With camera positions spread throughout the museum building and over a four-city-block area, the broadcast presented several technical challenges. The cable installation path was extremely long and convoluted, traversing New York City Department of Parks terrain and public operating spaces within the Museum of Natural History. In addition, the museum's public and operational areas had to remain open, safe, and functional throughout the week-long period that the production crew was on-site.

To overcome these challenges, Bauman and production facilities provider All Mobile Video (AMV) implemented a network of three single-mode TAC-12 fiber lines for all camera signals, miscellaneous video signals, and audio. Telecast Adder audio multiplexers and TeleThon HD Video/CWDM multiplexers provided audio and video transport. In addition, Telecast's SHED (SMTPE Hybrid Elimination Device) and HDX units were used with AMV's Sony HDC-1500 HD cameras. 

"Using ordinary SMTPE fiber and associated DT-12 copper for audio, we would have needed more than 33 cable runs — some of which were more than 2,000 feet long. Also, SMPTE camera fiber can be intermittent over very long runs, due to the loss of voltage on the copper, which prevents the camera from firing," said Bauman. "But the single-mode fiber network created by AMV and using the Telecast equipment increased the reliability of our camera chain and the integrity of our video signals over long and complicated cable routes. With the Telecast HDX units, we were able to power each camera locally for a more dependable camera chain."

"Complex shows such as this are the ideal showcase for our SHED and TeleThon products," said Richard Cerny, president, Telecast Fiber Systems. "This program is an excellent example of how fiber can remove the complexities and boost the reliability of transmissions over long distances and in challenging locations."