Massive Riedel broadcast infrastructure used for Eurovision Song Contest

For the 12th consecutive year, communications and signal distribution solutions from Riedel played a role in the Eurovision Song Contest. The company is talking about its work with some of the most eclectic singers in Europe at IBC on stand 10.A31.

Riedel’s MediorNet real time media network provided the redundant and decentralised signal routing and transport infrastructure from start to finish of the production, broadcast live from the International Exhibition Centre in Kiev, Ukraine in May. Plus, TETRA digital radio systems along with Riedel’s all-new Bolero wireless intercom system was relied on heavily for all crew communications, only six weeks after it was introduced to the market.

For all three broadcasts, including the two semifinal shows and the finals competition, Riedel supplied a robust, fibre-based communications backbone for its partner NEP Sweden, which produced the show’s world feed on behalf of EBU and the Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine (UA:PBC), and also deploying the recently launched MediorNet MultiViewer. Riedel supported the event with a 25-member onsite engineering team.

“This year we once again turned to Riedel to ensure that we could pull off this immensely popular, and exceedingly complex, live production without a hitch. And once again, Riedel came through for every aspect of the show, from stage presentations to commentary and backstage interviews,” said Ola Melzig, head of production at ESC 2017.

The Riedel MediorNet backbone consisted of four MetroN core routers and dozens of MicroN high density media distribution network devices in a mesh topology. This decentralised configuration ensured full redundancy of all video and audio signals for commentary, intercom, signal distribution, and radio communications, including the feeds for monitors in commentary booths and for displays and projectors in the International Exhibition Centre. Also, 40 commentary booths for various countries were equipped with Riedel Artist digital matrix intercom CCP-1116 commentary panels.

The Riedel network linked numerous other production components including critical control points for sound, lighting, and pyrotechnics. In all, more than 150 comms panels and 600 analog and digital TETRA radios were used for the show. As with last year’s production, NEP Sweden AB’s HD1 OB van was likewise equipped with Riedel MediorNet and Artist digital intercom components.