Mediornet finds smooth sailing via fiber

While it s not available in the U.S. market (yet) Austrian-based Mediornet displayed its X-Link and X-Switch, optical backbones that were recently used European-based BKF to produce the Sailing World Championship without the need for an OB truck. X-Switch can transmit camera and other signals up to 400 kilometers.

BKF used dark fiber owned by CTV to transmit camera signals point-to-point 50 kilometers from the event to the main facility in Eisenstadt, Austria, says Peter Wach, Mediornet sales manager. They were able to sync the signals over the glass and genlock the camera feeds so they were synched to the mixing desk. It was as if it was a local studio and they also handled communications over the fiber.

The new product is Xlink. It has one-to-four HD SDI inputs and 16AS3 inputs in a small formfactor akin to a cable modem. It also includes routing and other features like embedders and de-embedders and frame syncs. Right now we re negotiating with European distributors to have a full network in Europe, says Wach.