With its extensive focus on sports and entertainment, South African pay-TV broadcaster M-Net needed a solution that was flexible enough to meet the diversity of its wide ranging production needs. These range from live music concerts through to major international golf tournaments, rugby and football matches.
M-Net chose Sony’s HD Outside Broadcast (OB) vehicles to help viewers experience the excitement of live events, while offering the ease and convenience of cost-effective and timely on site broadcasting.
Building on its excellent working relationship with Sony South Africa, M-Net chose the Sony Professional Services team for its commitment to professional and ongoing local service support throughout implementation and beyond. With a reputation for innovative and tailored solutions, Sony was selected as the solution provider for equipment supply and systems integration of M-Net’s new OB6 HD. Offering flexible OB and studio equipment standardisation, the solution can also be used with M-Net’s already existing Sony kit, including cameras, switchers, monitors and VTRs.
After working with M-Net OB management and engineers to devise the most effective solution to expand their outside broadcast capacity, installation of equipment started just before Christmas 2010. Sony’s overall responsibility as systems integrator started with the video, audio and control system design through to the installation, configuration, testing and commissioning of all video, audio and control systems. The equipment selection and supply of technical systems is tailored for seamless integration with similar vehicles to allow extreme expansion of facilities for very large event coverage.
OB6 HD is a 28-camera full HD Mobile Production Unit (MPU) and includes Sony’s renowned acquisition tool the HDC-1500R cameras, HDC-3300R super slow motion cameras and newly introduced HDC-P1 multi purpose compact cameras, all with Canon lenses.
The vehicle also includes Sony’s best of breed post-production equipment, such as the MVS-8000G video switcher and top spec video monitoring equipment, including BVM-L170 Professional Master Series reference LCD monitors. Recording decks include Sony PDW-HD1500, XDCAM HD 422 and HDCAM VTR’s.
Sony’s turnkey solution to M-Net also includes a whole range of EVS video servers and non-linear production tools, Probel video and audio routers, Axon digital glue products, Miranda multi-viewers, Tektronix test and measurement equipment, VSM control, Telex RTS Communication System and Calrec Artemis audio console.
OB6 HD was scheduled to arrive in the country in March and will be used on productions from April.
Post-project support
Following the delivery of the HD OB solution, Sony has been helping M-Net adapt to the equipment and ensure that they are maximising the benefits of the new equipment through post project support and comprehensive training.
The process began with a comprehensive on site handover and system familiarization training. Following that Sony will ensure that M-Net’s production and engineering teams have full operational and maintenance training on all products.
