WBBH-TV Relies on Studio Technologies Live-Link Jr.

FORT MYERS, FLA. -- WBBH, the NBC affiliate serving the Fort Myers, Punta Gorda and Naples region of Florida, relies on Studio Technologies’ Live-Link Jr. Remote Camera System for its recently deployed HD satellite truck. The Live-Link Jr. camera and truck units connect through two strands of single-mode fiber-optic cable to carry one 3G/HD/SD-SDI video path in each direction along with embedded audio. The system also gives WBBH the ability to carry IFB and party-line comms down the same SDI stream.

“We have a brand-new satellite truck that is fully loaded and ready for any production situation we might encounter,” said Paul Tanner, assistant news operations manager for WBBH. “We were searching for an efficient way to get both IFB and PL down our fiber. Since standard fiber doesn’t carry voltage, we were having a dilemma. We tried several plug-in modules that gave us the video and production audio, but we still needed powered IFB and standard PL intercom. The Live-Link Jr. system essentially solved this problem, while giving us extra flexibility. Now we can easily service all our audio requirements through the SDI data stream.”

The WBBH satellite truck, a Mercedes Sprinter, was used to cover the recent political campaigns and events as well as other breaking news stories in Southwestern Florida. The personnel using the vehicle have more than 1,000 feet of four-strand fiber at their disposal. Live-Link Jr. supports all the on-air and support signals between the camera and truck locations using two fibers. Because the Live-Link Jr. system allows battery operation, a single-camera live-shot can be up and ready to go as fast as the fiber can be run between the production location and the truck.