NEP The Netherlands adds a Second 4K Outside Broadcast (OB) truck

[DCI forum]

NEP The Netherlands, has added a Second 4K Outside Broadcast (OB) truck to its OB fleet. The UHD 2 is equipped with the latest broadcast capture technology.



The UHD 2 is the largest OB truck in NEP’s European fleet, and allows for production to be controlled with more than 24 cameras. The truck can handle many types of cameras, including large sensor cameras, and it features a state-of-the-art audio desk that according to NEP is ideal for sports and entertainment programs, productions where UHD HDR images and audio are crucial for the home experience.

Theo Stam, Lead Solutions Consultant at NEP The Netherlands explains: “We had the choice to upgrade our existing NL 2 OB truck, which would have been financially attractive, or to have a new one built. Since the demand for UHD registration is increasing and we prefer for our people to work with the latest technology, we decided on the latter. We used the blueprint of one of NEP’s Swedish trucks, which we have used for a number of productions in the Netherlands. Then, together with our Swedish colleagues, we looked at where there is room for improvement. The UHD 2 is the result of this collaboration and work.”

NEP is standardising its technology. The Dutch OB fleet is no longer only meant for the Dutch market, but for the entire European market, the service provider said. Adding that 'foreign divisions use the same technology, which means that not only resources, but also people can be easily exchanged'.



UHD 2 brought into action, yesterday, Wednesday 3 April in the Amsterdam Ziggo Dome capturing a concert by Eros Ramazzotti in UHD with 21 cameras. Production of the World Ice Hockey Championship will take place in Slovakia from 10 May.

[DCI forum]

Germany's Broadcast Solutions GmbH, Europe’s largest OB Truck manufacturer, just chimed in with some additional detail on the configuration of this new 24+ camera production truck. For one it has a giant slide out across the full length of the truck. OB trucks tend to be rather narrow, even with some slide-out, this one looks more spacious, due to the full extension.



It joined forces with the leading outsourced technical production partner NEP The Netherlands (NEP) to deploy a large 24 camera UHD OB Truck. The new OB Truck, named UHD 2, adds to NEP Europe’s fleet by following a similar one (UHD 1), Broadcast Solutions delivered earlier to NEP in Sweden. The two new OB trucks, which can be deployed in any European country, are the largest mobile production tools in NEP Europe’s fleet, giving them the flexibility to realise productions with over 24 cameras and operating many different types of cameras.

During the planning phase, the NEP engineering teams in Sweden and the Netherlands together with Broadcast Solutions used UHD 1 as a blueprint for developing UHD 2 by adding new technology and changing workflow designs where appropriate.

Theo Stam, Lead Solutions Consultant at NEP The Netherlands, on the new OB Truck: “With the UHD 2, NEP the Netherlands adds a unique OB Truck not only to the Dutch market but it will be a nice addition to NEP’s entire European fleet. As UHD 2 is built on the same blueprint as UHD 1 both trucks can be combined to function as one of the biggest OB facilities in Europe but the two trucks can also work together as each other’s backup. Something which is required on big events like the European Song Contest or the Ice Hockey World Championships. I would like to thank Broadcast Solutions for the smooth operation and cooperation.”

The spacious UHD 2 currently works with 24 UHD cameras and provides 27 workplaces. The trailer comes as a double-expando (one large expansion spanning the full length of the trailer) and offers over 45 m2 of working space plus VIP accommodation with extra-large UHD screens. Workspace and workplace concepts emphasis on flexibility and maximum leverage of equipment and workforce, therefore slomo, graphics or editor positions can be assigned to different desks individually.

The OB Truck as a whole is designed for the largest productions and excels with a large variety of monitors in the production area (5x 48”, 1x 30” and 4x 24” and 4x 23”) and comprises 8x slomo desks with access to 6x EVS XT4 servers. For video switching and management NEP opted for Grass Valley LDX 86N cameras and Karrera video switchers, for both production areas. Riedel’s MicroN platform provides flexible video switching, multiviewing and digital glue options; a proven concept that Broadcast Solutions has already deployed in several OB Trucks priory developed. The Riedel MicroN solutions offer the users more flexibility with less space plus IP-based interconnectivity and accessibility options from remote, fuelled by three Riedel Mediornet video stageboxes added to the OB Truck.

As grand as the overall dimensions of the OB, the audio section excels with a Lawo mc2 56 Mark III audio console with 64 faders including a Nova73 audio matrix, gearing up the OB Truck for large audio productions and offering a large variety of inputs and workflows. No wonder the baptism of fire for the UHD 2 took place with no problems in April, producing an Eros Ramazotti concert at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam with 21 cameras. Recently the UHD 2, together with UHD 1, were on production for the Ice Hockey World Championships in Slovakia.

[MrPixels]

Regarding 4k broadcast the United States is far behind.

[donaldk]

Actually Fox was one of the first to have 4K OB truck for sports. As far as actual 4K broadcasting, German platform to independent kabel ops/netwerkowners considers it big news that it will offer 3 UHD channels, one the omnipresent Insight UHD, the two others are to be announced at the ANGA cable show in Germany. Sky Deutschland does have 4K sports, and has been trialing that for years, but Football has been on the air on a regular basis for the past two seasons, so year and a half.

There are only a handful of independent 4K channels around, Insight, Sony's Funbox UHD, TravelXP, Fashion TV everyone else is looking to when searching for 4K channels to carry, the same that have been around since the beginning of 4K. NASA TV being a relatively new entrant since last year with HDR.

The major platforms in the major markets, do have their showcase channels, with either movies or sports, but that's the same in the US with Dish doing 4 K Olympics/World Cup, as well as others.I believe a t least a large part of Baseball is in 4K, so is NFL.

Smaller markets and operators struggle to justify the additionl cost as people want 4K, but aren't willing to pay for it unlike when moving from SD to HD. So that's why for instance Harmonic is telling them 8 Mbit/s is plenty.

There are some demo/unscrambled channels on satellite you might tap into.