The Channel | 2004 | September

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the channel | 43
What are the characteristics of this newbreed
of SNG terminal? In short, extremely
transportable, easy to use and multi-functional.
A number of manufacturers are pushing various
models across a range of prices and capabilities,
and it is a little bewildering for the customer to
be sure they are comparing apples with apples.
While some models are scaled down versions
of their big brother systems, relying on
miniaturization of the electronics to achieve the
reductions, other systems are more innovative,
looking to give the customer something more
than merely a way of getting video and audio
back to base. They offer enhanced capabilities
in studio-field communications, integrating
connectivity via IP with the newsroom.
Some systems look to aid the customer by de-
skilling some of the elements of the initial set-
up, with an auto-pointing tool for accurately
aiming the antenna at the satellite. The
increasingly widespread integration of GPS
and electronic compasses means that the
operator no longer needs to squint through a
compass to try and locate an invisible satellite
– a click of a mouse or a push of a button, and
compact precision motors smoothly guide the
antenna to aim at the satellite.
Advent Communications (part of the Vislink
Group) has always been at the cutting edge of
SNG technology. Since the birth of the company
in the mid-1980s, it has been at the forefront of
SNG (virtually unchallenged for the first decade
of its existence), and this is exemplified by their
latest offering – EXOS. The heritage of its
Mantis flyaways and Newswift vehicle-
mounted systems continues, but EXOS has
caused a stir in the SNG marketplace because
of its extremely compact form-factor.
EXOS is a complete modular satellite uplink
system, offering data transmission, high-speed
Internet, two-way comms with the studio, and
MPEG-2 video/audio transport streams. The
most important aspect of EXOS, and key to
reducing size and weight, is the break from
How small can we make it?
traditional 19-inch rack mounted equipment
in flight cases – instead, EXOS has small
rugged weatherproof modular units, built to
withstand the harsh transportation and
operating environments of SNG uplinks.
There are four modules in the range, each
weighing less than 3 kg. The Data-bridge
module with broadband IP modem offers
‘always-on’ connectivity for file transfer,
telephone, two way talk-back and video-over-
IP option. The Video Exciter module is an
MPEG-2 DVB-S standard 4:2:0/4:2:2
encoder/modulator/upconvertor, featuring low
delay encoding and EBU-standard BISS
encryption. The Satfinder module with integral
GPS receiver, compass, and satellite position
calculation software offers an easy-to-use tool
for an unskilled operator to align the antenna
system. This is increasingly a value-added
facility as part of the drive to cover more from
the field at ever lower cost. Finally, there are a
range of RF power amplifier units from 5 W
SSPAs to 400WTWTs, all controlled remotely
under the EXOS system. Advent has also
developed new compact flyaway antenna
systems based on new 1.0m and 1.2m diameter
reflectors (Mantis 100 and Mantis 120
respectively), weighing 17 kg and 25kg.
One of the first customers for EXOS and the
‘mini-Mantis’ is BBC News. SimonAtkinson,
Location Resources Manager, comments: “We
wanted something fast and light that could be
carried with relative ease, with the new
individual baggage limits now imposed by the
airlines. Having only just taken delivery, we
have yet to find the right story to deploy EXOS
with the 1.2m Mantis antenna, but we are
ready when it happens.”
In preparation for the Olympics, OTE in Greece
has just taken delivery of a Mantis 120 based
system, utilizing a pair of 350W HPAs in
redundant mode. With only one other SNG
system – anAdvent NewSwift truck – Georgios
Skikos, Head of Satellite and Maritime
Communications Division at Hellenic
TelecommunicationsOrganization (OTE), found
the need to rapidly acquire another system. “We
have faced a big demand for occasional traffic
during the Olympics, and having bought the
system, it is overbooked already! We needed it
for coveringmany requests frombroadcasters for
providing their own presence at events.” As an
aside, it’s interesting to note that the locally
deployedSNGuplinksinGreece for theOlympics
are predominantly from the Vislink stable.
Ken Suckling of SNGBroadcast Services, based
in London and Beirut, is looking very closely at
the new compact Mantis antennas and the EXOS
system. A veteran of the industry, and well-
experienced inmoving SNG terminals in and out
of remote locations on the backs of mules(!), Ken
is always interested in something that can be
broken down into the smallest number of pieces
– “The new 1m Mantis is very intriguing, and I
can see some great opportunities for using this
type of compact system.”
The market for compact flyaways seems to be
growing. In part, the demand has come from
mature customers of SNGwho have been using
the larger traditional systems for well over a
decade. There are still a significant number of
‘legacy’ systems doing sterling service, and
therefore the market is not developing as rapidly
as manufacturers would wish. The slump in the
broadcast industry of two to three years ago
particularly hit field production elements, but
now we are seeing an upturn and some healthy
innovation in newproducts. This is also reflected
in the general recovery of the telecoms industry
as a whole. So the future looks bright for
compact satellite terminals – but we are probably
reaching a limit imposed by the laws of physics
on the size of systems.
The world of SNG has been transformed in the last few years by the emergence of a new type of SNG
flyaway – the compact ‘mini-flyaway’. Manufacturers have brought models to market to attract new
customers for this area of broadcast field operations. Advent Communications is one of them: it has
built an enduring reputation for engineering excellence and innovation with its professional, modern
satellite flyaways, selling more than 1,000 rapid deployment systems around the world during the
past 5 years. James Wilcox of Vislink plc takes a closer look at the new breed of SNG terminal.
Vislink Mantis and EXOS
A Mantis 120 in use by the BBC in Basra
Vislink NewSwift in Montserrat
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