German fibre network solution specialists, Optocore, have provided additional value to the outstanding performance of their unique portfolio by increasing the warranty cover on all devices — including those of sister company BroaMan — from three to five years.
Stated director, Tine Helmle, “Over recent years we have noticed a steadily diminishing number of returns. The proven reliability of our products has therefore given us the confidence to take this step — which will provide great reassurance for our customers.”
“By extending the warranty period to five years, we’re taking our mission statement — as being the pioneer in fibre network technology, and best provider of high quality fibre broadcast equipment — to an even higher level.”
She believes that the reduction of returned products is the result of the enhanced quality control implemented by the company. “Since the very beginning we have set out to manufacture the highest quality devices, all within Germany, and all production runs are permanently checked to the highest standards.
“We are extremely proud to be employing such a high standard of production personnel, and using the finest quality components and PCBs.”
“Optocore is known for its high-value offering and we intend to maintain this philosophy of supplying the best of the best.”
The result in real terms, she says, will be a lower-cost of ownership to their customers.
BroaMan’s Danish distributor Danmon has been providing broadcast solutions to the country’s public service broadcaster TV 2 for nearly two decades.
Last year, when they decided to upgrade one of their SNG trucks (DNK-47) from SD to HD, the Odense based facility moved its commentator intercom onto a Clear-Com platform and added a BroaMan Mux22 transmission device for signal routing.
This has enabled them to transport multiple data and video signals down a single fibre in the SNG truck, including; HD-SDI, RS422, Sync and Ethernet network, using Dante as their audio platform.
TV 2 Project Manager, Kim Hansen, explains: “For years, the truck has been a key component in our technical setup for major sporting events (such as Tour de France, Handball World Cup etc.) where it acted not only as SNG, but as a small OB truck.”
This latest upgrade involved stripping the truck of cables and equipment, leaving only the HF installation intact. “We then had to identify and purchase all components — very little could be re-used as it was SD equipment.”
The truck had originally been equipped with a fibre stage box but this could only handle SD. “So in the upgrade we had to find a new solution,” admits Hansen. “We were recommended BroaMan by some of our colleagues, and then saw the units for the first time at IBC 2014.
“After a positive demo and some further investigation, we quickly saw that this would fulfill our needs, and the decision to adopt this platform was quickly endorsed by the technical engineers on the project”.
The system consist of four Mux22 boxes which are configured as two independent chains, where each chain has a box in the SNG truck, while the other is placed at a venue position. “In effect, this provides us with an advanced stagebox solution,” continues the TV 2 project manager. “We’ve made the interconnection between the boxes, with standard camera fibre cables, which means that we can use the same type of cable for BroaMan as for our cameras. This makes rigging easy, and we avoid the necessity of carrying dedicated spare cables just for BroaMan. “
In terms of network, the system is designed to carry three independent Ethernet connections via BroaMan; two 100Mbit links which are used for data network, and a 1Gb link which is used for Dante audio.
The advantages of the new studio design are evident. “In previous times, we would have pulled a vast amount of single or multi-par cables from the truck and to venue positions. This has been greatly simplified with the Broaman and Dante setup, as many signals are now run via single fibres. Having a fibre based solution means, means that we can run signals over greater distance — giving us even greater flexibility.”
The newly-configured truck was completed on December 2, and only a few days later it covered its first job — the 2014 European Women’s Handball Championship in Hungary.
“The Broaman system has proven very useful, and as a central component in the SNG truck it has been used on every production so far. It is really proving its worth as an advanced stage box solution,” Kim Hansen says in conclusion.
BroaMan (Broadcast Manufactur GmbH) reported a hugely successful IBC Show in Amsterdam following a major media and customer launch for its new Mux22 MADI device.
In addition, the company presented its latest joint custom solution with Amptown System Company (ASC) and was also able to reveal that it had again networked three stands (including its own with Clear-Com and DiGiCo) in real time, using single mode fibre network solutions.
After an introduction from MD Tine Helmle, BroaMan’s Applications Engineering Manager Maciek Janiszewski presented the latest addition to its Mux22 platform, which offers scalable and protocol independent solutions for up to 16 3G/HD/SD-SDI I/O configurable video ports with built-in CWDM multiplexer. The arrival of Mux22 MADI makes the platform compatible with the industry standard MADI audio format.
As with all Mux22 devices the new Mux22 MADI will support up to eight video channels with a selectable number of dual inputs and dual outputs; it is also equipped with a Sync Board for Video Tri/Bi-Level or Audio Word Clock sync, either with RS485 or GPIO ports, and can provide fibre tunnels for any third party products.
The new MADI board is populated with four duplex SC MADI ports, offering 256 inputs and 256 outputs, and each MADI port is fully AES10 compatible, offering 56 or 64-channel MADI I/O. The audio engine is equipped with a single channel router, enabling routing from/to any MADI stream, either within the same device or between the remote Optocore, BroaMan or ProGrid devices.
Janiszewski explained, at a packed media gathering, the enormous benefits to the broadcast industry, since the digital audio option will provide a complete and transparent video, audio and control transport solution based on open platforms. Mux-22 MADI can be used as a point to point system with any other Mux22 device, or in a star or ring topology with Route66 devices as part of a larger routing solution.
Maciek then introduced the new breakout box created by German dealer, Amptown Systems Company, for whom sales manager, Stefan Thomsen, was on hand.
The breakout box had been specified by Amptown’s customer — Thomas Ahr from CS Com. It takes the form of a portable rack with Mux22 video, audio and intercom I/O module built in. This provides connection panels with BroaMan COM between main and remote locations as well as external power for a camera. The AUX port of the Mux22 is therefore used to transport SMPTE fibre between a remote Sony Camera and Sony CCU.
In addition to the camera signal transport Mux22 offers four 3G-SDI I/O INTERCOM (in the case of this project for RTS), MADI, LAN, Serial and Sync connectivity.
“The Amptown/CS-Com Breakout Box is the perfect example of a creative Mux22 application,” he states. “It can be used in any remote production or OB truck.
“The Breakout Box utilises most of the unique BroaMan features showing how easy it is to deploy multi-signal connectivity via a single fibre. Mux22 is an all-in-one box solution and Amptown took full advantage of it. The unique feature of the Breakout Box is that the auxiliary fibre port of the Mux22 was used for the Sony camera-CCU connection.”
Broadcast Manufactur GmbH (BroaMan) will introduce a new breakout box at IBC 2014 (booth #8.C60, Amsterdam RAI), which has been specially created by German dealer, Amptown Systems Company.
The breakout box had been specified by Amptown’s customer CS Com Solution. It takes the form of a portable rack with Mux22video, audio and intercom I/O modulebuilt in. This provides connection panels with BroaMan COM and SMPTE fibres as well as external power for a camera. The AUX port of the MUX22 is therefore used to transport SMPTE fibre between a Sony Camera and Sony CCU.
In addition to the camera signal transport Mux22 offers four 3G-SDI I/OINTERCOM (in the case of this project for RTS), MADI, LAN, Serial and Sync connectivity.
“The Amptown/CS Com Solution Breakout Box is the perfect example of a creative Mux22 application,” states BroaMan Applications Engineering Manager, Maciek Janiszewski. “It can be used in any remote production or OB truck.
“The Breakout Box utilises most of the unique BroaMan features showing how easy it is to deploy multi-signal connectivity via a single fibre. Mux22 is an all-in-one box solution and Amptown took full advantage of it. The unique feature of the Breakout Box is that the auxiliary fibre port of the Mux22 was used for the Sony camera-CCU connection.”
BroaMan (Broadcast Manufactur GmbH) will use this year’s IBC2014 in Amsterdam to preview a vital new addition to its growing MUX22 series (at booth #8.C60).
The company, which specialises in providing customised solutions for broadcasters with SD/HD/3G video transport requirements, last year launched the original MUX22 video, audio and intercom module. This formed a central part of BroaMan’s scalable and protocol independent philosophy, offering up to 16 3G/HD/SD-SDI I/O configurable video ports with built-in CWDM multiplexer (allowing multiple signals to be multiplexed over just one single fibre each).
Following the development of the MUX22 series via Intercom for RTS, Clear-Com and AES as well as IC444 (4 Line In, 4 Line Out, 4 GPIO), they have now produced the MUX22 MADI, making the platform compatible with the industry standard MADI audio format.
As with all MUX22 devices the new MUX22 MADI will support up to eight video channels with a selectable number of dual inputs and dual outputs; it is also equipped with a Sync Board for Video Tri/Bi-Level or Audio Word Clock sync, either with RS485 or GPIO ports, and can provide fibre tunnels for any third party products.
The new MADI board is populated with four duplex SC MADI ports, offering 256 inputs and 256 outputs, and each MADI port is fully AES10 compatible, offering 56 or 64-channel MADI I/O. The audio engine is equipped with a single channel router, enabling routing from/to any MADI stream, either within the same device or between the remote Optocore, BroaMan or ProGrid devices.
Said BroaMan MD, Tine Helmle, “The strategic importance of this product is that it will allow great benefit to the broadcast industry because with the digital audio option in addition to the analogue ones, it allows a complete and transparent video, audio and control transport solution based on open platforms. Therefore, any device from any brand can now be networked through MUX22, and any style video, audio, intercom, lighting or ethernet control. We have already taken first orders, including one from Denmon.”
The MADI implementation is bit transparent and passes third party control protocols. Also through the MUX22 environment, Optocore’s award-winning Mic Preamps can be controlled from many third party devices, either with direct access (e.g. DiGiCo) or through the company’s Emulation Modes (e.g. Lawo, Studer, Soundcraft, SSL and Yamaha).
Finally, Mux-22 MADI can be used as a point to point system with any other MUX22 device, or in a star or ring topology with Route66 devices as part of a larger routing solution.
The product will commence shipping immediately after the show.
