Almost Live from NAB: Datavideo KMU-100

In this interview from NAB 2016, I spoke with Datavideo managing director Craig Moffat regarding the Datavideo KMU-100, a new video processing unit that enables 4K/UltraHD shooters to take up to 4 images from their camera's 4K output as discrete 1080 outputs in real-time and send them to a switcher or monitor. With support for two 4K inputs, the KMU-100 can output up to 8 separate images.

"Everyone knows 4K is four times the resolution of 1080," Moffat says, "so you can take the pixels of that 4K image and output it as a 1080 as user-defined. You define what area you want on that stream. Then you can run it into a switcher or put it up on a monitor. This allows you to use one camera for a four-camera production."

The device works in tandem with Datavideo's RMC-180 PTZ controller to enable smooth-action pans and zooms with connected 4K cameras. The KMU-100, which ships in June at a $5000 price point (PTZ controller sold separately for $900), was selected as one of Streaming Media's Best Products of NAB 2016.

Here is the complete transcript of the interview.

Shawn: It's Shawn Lam here for Streaming Media Producer at NAB 2016. I'm here at the Datavideo booth with Craig Moffat. Today, we're going to be talking with the KMU-100. This is a 4K two-input device that isn't really a video switcher; tell me what it is.

Craig: The KMU-100 allows you to take four images from your 4K image and output it as a 1080 output.

Shawn: You're taking the 4K image and then you've got four different quadrants that you can move around to take center punches or punches from that to output 1080.

Craig: That's correct. Everyone knows 4K is four times the resolution of 1080, so you can take the pixels of that 4K image and output it as a 1080 as user-defined. You define what area you want on that stream. Then you can run it into a switcher or put it up on a monitor. This allows you to use one camera for a four-camera production.

Shawn: How many 4K inputs can we input into the KMU-100?

Craig: The KMU-100 is designed with two inputs for your 4K. This allows you to go out with eight outputs.

Shawn: So you're taking essentially two camera feeds, but you can leave it a little bit wide in 4K UltraHD and then you can turn that into eight camera feeds and you can move between them. If you need to move one of the cameras, you have the ability to pan using the tripod, but otherwise, you can pan and zoom in and out within those two images that are coming off your 4K feeds.

Craig: And you can do all of that in real time--that's what's really nice. If someone is on stage and moving around, you have the ability to actually follow that subject while they're on stage.

Shawn: How smooth are the zooming in and zooming out and the panning and scanning while you're live? Can you actually do that?

Craig: Yes. The RMC-180, which is our controller for our PTZ cameras, now works with the KMU-100. It's a really smooth action device, just like you would have on a PTZ camera. If you're really good at the joystick, you can mimic a cameraman action just as well.

Shawn: Fantastic. Is this currently shipping?

Craig: No. It will ship in June.

Shawn: Price point?

Craig: $5000.

Shawn: How much is the controller?

Craig: $950, so just under $6,000 for a complete solution. Keep in mind, that eliminates three cameras in your workflow or up to six cameras in your workflow if you're using two cameras.

Shawn: In terms of future development, are there plans to enable additional functions and features?

Craig: There are many new features that we can do with this. You can use it as a remote. You can put it online and actually control it from a remote location. There are some other things we're talking about where it will be sensitive to someone moving on stage and then actual image of your motion is going to follow that image automatically. It has a lot of potential for education, for church, and for live events that do stage production. You can imagine all the applications that this product will have in the very near future.

Shawn: I also spoke with your developer, who mentioned that there's going to be the ability to program in shots--an A point and then a B point--and then transition between those points.

Craig: I'm actually excited to hear about it myself. There are a lot of opportunities with this box.

Shawn: This has been Shawn Lam for Streaming Media Producer at the Datavideo booth at NAB 2016. Thank you very much.