Maryland College Relies On Orad's ProSet Virtual Solution

Orad Hi-Tec Systems, a leading provider of real-time broadcast graphics solutions, has announced that Howard Community College (HCC) will deploy its ProSet virtual set technology with grid-based tracking and CamTrack to support the launch of two new shows and revamp production of a third.
Orad's ProSet will enable the two-year college located in Columbia, Md. to improve the appearance of its productions, eliminate the costs and storage space associated with traditional sets, and execute lighting-fast turnarounds between shows.
For three years, HCC has produced a traditional talk show relying on a homegrown virtual set solution that required recording an image in a green screen studio with a single camera and compositing the image in post-production using a set created with 3D animation software - a process that took approximately three weeks for a single program. Relying on Orad ProSet, the production team will now be able to use multiple cameras in the studio and composite in real time.
Margaret Kahlor, Executive Producer and Television Services Director at Howard Community College, said: "ProSet will allow us to dramatically increase the amount of production we do while at the same time reducing labour costs. And as far as the appearance of our programming goes, we anticipate that the end result will be far superior to anything we could have accomplished with hard sets, thanks to Orad."
HCC has integrated the Orad ProSet system into its Studio A production environment, which is based on an Echolab Opera video switcher and three manually operated studio-configured Panasonic AJ-HPX2000 cameras. Additional live graphics from a character generator (CG) are inserted downstream. The staff uses Autodesk Maya software to design its sets, which are then imported into Orad 3Designer and finished there.
Avi Sharir, President of Orad Hi-Tec Systems, said: "As an affordable, community-based institution of higher learning, HCC must maximise return on an investment involving equipment. The college's broadcast team selected the ProSet system because they recognise it is an investment that will pay off in improved production quality and productivity, along with cost savings in staff and facilities.
"Like all of Orad's virtual set solutions, ProSet is a wise investment for educational institutions and a variety of media organisations."
ProSet is a complete virtual studio solution with seamlessly integrated hardware, software, and tracking technologies that support multiple production playouts. Equipped with CamTrack, the Orad system's grid based tracking technology can save a user thousands of dollars by eliminating the need for encoded camera pedestals.
HCC's television studio also serves Howard County Governmentm which will use ProSet technology to simplify production and improve the look of its local election coverage in 2010.
Further information is available at: www.orad.tv.
(KMcA/BMcC)