Ryan Seacrest Foundation’s Seacrest Studios Serve as Educational Spaces and Provide Programming to Patients
NASHVILLE, TN — The Ryan Seacrest Foundation recently opened a new “Seacrest Studios” at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, complete with state-of-the-art video and audio equipment. The gear installed at the studio includes KY-PZ100U PTZ cameras, an RM-LP100U IP PTZ Controller and a KM-IP Switcher, as well as a GY-HC500 CONNECTED CAM camcorder, from JVC Professional Video, a division of JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation. JVC equipment has also been installed at existing Seacrest Studio locations in Dallas, Denver and Washington DC. These solutions help the foundation fulfill its mission of contributing positively to the healing process of children and their families through radio and TV programming.
Seacrest Studios at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children
Similar to the other Seacrest Studios at children’s hospitals around the country, the Orlando location is used to provide a variety of programming to patients, whether they are physically in the studio or watching through a closed-circuit network from their in-room TV screen. Some patients also have the opportunity to host their own radio and TV shows, watch live musical performances, play games and even interview celebrity guests who visit.
The GY-HC500 camera is not only used in the studio, but it also provides them with the ability to be mobile to capture footage and stories around the hospital and send live images from patient rooms.
The camera is connected to the hospital Wi-Fi and allows them to stream back to the studio using the SRT streaming protocol. Additionally, all patients have the ability to call down to the studio to engage in events they are watching in their rooms. The studio is located on the first floor of the hospital, adjacent to the main atrium, and is encased in glass, allowing patients and visitors to view the daily programming happening inside.
The first PTZ camera to feature JVC’s unique IP communications engine for network connection via WiFi, 4G-LTE or cabled LAN, the KY-PZ100U PTZ cameras can be used alone or as part of a multi-camera system in both studios and field environments. “The new JVC and KM-IP Switcher system could not have become available at a better time,” said Brian Clark, Director of Engineering for the Ryan Seacrest Foundation. “With the recent COVID-19 restrictions, all visits with special guests became virtual, and with the easy PoE camera connections allowing simple NDI integration, it has opened up many more video inputs to the KM-IP Switcher system. The low-light white balance responsiveness of these new PTZ cameras, has made color correcting unnecessary.”
In addition to its 3G-SDI and HDMI outputs with full broadcast video quality, minimal latency and forward error correction, the cameras can be controlled from a web browser or with the dedicated RM-LP100 remote control panel.
Anthony Grier, the Broadcast Media Coordinator for the Orlando studio works with the equipment daily. “Having JVC PTZ cameras and the JVC RM-LP100 in Seacrest Studios makes my job easy and fun. I can control all five of our cameras seamlessly while on the air. Our patients love to visit the studio and use the controller to move the cameras around – it makes them feel like they’re sitting in the director’s chair,” said Grier.
The Seacrest Studio at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children marks the 11th studio provided by radio and television host Ryan Seacrest and his family, through their mission to help patients explore the creative realms of radio, television and new media. “2020 was a year unlike any other and the Ryan Seacrest Foundation is honored to be welcomed into the lives of Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children’s patients and families,” said Ryan Seacrest. “We are thrilled to be able to share a fun and creative outlet during their stay that continues to keep their health and safety a priority during these challenging times.”