MONTREAL — The 101st running of the Tour de France covers a total distance of 3,664 kilometers through 21 stages. The Euro Media Group is using five LDX WorldCam cameras from Grass Valley to provide up-close footage from five motorcycles that follow the action throughout each stage.
Bruno Gallais, Euro Media Group international business development head for wireless production facilities, says that the use of Grass Valley LDX Series cameras on the five motorcycles tracking the race is one of the primary changes to its RF configuration this year. To optimize connectivity of the new cameras, Grass Valley also developed a custom-made adapter kit which enables Euro Media’s RF affiliate, Livetools, to integrate its wireless transmitter solution for motorcycle use. Grass Valley developed the LDX RF docking interface and LDX adapter housing to allow RF vendors to integrate their own solutions.
Gallais, who has been involved in broadcasting the Tour de France for nearly 30 years, has seen a lot of change. “Technology drives our ability to cover these kinds of events. As the cameras and the ways we transfer our signals improve, our coverage gets better and better. We are able to help viewing audiences around the world feel as if they are right there on the course with the riders.”
The LDX WorldCam core technology is based on the Grass Valley Xensium-FT CMOS imager designed to perform in low-light conditions.
