Introducing the Holophone H2Pro microphone. Now sound engineers can leave behind their well padded mic cases, and set up only one, instead of 5 or more, mics to capture surround sound audio. The H2-Pro terminates in eight XLR microphone cable-ends (left, right, center, low frequency, left surround, right surround, top, and center-rear) directly into your mixer, and in theory, the channels should not require in additional audio processing. These channels co-relate to the standard 5.1-channels and add a top channel for formats such as IMAX, and a center rear channel for extended surround formats such as Dolby EX and DTS ES.

It kinda looks like someones head, and acts like it too. According to Holophone, the “sound waves bend around the H2-PRO as they do around the head providing the most accurate spatiality, audio imaging, and natural directionality of any audio capture device. Capturing the directionality of these soundwaves translates into a very realistic surround sound experience.”

If you’re into bootlegging live rock concerts (this is a techimoto “no-no”!), you could probably put a hat and some sun glasses on this thing and nobody would know the difference. You’d probably have to buy it it’s own ticket though. We heard it up-close-and-personal at the Vegas NAB show. Very impressive! But with a retail price of around $6k, this is definitely for the big-boy pro shops. They do, however also carry a more affordable, portable surround mic, called the PortaMic 5.1 for around $599. Check it out at www.holophone.com.

It’s like having your own personal composer, i.e., Hans Zimmer-in-a-Can; and you don’t have to be a Beethoven to use it. Its a new software product, called “Abaltat Muse”, from the Ireland based company, Abaltat (www.abaltat.com). They call it the “worlds first video-driven soundtrack composer”.

First, you import your video segment into the program. Muse can use several methods for formulating your composition; In the demo we were given at the NAB convention, Siun Ni Raghallaigh, the companies CEO, chose “color” as the key for the program to use in constructing it’s unique composition. Neuronets can also be used by the software to construct melodies (one primary, and one secondary melody), and other musical decisions needed to complete the composition. Using either of these techniques, in theory, will never give you two compositions that are exactly alike. We selected the color “red”, since the video’s main visual topic is a red sportscar. The software is also “smart enough” to take the time length of your video, and will adjust the composition to fit exactly in the video’s time frame.

You then select a number of other parameters, such as compositional “complexity”. The user has the flexibility to zero in on a particular time segment for the increased/decreased intensity, or use the same intensity for the entire composition.

Next, one selects a musical style, such as “classical”, “rock”, or “atmospheric”, the beats-per-minute (BPM), and the time signature (3/4 for a waltz feel, or the more typical 4/4 rock style).

Finally you set a parameter called “jingle”. This is slider that controls the degree to which the melody will repeat: set the slider to a low value, and the melody will repeat often, set it high, and it will will repeat rarely, if ever.

You are now ready to hit the “compose” button. With your selections made, Muse chooses the appropriate instruments with 4 “players” in all, 2 playing melodies, a bass instrument, and a rhythm player. The user can mute out, reduce the volume of, or add various “players” at any point during the video.

I was impressed by the results. The demo produced a composition that went well with the video, and would certainly compare favorably with any “off the shelf” soundtrack. And best of all, no royalties or other contractual paperwork to worry about - ii’s YOUR composition!

Once your are happy with your composition, you can export the project as a MIDI file, or AIFF sound file. This is a good feature, since, in my opinion, the sound samples used weren’t of the best quality.  In the demo, the “flute” sounded like a violin to me.  However, the MIDI export would allow you to enhance or otherwise change your composition further by using some of the pro-audio software tools, such as Cubase or Apple’s Logic Pro, as well some the high-end sound sample libraries available. The Abaltat Muse playout works with Mac’s own soundcard or with the standard editing third party cards such as Blackmagic.

The Muse software retails for around $480, is available on Apple, and will be available for Windows this year. Their “Express” version sells for around $220 (Apple only), and has fewer features than Muse but can still take you from A-Z resulting in a decent sounding track. For more information about the two versions, and other offerings from Abaltat, go to www.abaltat.com.

A second demo station at NHK featured another aspect of their revolutionary technologies: video capture at 10,000 frames per second. The demo video was dramatic, displaying a water balloon in the process of a needle-induced burst. The video was replayed in slow motion, with so much detail that the audience, (us), could see the thin rubber of the balloon peeling back while the ball of water remained intact, hanging in mid-air suspension for a seeming eternity, then denigrating into thousands of droplets scattering to earth.
The camera can record with frame rates of up to 1 million frames per second.

The same company has also developed the worlds first 22.2 multichannel sound system to go along with their ultra high definition technology. Unbelievable. Their “screening room” was set up with three vertical layers of loudspeakers, 9 channels on the top layer, 10 channels in the middle layer, 2 LFE channels, and 3 channels on the bottom layer. Just pray your teenage son or daughter doesn’t come home with one of these babies.

The company sees initial non-mainstream potential in such arenas as medical use, security and monitoring, and I would think defense (I’m sure DoD has their “eye” on this - no pun intended). Offerings also include hard disk recorders, optical transmission systems with DWDM (Dense Wavelength Divison Multiplexing) technology for distribution, a codec system based on MPEG-2 for program distribution using IP networks, and an experimental satellite transmission system using 21 Ghz bandwidth, and format converters to the 2160-scanning line format and HDTV.

Who knows, in another 10 years this might be the de facto in homes across America. Until then, if you’re in Osaka, visit their Ultra High Definition Theater and experience this amazing technology for yourself. (www.nhk.or.jp )

We have just the technology for you (that is, if your team is well funded and can afford gear designed for, and sold to, NBA teams). They call it the QTR-1000 PlayerMic”, manufactured by Quantum5x Systems ( www.q5x.com ). It is also harolded as both the worlds tiniest transmitter, and simultaneously, the worlds “first and only rubber transmitter”. In case you’re wondering, the flexibility is there in order to absorb body-checks from 300 pound tackles (if used in football), or the impact of a hockey-puck traveling at 106 miles per hour (as clocked on December 3rd, 2006, at a Toronto MapleLeaf game). It is basically a very small wireless microphone bodypack (.35 inches thick, 1.4 inches wide, and 3.8 inches long, weighing only 1 ounce), waterproof (for sweat-resistance, and other unexpected activities). It’s Lithium batteries will last up to 12 hours, with a power output ranging from 50-250mW. The QTR-1000 has no external connectors!

The remote “programming” hand-held PDA is also pretty amazing. The device will scan an environment, and display “recommended” open frequencies to be used by your team. You can choose a frequency for each player. Not only that, but the “controller” can adjust volume, or reassign a frequency to the player’s device remotely, without touching the player’s device.

Now, when you, the coach, scream “bunt” into your transmitter, no excuses, the little sh-t better bunt!

They work with a custom Sennheiser receiver and a future model will work with existing Sennheiser receivers including the G2 Evolution kit.

The MSRP is around $1499 and is currently available.

They brought their booth and sales reps. all the way from Norway to Las Vegas, where they were demonstrating their latest interactive software solutions at the National Association of Broadcasting (NAB) annual conference. Their product, called “never.no Interactivity Suite”, is an interactivity enabling software solution. They describe it as “the world’s first platform for universal interactivity in broadcast media”. This suite allows consumers to influence a broadcast in real time, and conversely, allows media owners and advertiser to track consumers through various mediums, and allows them to tailor and optimize consumer content based on consumer response.

Feature this:

• User Bob is watching something on TV, and wants to interject some ideas about the topic of discussion.
• He fires off a text message that is subsequently passed along to the Interactivity Suite resident on your server.
• Your Moderator approves the message, and the message is then used as a “discussion point” on the TV show while Bob is still tuned in.

This system acts much like a call-in radio show, however Bob’s interest can be cataloged, and can, if desired, lead to future targeted marketing, or simply serve as the basis for real-time user-driven content for the TV show (or any other media).

The suite works with user interaction through channels such as SMS/MMS, WAP, web, e-mail and Windows Live Messenger, in addition to communicating with 3^rd-party solutions like Set-Top Box middleware, 3G gateways, DTMF, and IVR systems. The Suite can process text, images, audio and video. Rock On Norway!

Owners of the RED ONE will be happy to know that RED will allow you to trade in your camera for for a full $17,500 credit towards the EPIC when it ships in 2009, Pricing is said to be about $30,000.

It features a 4.8″ LCD, 8x RED zoom lens, HDMI, HD-SDI, FireWire 800 and USB 2.0 connections. The camera is also compatible with many of the RED ONE accesories. You can even control the camera via a WiFi Connection.

Price should be under $3,000 and be available early 2009.

Like many other Panasonic cameras the AG-HMC150 is equiped with a 13x Leica Dicomar zoom lense with optiacal image stabilization.

The camera has 4 quality modes - PH (average 21 Mbps/Max 24 Mbps), HA (approx.17 Mbp), HG (approx. 13 Mbps) and HE (approx. 6 Mbps).

Using a 32GB SD or SDHC card will net you 12 hours of 1440×1080 HD recording in HE mode and three hours of full pixel 1920×1080 video in PH mode, I wonder if the battery will also last 12 hours…

The MSRP is set to $4,500 and will be available this Fall.

The HDVF-EL100 is an 11 inch display and is Sony’s first non-consumer application of an OLED panel. Consumer OLED displays were introduced in January, and continue to generate strong demand.

“High-definition acquisition requires extremely precise focusing, allowing the operator to accurately see contrast and color levels when framing a shot,” said Rob Willox, director of Sony Electronics’ content creation group. “This new viewfinder is a perfect example of our unique ability to leverage the innovation and expertise from one part of our company and apply it in another area to meet customers’ needs.

The display has a resolution of 960 x 540, and it also delivers a wide viewing angle, a wide color gamut and extremely fast response time. Designed for use by professional camera operators, the display features a “stand-back” option allows operators to remain at a distance without losing viewing quality.

The OLED display does not use a backlight like traditional LED displays, creating very deep blacks and a contrast ratio of more then 1,000,000:1.

The new feature is not a firmware upgrade. Customers who purchased a GY-HD200 since February 1, 2008 will be eligible for an upgrade. All other owners will have to stick it out with 720P or buy the new camera.

The product name has been updated to GY-HD200UB and is available immediately, and is $5995 with 16:1 Fujinon lens or the body only for $5695.