Manhattan, NY, November 14, 2007 - The more than 315 million worldwide viewers who recently tuned into the 2007 ING New York City Marathon did not miss a step as IMG Media, world leading sports, entertainment and media production company, televised the 26 mile race via state-of-the-art transmitter and receiver technology from RF Central, a leading digital microwave technology provider.
To capture the 35,000 runners as they trekked through the five boroughs of New York City, IMG Media used 18 RFX-RMR-X6 six-way diversity receivers, four RFX-CMT-II camera-mount transmitters, two RFX-PHT portable high power transmitters and two RFX-PDT portable digital transmitters.
Deployed in a network design similar to a cellular phone system, the strategic combination of the RFX-RMR-X6, RFX-CMT-II, RFX-PHT and RFX-PDT created omni directional antenna functionality. Each of the RFX RMR X6‘s six antennas received individual signals from the RF Extreme Transmitters, that united to form one strong signal, ensuring no “picture break up.”
According to RF Central Chief Technology Officer Jim Malone, “In the old days, we used to use tracking antennas for each vehicle because we did not have multiple input receivers, which meant being at the mercy of whatever we could possibly transmit from one source.
“Now that we have the ability to use multiple input receivers, we have six antennas that work simultaneously to capture audio and video, therefore, affording us the ability to capture enough signal and provide proper corrections to get a good decode, even in marginal coverage areas.”
Offering complete HD upgradeability with the latest in high-quality, low-delay, HD encoding technology, RF Central‘s RFX-CMT-II camera-mounted transmitter is equipped with a variable 6/7/8 MHz modulator, 100mw power output, and full MPEG menu control. Its RFX-RMR-X6 COFDM diversity receiver features an LCD touch panel interface with a built-in bar graph and graphic spectrum display that offers up to six antenna inputs and uses maximum ratio combining, capturing signals from each antenna to form one robust signal. Through compact design, the RFX-PHT transforms any vehicles into a live television platform. RF Central‘s RFX-PDT is a compact digital transmitter that is ideal for functioning as a helicopter downlink transmitter in broadcast and security applications as well as in harsh RF environments where size and weight combined with broadcast performance is important.
About RF Central
RF Central, LLC manufactures and supplies state-of-the-art microwave equipment to television broadcast and government customers throughout the United States. As one of the premier suppliers of broadcast equipment required to complete the 2GHz BAS transition, RF Central has grown from a few employees in 2005 to over 60 full-time dedicated professionals today. Located in Carlisle, PA, RF Central also provides specialized integration, installation, and engineering services. RF Central is marked by its unique qualifications within the industry, its focus on customer service and its dedication to expanding and improving the terrestrial microwave options available to customers. RF Central, along with Nucomm, Inc. and Microwave Service Company, form the Vitec Group RF Systems business unit, part of Vitec Group Broadcast Systems Division. For more information, visit www.rfcentral.com.
About The Vitec Group
The Vitec Group supplies a wide range of equipment and services to the broadcasting, entertainment and photographic industries. Its products are distributed in nearly 100 countries, either through dealerships or direct to the end user or corporate customer. Vitec is based on strong, well known, premium brands that professionals rely on. Vitec is organized in three divisions: Imaging & Staging, Broadcast Systems and Broadcast Services. For more information, visit www.vitecgroup.com.
