How The Satellite Truck Has Revolutionized The Broadcast Industry

The headlines which are shared with us during our favourite newscasts have mostly covered the same stories for the past fifty years: we receive breaking local information, news about new medical advancements, and stories about national and international political races.  But while the news may be similar, how that news is being shared today is drastically different and has been made better because of satellite trucks.

Back In The Days Of Black And White TVs

In the 1960s news broadcasts were still somewhat of a new concept.  The broadcasters would share information that they had gathered throughout the day or the week, but they were unable to provide real-time on-the-scene reporting.

Why It All Changed

News coverage is constantly evolving, and some events in the 1960s and 19702 forced newscasters to figure out a way to be able to deliver live coverage through a broadcast truck.  Some of the most important historical events include:

·         The Kennedy Assassination of 1963

·         The Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979

·         The Moon Landing in 1969

Television executives knew that their audience wanted live video rather than still photos, but it was not until the 1970s when the very first satellite productions began to role on air.  Commonly referred to as live microwave trucks, these production vehicles could be driven right up to where a particular event was happening.  Because videotape also replaced film, it was easier for broadcasters to “go-live” within seconds

Satellite Goes Mainstream

A lot of news outfits would attend light news events to justify the expense of purchasing their satellite equipment in the 1970s, but the demand for real-time news gathering grew which forced networks and several stations to add satellite news gathering fleets so that they could beam back news reports from across the world.

Today satellite news reporting is a must-have.  How viewers may receive news is rapidly changing (i.e. rather than turn on the television they may watch it in real-time from their smartphone or computer), but having a high quality satellite uplink is imperative if broadcasters want to deliver top quality and reliable footage.

How To Choose A Satellite Uplink Provider

Partnering with the right uplink provider is critical in ensuring a seamless transmission of your footage every time the cameras are rolling.  Experience is a top factor in determining whether or not the provider will be a good fit for your company.  Depending on the quality and importance of the footage, you want to make sure that the provider has the experience necessary to ensure that the transmission goes as flawlessly as possible.

Another feature to look for is if you have a dedicated line for carrying the video signal between the broadcaster and the facility which is providing you with the uplink.  This is typically done through a fiver connection, and though more expensive than other options, it is the best choice for mid- to large-scale broadcasters or those broadcasting in HD.

Lastly, ask about security.  Some providers may only encrypt the audio, while others will encrypt both the video and the audio. For motr information on Satellite Truck, visit: http://www.liveu.tv/vehicle-solutions

Satellite Trucks: What Are They and How They Work

For the past few years, the satellite technology has introduced amazing advances that give the viewers to have access to the live broadcasts and relevant news events from different parts of the world, especially the remote lands. While it is true that satellite technology established a new era for the television news and entertainment, some are still wondering how it actually works. Well, to make this possible, complex equipment and systems on the Earth and in the skies should work together.

What Is a Satellite Truck?

A satellite truck or satellite uplink truck is a modified truck used to establish links to satellite. This important tool is needed by the television stations to able to report news events from different locations. Likewise, government agencies use it when reporting safety information during disasters and when providing medical services on remote areas. Smaller but similar vehicles are sometimes used as well, including satellite vans.

What Are Two Types of Satellite Trucks?

The type of truck depends on the frequency band it uses. There are two types of satellite uplink trucks:

1. C-Band truck

This is a heavier and larger truck that weighs 10,000 to 26,000 pounds. They are also called the Transportable Earth Station. It can broadcast at a frequency of 3.7 - 4.2 Ghz for satellite downlink and 5.9 - 6.4Ghz for satellite uplink. The C-band truck is often used when covering outdoor events.

2. Ku Band truck

Operating at higher frequency of 10.95-14.5 Ghz, this type is more advanced than the C-band truck. It uses small trucks, which are also called as production vans. Ku band trucks are not recommended for outdoor events, as transmission issues occur when there are storms.

How Do They Work?

Satellite trucks have transmitters and satellite dishes on them to be able to transmit the audio and video produced by the broadcasters to the satellite that is 22,300 miles away from the Earth. This will then bounce back to the television network which is responsible for distributing the signal to the viewers.

Why Are Satellite Trucks Necessary?

There are many advantages in using satellite trucks. For the television networks, they are essential part of the industry, especially when they need to provide a clear transmission so that they may increase the revenue from their advertisers. They are also allowed to gather and broadcast news from the parts of the globe that are hard to reach.

Other advantages include portability, ease in operation and wide coverage. Because of these, they can be used for disaster relief services by government organizations. Unlike cable networks, they can stand natural disasters and are not prone to distortion and failure. 

Satellite Truck

 The onset of digital technology has changed the world of live broadcasting considerably in recent years; furthermore, satellite usage in broadcasting is now widespread, and allows for a versatile approach. As cameras and broadcasting equipment have become more powerful so they have also become smaller; this rise in portability means that outside broadcasts can be attended to quickly and easily. A fully equipped satellite truck is no longer the behemoth it once was thanks to powerful and portable satellite terminals and hand held camera solutions – each of which enables reporting and recording from remote and unusual locations. Furthermore, hybrid technology has led to extended battery life for even greater versatility.

Who uses such technology in broadcasting, and why? Across the world there are many companies utilising digital, IP based and satellite uplink solutions, and for a variety of reasons. Let’s consider the situations they may be useful for: say a demonstration is taking place and things are heating up – a crew can be on hand with a satellite uplink in no time and broadcast live to the newsroom anywhere in the world, thanks to the portable satellite link. The feed is sent back to a central base and then distributed to clients across the world, whoever they may be.

Then there are sporting events: being able to send a live feed via satellite to various outlets means greater revenue from the broadcast, and better coverage thanks to the digital technology being used. Production vans can be equipped, ready to go, and get to the destination in advance. Priming the crew for broadcast takes little time, and the result is HD quality images ready to go anywhere you wish.

One area of broadcasting that is growing quickly is that utilising vehicle based solutions; in this instance, rather than a portable stand alone satellite uplink, the crew uses a system mounted on and in the vehicle. A powerful satellite transmitter is mounted on top of the van and sends the images to the base for distribution when the van is stationary; alternatively, the images are recorded and then, when the van is on the move, can be uploaded back to the studio base when the vehicle is returning or travelling to the next scene.

A further option is to use a live on the move broadcasting truck; this keeps track of the road conditions when the vehicle is on the move by way of cameras attached to the vehicle, and the images can be transmitted live. To utilise satellite capture, of course, the vehicle must be stationary so that the satellite can see where it is at any one time.

Satellite uplink technology is a versatile and popular method of live outdoor broadcasting, and with many satellite providers in the business it is a cost effective method of providing excellent HD images of newsworthy events and other areas of interest. News agencies are more versatile and useful when they can promise to be in a location with a crew very quickly, and the added bonus of a satellite uplink is also welcome. With more powerful equipment and improved digital technology entering the market all the time the quality of outdoor broadcasting and live transmissions can only improve, and the ability of crews to capture the best images at the right time becomes ever more possible.

Here you can get more useful information and proper solutions for a satellite truck: http://www.liveu.tv/vehicle-solutions