Amp Visual TV Taps Riedel for New OB Vans

Riedel
(Image credit: Riedel)

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.

George Winslow

George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech. He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and TV Tech. Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen, and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.