Hitachi Bridges HDTV and 4K Production with New CU HD1300F-S1 CCU

Hitachi Bridges HDTV and 4K Production with New CU HD1300F-S1 CCU posted: 23/03/2018

Company also unveils firmware option for SK-UHD4000 4K camera system to enhance simultaneous HDR and SDR acquisition

Continuing to enable broadcasters and production companies to adopt Ultra HD (UHD) at their own preferred pace, Hitachi Kokusai Electric America, Ltd. (Hitachi Kokusai) today announced the CU-HD1300F-S1 HDTV camera control unit with 4K, 12G-SDI output. Transforming 1080p to Ultra HD with support for High Dynamic Range (HDR), the new CCU will be showcased alongside other HITACHI unveilings in booth C4309 at the upcoming NAB2018 (April 9-12, Las Vegas). The company also announced an optional firmware upgrade for its SK-UHD4000 4K Ultra HD camera system to enhance simultaneous HDR and Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) acquisition. New optional 12Gbps SDI output capabilities for the accompanying CU-HD4000 CCU have also been added to its existing quad-link SDI interface.

The new CU-HD1300F-S1 builds on the rich feature set of the original CU-HD1300F, combining SMPTE fiber transport and multi-format HDTV support with intercom, teleprompter return, and additional signal connectivity in a space-efficient 2RU unit. The CU-HD1300F-S1 can output natively-acquired 1080p video as 4K/UHD over single-link 12Gbps SDI or quad-link 3G-SDI connectivity.

The 4K output functionality of the CU-HD1300F-S1 is compatible with all fiber-equipped, 1080p HITACHI Z-series and SK-series cameras, and supports High Dynamic Range when used with HDR-enabled camera models including the award-winning Z-HD5500 and the SK-HD1300. The new CCU can also be used with interlaced HITACHI camera models for HDTV output.

A second, new CCU, the dual-cable CU-HD1300FT-S1 fiber/triax model, offers similar 4K output capabilities when used with fiber-connected cameras. The CU-HD1300FT-S1 offers all of the capabilities of its fiber-only sibling, plus Hitachi Kokusai's fourth generation digital triax system for long-distance triax transport of HDTV signals.

New CU HD1300F-S1 Camera Control Unit

While the industry continues to increase its adoption of 4K, there are many content producers who have UHD production requirements but aren't yet ready to make the jump to 4K cameras, said John J. Humphrey, Vice President of Business Development, Hitachi Kokusai The high-quality 4K output of the CU-HD1300F-S1 extends the versatility of our progressive-scan HD cameras, enabling cost-effective, HD and UHD camera investments for these customers.

Like the transition from HD to 4K, the path from SDR to HDR has its own challenges for content producers, requiring them create separate outputs for optimal viewing across different generations of displays. The new firmware option for the SK-UHD4000 camera system allows separate video shading adjustments for HDR and SDR outputs, enabling users to select from multiple HDR profiles alongside SDR simultaneously with the same camera.

Single-camera, parallel HDR and SDR capture provides both creative and financial benefits compared to using separate cameras, enabling shot consistency while lowering equipment and operational costs, explained Humphrey. The new firmware allows users to do so while optimizing both HDR and SDR pictures.

Hitachi Kokusai will highlight its full range of HDR-enabled broadcast cameras at the NAB Show. Practical demonstrations will showcase how HDR-enhanced HDTV broadcasts will look when received at consumers' homes, with ATSC 3.0 compliant TV sets displaying RF signals received from Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark transmitter exciters fed by HITACHI HDR cameras.

About Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.

Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a company that manufactures broadcasting systems, security and surveillance systems, wireless communications and information systems, and semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Fiscal 2016 (ended March 31, 2017) consolidated net sales totaled 171,857 million Yen ($1,531million).

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