The EBU Makes A Clear Path To HD Via Bluebell Opticom

The Eurovision European Broadcasting Union has contracted Bluebell Opticom Ltd to supply extensive fibre optic links in order to transition its Portable Master Control System to HD.
The system will cover the main sports events in which the EBU Sports Operations is serving.
As the rate of change to HD production and transmission gains pace the EBU needed to provide a flexible and reliable optical HD feed to its members. Bluebell, as a fibre optic specialist, was chosen because of its proven track record of supplying critical on-air links during the past 14 years.
Some 60 BC340T singlemode fibre interfaces will provide electrical to optical conversion supporting all the SMPTE 292M signals up to 1.485 Gb/s and SMPTE 259M standards (143 Mb/s - 360 Mb/s). Each card will auto-equalize the incoming signal prior to the optical conversion which is provided via an SC/PC connection to the EBU members.
Approximately eighteen BC340R optical to reclocking electrical converters will also be supplied with similar characteristics.
The cards are housed in six BC100 3RU frames each housing 15 modules.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is the largest professional association of national broadcasters in the world.
The Union has 74 active Members in 54 countries of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, and 44 associate Members in 25 countries further afield.
Working on behalf of its Members in the European area, the EBU negotiates broadcasting rights for major sports events, operates the Eurovision and Euroradio networks, organizes programme exchanges, stimulates and coordinates co-productions, and provides a full range of other operational, commercial, technical, legal and strategic services.
Eurovision.
The Eurovision permanent network (up to 50 digital channels on a Eutelsat satellite) carries constant exchanges of TV news and programmes. Most news and sports pictures on European screens pass through the EBU.
Bluebell Opticom designs, manufactures and distributes high quality fibre optic transmission equipment for the broadcast, telecommunications and satellite industries.
(DS/SP)