Leitch connects Bahrain to global broadcasters for first F1 Race

Bahrain Radio & Television Corporation (BRTC) selected Leitch as the primary supplier of router and interface products for its new facilities that were constructed for the first Gulf Air Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix Race.
BRTC chose Leitch for the company's ability to provide reliable equipment at a reasonable price within a tight deadline. The successful event represented the first use of Leitch's new 6800+ modular fibre optic equipment - essential for the long distances involved in covering the complete racetrack.
The Leitch equipment was used to distribute live television pictures by the Formula One Management (FOM) taken from around the 5.411km Formula One racetrack, which has been built in the middle of the Sakhir desert in the southern part of the Bahrain Island. These pictures were then distributed to more than 90 international broadcasters for live transmission to audiences worldwide, as well as to the seven giant spectator screens around the racetrack.
Interfacing Bahrain TV with the outside world, Leitch supplied its new 6800+ series of fibre optic conversion modules, as well as Panacea routers and DPS-575 digital processing synchronizers as part of the central nervous system for the transmission centre.
"For such a prestigious event, reliability is critical. We chose Leitch as it was the only company that we could rely upon to supply the complete range of equipment required within the project deadlines," said Abdulla Al-Thawadi, director general of engineering at BRTC. "We have been very impressed at the tight timeframe Leitch was able to work within - the products were delivered and professionally installed to our satisfaction by Leitch's distributor, Computer Point, within four weeks."
Computer Point, the authorised Leitch distributor in Bahrain, was instrumental in the success of this project, as it has provided the complete system specification, integration and ongoing local support and operation of the complete Leitch infrastructure at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Fibre optic equipment is an essential element of this installation, due to the long distances involved in covering the complete racetrack. The range of 6800+ fibre optic converters provided the performance and flexibility necessary to meet the demanding system requirements. The range is compatible with SDI and DVB/ASI signals, and all SDI, embedded audio, HANC and VANC signals are passed transparently. The Panacea modular routing switchers that Leitch supplied feature comprehensive format support (HD, SDI, ASI, AES/EBU, analogue video/audio, wideband analogue, DS3/E3, timecode, IF) and can mix multiple signal formats in the same frame.
"We are delighted to be chosen to work with Bahrain TV for such a high-profile event," said Dave Dougall, managing director, Leitch Europe. "We have established a good reputation in the Middle East, and this win is a result of our ongoing commitment to this region."
(GB)