Telemedia Taps Nevion’s Flashlink for World Cup Video Transport

Throughout the World Cup, maintaining HD connectivity between studios and broadcasters is critical. To ensure that connectivity for a full month, without losing any video quality Telemedia, a leading satellite uplink service producer in South Africa, tapped Nevion, a video transport solutions provider, to install Flashlink signal processing and fiber transport. During the month-long tournament, Nevion is providing fiber optic transmission, feeding uncompressed HD content between Telemedia Teleport and the editing studios for SuperSport, a premium sports TV network across the African continent.

Utilizing Flashlink, Telemedia can downlink video feeds from FIFA, decode them to HD SDI, and transmit the feeds on a fiber network to SuperSport’s studios. The biggest challenge in all of Nevion’s installations is gaining access to the necessary fiber network connecting the broadcaster with the service producer, so Nevion began installing Flashlink in South Africa at the end of 2009. All applications were tested for interoperability long before the first ball was kicked.

The Flashlink line is based upon a 10-slot main frame with optional dual redundant power supplies.

“All Flashlink modules are designed with low power consumption in mind, and are designed to work without fans,” explains Ebby John, sales director for Nevion. “Flashlink modules range from simple optical converters for WDM, CWDM, and DWDM up to complex cross converters for HD-SDI. The breadth of modules available in the Flashlink line makes it possible to create a wide variety of complete systems applications.”

During the Tournament, Telemedia downlinks the HD feeds from satellite and then sends them via Flashlink over a fiber network to the SuperSport studios. The primary units used for the fiber network are Flashlink frames with 3GHD-EO (electrical-to-optical) and 3GHD-OE (optical-to-electrical) converter modules using DWDM technology.

The Flashlink product line was designed with the environment in mind, as all signal processing and fiber transport products have no fans to clean or replace, which saves energy, extends product life, and eliminates ongoing service.

“The Flashlink series also features the lightest 2RU frame on the market and a carbon footprint that reduces power consumption by 30 – 50%,” John explains.

“We chose Flashlink for all our mission-critical HD applications because of its reliability, low CAPEX and OPEX, and more importantly because it has the world’s lowest carbon footprint in the industry,” explains Peter Bretherick, president of Telemedia. “Nevion products are resistant, which is integral to this project, especially with the high temperatures in South Africa and the likelihood of electrical interference. They also offer excellent support, so we know we’re in good hands.”

The Flashlink products are highly weather resistant, able to withstand heat up to 55 degrees Celsius, and Telemedia is planning to make this project a permanent installation after the World Cup is over.

“As a result of this project’s success, Telemedia will partner with Nevion to expand their networks to support most South African broadcasters with uncompressed video transport for distribution and primary contribution links,” John explains. “The network growth is projected eventually to use Nevion Flashlink solutions as a replacement for traditional microwave circuits and costly satellite contribution links.”