UML Tsongas Centre Upgrades Broadcast Facilities With Ikegami Cameras

The Paul E. Tsongas Centre at UMass Lowell in Massachusetts has upgraded its broadcast-quality television production facilities with the installation of new Ikegami cameras, enhancing coverage of sports, entertainment and university events.

The project includes four Ikegami UHK-X600 studio/portable cameras, which will be used to televise a wide range of activity at the venue, including NCAA Division I sports, stage performances and public presentations. The cameras, along with lenses, viewfinders and control equipment, were supplied by broadcast systems integrator Little Bay Broadcast LLC.

With a seating capacity of up to 6,500, the Tsongas Center is home to the UMass Lowell River Hawks hockey and basketball teams and regularly hosts major concerts and events, making it one of the leading entertainment venues in New England’s Merrimack Valley.

"The new Ikegami cameras will help deliver the next level of video quality to the center-hung display we had installed last summer," commented Chad Fillion, Director of Audio and Visual Services at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell. "Our coverage of the UMass Lowell River Hawks hockey, the Boston Fleet, and various University-related events, will have a much-needed boost for fans and attendees."

Fillion added: "The output from the new cameras has fundamentally improved the action displayed on the 3.8 mm pixel pitch HD video screens, enhancing the entire fan experience. The signal quality, the cameras' 4K capabilities, solid construction and the ease of use for our CamOps team were all factors helping us to select the UHK-X600 models. Brian Raynes at Little Bay was instrumental in assisting us with the selection process, and Gordon Tubbs at Ikegami USA played a pivotal role in the acquisition and assisting us with our budgetary conditions.

"Once the cameras were installed and deployed, we noticed a great low-light response and dynamic range from the camera's sensors. This provided us an impressive image quality from both the darker areas of the arena to the high-brightness glare of the on-ice action. Paired with the new 45x lens, we can now bring the action from the ice to virtually any seat in the house."

From the manufacturer's perspective, the UHK-X600 is designed to meet the demands of both live production and studio use. "A recent addition to our UNICAM XE line, the UHK-X600 is a Full-HD studio/EFP camera built to withstand the rigours of OB and EFP as well as studio operation," addED Alan Keil, Senior Engineering Fellow at Ikegami USA.

"Designed for pedestal or tripod mounting as well as on-the-shoulder, it has a low vertical profile and comfortable light weight, just over 11 pounds, allowing truly portable free-style operation in practically any location. When combined with the Ikegami BSX-100 base station, the camera optionally supports simultaneous output in UHD and HD."

Technically, the UHK-X600 delivers 1000 TVL resolution with high sensitivity and minimal aliasing, alongside global shutter imagers to reduce artifacts in challenging lighting environments such as LED screens and strobe-lit performances. The cameras support Hybrid Log Gamma HDR, multiple colour spaces, and a range of optical and processing features designed to ensure consistent image quality.

The system also offers future-proofing options, including high frame rate capture, 4K processing, SMPTE ST 2110 IP connectivity and optional 12G output, positioning the Tsongas Center to support evolving broadcast and live production requirements in the years ahead.

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