A glimpse into the heart of the TV coverage from South Africa
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The MEDIA BROADCAST TV specialists report from the technical control centre of this global mega event.
The role of MEDIA BROADCAST is to ensure that the high definition TV signals from the venues – there are 39 cameras deployed in the stadiums – arrive safely in the IBC. To this end a glass fibre network, fit for large quantities of data and high transmission rates and consisting of several thousand kilometres of cable, had been laid across the country in the run-up to this football mega-event. The cables were fitted with the equipment needed to transmit the HD video signals and then intelligently connected.
Reliability is naturally a priority: the network has therefore been designed such that each stadium has at least two transmission paths. The video adaption contains a so-called “Hitless Switch” – if a cable should fail, the second system takes over transmission of the signal with no downtime! This guarantees that television viewers can enjoy every last millisecond of a match, even if a South African digger driver should happen to destroy a glass fibre cable during transmission.
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And if all the cables happen to conk out: football live via satellite
In the extremely unlikely event that the second cable should also get damaged, there is one further back-up solution that would spring into action within a few milliseconds. In this case, the signals would be transmitted via satellite to the IBC. Every stadium has a satellite facility available as an uplink to the satellite. The reception in the IBC in Johannesburg would then happen via satellite downlink, also provided by MEDIA BROADCAST.
Record-breaking: the diamond of the television year 2010
In 1905 an unbelievable find was made in the South African diamond mine of Cullinan: an awesome 3.106.7 carat diamond! The legendary Cullinan diamond, named after its place of origin, was divided into 105 parts, one of which can be found in the British Crown Jewels.
The Cullinan diamond of the year 2010 is undoubtedly the transmission rights from the World Cup stadiums. The investments made by TV service providers around the world have been correspondingly high in order to acquire the transmission rights from the official match venues. It goes without saying that all those who have bought the rights set great store by having top quality signal and reliable transmission. And that’s where MEDIA BROADCAST comes in.
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Rhythm in the blood: even forklift truck drivers are dancing!
Dance and Africa simply belong together – it is deeply rooted in the everyday consciousness. The spectrum is huge, ranging from war and love dances through to greeting and religious dances. Above all, however, dance is an expression of joy. And that is what led the forklift truck driver to dance after successfully erecting the satellite installation at the IBC. In return for our gifts thanking him for his quick help he performed a lively dance rather like the Diski Dance, the unofficial dance of the Football World Cup.