Tandberg Wireless Operators’ Systems

By Alexander Bogatkin, Maxim Kimstach, Anastasia Krasnova

Review contents:

Wireless Systems for Sound and Video Transfer from Camera Systems of Wireless Signal Transfer DynaPix Triad of DTC Communications Company Equipment of GMS Company Digital wireless system of receiving-transfer of sound and image signals of Grass Valley a Thomson Brand Company On-camera WRP20 System of IRTE Company (Italy) Wireless Transfer of Data from DY-DV5000 Camera with the Help of KA-DV 5000 Adapter Link Wireless Camera System is New Equipment form New Manufactures Swiss Wireless COFDM Systems Livetools in Russia Miniature Color Microdic Video Camera with Transceiver Wireless Systems of Video Transfer from Premiere Wireless Tandberg Wireless Operators’ Systems Reporter’s Radio Extender Teleview Reporter is Wireless Digital System of Video Signal Transfer “Camera-MTU” Transvideo wireless systems

System of wireless connection of operator with mobile television unit of news collection (D-ENG) Voyager Lite from well-known manufacture-company Tandberg Television (Great Britain) differs in reliability and simplicity of use. Tandberg Television is one of the leaders in the field of digital video compression, multiplexing, transfer and receiving of signal, has big experience in system integration and technical support of users. The company bases on open decisions and play and important part in developing of systems and international standards, for example, MPEG-2, DVB, ATSC, SMPTE, and DDTV.

Wireless system of video data transfer Voyager Lite is a developing of fourth generation based on already well-known (more than five years of operation) DENG system. Fields of application of Voyager Lite are different: sports broadcasting, filming of mass events, news preparing, etc.

Voyager Lite is complex Digital ENG system based on reliable and simple in work wireless cameras. For the first time Voyager Lite was presented on IBC 2001 and at once gained big interest from broadcasters who desired to buy equipment directly from the stand.

Appearing of Voyager Lite system for sure became the new step to improving of such characteristics as portability, mobility on the base of MPEG and COFDM technologies. Application of wireless Voyager Lite system allows providing qualified digital connections to transmitting centers and studios.

System “turnkey” includes:

• ergonomic projected special rucksack with build-in antennas (there are also on-camera variants);
• compact transmitter with low power consumption and cutoff points for battery including video coder, DVB-T OFDM modulator and converter into the signal of 2.32…2.5 GHz (optional 7.5 GHz) frequency;
• receiving system with undirected antenna (there are variants for big distances) and D-ENG decoder.

Due to system decision Voyager Lite system provides high productivity during decoding of broadcasted qualified signal into video and sound. There are additional variants of system building, for example, digital reverse channel for full camera control (diaphragm, color, etc).

As all open decisions from Tandberg Television, Voyager Lite is total compatible with DVB and MPEG-2 standards. Such compatibility provides to the user small budget decision based on technology that is already widely used all over the world.

Different kinds of equipment for Voyager Lite use

Televisia Company is famous broadcaster of sports events, news and concerts, distributed via network on Mexico territory, traditionally used large amount of equipment (in particular, connection through cables) and numerous personal services for conduction of broadcasting. In 2002 for direct broadcasting by network of sports events of Winter Olympic games in Salt-Lake-City Televisia Company planned to send filming group. The company had to use the most convenient and simple in work equipment that would be mobile and provide qualified filmed material for broadcasting. Unfolding of space with usual analogous cameras require lots of cables and other equipment and also big filming group. Application of analogous wireless technologies partly solves the problem, but limits operator requiring direct visibility of receiver’s antenna. The choice was the new wireless transfer system Voyager Lite. After successful testing on Mexican football championship Televisia bought full transfer system, becoming the first buyer of Voyager Lite in America. Operator used Voyager Lite on small distances: 200…400 m from mobile television unit. When covering mountain-sky competitions in Utah Voyager Lite worked on distance of up to 800 m. This system allows operating in places unreachable when using analogous techniques as COFDM efficiently works when multiple re-reflection of signal, fading of some frequencies depending on region landscape are present, and also in moving.

With the help of Voyager Lite system not big filming group of Televisia Company managed to conduct filming of events on Olympic games from such foreshortening and distances that are impossible to reach when using traditional analogous equipment.

Main opportunities of Voyager Lite:

• coding: MPEG-2 4:2:0 MP@ML and 4:2:2 P@ML;
• build-in modulator on 6, 7, and 8 MHz DVB-T (OFDM);
• build-in converter and radio diapason amplifier;
• setting, connecting video quality and productivity;
• setting of speed of outlet flow 5…21 Mbit/sec in conditions of QPSK, 16QAM, and DVB-T modulation;
• video entry: SDI and composite with two sound channels;
• small time of signal transfer delay;
• low power consumption: 39 Wt (over 1 h of work from battery) and comfortable adapter for battery changing;
• simplicity of use even in difficult conditions, ten preliminary saved settings;
• build-in generator of test video signal and sound tone;
• flexible set frequency of radio outlet in 2.32…2.5 GHz (optional 7.5 GHz) frequency with step of 100 kHz;
• maximum outlet power is 200 mW with 10 dB regulation;
• power voltage is 10.2…19 V or 15…30 V (optional);
• diapason of working temperatures is -10…+ 40°C.

Additional accessories:

• battery (IDX Endura 50 Wt) with charging facility;
• receiver of wireless microphone;
• adapter of radio condition of cameras of LDK and Ikegami series;
• system of news collection D-ENG on the base of COFDM.

“Elogar” Company presented the material