MRC Systems Provide Aerial And Wireless Video Coverage At Historic All-Star Game

Wireless communications developer MRC has announced that its LINK HD Wireless Diversity camera systems were used by CP Communications to provide live, high definition, non-stop coverage of Major League Baseball's All Star Game for both ESPN and FOX Sports.
This technology was also used by Flying Pictures Aerial Broadcast Services to deliver aerial coverage for DirecTV. The 79th midseason exhibition between American League and National League teams made history by tallying the longest duration for an All Star Game at 4 hours and 50 minutes and the most innings played. MRC's advanced technology brought it all home: from the wireless cameras on the field to overhead aerial coverage, from the Red Carpet Parade prior to the game to the last out of the 15th inning.
"The 2 GHz and 7 GHz LINK HD wireless camera systems were used with Thomson LDK6000 camera heads and were controlled from both the ESPN NEP TV truck and Fox Game Creek TV truck; while two additional 2 GHz systems were used to broadcast the Red Carpet Parade from Fox News headquarters on 6th Avenue," said Kurt Heitmann, Senior VP of Sales and Marketing for Red House Holdings, the parent company of CP Communications.
"The 7 GHz receivers were approximately 600 feet back within Yankee Stadium. This is the first time we used 7 GHz systems in an event this size so we were very excited to see that they performed with flawless reception."
Link HD Wireless Diversity systems provide true HD transmission without down/up conversion, complete freedom of camera movement, and elimination of the latency issues found in many competing systems so that production crews can inter-cut camera shots seamlessly with no vision or sound delay.
Jeff Vaughn, Broadcast Manager for Flying Pictures, added: "Our business is providing the highest quality HD aerial images for the world's largest companies. Combining the MRC and Link technology together with the Cineflex gyro stabilized camera system means our clients get just that, the best."
Aerial Video Systems provided the microwave link equipment and technical support to Flying Pictures, which in turn provided their services to the Lightship Group and their flagship client, DirecTV. The Lightship Group is the world's largest operator of airships and is the world leader in the provision of aerial filming, surveillance from aerostats, world record-breaking aerial adventures and live broadcast facilities from the air. Flying Pictures uses MRC and Link products on all of the Lightships blimps.
Further information is available at: www.mrcbroadcast.com.
(KMcA/JM)