Users of bonded cellular technology for electronic newsgathering will soon have a choice when bandwidth is not available, making use of mobile data carrier platforms much more reliable, while understanding that sometimes there’s no replacements for the traditional microwave truck.
Cobham SATCOM, a manufacturer of Inmarsat satellite communications equipment, and LiveU, a provider of portable live video-over-cellular technology, have announced an alliance that will offer broadcasters a robust, high-performance hybrid solution for ENG live video transmission in diverse locations.
As part of the integration, LiveU’s LU70 backpack will support the advanced SATCOM BGAN EXPLORER terminal product line, including the newly announced EXPLORER 710 that will be launched in September 2013.
For the first time, camera operators will be able to control all BGAN interfaces locally via the LU70 interface, enabling them easily to switch between satellite and cellular connectivity based on the available network conditions.
The BGANs will also be able to be controlled remotely via the LiveU Center web interface, enabling news operators to view and manage live transmissions directly from the studio.
Henrik Nørrelykke, Cobham SATCOM’s vice president of land services, said the new solution allows news teams to enjoy the benefits of both satellite and cellular networks. “We see huge potential for this combined offering for live newsgathering among our joint customer base,” he said.
The combined solution is extremely portable, flexible and resilient, as was demonstrated in the LiveU team’s recent trip to Mount Kilimanjaro, said Ariel Galinsky, LiveU’s vice president of business development.
A BGAN unit was integrated with LiveU LU40 unit for live coverage from the summit streaming video to the Web. The full integration with SATCOM BGAN EXPLORER technology enables opportunities for live coverage anywhere in the world, ranging from crowded urban centers to the most remote locations.
The hybrid Cobham SATCOM/LiveU solution is incorporated into the LiveU ecosystem by LiveU’s unified management platform, LiveU Total, enabling control rooms to manage multiple video feeds from LiveU units operating in diverse locations.
EXPLORER from Cobham SATCOM is the chosen series of satellite terminals to harness the power of Inmarsat BGAN thanks to its inherent reliability, compact form and incredible ease of use. EXPLORER terminals are designed to withstand the most extreme environmental conditions and provide instant broadband access regardless of time and place.
Cobham SATCOM and LiveU are presenting their full range of solutions at NAB in their respective booths: Cobham SATCOM #OE1100 and LiveU #SU5511.
The LiveU Xtender, mounted on KOVR-TV (CBC Sacramento) weather truck, can be seen in the NAB Outdoor/Mobile area at the ENG Mobile Systems booth #OE820.
Ken Zamkow, LiveU’s director of sales and marketing, will be speaking at the Broadcast Engineering Conference, at 10:00 am on Thursday, April 11, 2013 on “From Super Bowl to Varsity: Live Sports Coverage Using Cellular Bonding Technology” - IP for Television session.
