BSI’s 3D Wireless Handheld and On-board Camera Systems Give Viewers an Extreme Experience
Los Angeles, CA...Broadcast Sports, Inc., (BSI), a world leader in wireless camera and audio systems, and the prime RF provider at the Summer X Games 16 for the 6th consecutive year, will be providing key transmission technologies to this year’s LA events, July 29 through August 1, 2010.
LA poses some particularly challenging spectrum availability issues. BSI brings exclusive on-board and wireless microphone solutions, operating in non-broadcast spectrum, to ensure interference-free operation for ESPN.
“Being able to operate many RF elements simultaneously for an event like the X Games is BSI’s life-blood,” says Mark Polla, Sales and Marketing Manager at BSI.
The inclusion of wireless 3D handheld and onboard cameras at the LA Coliseum events present a particularly difficult challenge as each 3D element requires twice as much spectrum for transmission. Due to BSI’s custom equipment and ability to utilize a wider range of spectrum, 3D solutions could not have otherwise been delivered without impact to the elements required for the HD production. Size and power consumption for 3D is also a challenge when trying to maintain portability. BSI has developed a miniature HD transmitter that fills that need with a smaller foot print, lighter weight and lower power consumption in a broadcast quality unit that is not otherwise available commercially.
ESPN brought together PACE and BSI to develop 3D mobile systems for the event. With PACE’s expertise in 3D cameras and BSI’s proven ability to deliver seamless RF solutions, this event will set the standard for the emerging wireless 3D market.
Every Rally Car at the LA Coliseum event will carry an HD onboard camera, and two reporters equipped with wireless microphones and IFB’s will ride along in the side by side racing and provide color commentary from the inside of the cars during the race.
“ESPN’s idea to add a reporter in the car, coupled with full HD pictures will provide a very compelling experience for the viewer,” says Clay Underwood, Business Development Manager at BSI.
BSI equipment and staff will be at all the events in downtown LA, at the LA Coliseum, the Nokia Theater, and the Staples Center. Two full RF mobile units will provide HD RF cameras, 3D transmission and control, wireless communications, and the company’s unique wireless MIC1500 microphone systems to ensure uninterrupted feeds in the very congested RF spectrum in the LA metro area.
Exclusive to Broadcast Sports, MIC1500’s operate in the coordinated, clean spectrum between 1435 and 1525 MHz taking the guesswork out of finding and maintaining channels to deliver high power, broadcast quality audio. All MIC1500 equipment operates at 250 mWs and offers integrated talkback functionality with no transmission latency so audio from these microphones can be fed back into the talent IFB. Paired with Broadcast Sports’ high power UHF IFB systems and RF over Fiber receive infrastructure, on-air talent has the freedom to move around the action with no limitations.
The heart of BSI’s services are the exclusive Intelligent Diversity Receivers and RF over Fiber systems integrated at all venues. With this technology, wide area coverage is easily achievable with a small footprint on the venues. Reception and control is centralized in the mobile units and allows for rapid response in the event of an issue or equipment failure. Further, it reduces set-up and strike time limiting the labor overtime costs.
Since 1995, ESPN has been hosting the X Games and last year, X Games 15 was ESPN’s most-watched in history. ESPN, Inc., The Worldwide Leader in Sports, is the leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring the broadest portfolio of multimedia sports assets with over 50 business entities.
About Broadcast Sports, Inc.
For over 25 years, Broadcast Sports, Inc., an L-3 Communications company, has been the leading provider of wireless technology and communications systems for television broadcasting. Based in Hanover, MD, BSI provides HD on-board cameras and wireless audio for a wide range of events including the Olympics, NASCAR, NFL, the PGA Tour, the LPGA Tour, the Indy Racing League, the Breeder's Cup, the X-Games, the Kentucky Derby, the US Open, and the MTV Video Music Awards, and the 2009 Presidential Inauguration. Broadcast Sports' cameras are also used by NASA in the astronaut's helmets.
For more information on Broadcast Sports, Inc visit www.broadcastsportsinc.com.
About L-3 Communications
Headquartered in New York City, L-3 Communications employs over 66,000 people worldwide and is a prime contractor in aircraft modernization and maintenance, C3ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) systems and government services. L-3 is also a leading provider of high technology products, subsystems and systems. The company reported 2009 sales of $15.6 billion.
To learn more about L-3, please visit the company's Web site at www.L-3com.com. L-3 uses its Web site as a channel of distribution of material company information. Financial and other material information regarding L-3 is routinely posted on the company's Web site and is readily accessible.
