Brazilian broadcaster TV Globo International (TVGI) recently offered viewers a front-row view of the famed Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo annual Carnavales when it broadcast the events for the first time live in HD.
Channel 18 in São Paulo delivered 32 hours of real-time action with microwave technology from RF Central. TVGI relied on an extensive array of RF Central gear to transmit live HD coverage of the Carnavale’s events, which included floats surrounded by thousands of dancers, singers and drummers.
The broadcaster used seven RFX-RX6-II six-way diversity receivers for wireless camera reception in both SD and HD, including one at TVGI’s HD helicopter receiver site. In addition, two TVGI wireless cameras were outfitted with RFX-CMT-II HD rack-mounted camera transmitters, and one RFX-PHT-II HD portable digital transmitter was attached to the station’s helicopter for aerial shots. An extra PHT-II was used alongside a fixed RF camera for ground coverage.
According to Raymundo Barros, TV Globo São Paulo director of engineering, a major challenge to delivering live HD coverage was figuring out how to receive signals from six wireless cameras and a helicopter. However, the RFX-RX6-II six-way diversity receivers, which use maximum ratio combining technology, delivered a robust RF signal.
For more information, visit www.rfcentral.com.
