Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012
On Board Media Equipment - HD Waterproof Cameras

The new generation of High Definition (HD) cameras are smaller, lighter and more feature rich than the 2008-9 versions.

The roll compensated camera models are half the weight of the first generation cameras and the PTZ cameras see a 30% reduction in size and weight.

An important contributor to the overall weight is cabling, this can often dwarf the mass of the camera. Livewire Digital has designed a new communications technology that allows a single CAT5 cable to supply power, deliver the 1080i HD video and provide communications with the camera head.

The latest Livewire cameras can withstand the harshest environments but make no compromises where optics are concerned. The simplest mechanical design is a dome, but these distort the image and are subject to internal reflections. As such, the Livewire Digital HD cameras offer flat sapphire glass windows and incorporate HD wide-angle lenses.

The cameras are above decks in the most adverse conditions and have to survive the physical onslaught of waves, on board activity and salt water. Connectors are often the weak link and have been a key consideration for the MkII design. The new models see the connector housing machined into the body of the camera so there are fewer parts and enhanced performance.

In extreme conditions, the fixed cameras provide shots that would be simply impossible with a handheld camera. However, a handheld camera can be far more flexible and can capture the drama from all angles. For documentary purposes the local recording facilities of the handheld can be used, but for “Live interviews” over the satellite or during the in-port racing the camera has to be connected to the Media Desk. Three ‘HDMI Uplink Points’ provide this connection, one on the stern aerial mast, one at the hatchway and the other at the navigation desk.