Mobile Transmission – The Onset

Less than a decade ago, outdoor or remote broadcasting used to be a massive undertaking. The broadcast network would usually field several people — the technical director, cameramen, anchors, technicians, production personnel, electricians, cable pullers, and utility men — in order to pull off a successful outdoor or remote broadcasting. Aside from these needed manpower, there were also those necessary equipment consisting of a number of cameras and microphones along with the kilometers of cables and wires, communications gear, lighting. Moreover, production and satellite or SNG trucks were needed to ensure that the broadcast of an event would be readily accomplished.

The satellite with its array of satellite dishes would then transmit the event to the network station via satellite for broadcast, and these outdoor or remote broadcast transmissions were done by means of satellite transmission using C-band and/or Ku-band radio frequencies. Another means of transmission before was by way of microwave transmission, and this was the most commonly employed means of transmission in the past. The third, but least common, was the transmission via fiber optic lines that employed the use of a prepared fiber optic line from the remote location to the studio. Although the third method of transmitting had the best quality of transmission, it wasn’t popular before because of the high cost of laying a dedicated fiber optics cabling.

The Radical Changes Brought about by the Onset of Internet

The advent of broadband internet has revolutionized, not only the means of communication, but also the transfer of information media to the appreciating public. The introduction of 3G or third generation GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) to the wireless network technology for public consumption has brought more opportunities for the expansion of broadcasting by means of the internet. During the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing, the transmission using video streaming via UTMS or Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (3G) was first introduced.

Using the cellphone signal like GSM’s HSDPA or CDMA’s 3G in the transmission, or specifically, in the streaming, streaming has eliminated the need for cumbersome cables and wires that run between camera units and the production vehicle. GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) and CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) have increasingly become the specifications and the standards for mobile communication. Transmission by media streaming only requires the acquisition of stable signal to be able to transmit to its home studio, dispensing the need for satellite trucks or microwave transmission that need to stay in the line of sight (LOS) of the receiving or relay antennas.

Mobile uplink via the 3G (or alike) wireless cellular transmission has likewise greatly innovated remote broadcasting. At 2008 Beijing Olympics, for example, the average uplink speed of 1Mbps with live standard definition videos was already good. At present, the bitrate is at about 20Mbs and the file transfer rate is at 80Mbps.

Today, people worldwide use their portable mobile devices like Smartphones and tablets, not only to call or text a friend or anybody, but also to watch the news and other TV programs. Mobile devices, like the Smartphones, have already supplanted the older systems like the portable satellite tv for good reasons. Smartphones, for example, combine the different functions of a cell phone, media player, personal digital assistant (PDA), personal computer, calculator, digital camera with video, and television into one. Lastly, anyone can watch a movie, news, or any TV program on a portable mobile device like the Smartphone anytime and anywhere.