The future is IP
Coverage is king when you are dealing with live streaming ip solutions; either you can stream content or you can’t. The great news is that over the past 30 years this industry has honed its skill in getting your content to viewers through the use of internet (IP) connectivity; a cost-effective alternative to satellite.
While satellite connections give the power of being able to find a connection from anywhere the vehicle has line of sight to the satellite, it is expensive to invest into in terms of equipment and data transfer.
Apart from costing the earth to get data into space and back again, you needed a solid vehicle to be mobile when using a satellite system. Although satellite systems have become much smaller and mobile than their original predecessors, they still can be relatively high profile when mounted to a vehicle and take up a lot of space that could be used for other equipment.
Over recent years internet IP technology has improved drastically along with wireless coverage. The size and weight of the equipment used these days is small and light weight and data transfer by far cheaper than satellite systems. This is allowing not only mainstream television crews to complement their existing technology and enhance their off-road and remote capabilities for streaming, it is also helping smaller businesses and individuals capture more immersive and exciting content at a much lower entry point for live streaming.
Cloud Based Live Streaming Platforms
Cloud based live streaming content distribution software is now more accessible than ever. This software allows broadcasters to individuals to stream content through a cloud platform and distribute it appropriately without lag or other technical challenges worldwide. Not only is it affordable and scalable as you would expect, it takes all the guess work of setting up multiple servers in different countries and technical optimisation out of the setup process. Furthermore, these platforms all provide 24/7 support so you can worry about content and not distribution. Setup normally only takes a few minutes before using your devices in the beginning and many devices come with a one button start to speed up your live streaming workflow.
Bonded Technology
IP based live streaming is effectively achieved and enhanced through 3G/4G/5G bonded uplinks. Products that utilise this technology essentially create multiple uplinks in parallel and if the quality drops in one the others take up the slack and preserve the quality of the live stream. You need kit that utilises this technology and there are a whole range of product types that utilise this technology from portable field units to vehicle mounted devices.
Portable Field Units
Portable field units are excellent for mobility and they come in a whole host of favours to suit your needs. These include all-in-one production level filed units for news and sports coverage that are great when you are first starting out. They are a similar size to an external hard drive and are great for people that want to report events in remote areas or away from your vehicle. These devices can be carried in rucksacks and have a one button feature to reduce time setting up a live stream. They can be used in combination with broadcast vehicles wirelessly, with vehicle connecting to the production team or hosting platform.
Other flavours include modular units that work together in any combination. You can get multi-camera production level contribution encoders that allow for multiple live streams to be achieved. You can also use a switcher that can quickly allow you to change cameras without accessing the software, and some have integrated encoders built into the device.
Extenders
Extenders are devices the size of a projector, they can be setup on tripods or mounted very easily on a broadcast vehicle or any vehicle. They are exceptionally convenient as they extend your antenna range by around 1,000 feet (300 meters) away from an uplink unit. No cables are needed and therefore very quick to setup.
Automatic Satellite Switching
While IP can be used on its own there are times when switching between satellite and IP can be useful. Most larger broadcasters complement their satellite systems with IP broadcasting. Thankfully most modern systems do this automatically and maximising potential for connectivity while reducing data costs. As large broadcasting organisations use this technology it gives faith that IP technology is not a compromise in quality, robust and established.
live Streaming IP Solutions Are Here!
30 years on from the initial introduction of IP, it has only become better. Today we have devices that are modular, wireless, easy to setup, low cost, complimentary to satellite systems and easily connected into cloud broadcasting platforms. The risk of not live streaming is a thing of the past and IP live streaming is firmly here to stay.
