Exciting Football Broadcast With Riedel MediorNet & Artist

For airing the FIFA World Cup 2010 to the Sydney football fans, the FIFA Fan Fest used an extensive intercom and signal distribution solution from Riedel Communications. Riedel's Australia based rental division installed a solution that combined Riedel MediorNet with Riedel Artist intercom technology.

Thrilling matches, an amazing atmosphere and stunning pictures – these were the ingredients of the FIFA Fanfest in Sydney. A large event with more than 25,000 spectators per match, that aired the FIFA World Cup 2010 matches in HD to the fans. Riedel was at the forefront of the event providing the communications infrastructure as well the HD video and audio signal distribution backbone network. Furthermore Riedel was responsible for the routing and transmission of the on-site Internet distribution and the integration of the screen footage FTP servers.

A total of six MediorNet frames were installed at the stage, the FOH, the edit room and the master control room. They provided the routing and distribution of the intercom signals and the 1080i HD video signals for the video walls. The audio inputs and outputs were provided by RockNet 300 modules and connected the stage, the FOH and various play out positions. They were seamlessly integrated into the MediorNet installation via MediorNet interface cards, which distributed the audio signals over its fiber structure. A total of 4.8 kilometers of single and multi mode fiber was installed at the Sydney FIFA Fanfest. To reach the floating stage, the fiber installation need to installed under boardwalk, which was only accessible by boat at low tides. Three wireless HD tuners were used to transmit the broadcast signal from the host broadcast master control room to the on-site control center.

At the heart of the intercom installation Riedel installed two Artist 64 digital matrix intercom mainframes. Artist's network topology over a redundant dual fiber ring adds and redundant CPUs and PSUs guaranteed maximum system stability. A total of 19 control panels were used at the FIFA Fanfest. They were supplemented by 18 Riedel Performer digital partyline beltpacks.

Distant control panels such as the ones installed at the CCTV operation center of the New South Wales Police were integrated via ISDN links. Riedel installed a Headliner RF link, which allowed for a high bandwidth multichannel VoIP connection between the event location and the Artist mainframe installed in the Operation Center. The Riedel IPx8 interface installed in the operation center's Artist system provided the connection to six Artist control panels. The interface allows the integration of distant matrices into existing Artist installations over IP. 72 matrix ports in total were used at the FIFA Fanfest. This also includes the integration of four IFB systems.

To seamlessly integrate the 180 professional mobile radio transceivers into the wired intercom installation, Riedel furnished RiFace interfaces. A total of eight semi-duplex and ten simplex channels were used at the event.

Furthermore Riedel provided an Internet installation combining six ADSL2+ services, a 15-Megabit pipe for the screen footage FTP servers and eight wireless routers as well as seven Gigabit switches. All Internet signals were intelligently routed and transported through the MediorNet fiber backbone.