Friday 25 October 2013

Planet PC Launch YouTube Channel!

 
It's been a long time coming but the Planet PC YouTube channel is finally here!

Visit http://www.youtube.com/planetpcvideo to check out our latest videos.

We'll be updating the channel on a regular basis with promotional material and product videos so why not subscribe and keep updated with us here at Planet PC.

We've recently added new videos on Reflecmedia and the Rode VideoMic so if you haven't had time to check these out why not head over to the channel and take a look! Feel free to leave us a comment or get in touch via Facebook or Twitter to let us know what you think.
 
We've got plenty more in the pipeline so why not stop by next week when we'll be posting our video on the Editors Key's SL300.
 
Don't forget to subscribe!
 
 

Friday 11 October 2013

Coming Soon: The Atomos Spyder, Wirecast 5 and Teradek Stream Reader

Everyone loves shiny new toys and here at Planet PC we're no different which is why we're excited about the newest announcements from the likes of Atomos, Telestream and Teradek.
 
The Atomos Spyder
The Atomos Blade
(Sharper than your average Swiss army knife!)

 
Announced at this year's IBC Atomos's Spyder is a portable colour calibration unit which has been designed conjunction with  Swiss colour specialists Datacolor for use with the Samurai Blade. Along with adding increased functionality to an already excellent product this means that the Blade is now capable of one colour calibration which is a feature normally only found on higher end monitors.
 

The Atomos Spyder
Arachnophobia?
 
Fear not because this little beast will do anything but drain the colour from your cheeks due to the fact that it enables the Blade to accurately calibrate and represent colours like never before. This means you can now confidently trust the colours represented on screen which in turn means you can spend less time grading in post or worrying about your vectorscope settings when on set. While currently only available for the Blade the Spyder is soon to be compatible with the Ninja 2 which is great news when you consider a decent grading monitor can easily cost in excess of £1000.
 

 


Wirecast 5
 
Streaming gurus Telestream have updated their ever popular Wirecast software with the announcement of Wirecast 5 which is due to be shipping anytime now. Featuring more encoding options, increased compatibility, additional input sources and a more efficient interface this latest version looks set to be even better than the last one. See below for more on the new features in this latest version:
 
  • x264 encoding enables x264 live encoding with stunning quality at lower bit rates.

  • High quality screen capture provides the ability to broadcast multiple application windows from    the same computer, as well as HD screen capture in 60 FPS with amazing quality. This is great for game streaming, as well as online application demos.

  • Updated UI has been redesigned to include new keyboard shortcuts, live preview swap, shot bin improvements and more.

  • Output program feed permit output of SDI/HDMI program feeds to Blackmagic Design Intensity and DeckLink capture cards. This enables users to send live feeds directly into editing, effects and broadcast design systems.

  • Web stream plugin allows an IP or web-based live feed to be used as a source, supporting RTMP, RTSP, MMS or HTTP as input sources into Wirecast. This enables a Wirecast live stream to be used as a source in another Wirecast.

  • Improved H.264 playback delivers smoother playback of pre-recorded H.264 videos in Wirecast.

  • Stream delay adds an optional time buffer between the live feed and final broadcast, preventing mistakes from airing live. This is a key feature for gamers wanting to delay their live on-screen action to hide their strategy from online competitors.

  • Cross-platform Teradek plugin integration with Teradek Cube, Bond and Sputnik is now available for both Mac and PC. This adds flexible and economical live streaming options for easier capture of remote sources and more scalable publishing of local sources.

Teradek Stream Reader

Wireless wizards Teradek never cease to impress and they've done it again by teaming up with two live production greats (one of which we've just mentioned) in the form of Telestream and NewTek. Teradek's Stream Reader now makes it easier than ever before to further enhance the capabilities of Wirecast and NewTek's Tricasters, and means integrating Teradek equipment is now easier than ever before.
 
The Stream Reader plug-in is available from the Teradek website and means users of Teradek's Cube, Brik and Bond can now wirelessly stream HD footage directly to Wirecast or a Tricaster!
 
To see more from all the great manufacturers discussed here visit www.planetdv.net where you'll find the full range of broadcast equipment we specialise in.
 
Alternatively why not drop us a line at sales@planetdv.net or give us a call on 01274 713400
 

Friday 4 October 2013

AJA Announces New Mini Converters

Here at Planet PC we know that  humans are creatures of habit and it's fair to say that people often like to stick with what they know. The old adage "If it isn't broke don't fix it" is all too familiar to many who simply don't want the hassle or the risk of switching to (and integrating) new equipment unless they have to which is fair enough.
More than meets the eye to these little grey boxes!
 
Now we don't blame people for basing buying decisions  on past experiences. Chances are if someone has had a Sony camera they've loved for the past three years then when they do come to purchase a new camera they'll want a Sony again (especially if the alternatives are more expensive) and who could blame them? In a nutshell, when it comes to technology  it can be difficult getting people to convert but thankfully the same can't be said when it comes to AJA.
 
Anyone who's familiar with AJA will know only too well that they already produce a fantastic range of mini-converters. What you might not know is that they have just announced four more in the form of the 4K2HD, the HD10A-Plus, the V2Analog and the V2 Digital.
 
AJA's new kids on the block.
 
What makes these so special?
 
Anyone who knows AJA knows their converters aren't the cheapest and anyone who actually uses them will know why. The saying that you get what you pay for is true and you only have to pick one of these up to realise that they are built like a tank - essential for something that will play an important part in a signal chain.
 
AJA also win brownie points for their excellent aftercare and customer support. Customer support is one of those things that doesn't matter until something goes wrong, and it's often dismissed or simply just not considered when making a purchase. AJA have gone the route of factoring it into their price automatically and as a result picking up the phone and speaking to a real person within normal working hours is straightforward.
 
Better chips = faster processing which is why AJA use premium parts and more of them than their competitors. This results in higher conversion speeds along with increased stability and versatility. AJA also provide the option to control most of their converters via their AJA MiniConfig software over USB as well as external DIP switches.. The result is that AJA have become the go to guys for anyone who wants extensive format support and configuration options.
 
Reliability - but don't take our word for it! AJA offer a 5-year international warranty on all their mini-converters as standard. Here at Planet PC we think that's excellent value for money!
 
Don't forget that AJA do a lot more than just converters though! Visit our website at www.planetdv.net to check out the full range for yourself and if you're not already then hopefully it won't be long before video signals aren't the only things converted.
 
Alternatively why not give us a call on 01274 713400.