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News Stories and Events
from around the world:

July 2004
F1 Grand Prix - Silverstone 2004
Gigawave On-board 2004
New JVC Camera Interface for D-Cam
Spidercam
Prince Charles Attends 'Party in the Park'
Queen Inaugurates Diana Memorial Fountain

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Archived News Stories 2002
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F1 Grand Prix - Silverstone 2004
Silverstone Circuit , UK - July 04
Gigawave On-board 2004
 Gigawave engineers have continued their development of a digital on-board camera system throughout the 2004 season, holding track tests at Hockenheim, Valencia, Barcelona, Donington Park, and Goodwood race circuits.
The object of the tests has been to evaluate the performance of the system at different race circuits, with particular emphasis on the following, to ensure that the system will meet the required specification under actual FIA race conditions:
  • RF Performance
  • Mechanical integrity
  • Power consumption

The tests have clearly demonstrated that it is possible to provide broadcasters with a MPEG compliant 4:2:2 broadcast quality signal using only a single ground based receive point.
Goodwood, England - July 04

New JVC Camera Interface for D-Cam
Vienna based BFE has just sold a D-Cam wireless camera system with full remote control to Austrian Racecource Owner, Magna Racino, for use with a JVC KY-D29 Camera.
Apart from enjoying the thrill of horse racing in comfort, Magna Racino claim to offer visitors a wide range of entertainment at their circuit in Ebreichsdorf. The D-Cam is used by Magna Racino to provide live coverage of all races held at the Ebreichsdorf track. When testing the system, Magna Racino were delighted to discover that they could use the D-Cam in the Grandstand, Parade Ring , and anywhere around the track.
Ebreichsdorf, Austria - July 04
Spidercam
The stars of Spider-Man 2 jetted in to the UK for the London premiere of their movie, knowing it is already on course to become one of the biggest films in history. It has been described as "the best comic book movie ever".
Thousands of noisy fans filled Leicester Square to see Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, who play Spider-Man and his love interest Mary Jane Watson. However, it was the singer, Samantha Mumba, who stole the show wearing a £5m diamond encrusted Spider-Man inspired dress.

Spider-Man 2 has already broken cinema records in the US and Canada, and is expected to do the same in the UK. As such the media were present in force, with ITN and Sky News both using D-Cam 'Clip-on' systems to provide live news coverage of the event.

ITN used their D-Cam 'Clip-On' to cover a live "two-way" interview with their correspondent, Tamzin Sylvestera, on the cinema's balcony and the 'London Tonight' studio. Later it was used inside the cinema foyer for a live interview with pop band McFly, and finally outside on the red carpet for another live "two-way" with Lauren Taylor for the main ITV Evening News.

London, England - July 04
Prince Charles Attends 'Party in the Park'
Prince Charles joined 100,000 pop fans for Capital Radio's annual 'Party in the Park' concert in London's Hyde Park. The concert, which last year raised more than £1m, was again held in aid of the 'Prince's Trust' charity.
Hosted by Geri Halliwell and Blue's Duncan James, the seven-and-a-half hour event featured 15 chart acts, including Will Young, Anastacia, Lenny Kravitz, Blue, Alanis Morissette, and The Corrs.

Live coverage of the event was shown on large screens, each side of the stage, and broadcast in the UK on Channel 5. The concert was also aired by television networks around the world, including Japan's Fuji TV. Broadcast facilities were provided by CTV.

Backstage, Sky News used their D-Cam 'Clip-on' to conduct interviews with the stars of the show, and other personalities. The image above shows Sky News talent, Matt Smith interviewing singer/song writer Beverley Knight.

Gigawave links were also used to provide a long shot of the stage from and a helicopter and a camera located on the rooftop of one of the buildings overlooking Hyde Park. The aerial camera system in the helicopter was provided by ACS using a Gigawave downlink supplied by Broadcast RF.

London, England - July 04

Queen Inaugurates Diana Memorial Fountain
Her Majesty the Queen met relatives of the late Princess of Wales for the first time since Diana's 1997 funeral, when she inaugurated a memorial fountain dedicated to her former daughter-in-law in London's Hyde Park.
Despite being slated by the press when it was unveiled to the public a week previously the official launch attracted the world's media, with a nearby car park filled to capacity with SNG Trucks!

Both ITN and Sky News used their D-Cam 'Clip-on' wireless camera systems to film the crowd of 4000, many of whom had camped out all night to get a good vantage point. The wireless camera systems were part of a BBC, Sky, ITN Pool operation to cover the official opening of the Diana Memorial Fountain.
In the midst of all the latest digital technology, an analogue 'Mini' transmitter, operating at 5.780 GHz, was used to transmit live images from a camera mounted on a 'Cherry Picker. The camera was used to provide an aerial view of the new memorial, which has been described as a cross between a storm drain and a children's water slide.

London, England - July 04

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