Equipment Room Containers Arrive Across Brazil

Pre-assembled and tested in Germany at the systems integrator sonoVTS, the ERC is the hub of all onsite outside broadcast operations at each Broadcast Compound around Brazil, connecting to all operational rooms. The full testing of the facility before it arrived in Brazil saved countless valuable hours for staff at the venues.

Once testing was finished the cables and equipment were carefully packed away and shipped across the Atlantic Ocean, ready to be delivered to all 12 cities hosting FIFA World Cup™ matches – a process that has been taking place across all venues in the past week.

The ECR is a freestanding unit, independent of the "HBS House" comprising most of the Broadcast Compounds at each venue. Upon arrival deposited at the appropriate spot, the cables were unrolled and reconnected to the equipment in the various operational rooms and the venues were essentially active. A system of airlocks and controlled airflow facilitates temperature and humidity control and deals with the potentially significant differences in both of these aspects from one venue to another.

Senior Engineering Manager Christian Gobbel, who was involved from the project's inception through to its implementation in Brazil, sums the whole thing up nicely: "The Equipment Room Containers are essentially very, very big OB vans without wheels, built to our exact specifications. The great thing is being able to test the equipment and the interfacing between all the components well ahead of the event, it's a huge step forward for us and a great relief in the busy days before the Opening Match.