Wisycom has revealed details of its collaboration with Gravity Media to support live cycling and international marathon productions.
Supporting events including the cycling Tour of Italy and Tour of Denmark, as well as marathons in Berlin, Vienna, Amsterdam and Rotterdam, Wisycom RF over fibre and wireless solutions are often integrated into Gravity Media’s workflows
Glen Willems, chief RF communications engineer at Gravity Media is responsible for ensuring robust RF communications across demanding live broadcast environments, with the RF teams sometimes located more than 100 miles away from the action. “The wireless part of the communication is absolutely critical. It’s all live television, so our broadcast simply has to work,” he said.
During the Berlin Marathon, Willems enabled a reporter to conduct live interviews with competitors while riding alongside them on a bike. Wisycom MCR42 camera receivers were integrated directly into the videolink system, enabling the wireless microphone signal to reach the transmission system while on the move.
“Thanks to the MCR42’s multi-band and multi-compatible capabilities, we were even able to integrate third-party microphones without issue,” said Willems. “That flexibility meant we could adapt quickly, which is crucial in live broadcast environments.”
Gravity Media also regularly integrates Wisycom solutions for large-scale and non-traditional infrastructure deployments. Wisycom’s modular MFL RF over fibre aims to provide flexibility, enhancing configuration and allowing teams to mix and match. During one major stadium installation, the TV compound was sited 7-800 metres from the field of play. Traditional methods would have proved cumbersome and expensive, explained Willems. “With MFL, it turned out to be a very cost-effective way to get the job done. The system, which links the OB vans to the field of play via fibre, has now been operating reliably for several years. It just works great.”
As well as its reliability, Willems emphasises the long-distance capabilities of Wisycom’s RF over fibre approach. “Fibre virtually has no losses, which means every fraction of a dB is preserved,” he said. “That directly translates into range and stability. For us, every fraction of a dB counts. As long as your connectors are clean, fibre is also plug-and-play. People think it’s black magic, but it’s actually incredibly robust.”
