera on and have an RF link? Or can you put more than one and switch the feed back from the post to the OB? We did a lot of research but what really helped was some innovations from Dream Chip Technologies and their UK representative, which is Broadcast Solutions.
This was the game-changer for ACS and PostCAM that allowed the concept to move forward and eventually secure approval from World Rugby for use on the Autumn Nations Cup.
We identified that Dream Chip's cameras would be suitable for the application because they were small, the right format and they also had a separate device called the Barracuda which allows you to encode live video outputs into an IP Stream, explained Coyde. This allowed us to create an array of cameras on each post and work within the space restrictions.
A shot from PostCAM captured during a test that took place ahead of the Autumn Nations Cup
To get the signals back to the OB compound where ACS has its own dedicated unit, PostCAM is wirelessly linked to a receiver behind the advertising hoardings. From there, the signal is cabled to the compound via fibre.
Within the compound itself, two operators control PostCAM's pan and tilt cameras. They are backed up by a support engineer who ensures a consistent wifi signal.
To optimise EVS requirements within the OB, the eight live video feeds are switched by ACS between each end of the pitch before being sent to the main truck.
CyanView RCPs are also provided to enable PostCAM to match the other stadium line cameras.
On Saturday, PostCAM was mainly used for replays but Coyde is convinced that as the technology beds in, it'll be used more and more, including for live shots.
We were really pleased with how the first match went. As production gets more familiar with it, we would expect its use to become more common. It will depend to a certain extent on the flow of the game as well, though.
Nobody else has tried to achieve this in the way that we've done it and using this range of new technologies.
Coyde is also optimistic there are more opportunities out there for PostCAM too, on other sports and other tournaments.
The idea was to try and do something new and different and I think that's what PostCAM does because it provides some brand-new angles. Nobody else has tried to achieve this in the way that we've done it and using this range of new technologies.
It is an efficient operation and is very cost-effective. Rather than having four separate video feeds going back, you can basically encode it into one cable or one link to your OB. I have no doubt there will be more applications for this in the future.
The Autumn Nations Cup is a new international rugby union tournament that has been developed to fill the gap in the schedules caused by the COVID-related cancellation of international rugby tours.
England vs Georgia in the Autumn Nations Cup took place on Saturday 14 November. Live coverage, produced by Sunset+Vine, was broadcast on Amazon Prime Video in the UK. The tournament continues until 6 December.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
14/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
14/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
14/11/2026
Newest Lenses, Horizon Anamorphic Seminar & Guided Lens Character Experience Highlight Creative Possibilities
At the 2026 Toru CAMERIMAGE Film Festival, ZEISS...
14/11/2026
Sonnet Announces Black Friday Sale on Select Products
Brie Clayton November 14, 2026
0 Comments
WHAT: Sonnet Technologies is having a sale on a select...
14/11/2026
Berklee Alumni Shine at the 2026 Latin Grammy Awards This year's winners included songwriters, engineers, and performers who contributed to acclaimed reco...
13/11/2026
The UIM E1 Series wraps its third season this week with the Bombay Sapphire E1 Miami GP, Nov. 11-14, on Biscayne Bay at the Miami Seaplane Base on Watson Island...
13/11/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
13/11/2026
Singer-songwriter Benson Boone will headline entertainment for the Discover NHL Winter Classic between the Utah Mammoth and Colorado Avalanche at Rice-Eccles St...
13/11/2026
Blackmagic Design has announced the Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone, a 7th order ambisonic microphone array that captures spatial audio for immersive video prod...
13/11/2026
SMPTE has announced that The Studio B&H and Riedel Communications will provide the video infrastructure and communications technology for the Solutions Hub at t...
13/11/2026
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) has announced the theme and program focus for the 2027 HPA Tech Retreat, which takes place Feb. 14-18, 2027, in La ...
13/11/2026
Football Manager 27 Touch is available on Apple Arcade starting today. The game ...
13/11/2026
MotoGP has announced a two-year media rights agreement with ESPN covering the Un...
13/11/2026
Apple Sports, the free iPhone app, has added the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to its lineup of supported sports, in time for Saturday's UFC 334. The...
13/11/2026
The NBA and Fanatics Studios, the joint venture between Fanatics and entertainme...
13/11/2026
ESPN held its annual EDGE Innovation Conference last night and offered up an ove...
13/11/2026
Regional sports network gives Ithaca College, SUNY Cortland students a platform to thrive
One of the biggest games in Division III college football will be pla...
13/11/2026
Studer-inspired 500-series PWM compressor unveiled
The HLabs range already includes a couple of Studer-inspired offerings in the form of the PRE169 and EQ16...
13/11/2026
Download Now!
To view the white paper, please enter the following details:
--
First Name* First Name
Company*
Country* Please select your countryA...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Blue Lucy, the workflow orchestration and integration platform for broadcasters, rights owners and localisation companies, today announced an integration with c...
13/11/2026
Krotos announces Black Friday offers on Studio Pro and Studio Max
Brie Clayton November 12, 2026
0 Comments
First-year annual plans start at US$195.99...
13/11/2026
Blackmagic Design Announces Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone
Brie Clayton November 12, 2026
0 Comments
New 7th order ambisonic microphone with 108 MEMS...
13/11/2026
Meet the Berklee Student Setting Planetary Motion to Music With his compositional platform SoniKosmos, Javier Roqueni aims to make the universe the ultimate i...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , er...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , er...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Amagi, the media industry cloud company, today announced a partnership with Golden Times Media Technology (stock code 920021.BJ), a Beijing-based media and tech...
13/11/2026
CGI (TSX: GIB.A) (NYSE: GIB), one of the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world, together with its Malaysian partner, Cedar ...
13/11/2026
SMPTE, the home for media professionals, technologists and engineers, today announced that The Studio B&H and Riedel Communications will provide the video infra...
13/11/2026
iWedia, a global leader in connected TV software solutions, will present its software-first approach to DRAM optimization at Android TV APAC Summit 2026 in Bang...
13/11/2026
Beginning today, November 13, Apple HomeView is available for purchase at Apple Store locations, on the Apple Store online, and in the Apple Store app in select...
13/11/2026
From pediatric research to smart hospitals, AI is helping care teams spend less time on routine tasks and more time with patients.
Health systems and startups...
12/11/2026
Industry leaders examine how Dynamic Media Facility, Media eXchange Layer, and c...
12/11/2026
The junior Tar Heel is embracing the technical and creative challenges of live production while emerging as a leader and mentor in the control room...
12/11/2026
Gracenote, Nielsen's content intelligence business, has released its fifth a...
12/11/2026
RTL Deutschland will bring the NHL to free-to-air TV in Germany starting Nov. 30...
12/11/2026
Clear-Com supported On Air 2026, a 24-hour student-led broadcast connecting 45 u...
12/11/2026
uniqFEED has opened a Remote Operations Center (ROC) in Madrid, Spain. It is already operational, delivering virtual advertising for LaLiga matches. The ROC is ...
Under the posts: How Aerial Camera Systems' PostCAM is bringing Autumn Nations Cup viewers closer to the action By Will Strauss, Editor 
