Tividoo uses LiveU mobile app for SWR Mainz marathon coverage

German production company Tividoo made use of LiveU’s LU-Smart mobile application for regional public broadcaster SWR’s online coverage of the recent Mainz marathon. The LiveU technology was supplied by LiveU’s German partner, Netorium.

Supporting all iOS/Android devices, the LU-Smart mobile app represents the next level in mobile newsgathering, allowing LiveU’s broadcasting and online video customers to extend their coverage using a smartphone or tablet. Based on LiveU’s fourth-generation uplink technology, LU-Smart bonds internal Wi-Fi and cellular connections to reach optimal video quality.

The marathon – which attracted approximately 9,000 runners and 15,000 spectators – was covered by a combination of emerging technologies. Tividoo filmed the event from a car alongside the runners, and then held post-race interviews with the runners in the main square. The car was fitted with a Viprinet Multichannel 510 Router that can bond up to 4 x 4G networks as well as a Ka-Band satellite connection. This created a WLAN around the car. While moving and filming the runners 4G uplink connectivity was used, augmented with Ka-Band when stationary at the end of the race. An iPhone 5 with the LiveU LU-Smart app and an LTE SIM was attached to a steady rig, with a stabilised car mount and used for the actual video capture.

Zion Eilam, LiveU’s key account executive, comments: “The breadth and depth of LiveU’s range of bonded modem products means that there’s always a solution for every occasion. Sporting events like this are an obvious candidate to benefit from our innovation and we’re very pleased that both the broadcast and online communities are adopting our technology.”