[11 June 2014]
Leading outside broadcast (OB) contractor chooses innovative, feature-rich router for heart of a new, large-scale 3 Gb/s truck
Imagine Communications, a market leader of media software and video infrastructure solutions serving the global broadcast, multichannel video programming distributor and enterprise markets, has supplied a Platinum™ IP3 routing solution to leading European outside broadcast company CTV. In addition to routing, the Platinum IP3 will provide a broad range of signal processing and multiviewer functionality to meet a variety of CTV’s mobile production requirements, including coverage of the English cricket season.
“Designing a big outside broadcast truck is a huge challenge, because we are under constant pressure to add functionality while staying within the weight and size limits to take the truck on the road,” said Hamish Greig, Technical Director of CTV. “Because the Platinum router family does so much including frame synchronisation, mux and demux, and multiviewers, it saves considerable space and weight, as well as reduces operational complexity by eliminating the need for external frames and the associated cabling — all of which are real bonuses. Add to that the ability to integrate IP signal routing to help make it future-proof, and it becomes the only sensible choice for a new truck.”
The Platinum IP3 router processes and switches audio and video signals and provides multiviewer outputs for monitor wall applications, all in a single frame. The platform also provides many other functions, and in the new CTV truck, it handles critical signal processing functions such as audio multiplexing and de-multiplexing, and MADI-to-AES conversion. The Platinum IP3 also provides all signal synchronisation and distribution, while the large quantity of multiviewers in the production area of the truck is also powered by the router.
By incorporating all this additional functionality inside the routing platform, the truck’s designers can make the installation much more compact. Weight is reduced because of the significant reduction in inter-device cabling, and fewer spares are needed because of the simple, modular internal design of the Platinum IP3. At the same time, the architecture of the platform inherently provides redundancy of crosspoints and power supplies, helping to ensure very high availability.
“Providing much more than just switching, the Platinum IP3 was designed to be a complete signal management centre with a modular architecture that makes it both compact and highly reliable through redundancy,” said Kerry Wheeles, CTO, Networking Products for Imagine Communications. “It is ideal for 3 Gb/s 1080p video applications such as CTV’s outside broadcast productions, and it provides a solid, simple path into the converged future.”
To learn more about Platinum IP3 and other market-leading Imagine Communications solutions, please visit www.imaginecommunications.com
