From corporate video studios to public access television to small market call-letter stations, there’s a full-court press for affordable HD studio camera solutions. If you want full 1920 x 1080 resolution, full digital signal transport, full camera remote control and a full range of studio facilities, Sony has a surprisingly affordable new option. A new camera control unit (CCU), the XDCU-50 enables low-cost studio configuration with the PMW-EX3, 320, 350 and 500 XDCAM EX™ camcorders. While all these camcorders offer full HD resolution, there’s a choice of imager sizes. The PMW-EX3 and 320 offer 1/2-inch type image sensors, while the PMW-350 and 500 step up to full 2/3-inch type imagers. The new CCU is destined to bring big smiles to a lot of faces with an MSRP of $3,500.

The new CCU supports a full range of studio facilities including return video, intercom, red/blue tally, and time code. In the control room, the CCU accepts all the usual suspects for Sony camera remote control, including the RM-B150, RM-B750 and a long list of Sony RCP series remote control panels. The CCU also supports both standalone and multi-camera systems. Camera-to-control room connections consist of a pair of BNC coaxial cables (one each for camera and return video) plus a Sony CCZ-A series cable for power supply. (Cables sold separately.)

The PMW-EX3 camcorder requires the XDCA-53 camera adaptor (MSRP $3,500). The PMW-320, 350 and 500 camcorders require the XDCA-55 camera adaptor (MSRP $3,500) and also require a 50-pin interface, all sold separately. For the PMW-320 and 350, the interface is the CBK-CE01 (MSRP $1,500 includes no-charge installation by an authorized Sony Service Center). For the PMW-500, the interface is the CBK-HD02 (price and availability to be announced).

The coaxial system uses Sony digital processing to multiplex the full range of ancillary signals, including tally, intercom and time code onto the two coaxial cables that carry camera video and return video. Maximum cable range is 100 meters (about 330 feet). For cable runs of up to two kilometers (over a mile), Sony also offers the SMPTE fiber based NIPROS/1 studio adaptor system for the PMW-EX3.