Signalling a new TV era

BAE Systems has developed a wireless TV studio system which will not only allow cameramen far greater freedom of movement, but also provide the bandwidth needed for high-definition live broadcasts.

Developed at BAE's Advanced Technology Centre in

, the system utilises a wireless-enabled camera which sends wideband data at 60Ghz to embedded remote antenna units in the ceiling. The mushroom-shaped antennas provide overlapping coverage across the entire studio. The video signals received from the mobile transmitter are then sent along optical fibre to a base station in the control room.

Project leader Mohammad Nawaz said the system, known as ROFMOD (Radio on Fibre mobile data network demonstrator) will, for the first time, allow cameras to be moved quickly, easily and silently around a TV studio. Currently mobile live broadcast cameras require heavy, cumbersome cables that must be supported by other team members as the cameraman moves around the studio. The cables also make a slight scraping noise on the floor which can interfere with audio signal quality.