The all-new BG-Maestro auto-tracking camera was recently released by BZBGEAR, a California-based company providing innovative and cost-effective broadcasting solutions. The BG-Maestro does just that, providing a feature-packed auto-tracking camera system at an affordable price tag, coming in at $999. The camera also includes several features alongside the auto-tracking component that are often found on higher-end cameras, including 3G-SDI and HDMI options, as well as power, control, and video signal over a single ethernet connection.
The auto-tracking functionality works by combining electronic pan, tilt and zoom (ePTZ) movements with up to a 3x digital crop. The BG-Maestro can auto-track best when the camera is placed 15-50 feet away from the subject. The auto-tracking feature set is accessed through an intuitive web browser interface. This interface allows users to choose between different motion tracking presets and allows for fine-tuning of the speed and sensitivity settings. In addition to selecting an auto-tracking area in the field of view, users can also mask off certain areas like windows, doorways or screens that might create interference.
The BG-Maestro is considered an ePTZ camera, meaning it’s fixed in one position, and the camera “moves” by digitally cropping sections from the full camera sensor. The camera features a 1/2.8” CMOS 4K sensor and outputs a 1080p30 signal. The higher capture resolution allows the ePTZ feature to work while minimizing loss of image quality.
Users are also given many different options for streaming or distributing the video signal from the BG-Maestro. The camera offers several native streaming integrations from the web interface, including YouTube, Facebook and Twitch. The video signal can also be captured over the ethernet or USB connections as well as the 3G-SDI or HDMI outputs, depending on which model you select.
The camera also has multiple mounting points and options, allowing you to place the camera in a variety of different locations. When paired with control and power over ethernet functionality, users can have full remote control on a computer from anywhere that’s connected to the same network, allowing for many flexible uses. This could be a great option for a church that’s looking to mount a camera in a hard-to-reach location while not losing access to any of the features.
Finally, the BG-Maestro is also equipped with several other connection ports and is compatible with several other popular communication protocols, making it a great option to fit into existing video systems. Users can embed an audio feed directly to the camera through the 3.5mm microphone input. Also, the camera is compatible with the popular VISCA, Pelco-D, and Pelco-P protocols, allowing for seamless integration into your existing PTZ video systems.
It’s quite easy to think of a handful of scenarios for this camera system in many different environments. Many churches might struggle with finding multiple volunteers week to week who can run cameras, use a video switcher or manage encoding hardware/software. The BG-Maestro would solve several of these problems by providing smooth auto-tracking of those on the platform and a simple-to-use web interface for control and streaming all in one. This one device could easily cut down on manpower requirements and allow for one person to do it all!
It could also be a great option for churches to use outside of their main worship center to capture Bible studies, classes, groups, and other training events. Many times, these events happen at all hours of the day and several days of the week. If you have a small staff or serve in multiple capacities at the church, you could equip one or multiple rooms with the BG-Maestro and train new volunteers or the ministry leaders to set up and start the auto-tracking camera, allowing you to focus on other tasks at hand.
The possibilities of the BG-Maestro are only limited by what you can come up with and it can help serve media teams who are struggling to find enough volunteers or take several tasks off the church staff member who is already juggling several other responsibilities.
Learn more about the BG-Maestro at BZBGear.com.