This summer’s Paris Olympics promise to be one of the most significant events of the year for RTVE, marking the first production in UHD HDR and immersive 5.1.4 sound from its origin to the viewer’s reception. Achieving this milestone required two years of intense work, both in adapting RTVE’s UHD continuity at Torrespaña and upgrading the H-01 Mobile Unit to UHD HDR and immersive audio in multiple phases—where Crosspoint played a crucial role as the provider of the core equipment essential to the unit’s operation.
In 2022, Crosspoint carried out the supply and configuration of a complete SDI signal routing and processing system for 12G, 3G, and HD-SDI distributed across multiple nodes. Unlike traditional monolithic video matrix architectures, this innovative system is based on Riedel’s MediorNet TDM technology, utilizing configurable MicroN-UHD nodes managed via software to perform signal routing, provide a distributed multiviewer system capable of 4K operation, or process signals—depending on the activated license for each unit. With this distributed system, any input signal in any node is shared across MediorNet’s high-capacity network, making it available anywhere in the system as an output or a multiviewer signal.
For this purpose, four MicroN-UHD nodes were installed and configured as routers and seven as distributed multiviewers, ensuring optimal efficiency. This setup provided the mobile unit with up to 46 inputs and 46 outputs in 12G or up to 152 inputs and 152 outputs in 3G at 1080p50. It can also support mixed configurations, such as 28 inputs of 12G-SDI video and 68 inputs of 3G/HD-SDI video, with 20 outputs of 12G-SDI video and 84 outputs of 3G/HD-SDI video. This flexibility is crucial for RTVE’s transition from HD to UHD, as it allows simultaneous operation with multiple formats: 1080i50, 1080p50, and 2160p50.
Additionally, in 2022, Crosspoint also equipped the H-01 Mobile Unit with a new wireless intercom system from Riedel, based on the latest Artist 1024 AoIP matrix node, featuring multiple AES67 cards with 40 ports. This setup ensures seamless intercom connectivity between the mobile unit and RTVE’s production centers at Torrespaña and Prado del Rey, where multiple Riedel Artist nodes are already deployed. This extension enhances communication quality and clarity, significantly benefiting live productions.
The H-01 Mobile Unit’s intercom system consists of 14 SmartPanel intercom panels with color OLED screens, featuring 16 and 32 keys. To complement the fixed panels, RTVE expanded intercom capabilities with a high-capacity, anti-reflection DECT wireless system, ensuring coverage around the entire mobile unit.
For this, two Riedel Bolero antennas were installed, extending the same intercom capabilities from the fixed panels to wireless beltpacks via AES-67 digital communication. The unit is equipped with eight rugged Bolero wireless beltpacks and two battery chargers to maintain continuous operation. Just like the fixed panels, these beltpacks enable technicians and operators to communicate with team members at Torrespaña or Prado del Rey via any assigned ports managed through Riedel’s Director software, as long as they remain within the Bolero wireless network coverage.
To enhance the intercom system’s capabilities, the Artist chassis was also equipped with MADI connections, enabling integration with the audio mixer for command management and n-1 return audio channels.
In 2023, Crosspoint was also awarded the contract for the video mixer as part of the technical integration of the Mobile Unit. The chosen solution was a Grass Valley K-Frame Compact, providing 80 UHD or HD inputs and 40 outputs with built-in format conversion. It features a Kayenne control surface with three M/E banks, each with six keyers. The system allows flexible reassignment, with some M/Es supporting eight keyers while others have four. To simplify future upgrades, the mixer can be expanded to a fourth M/E bank. As the most advanced model in Grass Valley’s compact series, it processes all inputs and outputs in UHD 2160p without losing any I/O capacity when operating in UHD format.
Finally, in 2024, to meet the extraordinary signal monitoring needs of the Paris Olympics, Crosspoint is once again supporting RTVE by providing an additional multiviewer output license for the Grass Valley K-Frame video mixer. This showcases the flexibility of the software-based licensing model, leveraging the mixer’s hardware processing capacity within its compact chassis.
Through this collaboration, Crosspoint reaffirms its strong relationship with RTVE and their shared commitment to enhancing and expanding the capabilities of RTVE’s mobile units (H-01 and F-02) to deliver high-quality UHD content to Spanish households.