10/3/2013
The TVU: broadcasting whatever the circumstances
We've long dreamed of being able to produce footage at any moment, in any circumstances. Now that we're living in the age of the mobile phone and video-sharing on any network, this dream seems eminently real. Yet producing quality footage demands considerable equipment that brings its own constraints. Our attitude being that no challenge is insurmountable, we are constantly developing new solutions that break through barriers. The TVU is one of these tools changing the way we produce footage.
Everyone knows how to transmit images from their mobiles using the phone network, but making a TV broadcast the same way is a different question entirely. For the past two years we have been offering a working solution for filming and broadcasting which uses 3G and 4G networks. On the face of it, it seems simple: several SIM cards are linked in order to send images to our media control room, where they are rerouted for broadcast or use in a programme. The advantage of this system is that it utilises the remarkable geographic coverage offered by telephone networks, and it can be carried in a simple rucksack weighing just 4 kg. In the street, on the back of a motorbike, inside a building or even in many tunnels, broadcasting is guaranteed. The TVU can be coupled with an ENG camera or take up an already established signal.
Quality and flexibility
Images are broadcast in SD or HD, whilst the network quality is boosted by a processing delay of one to several dozen seconds depending on the production team's requirements.
Given how easy it is to use the TVU, a whole range of applications are conceivable: an independent journalist can roam the streets, whilst an OB van can broadcast a programme live, for instance, all thanks to the fact that we are free from RF links and satellite broadcasting (both of which, although recognised as excellent in some ways, have disadvantages too).
The TVU can sometimes even be used as an aid to more traditional equipment.
As of this year, we are broadcasting using the new telephone network standard, 4G, which offers an incomparable bandwidth. Moreover, we often use the three available standards simultaneously (3G, H+ and 4G) to guarantee best coverage. Although in France it has only been used in Paris and a few other major cities up until now, 4G will soon be available nationwide.
A forward-looking system developed from years of experience
We were the first providers to guarantee "real TV" for a phone operating company when 3G landed a few years ago. More recently, the French presidential elections gave us the chance to use our skills to aid premium French channels.
Used frequently this summer on the beIN Sport channel for the French Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 football championships, the TVU is constantly earning new fans due to its user-friendliness - in fact, it is so simple that a specialist technician is not required. With our new iCar (see article) the TVU is yet another addition to a growing range, a sort of plug&play that multiplies the creative possibilities available without straining your budget.
We have also developed a specific application that allows users to integrate in real time shots taken on an iPhone or iPad as part of a single workflow, permitting total mobility. This is a technological leap that we will call on time and time again.