Total RF, which designed, built and operated the microwave systems at the United States Golf Association’s 2007 U.S. Open, chose RF Central’s RFX-CMT Central camera mount transmitter to transmit high-quality wireless video from Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa. Total RF employed more than a dozen compact CMTs, which served NBC Television, ESPN, ESPN.com, Japan’s TV Asahi, Europe’s B-Sky-TV and others.
A team of trained engineers and technicians took to the golf course armed with the CMTs, which transmit COFDM digital video in an ultra-low delay mode of just one frame. RF Central’s RF Extreme transmitters were received across the course at multiple antenna locations, and the signal was then transmitted back to broadcast control by more than 110,000 feet of 12-strand fiber--more than 250 miles of fiber--across the course.
The CMTs are small, portable units with maximum flexibility. They feature full frequency agility, the availability of variable modulator bandwidth, ASI-in capability, full MPEG menu control and ultra-low delay capability, according to RF Central.
“In a high-intensity, live event, such as the U.S. Open, there are simply no second chances,” said Stephen Gansky, president of Total RF. “RF Central’s RF Extreme CMT allows directors and producers to bring the viewer right into the middle of the action. The CMT allows total portability in the most demanding of conditions. It is reliable and consistent; it won’t let you down.”
