At the Rio Olympics in 2016, major broadcasters successfully used Soliton’s Zao H.265 lightweight transmitter to live stream all the action from the games without interruptions and with significantly improved image quality compared to H.264 solutions.
Six major Japanese broadcasters, including Tokyo Broadcast System, TV Asahi, ABC Asahi, TV Tokyo and TV Record in Brazil successfully utilized the Smart-telecaster Zao H.265/HEVC encoder for live transmissions as part of their on-site operations during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The Smart-telecaster Zao provided international broadcasters with robust transmission over 3G/4G mobile networks with exceptional transmission stability.
The advantage of compression efficiency and lower bandwidth requirements of HEVC contributed major benefits through monetary savings and expanded access. Capitalizing on the Smart-telecaster Zao’s lightweight design and extended battery life, broadcasters were able to get to and transmit from the essential Olympic events quicker and with significantly improved image quality.
The primary transmission sites included Maracanã and Engenhão Stadiums, Barra Olympic Park, Marina da Gloria and Copacabana Beach. The Smart-telecaster Zao transmitted flawlessly in full HD in all venues averaging 5.5 Mbps utilizing (2) VIVO and (4) Claro 4G SIM Cards. Soliton’s proprietary RASCOW transmission protocol ensured smooth, low-latency video/audio transmission, even in localities with extremely limited bandwidth or congested networks.
The 4G infrastructure in Rio de Janeiro performed considerably well and was built upon the structure laid out as a requirement for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Transmission of content over IP to servers in Japan provided broadcasters with a very cost-effective operation and the ability to economize data usage through the use of H265 HEVC transmission as oppose to using H.264 which require double the bandwidth of H.265.
Cellular bonding technology in high traffic areas such as stadiums can always present a substantial challenge, however broadcasters utilizing the Smart-telecaster Zao reported consistent high-quality live transmissions. International broadcasters were able to increase quantity and quality of journalism and sports-related content for its viewers.
Prior to the start of the 2016 Olympics, the Zao H.265 encoder was extensively tested at the principal Olympic sites and on-air throughout Brazil, where it had shown the ability to send high-quality digital video feeds even in the most challenging locations.
Soliton is becoming a valued partner for the global sports market and is evolving methods to create dynamic coverage for the world’s top sporting events. Many companies are now indicating that their need to upgrade their current systems to ensure consistent high-quality live HD broadcasting at the next Olympics, Tokyo 2020.
Are you set up to broadcast the Olympics 2020?
As a Japanese company, Soliton System will have at team of experts ready to support you at the 2020 Olympic Games. The H.265 HEVC encoders, working over multiple 4G, Wi-Fi, LAN or satellite, will be able to live stream back to any location in the world. In full HD and 4K, latency will be typically sub second.
If you are interested in learning about Soliton’s range of H.265 HEVC encoders for outside broadcast and live streaming, then please do not hesitate to contact us.
We will have units to buy and to rent complete with a combination of different SIM cards that will work with the units to provide resilience and reliability.
