Shotoku Heads Back to IBC with Expanded Pan/Tilt Head Series and Enhanced Control Systems for All-Size Studios and Legislatures

“We’re excited to showcase our robotic camera systems once again, and if IBC is anything like what we experienced at NAB, it will be another great show,” said James Eddershaw, Managing Director of Shotoku Ltd. “As usual we’ll be showing a range of products reflecting the varied applications and market segments that we’ve always addressed, whether it’s a large, muti-camera broadcasting facility or a major national parliament, but we’ve also expanded our platform to better accommodate small regional interview studios with the new TG-47, our latest pan/tilt head. We’re also excited to introduce the European market to enhanced versions of our control systems in Amsterdam.”
 

TG-47 Pan and Tilt Head
The latest addition to the Shotoku range of pan and tilt heads, the TG-47 sits between the well-established TG-27 and TG-18i heads in terms of payload.  Like all Shotoku heads the TG-47 moves with fine control and smoothness for perfect on-air moves.  With a payload of 22kg it can support a wide range of cameras and accessories, including typical 17-19” teleprompters.  Being compact and lightweight, it can be used in smaller studios and on SmartRail ceiling systems too.
 

TR-XT Control System
The latest version of the TR-XT control system will be on show highlighting the wide range of powerful features available whether controlling simple PT heads or multi-camera fully robotic SmartPeds and Rails.  With smoothed key-frame sequences as standard and now with AutoFrame face tracking options, TR-XT really is the state of the art in studio robotics control.
 

Orchestra CMS v3 Automation for Parliamentary TV
The new Orchestra CMS v3 is a powerful automation system specifically designed for parliaments and legislatures, providing a high level of multi-camera control for semi- or fully-automated operation.  Orchestra is capable of controlling a large number of pan and tilt heads within a full-size debating chamber and is fully integrated with audio conferencing systems for rapid shot acquisition following active microphones.  A high-resolution UI touch screen is provided for manual control and immediate indication of active shots and seat positions.
 

SmartPed Robotic Pedestal
SmartPed, a world-leading fully robotic studio pedestal and the flagship of Shotoku’s product range, is in use around the world at leading TV news broadcasters.  SmartPed gives broadcasters the flexibility to effortlessly position full camera payloads to any floor position in the studio.  Supporting remote and local operation and with full VR/AR compatibility, SmartPed is the perfect solution for any live news/sports TV studio looking for exceptional on-air performance and increased production efficiency.
 

SmartPed supports traditional Relative navigation systems with a ‘home’ reference tile or Absolute methods provided by optical camera tracking systems supplied either as existing third-party systems or Shotoku-supplied and embedded within SmartPed itself.
 

SmartRail
For studios where floor or ceiling rail cameras are required Shotoku’s SmartRail system is ideal.  With an industry leading range of elevation columns SmartRail can be installed in almost any studio - even those without traditionally high studio ceilings.  Being rail mounted enables the camera to move in perfect smoothness regardless of the floor condition or studio environment.  Ceiling mounted rail systems enable the studio floor to be completely clear of cameras and cables providing a uniquely clean visual appearance and freedom of movement for presenters and guests alike.
 

For IBC the SmartRail system will be demonstrated in floor configuration and will showcase the very latest addition to the range of elevator columns, the high-performance X-Height column.
 

About Shotoku Broadcast Systems
Shotoku Broadcast Systems is an international leader in the manufacture and marketing of a full range of camera support products with emphasis on manual and robotic pedestals and pan/tilt heads for the television broadcast industry. The Company also provides robotic camera systems capable of interfacing with third-party equipment. Established as an engineering design firm specializing in advanced mechanics and electronic control systems, Shotoku maintains headquarters in Japan with offices in the UK, China and the USA. The Company's robotic camera systems are designed, developed and manufactured in Sunbury, UK.