SONY UNVEILS HIGH-DEFINITION ROBOTIC VIDEO CAMERA FOR REMOTE APPLICATIONS

PARK RIDGE, N.J., Feb. 20, 2006 - Sony's new BRC-H700 high-definition video camera is designed for an array of remote acquisition applications, especially in television production for recording programs and for use as a weather or traffic camera.

The robotic pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera can display images onto a large screen in houses of worship, auditoriums, teaching hospitals, corporate boardrooms, and at sporting events, trade shows, and concerts. The unit can also be used for distance-learning applications in which clear, high-definition images need to be projected onto electronic whiteboards during a presentation, for example.

"This robotic camera satisfies a professional shooter's need to combine high resolution images with extreme usability," said Theresa Alesso, director of marketing for professional video and audio at Sony Electronics. "This all-in-one compact camera achieves high accuracy and wide-range PTZ performance without the need for complicated cable connections and installation."

The camera features three 1/3-inch HD CCDs with 1.07 megapixels, delivers accurate color reproduction, and is ideal for shooting in low-light environments.

It has a wide pan range of 340 degrees and a tilt range of 120 degrees. Both pan and tilt speeds are variable within the range of 0.25 to 60 degrees per second, so the camera can capture both fast- and slow-moving objects with minimal rocking vibration. The camera includes a 12x optical auto-focus zoom lens, allowing for a zoom capability of up to 48x when used in combination with its 4x digital zoom.

This new camera can be controlled by external devices including the optional RM-BR300 remote control via Sony's VISCA ™ protocol. Local controls such as PTZ settings and any of 16 presets can be easily accessed. Up to seven cameras can be daisy-chained and controlled by one RM-BR300 unit.

Sony's Anycast Station ™ live content producer (AWS-G500) can also control the BRC-H700 camera's pan and tilt adjustments, in addition to iris, focus and zoom.

When using optional optical multiplex cards, users can control the camera and transmit digital image data and audio signals from a distance of up to 1,000 meters via optical fiber cables.

The BRC-H700 camera has a card slot that accepts a variety of optional interface cards, including HD-SDI, SD/SD-SDI (down converted), i.LINK ® (IEEE 1394) for use with HDV systems, and computer WXGA/XGA.

Other features include an image flip function for installation flexibility on ceilings or flat surfaces and up to 16 presets for operational ease of use. The camera comes standard with a D-sub 15-pin RGB-Y/Pb/Pr interface.

The BRC-H700 is currently available, at a suggested list price of $9,995.

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