TVU Networks, the global technology leader in live IP video solutions, today announced the availability of TVU RPS (Remote Production System), a new, cost-effective alternative solution for live, remote, multi-camera news and sports coverage. Traditionally, major broadcast and sporting events are produced using on-site production trucks and a large number of production crews at the location. However, a mobile production truck with full crew and dedicated transmission equipment can be an expensive and complex proposition. That changes with the official launch of TVU RPS.
   

TVU RPS allows for the production of a live, multi-camera program in a remote location using mainly a broadcaster’s existing control room in their studio and a public Internet connection from the field. The TVU RPS transmitter encodes up to four synchronized SDI sources and transmits high-quality and low-latency IP video from the remote location to a studio-based receiver. The receiver, in turn, outputs four synchronized SDI outputs. By utilizing existing in-house production staff and equipment at the studio, a broadcaster no longer needs its own production crew in the field, saving significant cost in producing a remote, multi-camera live shot.

In addition, TVU RPS provides a low-latency, return video feed from the studio to the field as well as IFB. Control and metadata data can be sent to and from the remote site, including teleprompter, tally light, GPS and location specific metadata (e.g. scoring information, etc.).

TVU Networks CEO Paul Shen said, "While mobile production trucks are fairly common, the operational cost of constantly deploying vehicles, equipment, crews and travel can be prohibitive. With TVU RPS, broadcasters can achieve the same objectives of remote production for live coverage but at a much lower cost without the need for an expensive, dedicated fiber link. By utilizing a broadcaster’s studio production infrastructure and existing high-speed Internet connections at the remote location, large groups of on-site production crews are no longer required, allowing broadcasters to expand video coverage of more events and regional sports.

"TVU RPS features technology developed from other proven TVU IP solutions, including our uplink transmitters and TVU Grid video content switching, routing and distribution,” continued Shen. “We’ve migrated that application knowledge into the TVU RPS encoder and decoder solution. It will transform the way live sports and live remote video are produced."

TVU RPS supports both 1080i/720p HD as well as NTSC and PAL formats. The system uses TVU’s revolutionary Inverse Statmux Plus (IS+) transmission algorithm for high-quality, low latency transmission in either CBR or VBR modes. The system also features a simple web interface for monitoring and controlling all aspects of the transmission, including real-time previews of all-four channels, current bit-rate and latency.