TVU Networks enables the Congressional Cup to continue charting new waters
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The challenge: a new approach to attract a new generation of fans
The event has long been known for its pioneering spirit; having introduced the concept of on-the-water umpiring. The Long Beach Yacht Club (LBYC) wanted to continue this pioneering approach when it came to the 54th event in 2018, aiming to deliver a more immersive viewing experience to fans as well as attract new fans to the sport. LBYC in particular sought to attract a younger demographic through access to content online and via social media platforms. The LBYC wanted to up its already high production values by combining the best of technology with the best of sport to deliver an unmatched fan experience.
The LBYC decided that the 2018 event would be more widely distributed in broadcast quality than ever before, with distribution over broadcast platforms as well as on leading interactive social media platforms. In addition, a VR experience would be created and made available via the Samsung VR platform.
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Geoffrey Talbot, Executive Producer of the five day live streaming TV production explains: “We were excited to embrace the ground-breaking VR with our HD live streaming production, knowing it would generate enthusiasm with younger viewers around the world. Adding high-quality VR coverage and making that video accessible online brings new generations to the sport”
After investigating the options, the Long Beach Yacht Club’s media team decided that it would deliver live online streams as well as a 360° experience. The production team wanted to deploy two waterproof 360-degree Samsung 360 Round VR cameras, which would follow the action on the water and deliver live VR footage. One of the biggest challenges was to ensure stable, high bandwidth connectivity to transport the data-intensive video live and untethered.
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“VR footage requires extensive bandwidth to view the images properly,” explains Jim Ocon, President, OSC. “With the lack of infrastructure on site, multiple sources of 360-degree VR coverage, and movement, we knew the set up would stretch the limits of high-bandwidth connectivity in a live, real-world environment.”
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The solution: ensuring high-bandwidth connectivity whatever the conditions
As well as hiring a specialist 360° production team, the team decided to approach a select handful of technology firms with which to partner. To make the live streaming and 360° experience possible, LBYC selected TVU Networks, Samsung Electronics America, Telstra Broadcast Services, BOXX.TV, broadcast integration and project manager Suitelife Systems and wireless innovation house Ocon Solutions Company (OSC), which oversaw the wireless technical and production preparations for the 2018 Congressional Cup.
The LBYC production team decided to deploy two 360 VR cameras - one on a sports fishing boat and one on the anchored MV LOYNES LBYC race committee boat - and two additional cameras on the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier to capture the action for the live streaming feed, which was shown on a video wall at the clubhouse.
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Each of the two boats off Long Beach Veterans Memorial Pier were kitted out with a TVU Router, serving as sea-bound hot spots, handling the 360-degree, live VR signals from two on-the-water Samsung 360 Round VR cameras.
The TVU Routers provided the high-bandwidth IP connectivity necessary to send moving, high-data VR images from the water to the pier for VR post-production stitching and VR IP network distribution.Two further TVU Routers supplied the connection needed for the 360 Round VR cameras to provide live distribution to the Samsung VR Video website (https://samsungvr.com).
“I knew if any technology was up to the feat, it would be the TVU Router,” says Jim Ocon, President, OSC. “It was designed specifically to address this type of application.”
TVU Router uses multiple data communication links simultaneously such as cellular 4G/LTE, Cable, DSL, Satellite, or WiFi to deliver a highly reliable broadband connection up to 200Mbps in any location. TVU Router can dynamically aggregate up to a dozen different data connections for maximum flexibility. It supports multiple 4G/LTE connections from different cellular providers to power even the most demanding and data-intensive applications anywhere.
The result: flawless performance to deliver flawless images
In all, the Long Beach Yacht Club Media team produced five days of live broadcast quality coverage of the regatta, including a Video over IP direct feed to the New York Yacht Club and worldwide distribution over social media. As well as live distribution of the VR feed to the Samsung VR Video website (https://samsungvr.com), the live video was also linked to the Congressional Cup web site (www.thecongressionalcup.com) and to the Tribeca Film Festival’s website.
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The high-bandwidth IP connectivity of the TVU Router helped deliver stunning images of the event from the Samsung 360 Round cameras, giving those who were not on the water or seated on the Long Beach Veterans Memorial Pier a perfect view as the races unfolded.
“The VR wireless connectivity from the water back to the pier and the network streaming set up performed flawlessly thanks in large part to TVU Router,” comments Geoffrey Talbot. “Integrating 360-degree footage requires an enormous amount of bandwidth. We couldn’t have done it without the rock-solid connectivity of our TVU Router, which performed above and beyond expectations from stationary and moving boats.”
Once again, the LBYC was able to demonstrate the pioneering spirit of the Congressional Cup. By combining tradition with cutting-edge technology they made the event more accessible to new audiences worldwide.