Riedel Communications’ intercom technology scores high marks at Olympics

Following a full year of planning and preparation, Riedel Communications supplied approximately a dozen organisations and equipped approximately 40 locations with 50 tons of communications equipment during the Olympic Games 2004 in Athens, Greece.
Toping the list of Riedel customers was the Olympic Committee of Greece (ATHOC), and the host broadcaster of the Games, Athens Olympics Broadcast (AOB). Thomas Riedel, the company’s founder, and his team of more than 100 engineers equipped locations in Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Olympia and Kreta with intercom systems that served all events.
In all, the Riedel teams used 80 matrix systems, more than 2,000 digital intercom control panels, 3,000 digital and 1,000 analogue radio transmitters, 200 RiFace radio interfaces, 5,500 headsets and more than 125 miles of cables and fibre. During all competitions service-teams stood stand-by to provide spare-units in the case of failure.
The ATHOC charged Riedel with the responsibility for all sports-related communications. At the events Riedel Artist S Matrix-systems enabled up to 1,200 participants to connect with each other simultaneously. Referees, timekeepers and venue assistants communicated via approximately 1,000 digital beltpack C2s - introduced officially at the IBC in Amsterdam but successfully tested under real conditions in Greece. The robust and ergonomically shaped beltpack is completely noise-free, has broadcast quality audio and is unique in its ability to provide a fully integrated solution for combined matrix and party-line style intercom setups. “Our new C2s enable our customers to communicate in a manner similar to analogue party-line systems, including daisy-chaining and power-supply over cabling. Additionally we’re able to offer all advantages of digital matrix systems such as flexible routing,” said Thomas Riedel, Managing Director of Riedel Communications.
Host broadcaster AOB - who provided the pictures for all television stations worldwide - used more than 800 analogue and digital radio transmitters including headsets from Riedel. The digital matrix-system Artist S provided the connections between the AOB headquarters and the teams working at the different locations. Furthermore, about 200 RiFace interfaces provided the integration of wired and wireless intercom systems. Riedel’s engineers installed not only radio systems for cameramen, sound-engineers and directors, but also a complex filter network to guarantee interference-free operation even under heavy loads by other radio operators.
Riedel became involved initially at Sport Events 2003, the official trials for the Olympic Games, when the company worked together with its Greek system-partner PTS Pierides TechnoSystems Ltd. The reliability of the intercom and radio-applications was confirmed and plans were set in motion to supply the Summer Games.
(GB)