The constant presence of the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary of Czestochowa in our homes, thanks to Panasonic PTZ cameras

The Shrine of the Black Madonna in Czestochowa, also known as Jasna Góra, is one of the most famous in Poland and in the world. Its greatest treasure is the Miraculous Image of the Mother of God, and as a result became one of the largest Marian shrines in the region in the 15th Century.

Confidence in Panasonic cameras has lasted for almost 20 years

Panasonic cameras have been accompanying the ceremonies at the Chapel of Our Lady at Jasna Góra in Poland for almost 20 years. Since December 2019, the third generation of cameras from Panasonic saw the installation of the AW-UE150, which allow broadcasters such as TRWAM and TVP, to participate in the daily liturgical broadcast from Jasná Góra. The PTZ cameras make use of the AW-RP150 camera controller, located in a central control room, and enable a live broadcast to be made without the involvement of other technical services.

Demanding lighting conditions

The chapel's altar and rare monuments are part of a sacred place that must remain unchanged for future generations. Caring for the invaluable decor and equipment of the chapel makes it impossible to increase the brightness and temperature of the chapel through the use of additional lighting, as this would cause the "fading" of the canvas of the miraculous image and the surface of the altar. Not only that, but an increase in temperature and humidity levels would have a destructive effect on the condition and longevity of valuable exhibits.

One person operation

The five Panasonic AW-UE150 PTZ cameras are controlled by one broadcast technician, who controls the camera movement and zoom, and changes both the brightness or sharpness of each image remotely.

During the live broadcast, the technician selects the AW-RP150 cameras and uses preset movements to enable the desired positions and scenes, which are then sent to the production server via VMix. The signal from the server is supplied to the SRT encoder, which makes it possible to transmit high-quality transmissions over a modern IT infrastructure without the need to use satellite transmissions.

The joystick built into the controller allows you to move the cameras effectively, and frame shots as needed. The high-resolution camera crop function allows you to capture up to 18 images from 6 different cameras. This is achieved by dividing one frame into three completely separate frames, which gives much more transmission options.

All-day broadcasts

The reliability of Panasonic cameras in Jasna Góra was put to the test last year. As a result of the pandemic, the broadcast from the Chapel of the Miracle Image takes place every day for many hours. Since the installation of Panasonic cameras, they work for 18 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

All-day broadcasts from Jasná Góra are always broadcast by 3 technicians (changed every 6 hours). Thanks to their work, the image of the Mother of God and all the ceremonies in the chapel can be watched live in Poland, and broadcast online to a global audience.