Grass Valley and CenturyLink demo remote production over 100G link

Grass Valley has joined forces with global network provider CenturyLink to successfully test a remote link between cameras at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida and a base station in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Using CenturyLink’s 100 Gbps high-speed fibre circuit and Grass Valley’s DirectIP feature, the test is said to have demonstrated that uncompressed multi-camera signals can be reliably delivered from point to point, potentially eliminating the need for large production crews and complex OB set-ups on location.

During the trial, three Grass Valley LDX 86 cameras were deployed at the home of NFL team the Miami Dolphins (pictured, right) running at high-speed  – 10 Gbps each – demonstrating a robust IP workflow between cameras, switchers and XCU Universe XF base stations, even with high bandwidth usage.

Using Grass Valley’s DirectIP configuration, uncompressed signals were transmitted via CenturyLink’s 100 Gbps high-speed fibre circuit to base stations and operational control panels (OCPs) located at the network provider’s point of presence (POP) in Tulsa. CenturyLink is the first company to demonstrate 100 Gbps capabilities.

Bill Wohnoutka, vice president of internet and content delivery services at CenturyLink, said: “With Grass Valley’s DirectIP, we have demonstrated how our Vyvx network can enable broadcasters in the US and select global locations to achieve the advantages of remote production to produce large scale live events.

“CenturyLink is known for its expansive global network and we continue to make significant investments to scale our Vyvx network to enable production workflow transformation across the majority of professional and select college sports venues in the US, along with some of most widely used international venues.”

CenturyLink and Grass Valley will be undertaking additional trials in the coming months. According to the two companies, these tests will help to further demonstrate that large productions can be supported with a remote/at-home model and can deliver valuable cost savings and reduce set-up times.

“Recent projects, such as the 2019 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, have cemented the role of IP-based remote/at-home production as a field-proven way to meet the growing demand for captivating viewing experiences,” added Mark Hilton, vice president of live production, Grass Valley.

“As the only camera manufacturer that delivers all-IP communication between a camera head and its base station, we enable our customers to push the boundaries of what is possible, allowing them to focus on high impact tasks that create truly compelling viewing experiences without the need for unwieldy infrastructures and workflows.

“We are very proud to have joined forces with CenturyLink to bring this model to customers in the US, giving them the ability to eliminate the need for compression equipment or trucks at the live venue.”