Euro TV Upgrades OB Van with Lawo mc²36 MkII and VSM

Euro TV Production GmbH, Austria, has comprehensively upgraded its outside broadcast vehicle and once again selected Lawo technology as the foundation of the system. As part of the modernization, the mc²36 Classic console that had been in service since 2019 was replaced by a new mc²36 MkII All-in-One production console with an integrated HOME Gate server.

The system is complemented by three new A__mic8 IP stageboxes, while the existing VSM (Virtual Studio Manager) continues to serve as the central control platform for the production environment.

For many years, Euro TV has been delivering high-end live broadcasts and recordings across sports, cultural, and entertainment productions. Its portfolio includes international skiing, soccer, and ice hockey coverage, as well as major events such as the Wings for Life World Run and the Red Bull Air Race.

With this latest upgrade, Euro TV is relying on a Lawo audio platform as the centerpiece of its OB truck for the second time. When the mobile production unit was first commissioned in 2019, the company selected an mc²36 Classic in combination with VSM. The migration to the current-generation mc²36 MkII not only reflects Euro TV's long-term technology strategy but also preserves the production workflows and operational concepts that have been established over the years.

Because the existing infrastructure and configuration data could be retained, integration of the new system was completed with exceptional efficiency. The former mc²36 Classic is by no means being retired. Fully operational, powerful, and technologically up to date, the console will continue to be deployed on other Euro TV productions.

"The mc²36 Classic has proven itself as an exceptionally reliable production tool over many years," says Florian Polder, Project Manager at Euro TV. "The fact that we can now redeploy the console elsewhere demonstrates the long-term value and investment protection offered by the Lawo platform. With the new mc²36 MkII, we benefit from increased processing power, expanded IP capabilities, and even tighter integration into our production environment."

The console is powered by A__UHD Core technology and provides up to 384 processing channels at 48 kHz and 96 kHz, along with up to 864 I/O channels. Native support for SMPTE ST 2110, AES67, and RAVENNA enables seamless integration into modern IP-based infrastructures. The integrated HOME Gate server further simplifies device management and network resource administration.

The three new A__mic8 stageboxes expand the truck's audio connectivity with premium microphone preamplifiers and flexibly deployable I/O resources. Their direct IP connectivity eliminates the need for additional audio matrix infrastructure, reducing setup times while increasing flexibility for remote and on-location productions.

Through VSM, Euro TV continues to control audio, video, routing, and communications systems from a single operational interface. Repetitive switching procedures can be stored as automated salvos and executed at the press of a button. This accelerates workflows, minimizes operational errors, and provides an additional layer of reliability, particularly during complex live sports productions.

"VSM allows us to operate a wide range of different systems as if they were a single platform," Polder adds. "Particularly in live sports production, where decisions often have to be made in fractions of a second, this gives us greater speed, better situational awareness, and enhanced operational reliability."

The project was delivered jointly by the Euro TV and Lawo teams and completed on schedule. By transitioning to the latest generation of the Lawo platform, Euro TV is preparing its production infrastructure for future requirements in increasingly IP-based broadcast environments. The close integration of audio production, network management, and system control provides the scalability needed to maximize the efficiency of existing resources while enabling future expansions to be incorporated with flexibility and ease.

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