Miranda and ARRI Make Telecast CopperHead Fiber Connection

Fiber connectivity permits the ALEXA’s unparalleled image quality, already highly sought after for film-style, single camera production, to be used for live, multi-camera productions. The FRO consists of a Fiber Remote Box mounted on  top of  the ALEXA camera, coupled with a Telecast CopperHead 3400 system, which includes a camera-mountable transceiver, base station and CHRCP-2050 remote camera control panel.  The CopperHead 3400 system is ARRI-certified as an essential third-party accessory that enables the ALEXA cameras to be connected and remotely controlled via SMPTE 311M fiber.

Proprietary software developed by ARRI for the CopperHead remote camera-control panel makes it possible to control RGB gain, gamma, shutter, iris and all other parameters typically associated with broadcast cameras while retaining ALEXA’s 35mm filmic look. Adding the ability to perform live image painting enables ALEXA camera users to extend its high value image qualities to live, multi-camera productions using familiar broadcast-style joystick and rotary controls.

Marco Lopez, Miranda’s president, said, “The CopperHead-supported Fiber Remote Option enables the ALEXA camera system to operate at its full dynamic range, delivering a much broader range of options for directors to capture the look and feel they desire.”

CopperHead is specifically designed to provide a robust fiber link between camera and truck or studio, simultaneously converting baseband signals from 3G/HD-SDI outputs to optical and transferring them over a single, lightweight fiber optic cable to a CopperHead base station for insertion into a live production. This provides the ability to integrate live imagery into any studio or production room environment.

Markus Dürr, ARRI Product Manager Camera Systems, commented, “We are excited about the greatly extended opportunities for the ALEXA camera system with our new Fiber Remote option. The Telecast CopperHead system is a well-established and successful system in its market and offers a great solution to integrate the ALEXA Fiber Remote camera system into TV studio or OB van environments for full functional live painting and highly reliable video/audio signal transmission.”

Among other productions, the ALEXA FRO was effectively used to transfer images for the recently released COLDPLAY LIVE 2012 DVD, capturing detailed highlights and shadows, rich color and natural skin tones.

ARRI is offering three options for FRO-equipped ALEXA systems, all requiring CopperHead, which is serviced and supported by Miranda.

About Miranda Technologies
For over 22 years, Miranda Technologies has been a leading worldwide provider of hardware and software solutions for the television broadcast, cable, satellite and IPTV industry. Its solutions span the full breadth of television operations, including production, playout and delivery. With a wealth of experience in delivering IT-based and traditional television systems, Miranda leverages its expertise to create the highest quality solutions available and delivers, deploys and supports them with a company-wide commitment to keeping the customer first. Miranda was acquired in July 2012 by St. Louis-based Belden Inc. and is the cornerstone of its broadcast division. Belden is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of cables, connectivity and networking products for many industries including broadcast, entertainment, consumer electronics, education, transportation and industrial automation.