Today's Videoguys Live Webinar is all about Remote Learning Upgrades, specifically using PTZ cameras. With back to school on the horizon, teachers must be looking for the best ways to engage their students, and schools must be looking to streaming to keep things classes going. A great option to top a standard webcam is a PTZ Camera. In this webinar we cover PTZ camera options from PTZOptics, Panasonic, BirdDog and NewTek.

Types of Connectivity

When choosing a camera for virtual learning- or any production, it is incredibly important to consider connections- there are five options.

USB cameras are typically 3-10 feet from the laptop or production system
HDMI typically is 6-25 feet
SDI Can connect cameras up to 100s of feet
NDI can use GigE network cables with Cat 5e, to connect cameras anywhere on the same network.

PTZ Cameras

PTZ Cameras are a great way to increase engagement with your students, by adding production value, multiple camera angles, and convey information in a better, clearer way.

PTZOptics:

PTZOptics cameras are generally the most affordable PTZ Cameras on the market. These cameras are avaialble in NDI, SDI and USB/HDMI.

We've placed the list below.

BirdDog:

BirdDog creates PTZ Cameras and controllers with impressive picture quality and durability. Their cameras start at the Eyes P100, with a 10X zoom in 1080p, and range all the way up to the versatile P4K, which is a 4K PTZ Camera with incredibly smooth movements.

NewTek:

NewTek also has two excellent PTZ Cameras. The PTZ1 is an NDI PTZ Camera, which works great with most production systems- or for video conferencing. NewTek also has a great 4K UHD PTZ Camera as well.

Panasonic Cameras:

Panasonic also features a large line of Pro PTZ NDI cameras, with some of the smoothest robotics and movements available on the market today. The range of these cameras go from 1080p all the way to 4K.

Panasonic Controllers:

Panasonic also has a several great controllers for their NDI PTZ Controllers, including the Panasonic HLC100, which is a full production system in and of itself.

Panasonic Auto Tracking Software:

Panasonic also features great software called the AW-SF100 PTZ Auto Tracking Software. This software can be downloaded on a wide variety of Panasonic PTZ Cameras, and uses facial recognition to follow a speaker- perfect for a lecture hall.

Best of all, the autotracking software features a free 90 day trial, available HERE.

HuddleCamHD SimplTrack2:

Another great PTZ Camera with auto tracking software on board is the SimplTrack2 from HuddleCamHD. This camera can track subjects up to 50 feet away and is easy to set up on your network. SimplTrack 2 is perfect for classrooms and lecture halls.

EPTZ

EPTZ is another great option when it comes to webcam or good camera for virtual learning. As opposed to having built in robotics, which move the camera- an EPTZ camera will create a 4K image, but will allow users to zoom in up to 3X to create a 1080p HD region of interest.

Check out this example below: