Outside broadcasting
Encyclopedia
Outside broadcasting is the electronic field production
(EFP) of television
or radio
programmes (typically to cover television news and sports television events) from a mobile remote broadcast
television studio
. Professional video camera
and microphone
signals come into the production truck
for processing, recording and possibly transmission. The mobile production control room (PCR) is known as a "production truck
", "Scanner" (a BBC term), "mobile unit", "remote truck", "live truck", "OB Van" or "live eye". In the United States
an "OB Van" is smaller in size than a production truck and generally require two or three people in the field to manage. For instance broadcast journalism
news reporters providing live television
, local news
in the field outside a formal television studio.
Electronic field production
Electronic field production is a television industry term referring to a video production which takes place in the field, outside of a formal television studio, in a practical location or special venue...
(EFP) of television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
or radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
programmes (typically to cover television news and sports television events) from a mobile remote broadcast
Remote broadcast
In broadcast engineering, a remote broadcast is broadcasting done from a location away from a formal television studio and is considered an electronic field production . A remote pickup unit is usually used to transmit the audio and/or video back to the television station, where it joins the...
television studio
Television studio
A television studio is an installation in which a video productions take place, either for the recording of live television to video tape, or for the acquisition of raw footage for post-production. The design of a studio is similar to, and derived from, movie studios, with a few amendments for the...
. Professional video camera
Professional video camera
A professional video camera is a high-end device for creating electronic moving images...
and microphone
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
signals come into the production truck
Production truck
Television Production trucks were developed to take television studios on the road so video productions could be made at distant locations for a remote broadcast, outside broadcasting , electronic field production with multiple-camera setup and a support of a number of different technologies to...
for processing, recording and possibly transmission. The mobile production control room (PCR) is known as a "production truck
Production truck
Television Production trucks were developed to take television studios on the road so video productions could be made at distant locations for a remote broadcast, outside broadcasting , electronic field production with multiple-camera setup and a support of a number of different technologies to...
", "Scanner" (a BBC term), "mobile unit", "remote truck", "live truck", "OB Van" or "live eye". In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
an "OB Van" is smaller in size than a production truck and generally require two or three people in the field to manage. For instance broadcast journalism
Broadcast journalism
Broadcast journalism is the field of news and journals which are "broadcast", that is, published by electrical methods, instead of the older methods, such as printed newspapers and posters. Broadcast methods include radio , television , and, especially recently, the Internet generally...
news reporters providing live television
Live television
Live television refers to a television production broadcast in real-time, as events happen, in the present. From the early days of television until about 1958, live television was used heavily, except for filmed shows such as I Love Lucy and Gunsmoke. Video tape did not exist until 1957...
, local news
Local news
In journalism, local news refers to news coverage of events in a local context which would not normally be of interest to those of other localities, or otherwise be of national or international scope.-Television:...
in the field outside a formal television studio.
Interior
A typical OB Van is usually divided into 5 parts.- Parts of the television crewTelevision crewTelevision crew positions are derived from those of film crew, but with several differences.-Pre-production:-Casting Director:-Costume designer:-Director:* Associate Director -Location Manager:-Make-up artist:...
are located in the first and largest part is the video productionVideo productionVideo production is videography, the process of capturing moving images on electronic media even streaming media. The term includes methods of production and post-production...
area. The Television directorTelevision directorA television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
, Technical directorTechnical directorThe Technical Director or Technical Manager is usually a senior technical person within a software company, film studio, theatrical company or television studio...
, assistant director, character generatorCharacter generatorA character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
(CG) operator and television producerTelevision producerThe primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
s usually sit in front of a wall of video monitorVideo monitorA video monitor also called a broadcast monitor, broadcast reference monitor or just reference monitor, is a display device similar to a television set, used to monitor the output of a video-generating device, such as playout from a video server, IRD, video camera, VCR, or DVD player. It may or...
s. The Technical director sits in front of the video switcher. The video monitors show all the video feeds from various sources, including computer graphicsComputer graphicsComputer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
, professional video cameras, video tape recorderVideo tape recorderA video tape recorder is a tape recorder that can record video material, usually on a magnetic tape. VTRs originated as individual tape reels, serving as a replacement for motion picture film stock and making recording for television applications cheaper and quicker. An improved form included the...
(VTR), video serverVideo serverA video server is a computer based device dedicated to delivering video.Unlike personal computers, being multi-application devices, a video server is designed for one purpose; provisioning video, often for broadcasters. A professional grade video server records, stores, and playout of multiple...
s and slow-motion replay machines. The wall of monitors also contains a preview monitor showing what could be the next source on air (does not have to be depending on how the video switcher is set up) and a program monitor that shows the feed currently going to air or being recorded. The (keyed dirty feed with digital on-screen graphicDigital on-screen graphicA digital on-screen graphic is a watermark-like station logo that many television broadcasters overlay over a portion of the screen-area of their programs to identify the channel...
) is what is actually transmitted back to the central studio that is controlling the outside broadcast. A clean feedClean feed (TV)In television technology, clean feed is a term that describes a signal which has not come from the main output of the Video switcher, such as the output of a vision mixer before the downstream keyer stage - the clean feed is identical to the main program output but without any captions keyed into...
(without the graphics) could be being sent to other trucks for use in their production. The video switcher is usually operated by 1 person called the Technical Director (TD). and is responsible for switching the video sources to air as directed. Behind the directors there is usually a desk with monitors for the editors to operate. It is essential that the directors and editor are in communication with each other during events, so that replays and slow-motion shots can be selected and aired.
- The second part of a van is where the audio engineer has an audio mixer (being fed with all the various audio feeds: reporters. commentary, on-field microphones, etc. The audio engineer can control which channels are added to the output and follows instructions from the director. The audio engineer normally also has a dirty feed monitor to help with the synchronizationSynchronizationSynchronization is timekeeping which requires the coordination of events to operate a system in unison. The familiar conductor of an orchestra serves to keep the orchestra in time....
of sound and video.
- The 3rd part of the truck is the VTR area. The tape area has a collection of machines including video serverVideo serverA video server is a computer based device dedicated to delivering video.Unlike personal computers, being multi-application devices, a video server is designed for one purpose; provisioning video, often for broadcasters. A professional grade video server records, stores, and playout of multiple...
s and may also house additional power supplies or computer equipment.
- The 4th part is the video control area where the professional video cameraProfessional video cameraA professional video camera is a high-end device for creating electronic moving images...
s are controlled using camera control unitCamera control unit- Description :The Camera Control Unit is typically part of a live television broadcast "chain". It is responsible for powering the professional video camera, handling signals sent over the camera cable to and from the camera, and can be used control various camera parameters such as iris...
s (CCU) by one or two operatorsOperator (profession)An operator is a professional designation used in various industries, including broadcasting , computing, customer service, physics, and construction. Operators are day-to-day end users of systems, that may or may not be mission-critical, but are typically managed and maintained by technicians or...
, to make sure that the irisDiaphragm (optics)In optics, a diaphragm is a thin opaque structure with an opening at its center. The role of the diaphragm is to stop the passage of light, except for the light passing through the aperture...
is at the correct exposure and that all the cameras look the same.
- The 5th part is transmission where the signal is monitored by and engineered for quality control purposes and is transmitted or sent to other trucks.
Manufactures
Costs depend on the size and options of the outside broadcast vans ordered.- Accelerated Media Technologies - Auburn, MA
- Bickford Communications - Chantilly, VA
- Dalsat - Plano, TX (now defunct)
- E-N-G Systems - Concord, CA
- Frontline Communications - Clearwater, FL
- Gerling Associates - Sunbury, OH
- NEP Broadcasting, LLC - Pittsburgh, PA
- Satcom Scientific, Inc - Orlando, FL
- Shook Mobile Technologies - San Antonio, TX
- Television Engineering Corporation - St Louis, MO
- Wolf Coach (an L3 company) - Ayer, MA
See also
- A2 (remote television production)A2 (remote television production)In outside broadcasting using a remote television crew, an A2 is a person responsible for placement and interconnection of audio devices, such as microphones and intercom, from the Television Production truck to the venue...
- Electronic field productionElectronic field productionElectronic field production is a television industry term referring to a video production which takes place in the field, outside of a formal television studio, in a practical location or special venue...
(EFP) - Electronic news-gathering (ENG)
- Remote broadcastRemote broadcastIn broadcast engineering, a remote broadcast is broadcasting done from a location away from a formal television studio and is considered an electronic field production . A remote pickup unit is usually used to transmit the audio and/or video back to the television station, where it joins the...