It’s
hard to believe – on May 30, 2015, the SATCOM easyLINK system - the first remote
system for multiple satellite applications - celebrates its “10th
anniversary”.
On
May 30, 2005, the first “easyLINK“s were delivered to N24. Jordi Utech, technical
plant manager and veteran of N24, personally accepted the systems at our former
company headquarters in Dreieich. Two or three days later, the third system was
delivered to the Swiss production company “Newscam”. But, in those days,
especially N24 leveraged the revolutionary production form which made the EB teams
suitable for broadcast. Just like in the story of “The Hare and the Tortoise”,
the two vehicles were on their way and there were even rumors in the industry
sector that N24 had equipped themselves with 10(!) vehicles.
Today, 30
SATCOM easyLINK systems (SeL) are on the way in Europe.
About 56,500 transmissions
have been realized in 10 years. The default rate due to the SeL system amounts
to incredible 0.036 %. In the meantime, the third generation with HD
transmission technology and UMTS bundling is on its way. Despite the advance of
terrestrial transmission possibilities, SATCOM easyLINK hasn’t lost any of its
versatility. While the vehicles, in former times, had on board “only” one EB
camera and the “blue box” (the SeL-On-Board-Unit), today, there are small and
agile SNG vehicles with cut and, in part, 2 cameras. Thus, for many customers, SATCOM
easyLINK these days is still a solid support in current reporting and they
allow “their” easyLINK to grow with technical progress. So, we are looking
forward to the next 10 years with great confidence - with KA-band transmissions
and perhaps, some day, the first SATCOM easyLINK transmission in 4K.
Some
impressions from 10 years of “SATCOM easyLINK”:
The first two customer vehicles photographed by Jordi Utech
9 years later in HD – Use in Italy
Small spatial miracle – the SeL equipment of the MCS Saxony-Anhalt
Nicely designed – the first SeL of the SWR in Mainz
Fits everywhere – the SeL of the ZDF studio Düsseldorf
Pictures from the “insights”:
A miracle in Dreieich?
No - the SATCOM team marvels at the first SATCOM easyLINK demo vehicle
2004
The two “bosses” critically verifying the first indoor unit
Do you also have a good SATCOM easyLINK photo or a nice story? You are
kindly asked to send it over to info@satcom-easylink.de. We would like to
make it public here.
The French news channel i>Télévision had designed and built its new SNG fleet consisting of 5 HD-KA satellite vehicles and 2 HD-KU-SNG’s at SATCOM GmbH in
Heusenstamm.
The five KA-band broadcasting vehicles had
already been delivered in November 2014 and, immediately after their delivery,
they were stationed in the individual regions of the transmission area of Canal+.
They successfully went through their first baptism of fire during the 4-day
transmission marathon with respect to the attack on the editorial office of Charlie
Hebdo magazine as well as the subsequent police action in the greater Paris
area.
i>Télévision uses a product from Mobile
Viewpoint for encoding the HD-image signals. A corresponding HUB was installed
in Paris to receive and process the IP-data. An intelligent VoIP concept connects
both the vehicles to the headquarters in Paris and the vehicles with one
another. As a secondary product of data transmission, this concept allows to
realize via satellite or terrestrial means, the return line of the transmitter
(n-1) as well as the intercom functionality. The vehicles are designed for the
current use. Their handling is designed in such a manner that even non-technicians
can work well with them. In addition to the 5 KA-vehicles, in December, two
small KU-HDSNG’s had been delivered to i>Télévision. Here, special
challenges arose with respect to the interior equipment and the positioning of
the workplaces. As the vehicles represented the smallest variant of the
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, it was especially about to find place saving and
ergonomic solutions. Both vehicles are able to transmit for about 6 hours on
battery power; on board, they have their own power generator as well as an air
conditioning with an output of 5 kW.
“The relatively small space and also the
restriction of the vehicle’s weight balance to a total weight of 3.5 tons posed
a challenge on us with respect to a creative form of the interior conception. Thus,
the racks exclusively consist of weight saving aluminum and we also struck new
paths with the installation of the air conditioning”, said Thomas Becke, managing
director of SATCOM GmbH. With
respect to the i>Télévision vehicles, as with all vehicles designed by
SATCOM, we attached great importance to an appealing appearance and a
functionality adequate to production. “We are delighted to get a positive
feedback on the interior and the functionality both from the editorial offices
and the technicians”, Thomas Becke continued. The vehicle construction and the
energy package were assumed by the enterprise Provan Solutions which also belongs to the SATCOM group.
SATCOM handed over to the NDR five KA-Vehicles for the trimedial News Production
By the handing over to the Landesfunkhaus Niedersachsen in Hannover, SATCOM satellite communication GmbH from Heusenstamm has delivered the fifth KA-SNG-vehicle to the NDR. Besides planning and conception, the content of the order having been realized within four months included the comprehensive mechanic and AV implementation. The vehicles for a trimedial use in the NDR Landesfunkhäuser in Kiel, Hannover and Schwerin as well as in the headquarters of Hamburg are designed for small teams. The production technique has been implemented in a user-friendly manner, so that even non-technicians may work with the vehicles without any problems. The KA-HF-vehicles as they are called at the NDR, combine all types of media. Besides the application for the Internet, particular attention has been paid to the needs of radio broadcasting. The TV-team can go live and realize transfers via IP.
Annett Koerth/ project manager of the NDR: “It was important to the NDR to conceive a work equipment which can be used very flexibly in trimedial editorial environments and nevertheless is still manageable. With SATCOM, we have found an experienced partner who supports us with a great deal of commitment in implementing our ideas.”
Besides a connection via KA-satellite, the radio broadcasting is given the possibility to transfer via UMTS. As Thomas Becke, managing director of SATCOM GmbH said: “It was important for us to build a means of production which is easy to handle and in which the teams enjoy working. Thus, besides the technical components, both the interior concept and the design were close to our hearts.” “The work tables are movable as required and the multiview monitors can be turned down for the ride, so that a good vision through the rear-view mirror is possible”, as Thomas Becke went on.
After an intense course of instruction given by SATCOM to the individual teams of the regional studios, the KA-HF-vehicles are in use for the NDR with immediate effect.
The order has been realized under the brand “SATCOM MOBILE SALUTIONS” which, just as “SATCOM easyLINK” is a brand of the SATCOM group.
For 25
years now, SATCOM satellite communication is one of the most established TV production
companies in Germany. Our strengths lie within live production, satellite
transmission and live streaming of sociopolitical and cultural events. We work
on an international basis. Our customers are TV channels, producers and industrial
companies. Besides the technical implementation, we offer conceptual and editorial
services. Furthermore, we see to a perfect producing.
Together
with ProVan Solutions, also part of the SATCOM Group, we develop concepts for
small modern means of production and realize them in-house.
Our location is in the immediate vicinity of Frankfurt/Main. Our up-to-date SNG and outside broadcast fleet of vehicles covers the need of smaller up to medium-sized SD or HD productions. We are the right partner for uplinks, livestreaming and SD/HD productions of up to 8 cameras. Furthermore, our expertise enables us to realize extraordinary and difficult productions at home and abroad. With modern technology such as unity LAN share incl. Avid and EVS, your production becomes easy and efficient. But the most important matter are the members of our staff; all of them have many years of experience and show much commitment – even and especially with regards to complex and non commonplace operations.
