Press releases
SVT launches SNGstreamer (2007) |KuSNG breaks barrier (2005) | M2sat Mobile Video Solutions (2004)
SVT introduces next generation SNG system to build up their regional newsgathering infrastructure
(Press release IBC, Amsterdam 12-09-07)
SVT, Swedish Television, the leading Swedish broadcaster has introduced two sets of the new vehicle based SNGstreamer system as part of their extension program for it’s regional TV channels. The units will be used to provide live video links of regional news directly into the national and regional TV channels news programs. The state of the art systems bring SVT the advantages of the latest in MPEG-4 video encoding technologies and satellite communications. The complete SNG system includes an easy to operate vehicle based mobile uplink station and a fixed downlink station at the SVT studio in Karlstad and was provided by Germany based Kirnexus GmbH in co-operation with M2sat.
An easy to use system
The SVT requirements for the mobile uplink station was that the system can be mounted on a normal car, and that a normal newsgathering crew of journalist and a cameraman/soundman should be able to operate the system. There should be no need for a satcom engineer at the vehicle.
The SNGstreamer system meets these requirements by using an auto pointing uplink antenna on the news gathering vehicle and by remotely controlling the system from the studio for the line up to the satellite. The news gathering crew only has to plug in the camera and microphone, switch on the power of the system and call the studio to establish the satellite connection. When that is done the news crew can start and stop the transmission by a simple push on the button.
Says Anders Höög from SVT Karlstad, who is responsible for the introduction of the new system:
“We are using the mobile uplink system with great success streaming live into our news program.
Cameramen are very happy because of the new systems easy and fast operation. Even a cameraman with no training got it running in less then 5 minutes! The remote control has worked fine. Finding the satellite and doing the line up procedure is done in 10 minutes which is really impressive. We are very happy with the performance.”
A cost effective system
The combination of the SNGstreamers easy-to-use design and the integration of the MPEG-4 encoding system with the latest satellite technology, brings SVT several advantages with regards to he costs as well.
Says Hub Urlings from M2sat: “Being cost efficient is very important for a SNG system in a time were more and more live video contributions are expected but within limited production budgets. The low costs of the SNGstreamer system are not only reflected in the one time equipment costs, which are roughly half that of traditional SNG systems, but also in the operation costs. Satellite transmission costs are reduced by more then 50% using the bandwidth efficient MPEG-4 Edbox encoders, and there are also no additional costs for satcom engineers or dedicated vehicles to operate the system.”
A full solution
As part of the delivery of the SNGstreamer solution a fixed down link station was installed in Karlstad in August 2007. The down link station is a receive only system with satellite antenna, satellite demodulators and EDBoX video decoders that can support 4 or more up link stations simultaneously depending on the set up. It contains also the remote control system to operate the mobile uplink units. During installation the SNGstreamer downlink station was connected to the SVT IP-infrastructure for internal distribution of the live video feeds within SVT.
Says Ewald Restle from Kirnexus: “We are happy we were able to provide SVT a system that not only meets their requirements for an easy to use mobile uplink station, but that also could be integrated in the SVT infrastructure in Karlstad and the way of working in the studio.”
Summary
To meet the challenge to provide to its viewers more and more live video links also for its regional TV news channels but at the same time stay within the budget, Swedish Television SVT has introduced the SNGstreamer. Not only does the SNGstreamer provide the best fit for the SVT requirements for an easy to use system, it could also be seamlessly integrated into the existing SVT infrastructure and operational organisation. The cost efficiency of the SNGstreamer was an important factor in the decision to go ahead as SVT has strict budgets for live streams. The SNGstreamer is the first system that brings live links within the possibilities and budgets for regional news gathering.
“M2sat KuSNGlight breaks price performance barrier for
portable Satellite News Gathering solutions”
IBC, Amsterdam 08-09-05
With the introduction of the KuSNGlight, the Ku-band version of the portable
M2sat SNGlight solution, Amsterdam based MultiMedia Satellite Services BV
has broken through an important price – performance barrier for mobile video
solutions for Satellite News Gathering once again.
Did the M2sat Thuraya SNGlight solution already provide a six fold faster
service compared with traditional mobile satcom solutions at a considerable
lower price, the new KuSNGlight solution not only increases the speed six
fold again but it comes also with drastic service price reductions.
Description
The M2sat KuSNGlight introduced at the International Broadcasting Conference
2005 is a portable M2sat satellite terminal with integrated Tandberg video
codecs that allow for state of the art live video quality and video conferencing
capabilities. The standard ethernet interface on the satellite terminal
allows laptops to be connected providing editting facilities and store and
forward video software thus completing the Satellite Newsgathering System.
As rapid deployment is of the essence for SNG teams, the portable M2sat
KuSNGlight unit can be taken on board an aeroplane as normal luggage and
set up in a matter of minutes.
The KuSNGlight can provide return channel speeds of up to 2 Mbps from within a very large coverage area as it works via a range of Eutelsat Ku-band satellites. This makes the M2sat mobile video services available in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Asia, but also in North and South America and the South of Africa. The KuSNGlight brings the advantage that it can offer services also at the edge of the satellite coverage where traditional SNG equipment cannot work anymore. The MPEG-4 video protocol used provides excellent Live Video Quality even as low as 384 kbps, thus increasing the coverage area of the KuSNGlight when compared to traditional MPEG-2 based Ku-band equipment.”
An important feature of the KuSNGlight is also its substantially lower
service costs when compared with other mobile services, due to the fact
the unit is using Ku-band as compared to L-band. In the past Ku-band antenna’s
were much larger and needed more expertise in setting up, but using the
latest in Ku-band antenna technology with the MTI Black Widow antenna,
The Black Widow combines portability with Ku-band capability, allowing the
use of cost effective Ku-band services from portable terminals. Combining
the M2sat SNGlight unit with the MTI antenna brings Satellite News Gatherers
and Broadcasters return channel speeds of up to 2 Mbps while at the same
time guarantee the use of low cost Ku-band space segment.
Overview M2sat solutions portfolio
By using the latest broadband satellite services, the M2sat platform can
provide low cost, discrete portable solutions offering transmission speeds
between 384 Kbps (M2sat L-band) up to 2 Mbps (M2sat Ku-band).
The M2sat Thuraya L-band services have been succesfully used by customers in the press and media market and government market since 2003. With the 384 kbps M2sat Thuraya service news gatherers achieve a much higher video quality in Live Video connections and a much faster news file transfer when using a Store and Forward Video application.
Now in 2005 with the introduction of the KuSNGlight we are happy to announce that another breakthrough has been realised. The service speed will increase six times, the coverage area will be extended and we have reached a new level of price performance.
Hub Urlings, Managing Director of MMSS explains the development of the breakthrough system saying: “From our customers we learned that they valued the combination of broadband capability and portability of our Thuraya SNGlight. They indicated also however they where looking for ever higher video quality from portable units. By using state of the art Ku-band antenna’s from MTI and combining it with our SNGlight unit, we met that requirement. The use of Ku-band brought not only higher service speeds and the advantage of a much larger coverage area, we could also reduce the prices for bandwidth and services drastically. This combination of higher bandwidth services, a very much larger footprint and a drastic service price reduction for the services marks the M2sat KuSNGlight as the 2005 breakthrough in Satellite News Gathering from portable terminals.“
Mobile Video Solutions
The M2sat SNGlight units are available as a portable solution, but can also
be provided as car based or maritime video solutions, depending on the needs
of customers in the international broadcasting industry and other high capacity
users in the government and corporate sector.
Our Mobile Video Solutions provide customers with new possibilities in the area of satellite news gathering and mobile video communications on land or on sea. Not only does M2sat beat all current mobile satcom services in speed and in price but the ease of use and comprehensive end-to-end support of it’s Mobile Video Solutions makes mobile multimedia communications feasible now for many customers for the first time.
For more information on our services and Mobile Video Solutions:
Visit the M2sat web site: www.m2sat.com or send an e-mail to info@m2sat.com
for the latest information.
M2sat introduces portfolio of mobile video solutions
IBC, Amsterdam 10-09-04
At the International Broadcasting Conference 2004 in Amsterdam M2sat Ltd will introduce a portfolio of mobile video solutions on the basis of its standard M2sat 384 kbps service via the Thuraya satellite. The portfolio includes a range of solutions for mobile newsgathering including the portable SNGLight unit, the car based SmartSNG and the maritime SNGMarine. The solutions are aimed at the international broadcasting industry and other high capacity users in the government and corporate sector.
After the succesfull introduction of the M2sat services in 2003 M2sat is now an established player in the market place, currently serves a number of customers in the press and media market and government market. In the international news gathering market M2sat is serving international broadcasters that use the higher bandwidth services to get their audio and video footage back to their newsrooms. Using the M2sat 384 kbps service they can achieve a much higher video quality in Live Video connections or a much faster news file transfer when using a Store and Forward Video application when compared with other mobile satcom services.
In the government market M2sat is providing a basic broadband communications
hub providing the 384 kbps service for instant (secure) voice and fax communications,
data/IP connections and for video conferencing.
The customers are served with the provisioning of a 384 kbps Occasional
Use service available via the M2sat Booking Office.
Main advantage for our customers is the fact that M2sat provides a service that is 6 times as fast as other mobile satcom services and up to 20% cheaper.
In order to even better serve its customers needs M2sat in close co-operation
with a number of strategic partners has developed a number of specific mobile
video solutions, that are provided on a turnkey basis:
* M2sat SNGLight: The portable solution for Satellite News Gathering teams
providing broadband capability for Live Video, Store and Forward Video as
well as e-mail and internet access from a portable and easy to use unit.
* M2sat SmartSNG: This car based solution includes a selfpointing antenna
and surprises with an easy three button operation for SNG teams. Where required
M2sat can provide integrated video or audio codecs or a wireless access
point to give your team full mobile multi media capability.
* M2sat MarineSNG: The first broadband maritime SNG solution for reporters
at sea! The MarineSNG is provided as turnkey solution and where required
can be extended with application equipment like codecs, wireless access
point etc.
* M2sat Mobile Broadband Office: A fullfledged portable communications hub
providing (secure) voice and fax, data/IP and video conferencing services
to remote teams requiring an instant communications infrastructure.
* M2sat VC-Light: A portable videoconference solution for international
travellers and remote teams with a requirement for face-to-face communications.
The M2sat Mobile Video solutions are designed to provide a better match with the customer requirements in particular in the design, installation and support of broadband applications and mobile video solutions.
Hub Urlings, Managing Director of M2sat explains the background of the Mobile Video Solutions by saying: Customers from the press and media market as well as from the government and corporate market have a clear requirement for new broadband services and applications. They do not have the resources however to search and evaluate the latest version of the different application components like satellite terminals, video codecs, multiplexers, landline connections, application software, or video conferencing equipment. They are concentrating on their job e.g. as a News Gatherer. The same applies for the installation and support of the full end-to-end broadband applications. One Stop Shopping for the support of the full video application chain has become a key requirement. We think that with the introduction of our portfolio Mobile Video Solutions M2sat and its partners can meet these demands.
The unique combination of the broadband capacity of the M2sat services
and the portability and compactnes of the M2sat satellite equipment is now
complemented with the availability of complete Mobile Video Solutions. This
combination provides customers with new possibilities in the area of satellite
news gathering and mobile video communications on land or on sea.
Not only does M2sat beat all current mobile satcom services in speed and
in price but the ease of use and comprehensive end-to-end support of its
Mobile Video Solutions makes mobile multimedia communications feasible now
for many customers for the first time.
Good news is also that towards the end of 2004 M2sat is offering even more value to its customers when the service coverage is extended to Asia. Where the current M2sat services are available in more then 100 countries in Europe, Northern and Central Africa, the Middle East and South and Central Asia, the Thuraya coverage extension at the end of the year will make M2sat services also available throughout the whole of Asia.
Visit the M2sat web site: www.m2sat.com or send an e-mail to info@m2sat.com
for the latest information.