Case Study: How NETGEAR Pro AV Switches Help EMG’s IP Broadcast Solution Captivate Audiences Worldwide

Behind the scenes of some of the world’s most important international events and greatest sporting moments is EMG. Through its pioneering IP-based solution, EMG is delivering unprecedented scalability, flexibility and efficiency to its broadcast clients, helping to give their audiences a captivating viewing experience. Playing a critical role in supporting this IP way to deliver excellent broadcast are M4300 Pro AV network switches from NETGEAR.

The Challenge

A case in point is the choice of network switches, connecting all the different elements and team members. In IP-based broadcast environments, especially live events, the network switch backbone must ensure the smooth running of operations including delivery of sound and vision to viewers. Switched also need to fit the particular requirements of AV.

Initially, EMG selected large-form switches from a well-known vendor, but these had some limitations for this particular use, not least of which was taking up too much space. “As you can imagine, an OB truck or cabin is a pretty compact environment” explains Harm van Houten, IT Architect, EMG, who has also been closely involved in diPloy’s development and roll-out.

“Also, the switches created humming noise. So, we needed to find a smaller and quieter product for this project, and we wanted one that could also be managed.” Compared to their unmanaged counterparts, managed switchers provide greater control, visibility, and customization over how data travels over a network.

The team carried out extensive research and eventually found the M4300 series from NETGEAR, which, when they compared its feature with other potential candidates, came out as the best. However, since the EMG team was not familiar with NETGEAR’s Pro AV equipment, they were initially a little skeptical bit, as Harm says, “The switches were not that expensive, so we ordered just a couple to see how they worked out, and we were pleasantly surprised by the results.”

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