In the realm of content creation, video reigns supreme. More and more internet traffic is being driven by video content, and consumers have clearly expressed their preference for video. Technological advancements have also made video production more accessible to all types of creators, from seasoned video professionals to beginners still building their production capacity.
One area of video production that can be intimidating to newcomers is live streaming. But live streaming is gaining prevalence. It is currently the third most popular form of video content worldwide. While live streaming may seem daunting to some creators, with the right video production software, anyone can create professional, exciting live productions. Panasonic’s KAIROS live video production platform is that solution.
We'll delve deeper into this with insights from Panasonic's KAIROS Product Manager, Peyton Thomas, who shares valuable information about the platform's foundational features. He provides guidance for both new and experienced users, illustrating how to effectively utilize KAIROS to enhance their live streaming capabilities and produce professional-quality broadcasts.
KAIROS 200L1 Core Allows Smooth Transition to IP Workflows
The brain of the KAIROS platform is the KAIROS core. The 200L1 core is an affordable, easy-to-use entry point to the KAIROS system that provides flexibility when it comes to production workflows, from live broadcast to remote video production. Powered by the same software-defined technology as the 200p core, the 200L1 also delivers user-friendly, layer-based technology to power your live video production.
The key difference in the 200L1 is that it comes standard with three pre-installed SDI boards. This is perfect for video productions that have not yet fully transitioned to IP workflows. Without needing any add-ons, productions can utilize multiple hardware inputs and outputs. A seamless upgrade path to ST2110 then allows for an easy transition to IP workflows whenever production is ready.
Maximize Video Production Mobility with the KAIROS Emulator Software
The KAIROS core serves as the brain center that powers the KAIROS solution. But what happens in a situation where you aren’t in the same physical space as your KAIROS core? The KAIROS emulator is a free software that connects you to your KAIROS creator software even when your core isn’t present. This means you can plan your show from anywhere, even while offline.
Since the KAIROS emulator works in tandem with the creator software, you will need both pieces of software. Thankfully, they are easy to download and set up:
- Start by typing in KAIROS pass into your search engine. Note: Panasonic has two different pass sites, so be aware that the KAIROS pass site is different from the PTZ pass site.
- Complete the site registration and confirm your email address.
- Log into the site and click download on the left navigation menu.
- Download and install the latest creator software and emulator software.
- Run the emulator software first. It will prompt you to let you know it is running.
- Launch the creator software. When prompted for an IP address, enter 127.0.0.1 to connect to your emulator software.
Once you’ve connected your software, you can start building your show!
Supercharge Your Available Inputs/Outputs with Smart Routing
As your video production becomes more advanced, you may need large numbers of inputs and outputs to create multi-faceted, layered productions. However, with traditional hardware inputs and switchers, you are physically limited with regard to the number of inputs/outputs you can utilize.
Smart routing, an ST2110 feature introduced in KAIROS version 1.7, eliminates these limitations. Utilizing the ST2110 network eliminates hardware requirements, meaning you have access to your entire ST2110 network at any time. Additionally, with smart routing, you can switch between these inputs with only one layer of latency: the time it takes an operator to press a button.
Smart routing allows seamless switching between multiple inputs without the need for a switcher. With no additional licensing cost, it opens up new possibilities for video productions regardless of budget.
Easily Manipulate Layers with Pixel Position Effect
Video production takes on many forms. Especially when dealing with unique canvases like LED walls or multi-displays, precise screen management can be the key between eye-catching content and a jumbled mess. KAIROS’s pixel position effect simplifies screen management so you can achieve the best results.
By giving you the ability to move layers on a pixel-for-pixel basis, the pixel position effect enables easy movement of multiple layers across your screen. You can effortlessly shift aspect ratios and control resolution within aspect ratios, so your videos display beautifully across various sizes and shapes. The easy positioning tool also makes moving layers simple by giving you control of exactly where a layer is positioned across the x and y axes.
Create Multiple Video Production Workspaces with Core Manager
Having multiple video production workspaces can offer a number of benefits. Maybe you want the security of knowing all your work is backed up on a second workspace. Maybe you want the freedom to experiment with one workspace without worrying about permanently affecting what you already have. Maybe you have multiple, siloed productions, but you want the ability to share content between them.
Regardless of your reason, KAIROS’ core manager makes it simple to manage multiple workspaces and transfer content between multiple cores. To add a new core, all you will need is:
- The core’s IP address.
- The core’s password.
Once a new core is added, it is easy to transfer data between cores, making it simple to create your backup workspace. You can also use core manager to add other devices, such as a creator computer or control service, for centralized management of your full workspace ecosystem.
Set Permissions for Multiple Users with User Management
Video production often involves multiple users or teams, sometimes with specialized knowledge. These different users can greatly enhance the quality of your production, but each user can also raise the possibility of a mistake being made, especially if they’re accessing content outside their expertise.
To mitigate this risk, KAIROS has a user management feature that allows you to set permissions across multiple user groups. While the default setting is for user management to be turned off, once you switch it on, it is simple to set up:
- Begin by creating an admin profile (or multiple admin profiles). Admin profiles have full permissions to any part of the KAIROS ecosystem and can be password protected so they are only accessible to certain users.
- Admins can then set up different user groups. Groups can have any number of users and can be given specific permissions (e.g., only given access to media files). Groups can also be password protected, so users will only have access to their assigned group.
User management allows large productions to provide necessary access to every member of their team without worrying about inadvertent mistakes.
Image Stores Provides Internal Storage for Easier Integration of Stills
Still images can have many uses in video production, such as when building a slideshow presentation. KAIROS provides easy access to these images through its image stores, making it simple to integrate stills into any production.
By simply loading stills to RAM, production ensures access across the KAIROS system without the need to load to and from external image stores. For projects using multiple still images, it is simple to add transitional effects within the KAIROS system.
Panasonic’s KAIROS Innovations Power the Evolving Landscape of Live Video Production
More and more, live events are being live streamed to remote audiences. These audiences have come to expect a professional-level video production that fully conveys the experience of attending the event. Panasonic’s KAIROS live production platform makes this goal accessible to productions of any size.
And KAIROS continues to innovate. Just recently, new HDMI boards were introduced as add-ons to the KAIROS 200 and 2000 cores. These boards expand input/output options and streamline mixed workflows that utilize both HDMI and SDI. This results in greater adaptability without the need for external conversion.
Explore the full KAIROS solution today.
