France – AVIWEST, a global provider of video contribution systems, announced that Shaanxi TV, a Chinese television network based in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, recently deployed the company’s DMNG PRO180 3G/4G video uplink and DMNG Studio receiver solutions for the delivery of live transmissions for its television programme Silk Road. Utilising AVIWEST’s digital mobile newsgathering solutions, Shaanxi TV broadcast live HD video content over 3G/4G networks while maintaining superior signal quality, even when the networks were congested. By providing Shaanxi TV with a highly portable, reliable, and flexible video contribution solution, the DMNG PRO180 and DMNG Studio significantly reduced Shaanxi TV’s operating expenses while enabling viewers to explore the ancient trade route in crystal-clear HD quality.
“The Silk Road covers a legendary journey of 15,000 km in 60 days through China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Turkey, Greece, and Italy. In order to capture live footage from different countries with varying network conditions, we required a solution that supports a wide range networks, guaranteeing seamless live coverage of the adventure show,” said Rui Li, team leader of the technical center at Shaanxi TV. “AVIWEST’s DMNG live video hybrid contribution platform made it easy to deliver high-quality, live HD video transmissions from any locale, whether we were in a major city, seaside village, or remote, snow-covered mountains. Thanks to the portable, intuitive design of the DMNG PRO180, we were able to showcase more than 2,000 years of history and culture.”
Shaanxi TV’s Silk Road programme was produced in collaboration with Xinhua News Agency, CCTV, Guangming Daily, China Radio International, and People’s Daily, among other major media outlets in China. Equipment rental and technical support was provided to Shaanxi TV by Beijing Xingguang Film & TV Equipment Technologies, the main distributor and systems integrator in the Chinese broadcast market.
The DMNG PRO180, deployed for the adventure road show, features up to 10 cellular connections, including eight 3G/4G internal modems with high-efficiency custom antenna arrays, two USB interfaces, and a built-in Wi-Fi modem. Leveraging AVIWEST Safestreams technology, the DMNG PRO180 guarantees the delivery of live transmissions even in the midst of unpredictable cellular network conditions. An H.264 video encoder on each unit enabled Shaanxi TV to stream live HD video in the most efficient manner possible with minimal delay.
While on the road, the DMNG PRO180 automatically detected real-time network links for quick streaming of live video from an SD card located on the camera directly to the DMNG Studio located at Shaanxi TV headquarters. Weighing only about 1 kg, the DMNG PRO180 provided Shaanxi TV with the ultimate lightweight solution for use in the field.
“The Silk Road was broadcast live by several TV channels in China, including Phoenix TV, the largest TV station in Hong Kong, exposing millions of TV viewers to the art, culture, fashion, and people from the eight different countries visited along the expedition,” said Erwan Gasc, CEO at AVIWEST. “The project is a great example of how broadcasters can use the DMNG PRO180 and DMNG Studio solutions to deliver live content from anywhere in the world without sacrificing video quality.”
