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NDT use LINK Wireless Camera systems to cover the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay
Date: 27-05-2008
Validated by IOC, the Olympic flame lit in Olympia on March 24, 2008. After the handover ceremony, the Olympic torch arrived in Beijing on March 31, 2008 and in turn relayed through major selected cities across the five Continents and have finally came back to Hong Kong Special Administration Region of China on April 30, 2008. The relay commenced in the Hong Kong on May 2, 2008 with final destination to Beijing on August 8, 2008 passing through 115 cities. The torch relay will eventually be covered by 33 different TV stations all around China. NDT have been providing Link wireless camera systems and 5w Repeater solutions to many local TV stations for them to be able to transmit live coverage of this important event. The set up has at times included fixed, mobile, and airborne coverage.
In Macua a central receive site was set up to cover the downtown area. 4 sector antennas on Macau Tower and served as a central RF receiving site. A bi-directional helicopter antenna was hired from Australia. One manual-operated camera was installed into the helicopter as well. The 5-watt transmitter and two sets antennas (one antenna was diversity & another antenna was operated as manual-tracking) were installed on a mobile truck.
A camera signal from the mobile truck was transmitted to Macau Tower and helicopter. First RF path to Macau Tower used a diversity antenna, and second RF path to helicopter used a manual-tracking antenna in mobile truck.
The RX unit in the helicopter received the RF signal from the mobile truck and decoded back to SD-SDI signal. A small video switcher was equipped in the helicopter and provided the capability to select the video shot between mobile truck and helicopter camera. This edited video signal was fed to TX unit in helicopter and transmitted back to Macau Tower.
Two RX units in Macau Tower received two RF signals, one was from mobile truck and another was from helicopter. These two signals were transmitted back to TDM Production Facility Room allocated in Grand Prix bleachers via two sets OB microwave links.
Finally, these signals from Grand Prix bleachers were sent back to TDM headquarter via the fibre circuit.
In Hainan the 2 wireless cameras were put into a vehicle driving in front of the torch with the signal being received either by a repeater system or directly by the antenna at the OB truck. NDT were on hand to support the TV stations who were impressed with the ease of set up and the coverage they were able to achieve.
The torch relay in south China's Sanya concluded at the scenic spot of TianyaHaijiao on Sunday.
So far, the live telecast in Hong Kong, Macau, Hainan and Guangdong is proven to be very successful. LINK wireless camera system actively involved in all the above locations. Quotes from some key customers on the performance on the LINK systems are listed as the following:
"In such a complex environment with many buildings in Macau, the result is more than satisfactory!" - Mr. Frederico Alexandre Rosario, Technical and Special Projects Controller of Teledifusao de Macau.
"The LINK wireless camera system is so flexible and reliable. It has become one of the most important tools in the more and more demanding live production environment" - Mr. Benedict Chan, Managing Director of Cinevision Top Choice Productions Limited
"We're happy to have such a successful live telecast in the first stop of the Torch Relay in the Mainland China. The performance on the LINK system is great! We appreciate a lot on the support from both the factory and NDT. We have also received very good comment from senior members from the Transmission Centre and the Olympic Channel of CCTV on this live telecast mission! "- Mr. Fu Chuan-sheng, Chief Engineer of Hainan Broadcasting Television Station
"We're very pleased with the performance on the LINK systems during the live telecast of the Torch Relay event." - Mr. Lin Jin-tian, Chief Engineer of Guangdong TV
As reported from Mr. Daniel Fung, the CEO of NDT, the LINK wireless camera system will keep on taking up major role in the upcoming live telecast on the Olympic torch relay in Zhejiang, Anhui, Hunan, Guangxi, Shannxi, Inner Mongolia and Shandong. After the broadcasters witnessing the actual performance on LINK wireless cameras, several users are negotiating with NDT to discuss on the possibility to replace their existing facilities with LINK solution.