AUGUST / SEPTEMBER, 2008
Bexel BFS at the 2008 Democratic and Repubican National Conventions
...with the NEW Optical Support Vehicle II

Bexel Broadcast Fiber Solutions (BFS) was honored to provide the TV Pool Distribution to all of the pool members for major networks (NBC, CBS, CNN, FOX and ABC) and about a dozen individual subscribers that received a scaled down version of the signals available.

Bexel BFS used this opportunity to unveil its new 34-foot Optical Support Vehicle (the second built in the last 14 months), now known as the OSV II, to create a pre-configured custom solution for the DNCC. The Bexel BFS OSV II provides all the benefits of all small production vehicles with one BIG advantage: it is 100% configurable to every client's specific needs.

Working closely with Pete Kallander, DNC Pool Technical Manager, the Bexel OSV II was configured to house all the optical transport gear as well as the distribution, routing and monitoring of signals. Bexel BFS pre-built the racks, programmed the equipment and custom wired the patch bays specifically for the event needs. The rear I/O supported 144 strands of optical fiber for signal distribution while the front I/O acted as a customer interface panel for the Pool TV members and subscribers. "The fact that the OSV II can be configured and tested long before the event date, says Scott Nardelli, Chief Business Development Officer, "not only provides a higher level of confidence in the systems but also eliminates the need to construct the facility on-site in a temporary office trailer as well as the time and money it would take to integrate on site..."

Distribution included all the eleven HD video feeds including the podium, floor and beauty shots that all the networks used to cut their shows. In addition, BFS provided a cut program from the DNC pool truck for all networks to use. Pool members and subscribers received embedded and analog audio (their choice) from the BFS pool truck.

Bexel BFS sent and received all of the video signals from the Pool TV show truck that was located on the other side of the Pepsi Center (approximately 1000 feet away). All signals were transported on fiber between Pool TV and the Bexel OSV II distribution facility. Feeds optically transmitted included communications (intercom), HD video from the event, tape exchange feeds and network courtesy feeds between all the networks - which were located around the Pepsi Center DNCC campus. Some connected to the Bexel OSV II via fiber - others (like CBS which was in the compound next door) used copper.

In addition to being the distribution point for the DNCC pool feeds, the Bexel OSV II was the integration point for intercoms between all the networks, subscribers and Invesco Field for the final speech. Bexel BFS used a Clear-Com matrix system to integrate the communications between all the network production trucks providing party line and discrete communications between ESU and the DNCC Pool production truck. In addition, BFS provided communications to all the subscribers on dial-up TIFF lines when the event moved from the Pepsi Center to Invesco Field on the final night. Communications were one of the more complicated parts of the event and Bexel BFS was able to engineer and configure a solution that was built right in to the new OSV II trailer - in advance, tested on-site and operational in a matter of hours.

Interesting tech specs of the OSV II...

Video:
Harris 32x32 Platinum router with a integrated Harris Centrio Multiviewer. Bexel used this equipment to route and monitor all inbound and outbound signals on two Sony monitors. Scott Nardelli continues, "The Harris Centrio Multiviewer played a valuable roll in this event because we had many signals to monitor. Bexel had the eleven feeds from the main pool production truck to monitor, plus five tape exchanged feeds, two network request feeds and five network courtesy feeds. The Harris router and multiviewer seamlessly integrated those feeds on to two Sony monitors with 35 custom definable screens, including monitoring of embedded audio and world clocks..."

Video DA (Evertz):
Bexel chose Evertz HD video DA's to distribute the signal to all of the networks and subscribers. The Evertz DA and the 7700 frame provide and clean, repeatable HD signal that worked flawlessly during the entire event.

Fiber:
Bexel BFS installed two 72 strand singlemode (one primary, one backup) cables between the Bexel ESU and the TV Pool production truck. In addition, several of the networks pulled individual 12 strand tactical cable to either the OSV II or Production Facilities to send and receive the DNCC TV Pool feeds.

For HD Video Transmission, BFS used two products from Stratos lightwave. The Stratos VMC Media Converter was used to transport HD video signals to discrete locations and to and from the DNC Production area to the Bexel OSV II trailer. The Stratos VMC reclocked and transmitted both the HD video and embedded audio, error free. Where there were multiple signals going to / from a single place, the Stratos 16 Channel mux that provides 16 channels of HD video on a single fiber was used. This unit was especially valuable to the networks that ran fiber to the ESU and had a limited number of fiber strands available.

Audio:
Grass Valley audio DA's and Telecast Adders where used to transmit and distribute analog audio to and from the Networks, Subcribers and from the ESU to Pool.

Communications:
Telecast Adders where used to take 4-wire comms and transmit via fiber from the DNC Pool Truck to the OSV II. Bexel used a Clear-Com matrix system to create the links between all the subcribers, networks and Pool TV compound to provide both PL and discrete communication capabilities.

That's a lot of tech talk. Bexel BFS can go on and on about the new OSV II but, how did it really perform in the field? Let's see what the client has to say...

"Scott, I'm very sorry I missed you on the last day...You and your gang did a remarkable job under lousy conditions. All the Nets were very happy with everything...Terrific job! I will recommend you to all my contacts... - Jack Kelly, DNC Pool

Learn more! Visit Bexel BFS HERE.