Japan’s Nishio Rental House Invests in Riedel MediorNet, Artist, Bolero for 4K OB Van

Nishio Rent All Co, one of Japan’s largest providers of rental equipment, has outfitted its 4K OB van with a broad suite of Riedel’s  signal processing and intercom solutions. Riedel’s MediorNet real-time video network, Artist digital matrix intercom and Bolero wireless intercom equipment support a broad range of entertainment productions on board the van, the first of its kind in the domestic Japanese rental industry.

“Riedel’s communications and networking solutions are becoming the global standard in the video industry, so it was an easy choice to standardize on Riedel when we were outfitting our OB van,” says Jun Atsumi, head of visual sales division 2nd group at Nishio Rent All Co. “Not only is the sound quality of Riedel’s Bolero far superior to other intercom systems we’ve used, but it’s well-suited to the complex intercom usage patterns that large-scale sports coverage often requires. The Riedel systems have been so well-received by our clients that they ask for them again and again.”

Nishio’s expandable OB van offers one of the largest on-location production spaces in Japan, accommodating up to 20 technicians and featuring a 12G-SDI infrastructure to facilitate 4K HDR productions. MediorNet, Artist and Bolero provide a seamless communications infrastructure for the van’s coverage of high-profile live sports matches, concerts and other events, enabling smooth and reliable video, audio and comms signal exchanges between producers, technicians and FOH personnel.

Nishio’s inventory of Riedel solutions includes an Artist-64 intercom mainframe, two Bolero antennas with five beltpacks, a MediorNet Compact Pro real-time networking stagebox and two MediorNet MicroN high-density media distribution network devices. In addition, the Nishio OB van leverages a range of Riedel’s SmartPanel app-driven intercom control panels.

The MediorNet real-time signal transport, processing and routing technology allows productions to exchange the full range of audio, video and data signals within a single unit, eliminating the need for multiple optical transmitters. By supporting the full range of MUX, DMUX and FS functions, MediorNet enables Nishio system operators to monitor connection status with easy-to-use software. With Riedel intercom systems, operators are able to create configuration files offline without having to activate systems in the OB van, which has improved productivity. Also, the panels can be controlled remotely, adding convenience for users that are working outside of the OB van.

“With the Riedel equipment, we were able to establish smooth communications and ensure the production would go off without a hitch,” says Keita Ishihara, engineer, visual sales division 2nd group, at Nishio Rent All Co. “It’s a prime example of how we have been able to be more responsive to users’ unique and often urgent production requirements. Plus, we’ve gotten outstanding support from the Riedel team as our technical staff have deepened their product knowledge through Artist and Bolero training sessions. We have great confidence in Riedel as our business partner, especially as we continue to expand our OB rental van business and grow our presence with both Japanese and overseas clients.”

Bolero’s ability to assign six separate conference keys and ports makes it easy for crane camera operators to communicate with each other locally, an invaluable capability during live music performances. The Nishio crew also uses Bolero wireless intercom for clear communications between the director inside the OB van and the camera operators. The crew has found the system to be a perfect match for on-stage camera operators equipped with camera gimbals for added flexibility of movement.

“Nishio is a pioneer and industry leader in the Japanese equipment rental industry, particularly for state-of-the-art video production equipment and facilities,” says Takako Konishi, senior sales manager, Japan, at Riedel Communications. “As Nishio continues to build its leadership in the fast-growing domestic 4K OB market, they’ve fostered solid trust in Riedel products in Japan through their ongoing use of our solutions. That makes Nishio a powerful reference for us, and we look forward to an ongoing and highly prosperous partnership into the future.”