SVG Tech Insight: Coming to Environmental Sustainability Naturally Via a Modular, Software-Defined Approach

This fall, SVG will be presenting a series of White Papers covering the latest advancements and trends in sports-production technology. The full series of SVG’s Tech Insight White Papers can be found in the SVG Fall SportsTech Journal HERE.

Introduction

The energy expended in capturing a sports event starts long before the production team rolls up to the venue. The truck size depends largely on the hardware being carried, including the number of spares required. More hardware means a bigger, heavier truck, which means more gas expended. With more discrete hardware also comes more heat, which requires more cooling and creates more noise, leading to greater expense in energy, space, and design.

Spreading through the venue, the production team will transport the hardware on large racks, carrying everything from cameras and microphones to mixers, encoders, and decoders. Longer cabling strands for transmission and routing will be needed, especially if the router is centralized. Obviously, whether done remotely or onsite, the production team’s various tasks require power, which only multiplies with the tasks being done and the pieces of equipment being used.

Events like these across the globe can easily become an environmental issue. However, the environmental impact of these events, and production in general, can be reduced with careful design considerations and greener objectives from the start.

Riedel’s MediorNet distributed AV network infrastructure, a family of technologies that combine signal transport, routing, processing, and conversion in a redundant real-time network and Riedel’s SmartPanels, which combine control, intercom, and other applications into one panel naturally ensures a more environmentally sustainable production cycle.

The Big Five Key Features of Distributed Networks

Broadcasters recognize large amounts of hardware as an issue, not only in saving space, weight, and money, but also in providing maintenance, spare parts, and training to individuals on disparate devices. In order to promote heightened quality, efficiency, and reusability, IP-based networks and devices have become far more utilized for their format-agnostic characteristics and tendency to be software-defined.

SmartPanel combines intercom, control, monitoring, and more in one panel.

Riedel has spent a decade refining a solution to ease the transition to IP, drastically changing the way that video, audio, and data signals are distributed. MediorNet, a growing series of distributed video networks, compact hardware, IP versions, and software applications, can be best described on a conceptual level in five main terms: software-definability, distributivity, modularity, scalability, and reusability.

First, think of software-defined hardware like a desktop computer. Rather than a separate computer dedicated to each task (e.g., video editing, word processing, graphic design), users can perform multiple tasks on one device via software applications and install more software as needed. Similarly, MediorNet builds upon itself as pieces are developed or updated. The compact, low-weight, and flexible MuoN SFP gateway and processing device can easily plug into the system and then be reconfigured or reprogrammed to fulfill several different functions. Users can also switch between these functions such as an advanced signal processor or multiviewer, further reducing the need for single-purpose peripheral devices and thus saving critical rack space and costs.

Besides MuoN SFPs, two other compact technologies can be easily integrated into the MediorNet system and perform such tasks as routing, multiviewing, signal processing, and I/O connections. As a software-defined hardware packed with five applications, MiroN can take on many different forms: a throw-down signal processor; a simple point-to-point link; a part of a large, decentralized router — or even a multiviewer or a bridge between MediorNet TDM and IP networks. Likewise, the compact FusioN series of standalone I/O and processing devices can be configured with a range of software apps to act as IP gateways, encoder/de-encoders, or IP multiviewers. The small form factor, lower power, and low noise of these devices allow for close placement to signal sources or destinations, efficiently transforming any production environment.

As a distributed solution, MediorNet brings other operational and system benefits. First, MediorNet is modular and can be distributed throughout a venue rather than having to be centralized in one location. MediorNet increases operational efficiencies by placing physical I/Os closer to where they’re needed, saving on long, expensive cable runs — especially for HDMI devices — and by routing any type of signal from any point to any other, all without cable reconfiguration. Meanwhile, because the modularity of MediorNet is granular, it reduces single points of failure, ensuring that MTBF is longer and that the failure blocks themselves are smaller.

As a modular and scalable solution, MediorNet parts can be reused and repurposed easily while enabling complete customization for systems to meet production requirements. MediorNet’s use of SFP-based technologies means users can easily add single devices or scale up the whole system from a small to a complex installation. A MediorNet system can be portioned into smaller chunks that can fit flexibly into various configurations, allowing a tailored solution with only the most necessary equipment to be sent to a venue instead of a standard, undividable set like a truck. Combined with its software-defined status and app integration, the MediorNet’s modular structure adapts easily to market changes.

Finally, MediorNet’s modularity and reusability reduces the amount of spares a production needs to carry. Because the parts can be repurposed and the failure blocks are small, the number of spare parts needed on-hand, as well as the storage space are, reduced. This aspect also reduces the amount of waste. As a block fails or becomes obsolete, only that small piece needs to be replaced, thus maximizing the lifetime of the overall product and reducing what ends up in landfills.

Intelligently Efficient Intercom Systems and Control Panels

In the area of intercom and control, Riedel takes quality, efficiency, and sustainability seriously. The decentralized and scalable Artist matrix system can process and route any kind of signal with flexibility, reliability, and control. The Artist intercom packs four times the number of ports in a small footprint, with the latest model boasting a density of 1024 non-blocking ports in a 2RU frame size. Thanks to its high degree of decentralization, port density, and the flexible placement of frames, Artist considerably reduces wiring and setup costs for any installation while enabling the system to grow with the demands of any project and new technology.

In addition, Riedel’s software-definable SmartPanels promote efficiency, flexibility, and smaller hardware footprints by decoupling a keypanel’s capabilities from its hardware and turning it into a generic app installation device for many different purposes. SmartPanels use reprogrammable software applications to make the panels multifunctional, allowing them to operate simultaneously as several discrete devices all in one hardware footprint, including intercom, control panel, audio monitoring app, and many more. One panel can take the place of several discrete pieces of equipment, reducing the required rack space, desk space, and power consumption.

Because all these functions are on one panel with one user interface, an operator only needs to be trained or familiar with one device. As the number of applications for this device grows, the need for further discrete devices and training lessens, adding to the efficiency of the production.

Sustainable Tech Meets Environmental Solutions

Designing and implementing software-definable, distributed, and modular technologies significantly changes sports and events production. The truck size and resulting emissions are much smaller now that the vehicle is carrying less sizable hardware. However, the production crew is still able to perform all tasks as normal, plugging compact devices into the main interface as needed and instantly loading multiple integrated software applications — all while consuming less power.

Reprogramming and configuring the compact devices with applications also removes single-purpose peripheral devices, freeing up rack space. With fewer peripheral devices comes shorter runs of cabling, especially when the I/O ports themselves are tailorable and combine multiple signals. Together, the hardware now requires less cooling than before, and by being reusable, it lowers costs and reduces waste.

Remotely controlling all signal routes and conducting troubleshooting from the webmaster control area, can further reduce the energy consumption levels by helping technicians respond more effectively and quickly to issues, even in situations where feeds are live. Plus, with multifunctional panels at their fingertips, technicians can work in more energy efficient, compact, and futureproofed production environments.

Moving Forward

With its great versatility and flexibility, a software-defined, distributed, and modular system excels in event or sports venues. It can easily face the largest challenges of capturing a major event, from the deployment of a cable network to carry audio, video, and data signals to the use of several different, software-based production applications. In doing so, the system also cuts down on emissions, cooling, power, and material waste.

At Riedel, products are designed with efficiency, reusability, and waste reduction in mind.

Riedel’s environmental policy and initiative to always improve efficiency while enhancing quality guides development goals, everyday practices, and commitment to promoting environmental sustainability. By designing for quality, efficiency, reusability, and savings — in space, weight, energy, and waste — we can all, in turn, create a more environmentally friendly production ecosystem.