Broadcast RF Tests New Sony 3D CamCorder with Wireless Transmission System

The tournament saw the return of international rugby league to London's Wembley Stadium for the first time since 1997, with a double-header played on 5 November 2011. Australia won the tournament, defeating England in the final at Elland Road, Leeds, on 19 November 2011.

At the Four Nations Rugby League matches at Wembley Stadium the Sony PMW-TD300 3D was used for the first time as a wireless camera in a live sports production.

Based on Sony’s popular PMW-320 camcorder, the PMW-TD300 uses dual 1/2” 3x CMOS sensors to offer superb 3D picture quality, even in dark environments. The PMW-TD300 can record over six hours on SxS cards by using 4x 64GB SxS cards. Supporting both 2D and 3D capabilities the CamCorder is the perfect option for production companies and freelancers making sports, music, documentaries or short films. With a short inter-axial distance of only 45mm, the PMW-TD300 allows 3D shooting at close up distances of 1.2m.

UK-based production company and technology supplier Broadcast RF set the PMW-TD300 3D CamCorder as a radio camera for this live broadcast. Since its introduction at NAB 2011 the PMW-TD300 CamCorder has been awaited eagerly because it has the look and feel (and weight) of a typical 2D camera, making it easy to handle for handheld applications. It can be used as a shoulder camera or on a Steadicam. While the interaxial distance between the two "eyes" is fixed, the convergence can be controlled either from the camera or remotely. For each eye the PMW-TD300 CamCorder has an individual HD-SDI output, so both left and right eye are available in full HD resolution rather than merged into a single side-by-side output.

Broadcast RF's 3D wireless transmission system is designed to sustain 3D picture quality and full remote control for the PMW-TD300 as well as all major stereoscopic rigs (e.g., those from 3ality Technica and P+S Technik). Compared to a 2D HD wireless camera, the video data rate is doubled in the 3D system to assure the picture quality for each HD-SDI camera output. The video from each eye, the left and the right, is similar to a 2D HD link.

Broadcast RF’s wireless camera control system allows for various 3D and camera parameters to be controlled remotely from the OB truck. This gives the stereographer full control of the 3D settings (such as convergence ) while the vision engineer has access to all the camera's paint functions using the manufacturer's control panel — in this case the Sony RCP-1500.

The tournament's final was held at Elland Road, Leeds on 19 November 2011, between Australia and England. A tight first half of the match ended with Australia taking an 8–6 lead. Sam Thaiday had scored Australia's first try, while Ryan Hall equalised for England, being awarded a penalty try. Australia's Johnathan Thurston kicked a penalty goal just before half-time to lead by two points. It was not until the 57th minute that Australia scored the match's next try, through Jharal Yow Yeh. Then the floodgates opened for Australia: tries to Thurston, Greg Inglis and, in the final minute of the match, Lockyer, secured a 30–8 win.