HACKENSACK, N.J.—LiveU has announced that the national public broadcaster Czech Television has completed one of the largest LiveU live production deployments for live sports and news coverage in the region. The project, designed and implemented with LiveU's partner Smart Informatics, equips 10 Outside Broadcast (OB) vans with LiveU’s bonded IP technology, enabling Czech TV to achieve flexible, cost-effective, and future-proof live production workflows.

Until now, Czech TV relied heavily on satellite and landlines to power its OB fleet. This project introduces LiveU's LU810 fixed encoders and servers into the vans, ensuring reliable bi-directional IP connectivity for live contribution and return feeds.

LiveU said that the deployment is unique in Europe because of its inter-van interconnectivity at scale, allowing OB vans not only to connect to central facilities but also to interchange live feeds with each other across different locations.

With the OB vans serving as mobile studios, multiple channels can be sent instantly to the master control room (MCR), and signals sent back as a video return. The setup is used for both the production of lower tier sports games and news stories around bigger international events.

“This project represents a major step forward for Czech Television, underscoring our commitment to innovation,” explained Antonin Svach, head of OB department, Czech TV. “Leveraging LiveU’s IP contribution technology, we can modernize our fleet – no longer bound by the limitations of costly satellite and [the availability of] landlines. We can provide live coverage for any sport, at every level – whether it’s football, ice hockey, or a triathlon, our OB vans can now connect anywhere, instantly, and exchange feeds between each other and with our master control room in Prague."

"LiveU has been a trusted global newsgathering partner for years with their portable field units; this deployment shows the confidence we have in the reliability of their solutions for live sports as well", Svach continued.

"With the deployment of bonded IP connectivity, Czech TV has achieved a new level of production agility, transforming its OB fleet into a fully connected, mobile studio ecosystem capable of going live remotely from anywhere” added Dariusz Grudzień, regional sales director, LiveU. “This project demonstrates both the trust Czech TV has placed in LiveU and the flexibility of our technology to integrate into traditional OB workflows. It's truly unique in terms of size and scale for our region.”

Smart Informatics, the local systems partner, supported Czech TV in designing, integrating, and delivering the complex workflow. “From the proof-of-concept in 2023 to today’s full rollout, we worked side by side with Czech TV to create a future-ready solution,” said Tomas Vesely, Smart Informatics. “The reliability and flexibility of LiveU's technology ensures Czech TV and other customers can adapt to any production scenario.”

“Moving slowly away from a satellite and landlines-only models was essential for us,” concluded Antonin Svach, Czech TV. “his new hybrid setup, delivered with Smart Informatics, makes our OB fleet future ready. With bonded IP connectivity at the heart of our workflow, we can adapt to any production requirement, from small competitions to national broadcasts.”

In today’s fast-paced broadcast landscape, OB vans are under more pressure than ever before. From the rise of UHD and HDR to the growing need to accommodate last-minute customer requests, OB crews are constantly navigating a minefield of challenges that push their systems to the limit. Whether it’s covering major live events or supporting regional productions, the ability to adapt quickly has become critical for success.

One of the biggest challenges for OB vans is keeping up with technological demands. As UHD and HDR become industry standards, the strain on existing systems grows, often forcing broadcasters to stretch their setups further.

Adding more cameras, integrating external feeds, and adjusting operator positions all contribute to this growing complexity. Broadcasters are expected to do more with less, leaving little room for error.

Common flexibility and scalability challenges in outside broadcasting

1. Technological demands and pushing systems to their limits:

As the industry continues to shift towards UHD and HDR, broadcasters need systems that can handle these increased demands. Traditional OB setups, often struggle to meet these rising expectations. Pushing hardware to its limits raises the risk of failure and increases the chance of unmet customer expectations.

2. Flexibility to add gear and adjust on the fly:

Another major issue is the need to keep OB vans flexible. Broadcasters frequently need to add new gear, integrate external feeds, or add operator positions—often at the last minute—based on customer demands. Engineers on-site want to say “yes” to every client request, but rigid systems make it difficult to accommodate these changes without significant reconfiguration.

3. The unpredictability of field production:

In the field, unknowns are inevitable, and the last thing an OB crew wants to do is spend precious time troubleshooting technical issues. Every second counts during a live production, and having to deal with sudden equipment failures, mismatched transport methods, or connectivity issues can derail an otherwise successful broadcast. Without a flexible, software-defined infrastructure in place, OB vans are more likely to face downtime and interruptions.

The need for flexible and scalable solutions

Given these challenges, modern OB vans need to be equipped with technology that offers flexibility and scalability without requiring extensive reconfiguration. CINELIVE, a North American mobile production company, faced this exact challenge while building a 4K HDR-ready mobile production truck. By leveraging Ross Video’s Ultrix platform, they were able to streamline their workflows across three verticals—corporate AV, traditional networks, and Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD)—allowing them to adapt quickly to diverse production needs without compromising on quality.

“There was no doubt that it’s not just the box for this time, but it’s the box for the next several years. This thing’s going to be on the road for a long time, and I don’t want to be switching out hardware two years from now—and I’m not going to be,” says Zach Pittman, President of CINELIVE​.

Software-defined solutions provide OB vans with the adaptability needed to handle the demands of diverse live events. This technology allows for the seamless incorporation of additional production devices, advanced processing functions, and various production formats without consuming excessive space or requiring complex I/O reconfiguration. By integrating switchers with software-defined production engines (SDPE) like the Ultrix Acuity, broadcasters can load different software profiles based on the production—whether it’s a sports broadcast, a live concert, or a corporate event—offering the flexibility to meet varying production needs, such as using one large production switcher, multiple mid-level production switchers, or a combination of both.

The ability to reconfigure systems on the fly offers another key advantage. With traditional setups, integrating new devices or adjusting workflows between productions can be cumbersome. However, software-defined solutions streamline the process, making it easier to respond to last-minute changes or unforeseen challenges during live broadcasts. This flexibility minimizes downtime and enhances overall production quality.

For instance, software-defined systems enable OB vans to easily switch between HD and UHD formats or between SDR and HDR, depending on the event’s needs. These systems also allow for the addition of replay systems, cameras, and other production devices with minimal disruption to the workflow. By simplifying the integration process, OB crews can manage more complex productions efficiently, reducing the need for additional hardware and ensuring they can handle a wide variety of live events.

The role of hyperconverged systems

To achieve true flexibility and scalability, OB vans should adopt hyperconverged systems that consolidate multiple functions—such as routing, signal processing, multiviewing, and production switching—into a single platform. This reduces the need for multiple discrete devices, simplifying the overall setup.

For example, traditional setups often require separate hardware for each function, leading to more equipment, higher power consumption, and greater cooling requirements. Hyperconverged systems integrate multiple functions into a single device, eliminating the need for separate hardware. This streamlines engineering and frees up valuable space for additional operator positions.

Another advantage of hyperconverged systems is that they enable OB vans to adjust to changes in production requirements more easily. Whether it’s scaling up for a larger event or incorporating new production devices, hyperconverged systems provide the flexibility to adapt without the need for extensive reconfiguration. This makes OB vans more versatile and capable of handling a broader range of live events, from small-scale productions to large international broadcasts.

The Ultrix platform: A game-changer for OB vans

One such hyperconverged solution is Ross Video’s Ultrix platform. Designed with flexibility and scalability in mind, Ultrix integrates routing, multiviewing, signal processing, and production switching into a single, software-defined platform. Ultrix Acuity, which combines the proven Ultrix router with Acuity switcher blades, offers even greater flexibility, allowing OB vans to mix and match signals across SDI, IP, NDI and Fiber, depending on the event’s requirements. This flexibility is powered by the SDPE blade, enabling OB vans to handle complex productions without sacrificing quality or operational efficiency.​

This software-defined architecture enables OB vans to handle a diverse range of live events, whether it’s an HD or UHD production. Ultrix eliminates the need for bulky external processing equipment and reduces the number of devices required to manage complex productions. This not only improves the operational efficiency of the OB van but also cuts down on power consumption and cooling requirements, making it a more sustainable option for broadcasters.

The platform’s flexibility also allows OB crews to reconfigure workflows quickly, ensuring they can respond to the unique challenges of each event. Whether adding additional production devices or switching between production formats, Ultrix makes it easy for OB vans to scale their operations without the need for costly upgrades or additional hardware. By solving a range of engineering challenges, Ultrix is the ultimate problem solver for OB vans, providing the adaptability and efficiency broadcasters need to succeed in a fast-paced environment.

Optimizing your OB van setup

When optimizing an OB van for modern live events, it’s essential to prioritize equipment that offers multifunctional capabilities, energy efficiency, and simplified integration.

Innovative Production Services, based in Australia, optimized their OB truck by incorporating a hyperconverged solution, allowing them to transition seamlessly between large-scale events and smaller productions. By reducing the amount of hardware required, they minimized the operational footprint and increased the versatility of their truck to handle a wide variety of productions efficiently​.

Hyperconverged systems, not only reduce the number of discrete devices required but also simplify the integration process by requiring less cabling. This design optimization saves time in the planning and building phases and gets your OB van on the road sooner, reducing both integration costs and deployment time.

In addition to streamlined integration, hyperconverged systems provide flexible I/O configurations, supporting a wide range of transport protocols—including SDI, Fiber, ST 2110, NDI, HDMI, MADI, and DANTE—all within a single platform.

Vatican Media, which handles some of the most widely viewed global religious events, adopted Ultrix to manage diverse signal formats, allowing them to integrate SDI, IP, and other formats seamlessly within their production workflows. By using Ultrix’s software-defined architecture, Vatican Media minimized the need for additional hardware, simplifying their setup for high-profile, complex productions.

This flexibility allows OB vans to handle a wide variety of production needs with minimal reconfiguration, enabling broadcasters to quickly adapt to changing event requirements. By consolidating processing and routing functionalities into a unified platform, hyperconverged solutions eliminate the need for excess equipment, reducing the operational footprint while still meeting the demands of complex live events. These systems simplify the design, integration, and operational phases, allowing broadcasters to focus on delivering high-quality production services with less hassle.

Adapting OB vans for the future of live production

The landscape of outside broadcasting is continuously evolving, and OB vans must be equipped to handle the demands of today’s fast-paced production environments. By adopting flexible and scalable solutions, broadcasters can future-proof their operations, ensuring they can deliver high-quality productions across a wide range of live events. While traditional setups often limit flexibility, software-defined systems offer a more adaptable and efficient way to manage modern broadcasting challenges.

Breaking New Ground in Outside Broadcasting

Outside broadcasting and live sports coverage are changing rapidly and now require innovative approaches to content delivery.

QTV has reimagined how sports are covered by combining cutting-edge technology, remote production workflows, and a passion for delivering exceptional viewing experiences.

Watch this panel discussion from the Broadcast Sport Summit for an in-depth look at QTV’s story and how Ross Video became a trusted technology partner.

Since launching a major marketing branding campaign on Super Bowl Sunday this year, the local streaming service Zeam has spent the first half of 2024 working to spur the development of more hyperlocal content by deploying new technologies that aim to make it easier and more profitable for local broadcasters to offer new streaming content. 

Those efforts include the launch of the Zeam360 mobile production studio, the construction of a new studio in New York City’s Times Square set to open this summer, the creation of a small branded content studio in Marion Ohio, and a partnership to launch “Fast Lane TV, by Ryan Philly” with hyperlocal content from racetracks around the country. 

Taken together, this flurry of activity, makes Zeam a compelling case study in how newer technologies for production and advertising could make hyperlocal streaming more accessible and profitable for local stations. 

“The idea is to innovate and lead by example and to show our broadcast partners everything that can be done in the whole space by getting their viewers more content,” explained Jack Perry, the founder and CEO of Zeam Media whose local OTT platform Zeam currently reaches audiences in over 165 DMS and features 227 over-the-air stations providing 274 total streams. Zeam is backed by Gray Television, CBS, News Press & Gazette, Hearst and Morgan Murphy.

The centerpiece of that effort to “innovate and lead by example” is the Zeam360 mobile studio. Zeam360 bowed with a barnstorming tour in early 2024, stopping at nearly 30 local broadcast stations en route to the Super Bowl as part of the company’s strategy of helping local broadcast stations learn about the possibilities of OTT while also creating compelling hyperlocal content for viewers.

The technology used in the van illustrates how the cost of production gear has both improved and plummeted in cost, making hyperlocal production an appealing opportunity for local broadcasters, Perry says. Excluding the cost of the van and customizing it, the gear for hyperlocal production can be acquired for under 15K. 

Hyperlocal production has been “viewed as hard,” Perry admits. “But it’s really the 'unknown part’ that is hard. If you have the right technology, and the technology is getting simpler…we’re out there to show it makes a lot of sense.” 

“It can be outfitted inexpensively,” he added, particularly at stations that have decommissioned trucks. “That’s the most expensive part and we’ve heard from a number of stations that we have these old decommissioned trucks. Maybe we ought to outfit it like Zeam 360.’”

The Zeam360 mobile production studio is built around “the exact same van that Amazon Prime uses, [the Dodge Ram] Promaster,” Perry said. 

It is customized with four captain’s seats and a podcast table for a podcast studio in the back. It is equipped with solar power.

The setup has six or seven cameras, Perry said. The primary cameras are AIDA Imaging HD-NDI-CUBE cameras (https://aidaimaging.com/hd-ndi-cube/). It uses a vMix production system, which handles live video switching, video playback, audio mixing and graphics. (https://www.vmix.com/) For microphones, they are using the RODE Wireless GO II system. (https://rode.com/en/microphones/wireless/wirelessgoii)

Zeam360 is completely IP-based for video distribution. Internally, they use NDI which makes for simple plug and play for adding/removing cameras and other devices both inside and outside of the Zeam360. 

They also utilize iPhones to shoot remotely and bring the video back to the Zeam360 via SRT. The output of the Zeam360 is an SRT stream directly into the Zeam MediaMogul cloud, with connectivity for the Zeam360 from Starlink.

Taken together, the audio, video and streaming tech (video switching, audio mixing, graphics, cameras, network equipment, etc.) used to equip the van is under $15K, the company said. 

An early example of how the setup can help a local station bump up its local content production can be found at KVVU, the Gray Television owned Fox affiliate in Las Vegas. It was one of the nearly 30 stations visited by Zeam360 prior to its big Super Bowl Marketing campaign of regional Super Bowl ads featuring John Stamos. 

Kristin Bernal, senior executive producer of news specials and entertainment, at the station said that “we worked with the Zeam team and Zeam360 when they were in Las Vegas for the Super Bowl. The idea was to take a look outside as they traveled around the Las Vegas strip and Allegiant Stadium. We incorporated them into our lifestyle show for the week and also took their live elements into our newscasts. We incorporate live looks and interviews into our shows daily, so content from Zeam 360 was a great, natural addition to our Super Bowl coverage. We promoted what the Zeam Van was and how viewers benefit from the technology. We used their livestream when live on air, which was made possible via their Starlink Internet service.”

“What is nice about Zeam360 is that we didn’t have to worry much about the technology behind it – the van comes equipped with everything we need to capture the content we want,” she explained. “All we needed to do was take what was produced from the van and drop it into our own programming as we saw fit…We thought Zeam 360 gave us another tool in the toolbox to cover a big moment in the community like the Super Bowl. I think people are interested in fresh, unique content that shows what is happening around them and Zeam360 provided us a different way to do that.”

Since then, Perry recalls traveling and live streaming with Zeam360 on Route 66 on the way to the 2024 NAB Show.  “The Arizona Supreme Court had just overturned an abortion ruling and there was a protest as we were pulling into Flagstaff,” he said. “I grabbed a gimbal and an iPhone and linked the iPhone back to Zeam360 and streamed it live…I think the Zeam360 van can inspire more activities like that, whether it’s a protest or a little league game. We’re trying to show how simple it is to get your viewers something to watch.” 

Such efforts are particularly notable given hype surrounding hyperlocal news in the 2000s and the subsequent financial difficulties that hyperlocal news sites faced in the 2010s, when a number of high profile operations like The Patch were either shut down or significantly scaled back. 

Since then, however, hyperlocal news has seen something of a revival, with a revamped version of The Patch under new owners now turning a modest profit. 

In addition to the lowered costs of production and streamlined workflows, Zeam is also betting that its economies of scale for digital and streaming advertising can make hyperlocal content a profitable idea for local stations that stream local content and news on Zeam. 

“We have our own ad serving technology called AdSync,” Perry explained, “that is bolted onto the traffic systems at hundreds of mobile station websites…and all the station apps and websites that are part of our network. It is pulling all those available into a network of avails…The rebranding of the company [from Syncbak to Zeam Media in May 2024] was driven specifically by the nation of demonstrating to the advertising world that this is one bucket of ad avails with billions of avails.” 

In addition to pooling all the avails so advertisers can easily target audiences, the Zeam platform also makes it easier for small producers to connect with advertisers. “Our ad technology today is offering over 6 billion impressions, up from zero only a few years ago,” Perry said. “Even if you are a little podcaster, you can benefit from joining that network of advertising avails.”

To build on those efforts, Zeam is constructing a studio in Times Square, which will both boost its content production and act as a billboard for the service in an area of New York City that sees some 55,000 people walk by each day. The studio is expected to go live this summer. 

Zeam is also operating a branded content studio in Marion, Ohio. “It’s showing our broadcast partners that branded content is a big part of the future,” Perry said. “Micro audiences are not a bad thing if you’re not spending a lot to create the content and if it doesn’t cost you a lot to equip your studio.”

More recently, Zeam added new channels from Tegna and streams from stations owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, which is now offering hyperlocal news from KAAL-TV (Rochester, Minn.), WHEC-TV (Rochester, N.Y.), WDIO-TV (Duluth, Minn.), KOB-TV (Albuquerque, N.M.), KSTP-TV (Minneapolis, Minn.), and WNYT-TV (Albany, N.Y.) to viewers national via Zeam’s platform.

In June it also launched a partnership with Ryan Phinny that featured the creation of a dedicated Ryan Phinny channel on Zeam, called “Fast Lane TV, by Ryan Phinny,” and the production of local content using Zeam’s mobile production unit. The Zeam360 van will also be on-site at various Phinny races, capturing and livestreaming pre-and-post race content that will be featured on the channel. 

Perry believes that these ongoing examples of low-cost hyperlocal programming will help overcome the reluctance of some station groups to stream their local news. 

Nexstar, for example, has been vocal about the impact that streaming might have on its lucrative retransmission consent revenues and responded to those worries in 2023 by restricting the amount of local news content it is streaming.  

Perry responds by saying there are ways to offer and create hyperlocal content that won’t hurt the value of local newscasts in retransmission negotiations.  

“I say let's get your viewers something else to watch,” he said. “Let's cover your communities more deeply. We launched a UGC [user generated content] utility called Zeam Up to let viewers provide content to stations. If you are worried about retrans, produce other things. On Zeam you can build an out of market audience and you can start thinking about all the types of content that won’t…compete [with your feed] on the cable companies. That content won’t cause the cable company to say `we're not gonna pay returns anymore because you're putting your product out there.’ It’s a matter of giving them something else to watch.”

Riedel Communications has announced that the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT S.A.), Greece’s state-owned public broadcaster, has acquired Riedel's cutting-edge Simplylive Production Suite to expand its live production capabilities across a wide range of events. 

The software-driven solution was integrated into ERT’s OB vans by Riedel partner Bon Studio S.A. The deployment increased the broadcaster's capacity to work with more replay servers and, in turn, leverage more slow-motion cameras and sources to deliver the detailed coverage that fans expect of major live events today.

“Riedel’s Simplylive Production Suite not only meets our current production needs but also provides a scalable and future-proof platform for working with emerging broadcast standards,” said Mike Nugent, deputy general director of technology at ERT. “Our positive experience with Riedel's customer support, in collaboration with local partner Bon Studio, positioned Simplylive as a compelling solution. Riedel’s responsive and knowledgeable support teams also were instrumental in ensuring the smooth integration and operation within our OB trucks.”

ERT’s selection of the Riedel solution followed a comprehensive public tender process in which the broadcaster evaluated technology, functionality, expandability, and financial criteria. The Riedel-based proposal by Bon Studio emerged as the top choice.

“The success of this important project is a testament to the close collaboration we have with Riedel,” explained Nick Bofiliakis, CEO of Bon Studio. “By working together from the very beginning, we were able to fully understand ERT's specific needs and propose a solution that perfectly meets their requirements. It is a great example of Bon Studio's commitment to providing our clients with the best possible technology solutions, achieved through strong partnerships with industry leaders like Riedel.”

Two new V12 units enhance ERT’s ability to deliver high-quality live coverage of sports events, government functions, and entertainment events throughout Greece. Supporting super slow motion, providing a production network for seamless connection of additional replay servers, enabling multi-user operation, and ensuring Dante compatibility and support for 4K, the Riedel system gives ERT the functionality and flexibility essential to handling complex productions with fewer personnel and less equipment. The ease of setup and preset recall function give the broadcaster’s OB vans the versatility to meet the demands of any event.

“ERT is a leader in setting industry standards, particularly with its OB vans, and the company’s continued commitment to our live video production solutions reflects a high degree of confidence in the capabilities and reliability of our forward-looking technology,” said Harry Kapros, business director, live production, EMEA at Riedel. “Our Simplylive Production Suite empowers broadcasters like ERT to deliver captivating live content with unparalleled efficiency and quality. We look forward to supporting ERT as it continues to bring innovative and engaging live event coverage to audiences across Greece and beyond.”

WUPPERTAL, Germany—Studio Berlin, a German mobile production facilities provider, has deployed the Riedel Communications MediorNet MicroN UHD media distribution and processing in its new Ü10 UHD/HDR OB van system.

The OB van system is a unique two-vehicle design that makes it possible for production crews to maintain social distancing. The design, which positions 10 equipment racks in one vehicle and is tethered to the production van via fiber optic cable, enables Studio Berlin to spread out the working environment in the OB van control room.

To save space, Riedel’s MediorNet MicroN UHD system is split between the two vehicles, making it possible to accommodate up to 26 workstations and 24 UHD cameras while maintaining maximum distance.

The van design leverages 38 Riedel MicroN UHD modules for decentralized signal routing. Eight MicroN UHD modules are used as stage boxes, while others have been configured as multiviewers using the MicroN UHD MultiViewer app, the company said.

"For the unique design of the Ü10 —where space is at a premium to meet social distancing requirements— a decentralized router was a must," said Matthias Alexandru, technical manager at Studio Berlin. "While centralized solutions feature large, fixed designs with intensive cooling requirements, the distributed architecture of Riedel's MediorNet MicroN UHD allows us to start small and scale the system with additional modules as needed. Furthermore, it enables production teams to collect and distribute all stage box signals directly from where they originate. With centralized solutions, this process requires additional hardware that adds weight, reduces flexibility, and increases costs."

MicroN UHD is the latest generation of Riedel's MediorNet MicroN family of modular, high-density signal interfaces, bringing more bandwidth, more I/O, higher resolutions and more processing power to the MediorNet platform, the company said.

More information is available on the company’s website.

BEIJING—Online Chinese video service iQiyi has selected an end-to-end Grass Valley workflow for its Outside Broadcast (OB) van upgrade, driving 4K UHD content production for its streaming audiences, which together total more than 100 million subscribers.

The upgrade includes a suite of future-ready IP-based live production solutions to support 4K UHD production of live entertainment, Grass Valley said.

During the summer, iQiyi purchased a range of Grass Valley LDX86N cameras for its OB fleet to provide 4K UHD and HDR image capture. The cameras can be switched effortlessly between HD and 4K UHD formats based the requirements of individual shows, it said.

Grass Valley’s Karrera K-Frame production switcher provides multiformat support for iQiyi’s production environments. GV Node, Grass Valley’s real-time routing and processing solution, and the Densite 3+ FR4 signal processing frame underpin the IP live production workflow, it said.

The GV Stratus toolset will give iQiyi the means to upgrade and simplify its video production and content management workflows, which is necessary for getting live content on-air across multiple platforms and devices, Grass Valley said.

“Our subscribers are demanding more captivating streaming content — and they want to enjoy it in the highest quality possible,” said iQiyi chief engineer He Yi. “Our goal is to be at the forefront of content creation in China, and as a part of that, unlocking our 4K UHD potential has been a key focus. Grass Valley was the clear choice to partner with. Its technology portfolio provides a smooth and quick transition to IP-enabled workflows fit for the future of media production, and Grass Valley’s industry pedigree and expertise ensures we can trust them to provide reliable and highly-specialized solutions.”

Grass Valley channel partner Beijing Sailing Hightop made the sale.

More information is available on the Grass Valley website.

WUPPERTAL, Germany—A leading French provider of outside broadcasting (OB) facilities and production services, Amp Visual TV, has chosen Riedel to provide signal routing and processing as well as communications technologies for its new Millenium 3 and Millenium 4 live UHD production vehicles. 

The vehicles use Riedel MediorNet real-time network to drive 14-camera (10 4K capable) productions for both trucks. 

Riedel's Artist digital matrix intercom and Bolero wireless intercom provide reliable, flexible, and seamless crew communications.

Specializing in live television production, Amp Visual TV boasts one of Europe's largest fleets of OB vehicles, 44 in total. It also operates 29 studios in Paris — eight with fixed control rooms. 

Riedel has previously worked with Amp Visual TV on launch of its flagship Millenium Signature 12, a 44-camera (22 4K capable) van driven by a massive MediorNet signal transport infrastructure. Fortified by its success, this unit was swiftly followed by the Millenium 6 OB-van project, also based on Riedel technology.

François Valadoux, CTO of Amp Visual TV noted that “we had an outstanding experience working with Riedel on Millenium Signature 12, the first OB van in Europe that was fully based on MediorNet video routing and processing technology. Not only has MediorNet been a huge success on our Millenium Signature 12 and Millenium 6 OB-vans, it also drives live coverage on our DSNG vehicles and has been instrumental in live broadcasts of our 24 Hours of Le Mans series. Therefore, it was logical to turn again to Riedel to provide a fully decentralized and future-proof hybrid infrastructure for Millenium 3 and 4."

The modular and networked DNA of MediorNet makes OB vans, fly-away control rooms, and stage boxes fully interconnectable, enabling combined mobile units to address bigger productions while ensuring they can each operate effectively in standalone mode for smaller jobs, the companies reported. 

Millenium 3 and 4 are each designed for daily UHD video productions while also having the ability to expand for bigger productions by simply merging with any other systems from Amp Visual TV’s fleet with Riedel technology on board. 

The combined Millenium 3 and 4 units provided coverage for the last UEFA Champions League match in Paris early in March.

Valadoux added that “MediorNet is at the heart of our philosophy of providing a fleet of OB units that can be easily shared, combined, and redispatched on the fly based on our daily production requirements. In particular, the latest MediorNet MicroN UHD modular devices play a key role with their amazing 48-port video density — with rack space savings that are always welcome in mobile applications — together with 400G bandwidth horsepower for creating virtually limitless mesh topology scenarios."

In addition to MediorNet, Millenium 3 and 4 boast an IP communications infrastructure based on Riedel's top-of-the-line Artist-1024 digital matrix intercom paired with Bolero — which Amp Visual TV recently named as the wireless intercom standard for its entire operation. The communications system also includes a mix of Riedel's IP-based intelligent user interfaces of the 1200 and 2300 SmartPanel Series.

BINGEN, GERMANY—Two vans are better than one for NEP Switzerland, as the company recently acquired the UHD 42 OB Van, a 4K/UHD unit from Broadcast Solutions GmbH; this is NEP Switzerland’s second Broadcast Solutions truck.

UHD 42 is based on Broadcast Solutions Streamline family of OB vans and is an example of the new Alphaline model. The Alphaline OB vans offer two production areas with up to 23 workplaces, including large slomo areas and VIP areas for producers, moderators and guests with additional monitors.

The van can work with up to 10 Grass Valley LDX 86N 4K/UHD cameras. Additional gear includes a Grass Valley Karrera K-Frame with 8 M/E; a Lawo mc256 console with 48 faders, as well as a Lawo Nova73 compact router; and four EVS XT 4K units.

NEP Switzerland acquired the new truck for work on the 2017/2018 seasons of the Swiss Raiffeisen Super League. It is currently being used for producing Swiss Premier Football League games in 4K/UHD.

BINGEN, GERMANY—NEP Switzerland is taking the field for the upcoming Swiss Super League soccer season with its first full 4K OB van, the Streamline S 12 4K. Developed by Broadcast Solutions GmbH, the new van offers a new room concept for the production area; works with up to 12 UHD cameras; and can be manned by up to 20 operators.

The van comes with 10 Panasonic AK-UC3000 cameras, with options for Super SloMo/Mini Cameras upon request. Grass Valley has provided its Karrera 8 M/E video switcher, while Imagine Communications contributed its Platinum 256x328 video router. Four EVS XT4K servers were installed in the truck, as well as a pair of EVS Epsio Paint and a single EVS XFile3. VSM contributed both the control and tally system, while the truck features both Axon and Imagine Selenio modulars. The audio comes from Riedel and Lawo, with Riedel’s MicroN serving as the audio –video core processing system and its Riedel Riface for the wireless talkback, while Lawo’s mc256 and Nova73 work as the audio mixer and matrix respectively. Riedel also provided its Artist 128 and MediorNet Stagebox System for the intercom matrix. Imagine’s Platinum SX Pro 144x21 heads was installed as a multiviewer.

The van was developed in less than six months, according to the NEP and Broadcast Solutions, and will be ready to serve during league broadcasts in July.

BALTIMORE—With the increasing acceptance of IP-based routing that allows broadcasters to present any type of sporting event—from the large-scale to the obscure—televising events with a skeletal staff can result in significant cost savings over time. It makes economic sense that, with just an engineer and a shooter based out of small truck on location—and the announcers, graphics, slo-mo, etc., working from the broadcast center, with additional content stored in the cloud—a simpler approach can work.

That doesn’t mean next year’s Major League Soccer All-Star Game, for instance, is going to be broadcast without big HD trucks from the usual suspects. But given cost savings on personnel and the crew’s travel expenses and the increased demand for programming, cost-conscious broadcast executives are contemplating that option.

Pac-12 Networks, the TV and multimedia company of the Pac-12 Conference, uses Sprinter vans outfitted for mobile production to cover conference games.FROM THE BOOTH?
Jim DeFilippis, formerly of the Fox Technology Group and now president of Technology Made Simple in Pacific Palisades, Calif., said that this concept is not especially new.

“I recall people predicting this trend in the late ’90s, with the advent of fiber,” he said. “The challenge has always been the need for some physical presence to shoot and shade cameras, to place mics or to be there in case something goes wrong. And that most talent wants to be part of the event, not working from the broadcast center.”

John Salzwedel, president and owner of Madison, Wisc.-based Token Creek Mobile Television, offered this example: “ESPN is sending multicamera transmissions from the venues to headquarters in Bristol [Conn.] from a small truck and handling everything else, including the announcers and graphics” remotely, he said.

However, these units aren’t what are normally considered a production truck. “They’re basically Sprinter vans that can only accommodate [two people who] make sure that everything is wired correctly, with dark fiber [which more sports arenas now have available to broadcasters], to an uplink truck,” Salzwedel said.

They’re typically used for “Olympic” profile sports, like an NCAA volleyball match that doesn’t garner a large enough audience to make money. “They wouldn’t be [taking that approach] for the Wisconsin- Michigan football game, but they’ll use it for Wisconsin-Michigan volleyball match,” said Salzwedel of this more antiseptic approach, which was pioneered by the Pac-12 Networks and is also employed by the Big 10 Network, among others.

However, he stated, observers who wonder if this trend might point toward the end of large mobile units are mistaken. “There is still much to be said for having your entire crew at the venue” to observe events as they happen.

Salzwedel says viewers are getting wise, too. “When they watch a soccer match on ESPN between Equador and. Portugal, they can often tell if the announcers are calling the game from Bristol,” he said, “if a player suddenly disappears and [the announcers] miss a player holding his injured arm and walking off the field, for instance. To see details, they have to be there.”

The production room in Game Creek Video’s Glory double expando, which was used to cover the U.S. Open men’s golf championship on Fox.WHERE IS IT LEADING?
Fred Gerling, president of mobile production company Gerling & Associates of Sunbury, Ohio, said that even the large mobile units are sometimes used during smaller events.

“Several of our large ‘A Game’-type trailers have performed well this year doing REMI shows (where the transmissions are streamed to another facility where graphics, etc., are added),” he said. “The concept is great, as long as there is dark fiber from the venue to the final production facility; I must say, though, it was weird seeing a large remote television broadcast trailer doing an event crewed only by an engineer and a cameraman, but there will be such combinations in the future.”

All told, he believes the technological approach will come to the fore “in airing ‘Olympic’ sports” for universities as networks, such as ESPN 3 and the like, as they gain momentum—especially with newer equipment, like the Ross Carbonite switcher and its matching graphics system, which emulate the “big broadcast” that every outlet wants.

“We’re seeing considerable activity in that area now with smaller truck systems and this will lead to considerable pay-per-view broadcasting,” Gerling said, “and to added programming outlets using the cloud. It’s the concept of putting a truck in the field with limited crew that people are thinking hard about.”

NEP, CBS Go Really Big

While producing the smaller (e.g., low revenue) events with small trucks is definitely a trend, a regular season major league sporting event requires the usual large mobile units and a complete crew, and they aren’t going away.

The four-trailer SSCBS production unit consists of three 53-foot double expandos and one 53-foot straight trailer. That point was recently driven home with last month’s announcement that NEP Group and CBS have joined forces to use the Evertz IP routing system on the new, four-trailer SSCBS production unit that recently debuted at the PGA’s Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C.

The unit, which consists of three 53-foot double expandos and one 53-foot straight trailer, will take to the nation’s interstates for CBS 48 weeks out of the year as the main production unit for the network’s PGA golf coverage. It will also be used for NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football broadcasts (eight of which will also air on CBS) and for Super Bowl 50.

The decision to employ IP routing in the construction of SSCBS was done for a number of reasons, including 4K capability and the expectation that cameras, switchers and digital disc recorders used for replays will eventually be controlled via IP.

“I think between the IP routing and the IP intercom system, it will add an incredible amount of flexibility to CBS’s production capabilities,” Joe Signorino, vice president of systems integration for NEP. “This is one of the largest unit systems we’ve put together and we’re well braced for the future.”

Mark R. Smith

Also on board with that train of thought is Jason Taubman, vice president of new design and technology with Hudson, N.H.- based Game Creek Video. “We don’t think it will decrease the amount of larger trucks that are in need, but will add to the number of smaller trucks the market demands,” he said. “That also might mean that, sometimes we use a larger truck for a smaller event, which we have done recently with an ESPN REMI show.”

As for the cloud angle, George Hoover, chief technical officer with Pittsburgh-based NEP Group—(*TV Technology originally referred to Hoover as former CTO and now consultant. We regret the error)—feels it “represents a significant opportunity within the mobile industry. We’re running 10-100 Gigabit networks between servers now,” he said. “In order to connect into the cloud, we need that same kind of bandwidth to move content.” (See sidebar)

HIGH IN THE SKY
Hoover noted that a number of broadcasters already operate clouds, including NBC Sports and Turner Sports. “So we’re making that connection, as we do for every NFL game, for instance,” he said.

What the cloud provides now, he added, is “greater access to off-site content, particularly archival material, features and graphics, and editing capabilities that are beyond what’s typically available on a truck.” That trend is already prominent in major league sports broadcasts “and I think we’ll see it making its way into major college venues and eventually smaller college venues, too.”

DeFilippis thinks the small model “will still cost money to implement, thus will happen slowly, organically, over time, since the payback isn’t that big. The challenge now is that the IT world has jumped up to 25 or 35 gigabits, but that means nothing unless you have proper throughput.”

Ultimately, he said, competing will require a bump up to 4K, “but the sports people might not want to do that.” The other issue is the dearth of skilled workers in the pipeline.

“The job isn’t as high-paying or glamorous as it was and many younger people are considering other industries,” DeFilippis said. “So, there’s an age gap. If a veteran is working from the studio, there’s not a young person honing his trade in the field. This is more work with less people.”