The leading Spanish production company Quality has successfully completed the live broadcast of the qualifying matches of the 2023 Basketball World Cup in the Bahamas and the remote US Virgin Islands, located in the heart of the Caribbean Sea.
The team relied on Dejero connectivity solutions for transmission to multiple broadcast networks serving sports fans all around the world.
Nine Dejero EnGo mobile transmitters were deployed for the multi-camera productions, whilst three Dejero WayPoint receivers located at Quality’s hub and master control room in Madrid received the camera feeds and packaged content, then uplinked via satellite for global distribution. Two of the EnGo devices were utilised for fill and key graphics for FIBA to package content at the venue and send on to Quality’s Madrid-based hub.
The video transmission devices used by Quality feature Dejero’s Smart Blending Technology, which aggregates multiple IP connections, including wired (broadband, fiber) and wireless (3G/4G/5G, Wi-Fi, satellite) networks. The result is high-speed, reliable internet connectivity, which allows them to seamlessly transmit broadcast-quality live video while reducing costs with production logistics.
“As the EnGo blends cellular networks from multiple carriers, we did not have to rely solely on the venue’s limited connectivity or worry about the logistics and costs of getting a satellite truck to the island,” explains Pablo Reyes, chief production officer and partner at Quality.
“With the FIBA Qualifier games live coverage, we have demonstrated once again that by using Dejero, we can literally go live from even the remotest of locations, achieving the kind of resilient connectivity that is required to transmit live high-quality video of major sporting events,” Reyes continued.
Using a lean remote production model, Quality needed only to fly the EnGo transmitters and cameras out to St Thomas. Because the devices are easy to operate and don’t require a complex set up, the camera operators and crew were ready to go live within 48 hours of landing. The producers, directors, graphics operators and technicians remained in Madrid, as the EnGo enabled the live transmission of camera feeds without interruption, back to the hub for packaging and distribution.
The EnGo intercom feature providing two-way, full-duplex voice communication between the hub and field personnel was crucial for live interactions during the FIBA Qualifiers productions. A microphone at the hub was connected by an XLR audio cable to a WayPoint receiver, so that the director could communicate with camera operators using smartphones connected to the EnGo. The EnGo also has AES 256 encryption to keep audio and video data secure when transported over public internet links.
This workflow represents a saving of thousands on hotel bills, airfares, logistics and expenses, let alone the time it takes for a full production crew to travel there and back.
If Quality were to have used a satellite truck for remote production, it would have taken at least 10 days to cross the Caribbean Sea by private sea freight, with the added logistical challenges of customs and insurance.
