BBC/ITV/Sky Elections Coverage - Printable Version
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RE: BBC/ITV/Sky Elections Coverage - Milkshake - 18-03-2024
As it now looks like were heading for the October or later Election, I take it the next formal rehearsal will be 2nd May elections? since there will be alot of stuff going on?
RE: BBC/ITV/Sky Elections Coverage - Keith - 18-03-2024
(18-03-2024, 09:42 PM)Milkshake Wrote: As it now looks like were heading for the October or later Election, I take it the next formal rehearsal will be 2nd May elections? since there will be alot of stuff going on?Presumably it's easier to rehearse with the current set in B, as the touchscreen is permanently in place. With the last general election B had to be out of use a couple weeks before and a week after in order to add/remove that.
In regards to satellite trucks I'd have thought fewer are needed these days, compared to years gone by. I'd have thought 4G/5G connections would be used at many counts. Potentially using an any network sim, to reduce the chance of being in a dead spot. The satellite trucks being reserved for counts at party leader's constituencies, and maybe a few other 'key seats'.
RE: BBC/ITV/Sky Elections Coverage - Milkshake - 18-03-2024
(18-03-2024, 10:06 PM)Keith Wrote: Presumably it's easier to rehearse with the current set in B, as the touchscreen is permanently in place. With the last general election B had to be out of use a couple weeks before and a week after in order to add/remove that.
In regards to satellite trucks I'd have thought fewer are needed these days, compared to years gone by. I'd have thought 4G/5G connections would be used at many counts. Potentially using an any network sim, to reduce the chance of being in a dead spot. The satellite trucks being reserved for counts at party leader's constituencies, and maybe a few other 'key seats'.
Will Sky still do the Glass box area or will they end up using kay Breakfast set?
RE: BBC/ITV/Sky Elections Coverage - JamieMurph25 - 18-03-2024
(18-03-2024, 10:59 PM)Milkshake Wrote: Will Sky still do the Glass box area or will they end up using kay Breakfast set?I think the studio that Sky Sports currently using for Monday Night Football will be perfect for election night coverage.
RE: BBC/ITV/Sky Elections Coverage - Stuart - 19-03-2024
(18-03-2024, 10:59 PM)Milkshake Wrote: Will Sky still do the Glass box area or will they end up using kay Breakfast set?I hope Sky News re-use the space opposite the Glass Box. They managed to throw quite a lot in there and it looked good on screen.
RE: BBC/ITV/Sky Elections Coverage - Stooky Bill - 19-03-2024
(18-03-2024, 10:06 PM)Keith Wrote: In regards to satellite trucks I'd have thought fewer are needed these days, compared to years gone by. I'd have thought 4G/5G connections would be used at many counts. Potentially using an any network sim, to reduce the chance of being in a dead spot. The satellite trucks being reserved for counts at party leader's constituencies, and maybe a few other 'key seats'.When using cellular the they use SIMs of several mobile networks to spread the load and reliability, the systems also allow WiFi or ethernet connections too, again to increase bandwidth and reliability. Hence it's called bonded cellular - the systems bond together multiple connections
As discussed above, at a count it's unlikely they'd rely on cellular totally as there'll often be some sort of Internet connectivity on site.
The big problem with cellular, and to a lesser extent a non exclusive wired Internet connection is you share it with everyone else. If the BBC, Sky, ITN and GB News are all at a site all using IP to send back video they're all competing for the bandwidth alongside everyone else at the event - those counting, staff at the venue, candidates and their entourage, and other media - radio, newspapers etc*
Often you'll see a bonded cellular system using satellite for its IP path, or in the mix alongside the SIMs as its just more reliable and can offer a steady bandwidth.
*in the early days a lot of people were caught out by this because they'd recce an event in advance and find plenty of good mobile reception and good data rates. Then they'd turn up on the day and find a few thousand people have also turned up with their phones too
(18-03-2024, 09:42 PM)Milkshake Wrote: As it now looks like were heading for the October or later Election, I take it the next formal rehearsal will be 2nd May elections? since there will be alot of stuff going on?The May elections are a seperate thing in themselves, not a rehearsal for the general. Different types of election, different locations, different timescale, different story to be told
The broadcasters will almost certainly try stuff out and use what they've learnt or discovered at the general, but it's by no means a formal rehearsal. Those will take place in the days leading up to the thing itself
RE: BBC/ITV/Sky Elections Coverage - mcrdev - 19-03-2024
I suspect there will be a notable amount of starlink dishes in use for additional bonding capacity as well as the more traditional options.
RE: BBC/ITV/Sky Elections Coverage - Stooky Bill - 19-03-2024
(19-03-2024, 08:18 AM)mcrdev Wrote: I suspect there will be a notable amount of starlink dishes in use for additional bonding capacity as well as the more traditional options.I hear some broadcasters have been trying out Starlink, but I don't think it's in regular use yet. Where it will come in handy is for very remote places, assuming it's cheaper than the other satellite IP systems in existence already like BGAN and Imarsat.
ITN did some lives from the Antarctic a while ago. No chance of using mobile networks there, or a geostationary satellite so used one of those systems which use low orbit satellites.
The thing that has made satellite cheaper and easier is VSAT - very small apparture terminal. These are small low powered dishes that connect to a central hub which manages them so they have lower requirements for licensing.
They're in use in lots of places such as shops and other premises that need a good fast connection. They're also installed in vehicles. So instead of a traditional SNG truck which requires a trained engineer to point the dish and monitor the transmission they can be operated automatically by a single technical operator. Often they'll be a one person crew - camera and uplink.
Most of the BBC regions have one of these for their regional news. BBC Local Radio stations use a VSAT system for their radio cars. They just turn up, press go and the dish moves and connects
Problem is that low power = small carrier = less bandwidth so for traditional MPEG video the quality isn't great sometimes. However using a bonded cellular system like LiveU or WMT to compress the video and then send it IP through that small carrier is a lot better quality
RE: BBC/ITV/Sky Elections Coverage - mcrdev - 19-03-2024
It may not be in use by the broadcasters themselves, but I've seen a significant uptick in the last 12 months of the freelance providers who get booked by the main broadcasters for a camera and LiveU (or equivalent) discussing and investing in using Starlink as one of their bonding paths. It's many of these freelancers who end up covering the smaller counts where the broadcasters themselves don't want to send their own assets.
SpaceX themselves did a very good demonstration the other day about how reliable a Starlink connection can be, even in the worst environment.
RE: BBC/ITV/Sky Elections Coverage - Stooky Bill - 19-03-2024
(19-03-2024, 10:00 AM)mcrdev Wrote: It may not be in use by the broadcasters themselves, but I've seen a significant uptick in the last 12 months of the freelance providers who get booked by the main broadcasters for a camera and LiveU (or equivalent) discussing and investing in using Starlink as one of their bonding paths. It's many of these freelancers who end up covering the smaller counts where the broadcasters themselves don't want to send their own assets.I suspect the main reticence with Starlink isn't the technical reliability, but how reliable the service is in terms of the whims of its owner.
SpaceX themselves did a very good demonstration the other day about how reliable a Starlink connection can be, even in the worst environment.
Satellite based portable data isn't a new thing, but has been very expensive. It's been a while since I worked somewhere that used Bgan, but that was very pricey as is using Imarsat. Starlink is a much more modern alternative and should I'd have thought work out a lot cheaper