New system removes PTZ pan restrictions for teleprompter-based productions
Shotoku USA, Shotoku Broadcast Systems’ North American operation, will introduce the world to its PTZ Prompter Panner (P2) at NAB SHOW 2026. The latest addition to Shotoku’s Aura suite of advanced PTZ-centric solutions, P2 will be showcased alongside the TR-XPTZ control system in Booth C 3816. The Aura range joins several other major introductions, including the North American debut of the Swoop robotic crane family, and the launch of Quick-Ref, a revolutionary referencing system.
As PTZ cameras grow increasingly popular in broadcast and high-end AV environments, their use with teleprompters has remained restrained. In traditional PTZ/prompter setups, pan movement is limited to prevent the prompter hood from entering into the frame – restricting creative flexibility.
The P2 overcomes this compromise. Its novel design mounts the prompter on a precision-controlled rotating platform, allowing the prompter and PTZ camera to pan together as a unified system. The result is full unrestricted pan movement without frame intrusion, opening new possibilities for presenter-led productions.
Engineered to support larger PTZ and prompter payloads than earlier solutions, P2 delivers smooth, broadcast-quality on-air movement. When combined with the TR-XPTZ, prompter rotation and PTZ axes are combined in one camera channel control, enabling operators to adjust, store, and recall shots with ease manually or via automation, eliminating the need for manual intervention.
According to James Eddershaw (CEO, Shotoku USA), “It’s clear that technical and commercial distinctions between broadcast and Pro AV have become blurred if not entirely removed. Cameras and lenses (and their remote-control systems) are some of the more obvious areas impacted by this shift through the expansion of improved PTZ systems. Shotoku, as a well-established leader in remote camera control, understands the pros and cons of these traditional vs modern approaches.
“Aura is a 100% direct result of specific customer demands, and now very much a part of the wider Shotoku solution. Aura is clearly more than just another cool product – it is the beginning of a new eco-system. TR-XPTZ with P2 are just the start of the Aura evolution.”
Aura joins Shotoku’s Swoop robotic crane family, making its North American debut, along with Quick-Ref – a simple yet transformative advancement in robotic pedestal navigation for Shotoku’s SmartPed and Swoop-SP.