PANELLISTS
❝ Hybrid cellular and satellite systems are the best solutions for field production , as it enables crews to enjoy the benefits of both networks , while optimising all the available bandwidth to deliver broadcast-quality video .❞
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April 2017
Newtec expands DVB-S2X line-up to support HTS
Newtec has unveiled a number of new DVB-S2X wideband products for use in high-throughput satellite ( HTS ) and global networks . As part of the Newtec Dialog multi-service platform , the wideband DVB-S2X and scalable Newtec Dialog XIF Hubs provide high-throughput , highdensity and carrier-grade solutions , with each hub model offering flexibility and modularity . Newtec has also completed its DVB-S2X wideband modem portfolio with the launch of the MDM2210 and the MDM3310 , which join the earlier launched MDM5000 modem .
Digita picks Nevion for DVB terrestrial network distribution renewal
Digita , a Finnish terrestrial network operator , has selected Nevion equipment and software to provide a transport of signals from its headend to its transmission sites . Digita is embarking on a project to renew its DVB distribution , moving from transporting signals over SDH ( synchronous digital hierarchy ), microwave and IP . The solution Nevion provided Digita consists of Nevion Virtuoso CP4400 DTT processors deployed at the headend and at 40 transmission sites . All the processors are managed by Nevion ’ s VideoIPath management software , which Digita was already using to orchestrate its contribution network .
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PANELLISTS
Dr Ali R Ebadi
Advisor Board of Directors Measat Satellite Systems
Martin Coleman
Executive Director Satellite Interference Reduction Group
Amitabh Kumar
Director , Corporate Zee Network
Cellular connectivity offers portability and instant reach
News crews on the go require equipment that would allow them to set up , shoot and transmit almost instantaneously . In order to establish a stable connection , several operators are now relying on wireless cellular-based transmitters , as Josephine Tan reports .
Because it can be offered in the form of compact mobile units for live video transmission on the move , wireless cellular-based transmission is becoming a mainstream technology for broadcasters globally . In the process , it is also replacing traditional distribution solutions such as satellite and outside broadcasting ( OB ) trucks , says Ronen Artman , VP of marketing , LiveU .
Mobility , flexibility and cost-effectiveness are the key advantages for broadcasters to opt for cellular connectivity , Artman tells APB , as well as its ability to be integrated into IP-based workflows and infrastructures .
He continues : “ With increased reliability and reduced delay , portable transmission solutions would enable broadcasters to capture high-quality video while being mobile , responsive , and shooting from different locations .”
The increased usage of bonded cellular transmission can be attributed to two main factors , says Fintan Mc Kiernan , CEO of Ideal Systems South-east Asia .
The first , he explains , is the roll-out of 4G mobile networks , which “ provides much more available and affordable bandwidth ”. This makes broadcast-quality , remote HD acquisition “ easier and with greater reliability ”.
He adds : “ The second factor is that transmitters are using more effective compression algorithms , smaller mobile form factors with longer battery operation times , and the units for in-field productions are increasingly easier for operators to use , compared to setting up a folding
❝ Hybrid cellular and satellite systems are the best solutions for field production , as it enables crews to enjoy the benefits of both networks , while optimising all the available bandwidth to deliver broadcast-quality video .❞
— Ronen Artman , VP of Marketing , LiveU satellite antenna .”
Primarily deployed by journalists on the go for news coverage , these transmitters can be packed into a single backpack , alongside the camera and microphone . The journalists can then ease through congested traffic situations which could prove difficult for a digital satellite newsgathering ( DSNG ) or OB van to move .
An example was the live transmission of the public cere mony attended by Malaysia ’ s Prime Minister Dato ’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Razak and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein during the visit of King Salman Abdulaziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia to Malaysia in February this year . Several foreign broadcasters employed Dejero ’ s Live + transmitters from the Ideal-Live rental service for the coverage .
The Ideal-Live rental service is a collaboration between Ideal Systems and Dejero , where Dejero ’ s Live + EnGo bonded cellular transmitters , with pre-installed cellular SIM cards from multiple localised mobile operators , are offered for immediate live broadcasts .
Mc Kiernan concludes : “ We have a number of client broadcasters that have a fixed receiver at their headend in their home country , [ but ] their camera or news crews rent the transmitters locally in various countries from Ideal Systems . The advantage is that all the local data SIMs can be pre-installed , primed and ready to go , so visiting crews are ready to shoot immediately .”
Another requirement for in-field productions is the need for a consistent connection , particularly when journalists are recording in remote locations . Under such circumstances , notes Eric Chang , VP of marketing , TVU Networks , operators would have to consider if the technology that powers the transmitter is designed to address the unpredictability of transmitting from remote locations .
The company offers the TVU One transmitter , which is designed to aggregate multiple cellular , Wi-Fi , Ethernet , microwave , satellite and broadband global area network ( BGAN ) connections for “ stable and reliable ” live video transmission . Equipped with TVU Networks ’ advanced IP video technology — Inverse StatMux Plus ( IS +) — operators are able to deliver HD-quality video at sub-second latency over cellular 3G , 4G and LTE modems , even when they are transmitting in a moving vehicle , Chang adds .
One broadcaster who has been using TVU Networks ’ solutions is Malaysian broadcaster Radio Televisyen Malaysia ( RTM ). Already leasing the TVUPack TM8100 live video mobile uplink solution , RTM recently purchased the TVU One transmitters for deployment in 17 locations — including at its headquarters and local stations — for nationwide news coverage .
Chang says : “ With the technological advancements and increased deployment of these transmission solutions , broadcasters have come to rely on portable 3G , 4G and LTE transmitters for remote breaking news coverage as it allows them to get to a location quickly , and begin live video transmission to TV or Web audiences within minutes .”
When filming in remote areas , bandwidth availability is a critical factor when it comes to selecting the connectivity method . Thus , LiveU ’ s Artman recommends adopting the approach of hybrid cellular and satellite systems .