Providing broadcast solutions for Formula One Grand Prix

Flypack to facilitate eight of the Grand Prix races

Presteigne Charter has been contracted by SIS LIVE, Europe’s largest OB and uplink provider, to supply a flypack to facilitate eight of the Grand Prix races for the BBC’s F1 coverage. The races, consisting of Australia, Malaysia, China, Bahrain, Singapore, Japan, Brazil and Abu Dhabi provide many broadcasting challenges and with many of these races being back to back, this provides a logistical challenge of its own, moving the equipment from location to location.

Presteigne Charter are supplying a complete flypack solution to SIS LIVE consisting of a production gallery, audio area, master control room and VT/EVS, to work with an existing RF and editing infrastructure. This equipment is based around a HD Flypack, comprising an MVS8000,128x128 Router, 40 LCD Monitors, ten Glass Monitors, a Yamaha M7CL Audio Mixer and 70 Distribution DA’s.

To enable a complete EVS and Final Cut Pro workflow, Presteigne Charter are also supplying three x EVS XT[2] with Jumbo Frame Storage, four x Digibeta VTRS, two x IPD’s, an X-File[2], and an X-Hub[2] to integrate via XT-Access to three x Final Cut Pro Suites running on an X-San Server. Presteigne Charter created this complete system to the clients specification to enable logging of multiple incoming host feeds, ENG tape shot on three camcorders and edited material. This logging is done via IPD v4 to be upgraded to v5 when it becomes available. A logging feed is also created in London providing a highlights edit, which is then imported into the ‘onsite logs’.

Complete archives of the 2009 season and selected past seasons are now accessible as either on-line or near-line material as a result of the system provided by Presteigne Charter. Operators and producers can now find material and incidents quickly and concisely – a system never available in previous seasons.

Working in hot, humid and in the case of Malaysia and China torrential conditions, the equipment is being rigged, operated and de-rigged on an extremely tight schedule. This is due to the constricted itinerary of the races being only weekends apart in totally different countries. This can all pose technical challenges in terms of kit reliability and time constraints, but Presteigne Charter’s Systems Manager Paul Sykes is pleased as to how well the equipment and team are working and performing so far.

“Presteigne Charter has supplied an completely integrated HD Flypack system designed and built in house, that is quick to rig, easy to transport, and reliable. It has performed exceedingly well despite having to operate through excessive heat, thunderstorms and such tight schedules.”

Sykes continues, “The system gives Production the pictures they want, when they want them and provides the full story of how after only four races it already appears that it’s going to be a very exciting season. We are delighted that the system has worked so successfully to help bring F1 back onto the BBC.”

Presteigne Charter's team and equipment now take a break until September when they return to Formula One for the Singtel Singapore Grand Prix.

One of the world’s most innovative and respected broadcast dry hire and systems rental specialists, with a branch network covering the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Asia and Australia, Presteigne Charter is a market-leading provider of broadcast television equipment supplying its clients with cutting edge technology. Live broadcast means no second chances and Presteigne Charter use this philosophy to match the appropriate personnel and technology to their clients’ needs.

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