Broadcast News

Bookmark and Share
18/11/2009

Berlin Wall Falls, With Riedel MediorNet

It was one of the major public events in Germany: the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
This month, Riedel Communications, one of the leading manufacturers of intercom, fibre and audio technology, delivered a comprehensive video, audio and communications distribution network for the multiple stages, video walls used at the event and the various departments.
Responsible for the planning of the event was the Berlin-based agency COMPACTTEAM.
The celebration was a spectacular success. It included live performances, shows and festivities on five stages plus a 1.3 mile (2km) model Berlin Wall made out of 1,000 styrofoam dominos. The HD/SD video and audio signals from the five stages were distributed to 9 LED video walls and 3 LED trucks via the video control room. Furthermore, a communications infrastructure for the event needed to be established.
To guarantee the secure transmission of all video and audio signals, COMPACTTEAM utilised the world's largest MediorNet and RockNet installation to date. MediorNet is a fiber-based distribution and routing technology for HD video, audio, intercom and data signals. Each MediorNet mainframe provides a router for up to 32x32 720p/1080i signals, 160x160 SD-SDI signals, 27,000x27,000 AES signals or any combination of these.
The modules and mainframes were connected through a 3.7 mile (6km) dual fiber ring. Fourteen MediorNet mainframes distributed 18 HD/SD signals and one NTSC stream from 19 inputs to 33 outputs, thus allowing point-to-point and point-to-multipoint routing.
Frank Abromeit, Chief Technician for Riedel Communications, said: "The system worked perfectly from the beginning to the end of the whole event, even though the weather conditions and the location were far from perfect. Everyone involved in this event was very excited about the system's performance.
"One of the most challenging parts of the installation was the location and timing. Just the night before the area was set up for the Fall of the Wall event, the MTV European Music Awards used the Brandenburg Gate as the stage for its U2 concert."
In addition, all of the event's audio signals were distributed by Riedel's digital audio network RockNet. RockNet utilised the same fiber ring as the MediorNet installation. A total of 83 RockNet modules were used, includign microphone/line inputs, line outputs and fiber converters. They transported 160 RockNet channels with 120 inputs to 192 outputs. Since the installation covered such a large area, RockNet RN.351FI and RN.352.FO fiber-I/O-modules integrated the RockNet network into the fiber structure.
To cover the whole event with copper cabling a significantly larger number of cables and inline repeaters would have been needed. That would have unnecessarily increased the complexity of an already extremely complex installation. Due to RockNet's ring topology, the audio distribution was protected against single-points-of-failure.
Furthermore, 12 Artist DCP-1016 desktop control panels and two C44 Performer System Interfaces were integrated over the MediorNet network. An additional TETRA Radio network with over 200 participants complemented the communications infrastructure. TETRA offers several advantages over regular analog or digital radio solutions.
Besides, its excellent digital audio quality, it provides secure tap-proof communications and offers parallel transmission of data and audio. Flexible cabling options make TETRA the perfect solution for events like these. Twelve of the seventeen radio channels were also integrated into an Artist matrix via Riedel RiFace interfaces. The RiFace is a universal radio interface used to link wired communication systems with radio systems.
(KMcA/BMcC)
Solidmate Ltd Memory Card Hire London

Top Related Stories
Click here for the latest broadcast news stories.

27/03/2024
JVC Professional Video To Debut New KY-PZ540 Series PTZ Cameras
JVC Professional Video is to debut its new KY-PZ540 Series PTZ Cameras with 40x zoom at NAB 2024 (Booth C4720). As the company's first PTZ cameras to
21/03/2024
América Móvil Expands Video Streaming Offerings With Broadpeak
América Móvil is expanding its video streaming offerings with Broadpeak. América Móvil is using Broadpeak's nanoCDN™ multicast ABR solution to launch
11/11/2016
What Is The Future For Immersive Audio?
Peter Poers, Managing Director at Jünger Audio, looks at production efforts versus consumer experience. Introduction Along with the evolution of highe
10/04/2002
Sonic introduces DVD-Audio Centre LE
Sonic Solutions have introduced the DVD-Audio Creator LE – a highly-affordable DVD-Audio authoring system with advanced features. Incorporating core t
20/02/2024
NADiV Audio Introduces Range Of Dante Audio And Control Devices
NADiV Audio has launched its NADiV range of Dante-enabled audio interface and control devices for portable and installed AV and pro audio environments
28/07/2023
DHD audio Unveils XS3 Core Audio Processor
DHD audio has announced a new addition to its modular range of audio studio equipment and systems. The XS3 core audio processor supports up to 20 ster
12/04/2023
Audio-Technica's BP3600 Immersive Audio Microphone Now Available
Audio-Technica has announced scheduled availability in Europe and the UK for its recently launched BP3600 Immersive Audio Microphone. A premium broadc
31/03/2023
Digital Audio Denmark Introduces AX Center Thunder|Core Audio Interface
Digital Audio Denmark's new AX Center is a dedicated Thunderbolt modular audio interface with dual mic and instrument inputs, dual headphone and monit
09/08/2012
Blackmagic Design Announces Major New Software Update
Blackmagic Design has announced a major new software update that adds full-audio mixing capability to its ATEM 1 M/E Production Switcher and ATEM Tele
15/01/2013
Jünger Audio Crontrols Loudness For TVE
Spain's national broadcaster TVE has selected Jünger Audio’s loudness control technology to normalize the audio across a number of its television chan
15/01/2010
PRG Takes Riedel's RockNet To Detroit Show
One of the world's largest corporate events and entertainment technologies provider for audio, video, lighting and scenic services, PRG, has invested
06/05/2014
Digigram at BroadcastAsia2014
At BroadcastAsia2014, Digigram has announced it will feature "a complete range of products designed to address the requirements of all applications an
01/03/2013
Jünger Audio Helps Two US Broadcasters Comply With CALM
WBPH-TV and WMBC-TV choose Jünger Audio’s T*AP Television Audio Processor as their "one-box" Loudness Control solution Berlin, Germany: The implementa
17/07/2023
ES-Pro Audio Appointed To Handle Prism Sound's Range Of Audio Converters
Prism Sound has appointed ES-Pro Audio to handle its entire range of audio converters to the professional market in Germany. Formerly a Prism Sound re
22/07/2015
Jünger Audio Prototype For IBC 2015
Jünger Audio will use IBC 2015 to showcase a prototype audio monitoring solution that will allow broadcasters to check the quality of all immersive au