NEP Australia And Telstra Collaborate For World First In Remote Production

NEP Australia has collaborated with Telstra Broadcast Services to deliver the world's first trans-Pacific remote production.

The successful trial was conducted over four days between NEP's centralised, IP and multi-format production facility at the Sydney Andrews Hub and Telstra's Los Angeles datacentre – more than 7500 miles apart – using ultra-low-latency compression technology and Telstra's Distributed Production Network (DPN). 

The tests confirm that the Andrews Hub control rooms in Sydney can efficiently produce broadcast events held in Los Angeles and, arguably, beyond.   

NEP Australia's Director of Technology, Marc Segar, said: "This is a game-changer for broadcast television, proving anyone can work from anywhere while connected to our network, whether in Australia or on the other side of the planet. 

"Our crew at the Sydney Andrews Hub perceived no appreciable difference between covering the trial event in LA and the remote broadcast of a live A-League match from Perth last month."

Trevor Boal, Head of Telstra Broadcast Services, said: "From the moment NEP approached us about building the Telstra Distributed Production Network to support the Andrews Hubs, we shared their excitement about the enormous possibilities of broadcasting over IP.

"NEP had a clear vision of how distributed production could deliver an optimal commercial and practical outcome, and we wanted to be part of it. As our network capacity and reach continues to grow, it's conceivable we could traverse global distances uncompressed in just a few years."

Mr Segar continued: "It's exciting to think of the options and flexibility our technology offers to the industry.

"We chose to trial HD, however, we could just as easily have trialled 4K or HDR. Our IP and multi-format hub environment is agnostic to format or compression technologies."

The 60 HD feeds (30 in both Sydney and Los Angeles) encompassed all the automation and control signals.

This makes high definition or UHD/4K over distance viable cost-wise, as there is no appreciable difference in delay compared to uncompressed video. Round trip latency was only 136 milliseconds, less than 2 frames in each direction.

The successful trans-Pacific trial is just the start of NEP's extensive program to trial other locations around the world, including Japan and the UK.

www.nepgroup.com.au