Journal Broadcast Group Deploying LiveU’s New LU500 Across Its Newsgathering Operations

Journal Broadcast Group, the broadcast business of Journal Communications, Inc., has deployed LiveU’s newest backpack product, the LU500, to power newsgathering operations across its 12 stations.

“Our group was interested in utilizing a cellular bonding solution for our newsgathering operations due to its flexibility, for example in live weather coverage on the move, as well as for its cost-effectiveness,” said Andy Laird, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Journal Broadcast Group.  “We conducted an extensive test of various solutions and found that LiveU’s LU500 not only provided superior video transmission in challenging situations, but was also easy to use, lightweight, and highly portable compared to other options.”

“The extensive tests that Journal conducted prior to selecting a cellular bonding solution really highlight the strength of the LU500, as well as of the versatility of the LiveU Central management system” said Mike Savello, LiveU’s VP Sales. “The LU500 is the highest performance bonded-cellular solution available, yet is less than half the size of our previous flagship product, the LU70.”

Weighing only 2.2lbs (1kg), the LU500 bonds together six to eight internal cellular connections, and allows the transmission of broadcast-quality video without the need for a satellite truck or a hardwired Internet connection. The LU500 includes LiveU’s proprietary antenna modules for greater resiliency in congested areas, is powered by LiveU’s new multi-processor video encoding engine, and can easily be controlled and monitored from anywhere using the LiveU Central management system.

LiveU owns the patent for cellular bonding for remote news-gathering in the US and other countries. All LiveU products are based on this fourth-generation patented technology.