The 2008 Beijing Olympics
and Paralympics
on the Âé¶¹Éç
Âé¶¹Éç Resources on track for Olympics coverage
The Âé¶¹Éç's core operation is fully HD
and tapeless for the first time
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All live coverage on the Âé¶¹Éç HD
Channel in 5.1 surround sound
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Centralised access to media server
supporting multiplatform output
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Onsite media management
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Working across continents – split
operation in Beijing and London
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Major rollout of broadband and mobile
services
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New compression technology – Dirac
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Âé¶¹Éç Resources, the commercial facilities arm
of the Âé¶¹Éç, is partnering Âé¶¹Éç Sport to
provide coverage for the 2008 Beijing
Olympics and Paralympic Games.
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It has been working with Âé¶¹Éç Sport and
Siemens to design a multiplatform orientated
facility within the dedicated International
Broadcast Centre (IBC) and will be providing
staff from Âé¶¹Éç Post Production and Âé¶¹Éç
Studios, as well as working with SIS Outside
Broadcasts – formerly Âé¶¹Éç Outside
Broadcasts – to deliver coverage from Beijing.
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Traditionally the main coverage of the Games
comes from a broadcaster based in the
country that hosts the Games. This year, the
host broadcast will be provided by Beijing
Olympic Broadcasting (BOB). BOB will be
responsible for producing the international
venue coverage and delivering the signals
(totalling around 91) to the IBC. BOB will
then deliver an international signal package,
comprising 44 feeds, to rights-holding
broadcasters and unions in the IBC – in the
Âé¶¹Éç's case, via European Broadcasting
Union (EBU) facilities.
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The Âé¶¹Éç is broadcasting 300 hours of
coverage of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
this year on Âé¶¹Éç One and Âé¶¹Éç Two, plus
2,450 hours on Âé¶¹Éçi, as well as online, radio,
news, nations and regions and CÂé¶¹Éç. There
will also be live coverage on the Âé¶¹Éç's HD
channel.The time difference of seven hours
between the UK and China means that,
although there will still be live peak-time
coverage, it will be supplemented by
interactive, broadband streamed media and a
new focus on mobile content, all designed to
improve the viewers' access to the Olympics
on demand.
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The entire event coverage of the Summer
Olympic Games will be HD for the first time,
enabling the core Âé¶¹Éç operation to be HD
and tapeless.
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The IBC facility
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The Âé¶¹Éç has worked with Âé¶¹Éç Resources to
plan and build a multiplatform orientated
production facility at the International
Broadcast Centre (IBC), which is located on
the Olympic Green in Beijing. The main Âé¶¹Éç
studio will be in nearby Ling Long Pagoda
and will provide spectacular views of the
main stadium and Olympic Green.
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There will be centralised access to the
media, which is being fully managed on site,
with Âé¶¹Éç News, Âé¶¹Éç Nations and Regions
and Graphics, as well as Âé¶¹Éç Sport, all being
able to access the content and metadata,
maximising the multiplatform access to the
central media resource.
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It is a split site operation with media storage
and editing taking place in Beijing whilst
logging is carried out by a team in London,
which will operate live throughout the night
to compensate for the time differences.
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The venues
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In addition to 44 feeds from the host
broadcaster, providing 3,800 hours of
footage, the Âé¶¹Éç will supplement that
coverage with its own unilateral cameras and
presentation positions, covering the stories
of the UK athletes competing in sports
where there is a key British interest.
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In this, the Âé¶¹Éç is supported by SIS Outside
Broadcasts, formerly Âé¶¹Éç Outside Broadcasts.
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Facts and figures
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There will be 44 feeds from the host
broadcaster providing 3,800 hours of
footage.
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The Âé¶¹Éç's EVS server will store up to
1,000 hours of HD content
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There will be 18 edit suites at the
Âé¶¹Éç's IBC facility in Beijing
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There will be 16 logging stations at
Âé¶¹Éç Television Centre in London
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Âé¶¹Éçi is sending back seven streams of
video from Beijing to London
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The Âé¶¹Éç has a potential live presence
at 14 venues
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There will be eight P2 camera teams
in operation
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More than 200Mb/s of fibre are being
used to transport signals between
Beijing and London
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Live 5.1 sound on Âé¶¹Éç HD Channel.
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