Broadcast Solutions Completes Live Video System

Broadcast Solutions Nordic has completed a large scale Live Video System for the new multifunction entertainment and sports centre, Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland.

Nokia Arena sets standards as one of the most modern multi-purpose venues in Northern Europe, leveraging a highly flexible media infrastructure, giving the users the freedom to produce different events with ease.

Broadcast Solutions Nordic was responsible for developing and implementing a Live Broadcast Technology Solution from the outset. The project’s heart is a master control room for managing, collecting, editing, and distributing video and audio signals within the venue and to outside partners.
The control room serves as a distribution centre for video, audio and commentary signals. On the video side, it controls and feeds all screens in the venue, such as the LED cube, boards, ice projector, Arena TV and digital signage. Its flexible approach also manages external broadcasts by forwarding signals to the OB van compound to a dedicated fibre link for broadcasters and distribution partners. Furthermore, the installation operates all in- and outgoing audio signals from the ice rink, feeding the arena PA, stageboxes around the ice rink and the PAVA system.

Antti Laurila, Managing Director at Broadcast Solutions Nordic, added: "I am from the Tampere region and extremely proud that we are involved with such a great project. The Live Media System we designed and implemented enriches the visitor experience and gives a wow-effect that has not been seen in Finland before. Broadcast Solutions’ experience in the broadcast system integration and the company’s continuous learning and innovations in the latest technologies is key to such a successful project implementation. We were involved with system design from the early beginning, so all aspects and innovations were considered in the solution that meets the customer’s expectations."

Possibly the most modern multi-purpose venue in the Nordics, Nokia Arena's overall amount of signal possibilities is impressive, and yet it offers enough headroom to add more. Usually, 32 camera feeds are coming in for ice hockey matches. With added graphics and slomo feeds, all signals are processed using Ross Video’s end-to-end turnkey solution that combines the traditional production control room with LED display control, allowing unmatched creative flexibility and scalability. Ross’s DashBoard server hardware plus XPression Workflow and Tessera systems are used for the LED display control and venue graphics. A Ross Ultrix Router is the system’s backbone for signal management, with video/audio routing, multiviewers, audio processing, frame synchronisers, clean/quiet switching, UHD gearboxing and more, unified in one single system. Supporting 12G throughout, it is UHD compatible and adds multiple IP I/O to the production system. A wow-effect visitors already experience comes from handling real-time data and using it during productions, e.g. showing video clips and shooting speed on the ice projector during periods etc. All dasher boards and pillars are LED walls giving the team the freedom to show whatever content is needed.

Matias Palo, AV Technician at Aku Factory Ltd., commented on working with the system daily: "One of the best parts of the new system is that it’s very logical to use and graphics functions are perfectly integrated and native in XPression. So we can do animations directly to the system and not use multiple tools and convert graphics back and forth. With the control room, transitions from one production to another are effortless. We can move from ice hockey productions to concerts fast and without problems."

The audio realm is based on a Dante audio network system with flexible ways of connecting audio from any instance in the network. Stageboxes and Dante I/O access points are located at different spots in the venue, running on fibre cables. A Yamaha QL5 mixing console has the power over all audio signals in the control room. A Riedel Artist 64 Port Intercom System is used for internal and external system communications.

The overall media system handles with flexibility and ease all kinds of events, from ice hockey matches to musicals and beyond.

Designed by world-famous architect Daniel Libeskind and officially opened in December 2021, Nokia Arena will be hosting the Ice Hockey World Championships in May 2022. Besides being the new home of two ice hockey clubs, Tampereen Ilves and Tappara, the building is a multifunctioning landmark with hotels, restaurants, casinos and event facilities. It is located in the centre of the Finnish city.

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