THIS IS A PROMOTED POST

The year is 1991. Cambridge University late-night studiers and programmers in the computer lab were faced with a constant problem—the coffee pot was always empty. The disappointment after walking across the entire building in the wee hours of the morning, just to be met with an empty pot, was excruciating. Something had to be done.

A team of severely exhausted Cambridge coffee club members decided to install a camera to monitor the pot day and night and provide a live feed of the coffee status to any computer on the network. In 1993, it migrated from the network onto the web — giving birth to the first ever “webcam.”

While design and functionality of the webcam have remained the same since the early days of webcam technology, the needs of workers, students and individuals have significantly changed. Sure, there may be people out there monitoring their coffee accessibility, but today we need webcams for so much more — content creation, videoconferencing, worship services, healthcare — so why hasn’t the webcam evolved to accommodate these growing needs?

This thought process led PTZOptics to create two new cameras that offer flexibility and power, all in a small form factor. Along with sister brand HuddleCamHD, PTZOptics is excited to announce not one, but two new cameras — the PTZOptics Studio Pro and the HuddleCamHD MiniTrack 4K Pro — geared to fit the needs of any user.

Studio Pro

The Studio Pro is an all-in-one content creation and livestreaming solution featuring 12X optical/16x digital zoom, 72.5° FoV, a portrait and landscape toggle switch, empowering users to connect with their audiences however they watch.

It offers simultaneous outputs via USB, HDMI, NDI HX, RTSP and RTMP at up to 1080p at 60 fps. The Studio Pro’s time-of-flight sensor gives the camera quick focus capabilities, while its advanced focus settings allow users to achieve a bokeh effect for a more unique and creative visual experience.

The Studio Pro includes an IR remote and a USB-powered premium lighting solution that offers 3000-6000k temperatures — soft white all the way up to crisp daylight. It also features a noise-canceling microphone array, as well as a cold shoe. For flexible deployment, the Studio Pro is PoE capable and can also be powered by USB or standard 12VDC power supply.

For more information on the Studio Pro, visit ptzoptics.com/studiopro.

MiniTrack 4K Pro

Ideal for livestreaming, videoconferencing, lecture capture and more, the MiniTrack 4K Pro offers smooth auto-tracking and auto-framing at the touch of a button. This is the latest addition to the HuddleCamHD auto-tracking line, which includes the SimplTrack Lite and the SimplTrack2.

Featuring 8X digital zoom, 108° FoV, and electronic pan, tilt, zoom controls, the MiniTrack 4K Pro can tackle any small to medium-sized video production — all in 4K at 30 fps.

The built-in noise-canceling microphone and included IR remote allow the MiniTrack 4K Pro to simplify any workflow. With the remote, users can track or frame subjects, set presets using two available preset keys, or zoom in and out electronically. The MiniTrack 4K Pro is compatible with most streaming, video production and videoconferencing platforms.

For more information on the MiniTrack 4K Pro, visit huddlecamhd.com/minitrack.