Riedel Communications delivered an integrated communications and commentary system for the 15th National Games of China.
The deployment covered 56 competition venues and four International Broadcast Centers (IBCs) located in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao. The system operated continuously throughout the 30-day event, supporting 56 broadcast teams and 39 ultra-high-definition productions.
Cross-Regional Coordination Between IBCs and Venues
“The 15th National Games marks the first time Hong Kong and Macao have participated as host regions. This presented unique challenges in coordinating communications across multiple locations,” said Yuquan Lin, Technical Director of the National Games RHB. “Riedel’s solution addressed these complexities with a system that ensured seamless connectivity between four IBCs and 56 venues. From deployment to integration, the technology enabled efficient collaboration among teams from all three regions. The reliability and performance of Riedel’s infrastructure set a strong technical benchmark for large-scale, cross-regional events.”
The Games took place from Nov. 9 to 21 and included 34 sports such as athletics, swimming, basketball, cycling, and gymnastics, with athletes from provinces, municipalities, and special administrative regions.
Distributed IBC Architecture and IP-Based Intercom Network
The event used a “one main and three branch” IBC structure, with Guangzhou as the central signal hub and Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macao as regional sub-centers. To support this architecture, Riedel implemented its Artist intercom platform as the core communications system.
An Artist-1024 matrix at the Guangzhou IBC handled more than 200 channels with AES67/ST2110-30 IP transmission and MADI integration. An Artist-128 matrix supported dedicated commentary channels. The matrices were connected through cascaded fiber links in a redundant configuration.
SmartPanels, Venue Connectivity, and Commentary Systems
Across all IBCs, 28 RSP-2318 SmartPanels with AES67/ST2110-30 compatibility and PTPv2 synchronization were installed. These panels enabled low-latency communication between production teams and rights-holding broadcasters.
At venue level, 56 NSA-002A adapters converted four-wire audio signals into IP streams with latency below 10 milliseconds, maintaining real-time communication during peak usage.
Riedel also supplied 13 CCP-1116 commentary panels for opening and closing ceremonies and 13 major competitions. Each commentary position combined microphone pre-amplification and intercom functions for direct coordination with production teams.
Industry Perspective on Large-Scale IP Deployments
“The scale and complexity of this year’s National Games required a robust, flexible solution capable of bridging multiple regions,” said Guillaume Mauffrey, Director Sales Asia at Riedel Communications. “Our team worked closely with technical partners to design and implement a system that delivered reliable, real-time communication across all venues and broadcast centers. This deployment underscores Riedel’s expertise in managing large-scale, multi-node events and our commitment to advancing IP-based workflows for live production environments.”
