Sony is adding a streaming upgrade to its NX-80 and PXW-Z90 small-format camcorders.
Simple Live Streaming is a free firmware upgrade. Owners of either camera can connect directly to WiFi to stream a single camera channel. Sony says other hardware, such as capture cards, is needed.
So far, Sony has not said which social media sites it will support, nor which streaming services. Both YouTube and Vimeo now support streaming content, alongside specialist services such as IBM Cloud Video, formerly UStream, and Bambuser.
Sony already supports XDCAM air on the Z90. XDCAM air is a cloud-based service aimed at professional broadcasters. It supports live viewing of video, live streaming, and transfer of media and metadata files, and includes Quality of Service (QoS) to ensure reliability. XDCAM air works with 4G and wired connections; Simple Live Streaming will be WiFi only.
Simple Live Streaming is due out by the end of 2019. The NX-80 and PXW-Z90 are 1-inch sensor based handheld camcorders, with XLR connectors on a detachable handle. The NX-80 is a semi-pro model in Sony’s NXCAM range. The PXW-Z90 adds a wired Ethernet and HD-SDI connection, as well as additional formats including XAVC QFHD at 100Mbps and XAVC HD 422 50Mbps Long GOP for compatibility with existing HD broadcast workflows.
Sony points out that both camcorders also work with its MCX-500 switcher for multi-camera production.
