Basic HTML-Version
1
2
226
TELE-satellite International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine
— 12-01/2012
— www.TELE-satellite.com
the early days of RTL channels. “We did
have digital recordings”, explains pro-
ject manager Wilfried Klinke, “but back
then they were stored on video tapes.
Those tapes had been archived in an
area covering more than 2,000 square
meters and using complex air-condi-
tioning systems. In the course of sev-
eral months we converted that data into
files and fed them into our electronic
archive.” Achim Pauly adds that “at CBC
we have a totally tape-less workflow,
with all processes being file-based.”
CBC has extended its tape-less work-
flow even beyond its own premises by
setting up a network linking major Ger-
man cities, London and New York for
exchanging content contributions. This
network is based on a fibre-optic back-
bone and can be used to hook up studi-
os live on air via video-over-IP. For live
coverage from places with no local stu-
dios CBC runs a fleet of SNG vehicles.
Susanne Jumpelt, head of Broadcast-
ing Sales & Marketing, has all the de-
tails: “Our SNG vehicles are located in
Berlin, Munich and Moscow, as well as
two in Colgone. This strategic position-
ing allows quick access to almost all
places in Germany and Europe.”
If you look up to the roof of the multi-
storey car park next to the CBC prem-
ises an impressive antenna farm soars
high into the sky. Of a total of 37 anten-
nas a whopping five feature diameters
of 4.6 m and are all used for signal up-
link. Mido Fayad, head of the broadcast-
ing department, explains that “four of
these giants are in permanent use, with
three antennas pointing to ASTRA 19.2E
and one to EUTELSAT 9E. The fifth 4.6
m antenna serves as back-up.”
So what happens if a heavy down-
pour moves through Cologne and reli-
able signal uplink may be compromised
due to the weather? Will all channels of
RTL media group go blank for satellite
viewers? “No way, because the weather
is under constant observation here at
CBC and as soon as a thunderstorm
approaches we immediately switch the
uplink from Cologne to our outlet in
Grünwald near Munich. Their antennas
take over all uplink tasks within a mat-
ter of split seconds.
1. Project manager Wilfried Klinke in the
antenna operating room. He reveals that
he’s been a loyal TELE-satellite reader from
day one in 1981.
2. One of the workstations in the main
switching room. This is where satellite
antennas are controlled using CBC’s
in-house PilotSat software.