NEP Bow Tie has revealed details of a project to upgrade broadcast infrastructure at the Senedd, home of the Welsh Parliament. An Invitation to Tender outlined the delivery aims of the programme, which included the replacement of end-of-life equipment to support transition to broadcast-over-IP and a refit of the broadcast system in the Siambr, the Parliament’s primary meeting chamber. The contract also called for improvements to the encoding of live streams, operational processed to be streamlined to reduce the number of tasks associated with running meetings and the development of hybrid and virtual business systems to ensure resilient delivery of meetings.
“Following the award of the contract in late 2022, NEP Bow Tie began consulting with the Senedd’s AV Services team,” explained Duncan Davidson Smith, MD of NEP Bow Tie. “Early discussions enabled both parties to quickly agree on the core infrastructure principles to be deployed across the Senedd estate, supporting the transition of the broadcast systems in line with the Senedd’s defined aims.”
Working closely with the Senedd, NEP Bow Tie designed, managed and delivered the transition, overhauling and replacing a number of core broadcast and AV systems.
Key components of the process included:
- The installation of a resilient, SDN managed, SMPTE 2110-7 core. Built across two refurbished primary equipment rooms at either end of the Senedd estate, with the ability to run independently. Satellite equipment rooms deployed for 2110-7, AES67 and DANTE consolidation.
- Consulting on the provision of resilient power solutions.
- Installing a fully resilient DANTE network with AES67 handoff.
- A new Broadcast MCR has been established, featuring SMPTE 2110 software-driven multiviewers for advanced system monitoring, stream management and health diagnostics, an over-arching control system, KVM routing and network management.
- SMPTE 2110 PTZ cameras installed in all broadcast spaces.
- SMPTE 2110 Gateway and processing.
- SMPTE 2110 vision switching to include remote panels for future single operator committee provision.
- Installation of new Broadcast encoders and a software gateway providing protection and monitoring for broadcast content between facilities .
Working in partnership with the Senedd’s AV Services team, FM, and third-party contractors, NEP Bow Tie enabled the renewal and expansion of the Siambr, which has been extended to accommodate an increase to 96 members.
Gareth Phillips, head of engineering and technology at NEP Bow Tie, said, “It has been a pleasure to work alongside the whole Senedd team and the wider contractor community in the delivery of this incredible new facility for the people of Wales. I hope that the flexibility of this new broadcast system will enable the Senedd to continue driving their technical ambitions for the coverage of Welsh politics for many years to come.”
“This return to the Siambr marks an important milestone for our Senedd. Our debating chamber has been transformed to meet the needs of a larger parliament and a new era of Welsh democracy as we look ahead to the election on 7th May,” added Llywydd of the Senedd, Rt Hon Elin Jones MS.
“This is a building shaped around openness, sustainability and the people we serve, and the changes reflect the next chapter in our democratic journey.”
