The Hindu : National : TV studio can be a two-man show

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Sunday, Jun 24, 2007
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National

TV studio can be a two-man show

Anand Parthasarathy

All you need are an anchor and an operator with a PC

BANGALORE:

— Photos: Anand Parthasarathy

On air-virtually: Unmanned camera shoots studio anchor (right), as Monarch chairman Viren Satra uses a hand-held remote to tilt, pan, zoom or change backgrounds or introduce news clips — all through a PC.

Bangalore: The red ‘On-Air’ lamp glows. The anchor begins to speak as twin cameras start rolling, each backed by an operator, with a dozen sound engineers, floor managers, editors, audio mixers and a producer and director collaborating to get the show on the air. The reality of TV today? Yes. And tomorrow? Perhaps, not quite.

All it may now take for a modest broadcast operation are an anchor and just another person, who operates a computer mouse and gets an unmanned camera or two to pan, tilt and zoom; the sound and video recorders to roll even as scrolling text, instant graphics or live clips are slotted in with clockwork precision.

Seamless broadcasting

Next programme? The background is changed with a key stroke; one desk is now two; night becomes day. Welcome to the virtual world of seamless computer-assisted broadcasting.

Last week, a Mumbai-based audio-video solutions provider, Monarch Computers, drew large crowds at its stand in the annual BroadcastAsia show in Singapore, where it unveiled “Virtual On-Air,” its all-in one television broadcasting solution.

A brainchild of Monarch’s founder-chairman Viren Satra, the PC-based system is not pegged at replacing full-fledged studios but it will enable TV production houses to set up satellite facilities in other centres at a fraction of the cost of a regular broadcast facility. “It seamlessly integrates live broadcasters like anchors and news readers with a virtual 3-D set. Because it is computer based, the software can provide amazing levels of realism — including subtle colours and shadows in the foreground and background,” Mr. Satra explained to The Hindu.

The typical package is expected to sell internationally for an equivalent of Rs. 15 lakh. The virtual studio would also enable educational institutions to set up at minimal cost their own studios for distance learning or satellite-based projects, said Sandeep N. Ohri, Monarch’s senior vice-president (Broadcast).

Full technical details can be found at www.monarchvision.com

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