British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB), the UK-based satellite TV service, is deploying Streambox’s ACT-L3 newsgathering system at its Sky News bureaus for distribution of news content over low-bandwidth IP networks.
The Streambox system allows the transmission of video via Inmarsat’s BGAN satellite network or over available IP networks, such as DSL, local Wi-Fi or hotel Internet connections. Compared with BSkyB’s old system, which filled the equivalent of four suitcases, the Streambox system is essentially a camcorder, laptop and satellite phone.
In a typical scenario, the BSkyB reporter and cameraperson will carry the Streambox SBT3-7500 compact encoder or a Mac- or Windows-compatible ACT-L3 portable laptop system along with a BGAN-compatible satellite phone.
Transmission of video and audio requires the camera to be connected to the encoder, which in turn is connected directly to the satellite phone. Front-panel controls facilitate transmission of signals via satellite to the Inmarsat earth station in the Netherlands and, via a leased line, onto a Streambox distribution server at BSkyB’s west London facilities for real-time playout or recording.
For more information, visit www.streambox.com.