State broadcaster, South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), has chosen ND SatCom’s SKYWAN technology to ensure uninterrupted connectivity on its fleet of 10 news gathering vans.
These vehicles have the ability to transmit Video (SD or HD), Voice and Data, all while on the move. The vehicle no longer needs to park, unfold the dish on the roof, point, go through the “align-the-dish” procedure with the satellite provider and then commence with transmission. It can point the camera and transmit, whether the vehicle is driving down a busy “highway” or is at standstill at some event. While this video is transmitted, the user can simultaneously have telephone contact with MCR via SABC’s own PABX telephone network, making the vehicle independent of a possible overloaded GSM network. The SNG user also has access to the internet or intranet and e-mail at the same time.
To monitor the vehicles and limit wasteful use of satellite capacity, the whole fleet will be controlled from its headquarters in Auckland Park – Johannesburg. From here the Management System – Media Fleet Manager (MFM), an ND SatCom developed system, informs the manager where each of the vehicles are, if they are travelling or standstill. Transmission is scheduled up to the second automatically, reducing time and effort to a minimum. Key for the used smart technology in the vehicles is the ND SatCom SKYWAN modem integrated with the SOTM antenna allowing the MFM to dynamically grant transmission capacity to camera teams when and where needed.
The solution is based on ND SatCom’s SKYWAN modem technology that ensures uninterruptible transmissions. The SNG vehicles were built in South Africa by NIC – New Installation Company (Pty) Ltd. to assist in the future support of the vehicles.
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