Using PTZ cameras for livestreaming
While livestreaming might initially seem daunting for some, it also offers a host of possibilities. "When we livestream, we record simultaneously in 4K," says Tania, "That means you can livestream in HD or lower resolution if the bandwidths aren't good enough, and also record in 4K so the material can be edited after the event.
"In my experience, you tend to output in HD in education and very rarely in 4K. But if you want to create a glossy version – effectively a brochure for the university or the educational institution – you can use the 4K footage."
For cameras designed with livestreaming in mind, innovations such as USB-C outputs and OSD recording have further simplified the process. But this is just skimming the surface. The principle of making things simple continues with support for a wide range of control and streaming protocols, including RTMP/RTMPS, NDI|HX, RTP/RTSP, SRT, FreeD and Canon XC protocol, which are provided with each Canon camera. "All of our protocols are included free of charge out of the box as standard," Jack adds.
This package of protocols – the technical processes that facilitate the transfer of video files – also influences how Canon's cameras integrate with other systems. "We include standard protocol, which is what a lot of people use,” Jack explains. "That means Canon cameras can fit into third-party systems, so if a university already has an existing non-Canon system but requires new cameras, it can integrate Canon cameras into its workflow. That workflow element is very important."
With high-quality images, extended zoom ranges and the latest innovations and protocols as standard, Canon's livestreaming cameras are at the forefront of education's venture into a brave new world. It is a venture that could shape the sector for years to come. "Institutions, as well as educators, need to get up to speed on this," Tania concludes. "The institutions of the future, the ones that survive, will be the early adopters of this kind of technology."