IP has brought a technology explosion to the process of moving broadcast-quality video from one location to another. Broadcasters have more ways than ever to set up permanent or temporary video feeds for remote production or fast-breaking news.
In the meantime, the traditional ways of delivering remote video from the field to the studio are getting better, faster and easier to use. If broadcast television is to remain relevant, its ability to field trained news reporters at breaking news events is a major factor in keeping viewers watching. There are surprises every year at the NAB Show in this category, so you are advised to keep your eyes open for the latest innovations in remote communications.
TRUCKS & MICROWAVE
AMT (Accelerated Media Technologies) will highlight its ENGenesis system that supports two-way communication between broadcast trucks and TV stations. ENGenesis features an all IP-architecture and is based on industry-standard LTE technology adapted to operate in 2/7GHz BAS bands and features dynamic bandwidth allocation, QoS and a software-upgradeable future-proof design.
BSI will show its Real Freedom Camera Back Transmitter, a compact, wireless system designed for live ENG. With its 3G 1080p encoder, the transmitter is capable of 10-bit, 4:2:2 sampling throughout all resolutions and frame rates.
AVIWest’s DMNG HE4000 HEVC 4K video encoderAVIWest will demonstrate the DMNG HE4000, a new HEVC 4K video encoder designed to distribute 4K content over unmanaged networks. Using the high-efficiency video encoder for contribution applications, broadcasters can deliver 4K, HD or SD video content at low bit rates over IP networks, even in volatile network environments.
Grass Valley CopperHead 3404Grass Valley will feature its extensive line of remote camera connection systems, such as the CopperHead 3404 fiber transceiver. The CopperHead 3404 takes video from a dual/quad-link 4K camera and delivers it to a studio or production truck, providing all the signals needed for multicamera 4K production using a single tactical or SMPTE hybrid fiber cable.
Bluebell Opticom will introduce the BCX- 760 series 10G Ethernet point-to-point fiber link, a camera-back interface that allows easy connection and signal transport between camera and OB truck or base station. BCX interfaces map any broadcast camera signal onto a 10G Ethernet point-to-point link for high-quality transport over much longer distances than have been previously possible.
IP-ENG/BONDED CELLULAR
Cobham, which changed its name to DCT (Domo Tactical Communications) recently, will launch the SOLO7-OBTx, a feature-packed camera-back transmitter that includes 1080p60 and 4:2:2 compression, integrated camera control, swappable RF modules, and H.264/MPEG-4 video encoding. The company will also debut the SOLO8 SDR (software-defined radio), a dual input HD-SDI, COFDM, and IP mesh transmitter that includes integral video analytics, recording, and IP streaming. It can be implemented via PC software or embedded system.
Comrex LiveShotComrex will show off the new version of its LiveShot transport system, which delivers low-latency video and audio over a range of IP networks, and can provide two-way connectivity simultaneously even over challenging networks. LiveShot provides return video, two IFB returns, and director/camera PL, and now has upgraded firmware v1.4.
Dejero will feature its Live+ Transceiver, a combination encoder/decoder for IP video transport over the company’s Live+ platform. With the ability to accept IP inputs and feed IP outputs simultaneously in a single 1RU chassis, the Live+ Transceiver can also be used to contribute and receive HD live content across Dejero’s new Live+ Multipoint IP video distribution network.
DVEO will highlight its CloudPort: 8 Sim H.264, a bonded cellular backpack system that bundles up to eight mobile network channels from one or multiple operators into a single broadband channel for studio backlink. Users can also add Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections to maximize the upload capacity, resulting in a total of 10 connections on a single system.
IDX will show its Cam-Wave CM1 wireless HDMI transmission system that can be used to feed 1080p from a camera’s HDMI port to a receiver up to 100 meters away. The Cam-Wave CM1 uses dynamic frequency selection in the 5 GHz band to select an interference-free channel.
Integrated Microwave Technologies (IMT) will spotlight its 58microLite HD Mini Kit, a portable professional-grade MPEG-4 COFDM HD wireless camera transmission link capable of providing high-quality video at distances greater than two miles. Developed for the next generation of HD-capable compact cameras, the 58micro- Lite system is available in either licensed or unlicensed bands.
Joseph Electronics will introduce the JFS Waveshifter-4 series, which can transport up to four HD camera systems on one single-mode fiber. Waveshifter-4 uses optical wavelength-shifting technology to map the two fibers in standard HD cameras to wavelengths in the CDWM spectrum so that they can then be introduced into a CWDM mux.
LiveU SoloLiveU will feature a live studio in collaboration with TWiT.tv, NewTek and Panasonic. The company will also demonstrate LiveU Solo, its new plug-and-play live streaming bonded solution for the online media market. LiveU Solo lets users live-stream seamlessly into any web streaming workflow by connecting automatically to content delivery networks such as YouTube Live and Wowza Streaming Cloud.
Moseley will show its range of wireless broadcast communications products, such as the DTV Short Haul Link, a compact inter- city relay system that can transmit digital data (including video) at standard data rates to 155 Mbps and enhanced data rates up to 310 Mbps.
Riedel Communications will highlight its STX-200 Skype interface, which runs Skype TX software and can be used to integrate remote Skype feeds into a studio presentation. The STX-200 is compatible with standard free Skype clients to allow incoming studio video feeds from a range of participants.
TVU OneTeradek will showcase its Cube compact H.264 encoder/decoder, designed to stream live HD video directly to the Web, point-to-point over the Internet, and to iOS and Android devices. The company will also demonstrate its Core Cloud Platform that allows users to configure, monitor and record Teradek codecs in real-time or route video feeds to any number of destinations anywhere in the world.
TVU Networks will show its TVU One, TVU Me, TVU Grid and TVU Anywhere. TVU One delivers the same transmission resiliency, HD picture quality and sub-second latency of a full-size mobile cellular backpack solution but in a ultra-compact size and weight form factor. TVU Me is an IP video marketplace that enables broadcasters to purchase live or recorded video content from other broadcasters, freelancers and independent production crews from around the world. TVU Grid is a powerful, simple IP-video switching, routing and distribution platform that can seamlessly switch live IP video content and share live video streams between multiple remote locations.TVU Anywhere is an app for iPhone or Android devices that enables reporters to instantly capture and transmit live video from their smart phones.
VidOvation’s VidOlink family of long-range wireless transmission systemsVidOvation will launch two new products in its VidOlink family of long-range wireless transmission systems. The VidOlink Ranger2 is a lower-cost long-range transmission system that uses OFDM to transport video within line of sight on the 5.8 GHz band, while the VidOlink Tally & Control is a complementary means of adding tally and camera control unit (CCU) functionality to new or existing wireless camera systems using the 403-473 MHz band. It can also send data via VidOlink’s RF-over fiber SMPTE units, delivering RF, data, and power to the receive point with a single cable.
Vislink will spotlight its HEROCast, a tiny broadcast-quality HD micro-transmitter, that pairs with a dedicated wireless receive unit, PROCeiver, to provide a complete action sports video link. HEROCast was developed with GoPro and is designed to work specifically with the GoPro HERO 4 and HERO 3+ product lines to transmit live HD video.
SATELLITE
DTV Innovations will feature their Gryphon video encoder, which provides lowlatency encoding for a range of signals including MPEG-4 with 4:2:2 10-bit HD. It includes an internal demodulator for DSNG, ENG or other applications and accommodates up to 16 audio channels. Also look for the Falcon decoder that complements the Gryphon with decoding of MPEG-4 HD video. It includes a satellite demodulator.
Enensys will highlight its One Beam ISDB-Tb DTT network optimization technology. Designed for Latin American markets, One Beam ISDB-T/Tb allows a standard (MPEG-2) transport stream to be used within the delivery network, removing the need for proprietary equipment to deliver and receive the BTS stream.
Frontline Communications will spotlight its new automatic Ka/Ku-band dual-feed satellite antenna system, which the company co-designed with AvL Technologies. The mobile satellite antenna permits dual-band capability on the ViaSat network.
SAPEC will feature its Gredos line of video encoders and integrated receiver decoders (IRD) for digital satellite newsgathering. Gredos now supports Carrier ID, and the family includes the Gredos GHM encoder with integrated DVB-S2 modulator (upgradable to DVB-S2X) and the Gredos GHR IRD.
