European Parliament votes for Riedel MediorNet system

The European Parliament employed a large-scale Riedel MediorNet realtime media network and Artist digital matrix intercom system to meet the signal transport requirements of the 2014 European Parliament elections in Brussels. During the weeks surrounding the May 25 elections, the fibre-based Riedel installation provided a flexible network for HD video, audio, and broadcast-quality intercom signal management, routing, and processing.

The system installed within the parliament buildings for the elections included 40 MediorNet frames connected over redundant fibre, two Artist 64 systems, the Riedel RockNet digital audio network, and a number of Riedel panels already in use on site. These systems were connected in a ring topology over a fibre network put in place by DB Video in co-operation with Amubel, which then connected to the in-house fibre network.

The Riedel network enabled DB Video to interconnect seven different broadcast sets with up to 10 cameras each, which were used for press conferences, interviews, and live commentary on the results. An additional 40 SNG and over 60 live stand-up positions were set up throughout, and adjacent to, the parliament buildings to complement these sets.

Because DB Video had created a plan to address both routing and processing, including up/downconversion, embedding/de-embedding of audio, and synchronisation, Riedel was able to preprogram and test the whole system in advance. The installation was nearly plug and play, allowing DB Video to install the network much faster than expected and to focus on final adjustments to the network configuration.

“For this ‘mother of all elections,’ we needed a dependable and very versatile network to support all broadcast and communications requirements,” said Michel Melotte, technical video coordinator for DB Video, which provided the Riedel system for the elections as well as all broadcast sets and audiovisual facilities. “We have used Riedel equipment on big events like Tomorrowland TV and were familiar with its power and flexibility, and we knew that we could deploy it to create a decentralised matrix with signals available throughout the whole network.”