WBBH Adds Studio Technologies Live-Link Jr.

WBBH, the NBC affiliate in Fort Myers-Naples, Fla. (DMA 62), relies on Studio Technologies’ Live-Link Jr. Remote Camera System for its recently deployed HD satellite truck. The Live-Link Jr. camera and truck units connect through two strands of single-mode fiber optic cable to carry one 3G/HD/SD-SDI video path in each direction along with embedded audio.

The system also gives WBBH the ability to carry IFB (talent cueing) and Party Line (PL) comms down the same SDI stream.

“We have a brand-new satellite truck that is fully loaded and ready for any production situation we might encounter,” says Paul Tanner, assistant news operations manager for WBBH. “We were searching for an efficient way to get both IFB and PL down our fiber. Since standard fiber doesn’t carry voltage, we were having a dilemma. We tried several plug-in modules that gave us the video and production audio, but we still needed powered IFB and standard PL intercom. The Live-Link Jr. system essentially solved this problem, while giving us extra flexibility. Now we can easily service all our audio requirements through the SDI data stream.”

The WBBH satellite truck, a Mercedes Sprinter, was used extensively to cover the recent political campaigns and events as well as other breaking news stories in the Fort Myers-Punta Gorda-Naples area. The personnel using the vehicle have more than 1,000 feet of four-strand fiber at their disposal.

Using just two of those fibers with the Live-Link Jr. supports all the on-air and support signals between the camera and truck locations. Because the Live-Link Jr. system allows battery operation, an entire single-camera “live-shot” can be up and ready to go as fast as the fiber can be run between the production location and the truck.

“We really like it because all you have to do is run the cable and get on air,” adds Tanner. “The Live-Link Jr. system is very straightforward. You don’t need a power source over copper wire. It allows use of a battery pack on the camera end that will drive the unit, and that includes the IFB and PL feeds. It is one unit for everything. The camera end offers LEDs to tell you what’s coming in and what’s coming out, and the same is true on the truck end. It’s very easy to use—you just hit a few buttons and you’re ready to go.

“I used it at the Romney events in Sarasota and for a debate at Nova University in Miami. Every time I use it, all the tech people from other companies are in awe. They think it’s so cool … and it is. Add to this Studio Technologies’ great service and this is a big win for us.”