MDR Utilizes ADVA FSP 3000 in Pioneering Broadcast Network

ADVA Optical Networking Technology Enables High-Quality Video and Audio Transport Over Optical Fiber

December 17, 2015

ADVA Optical Networking announced today that public broadcaster, Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR), has deployed the ADVA FSP 3000 to natively transport high-quality video, data and audio services directly on the optical network layer. The pioneering solution completely eliminates the cost and complexity of encoding and decoding as well as the loss of quality caused by compression. The new dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) network is unique as it supports high-performance fiber transmission of any traffic protocol, including HD-SDI for video and multichannel audio digital interface (MADI) for audio. It connects MDR’s television headquarters in Leipzig with its regional broadcasting centers in Dresden, Erfurt and Magdeburg, as well as its radio center in Halle. The infrastructure was installed and will be maintained by ADVA Optical Networking’s partner, MEDIA BROADCAST, Germany’s leading media and broadcasting service provider.

“Audiences today demand the widest choice and the highest quality. As a public broadcaster, we have to deliver news, live sport and people’s favorite TV shows in perfect high definition,” said Dr. Ulrich Liebenow, chief technical officer, MDR. “To do this we needed an extremely cost-effective way to transmit digital television and radio. Being able to transport media data in real time and non-real time (file-based) directly on the optical layer significantly improves performance and reduces cost. It enables us to instantly share HD content among production sites and simultaneously broadcast live signals for regional news as well as cultural and sporting events. Transmitting digital video over long distances with no loss of quality becomes simple. And, because the network is fully scalable, we’re also investing in the future.”

ADVA Optical Networking has engineered a network with unique capabilities. These include the ADVA FSP 3000’s MADI technology that transmits on the optical layer to streamline and improve audio transport. With this and the direct transmission of video and media data over fiber, MDR is responding to the increased digitization of production processes and the recent boom in media data demand. The ADVA FSP 3000 radically simplifies the transmission process by eliminating costly conversion methods and removing the need for extra software and personnel. The new network, which transports multiple services with bandwidths ranging from 10Gbit/s up to 100Gbit/s, is also fully scalable. That means MDR will be able to access many new business opportunities in the future. And the close relationship between ADVA Optical Networking and MEDIA BROADCAST means they will continue to have the support of some of the industry’s most experienced technicians.

“What we’re doing with MDR is something unique, something no one has ever done before. Our FSP 3000 delivers a significantly more efficient and cost-effective way to transmit audio and video content – one that removes all complexities and service-quality constraints,” commented Christoph Glingener, CTO, ADVA Optical Networking. “It’s a solution that opens up a new world of possibilities. Native transmission of video means major live events in news, music and sport can be transported at the lowest latency and viewed in perfect definition. It means audiences will be able to enjoy even more of what they love and all in the superb HD quality they’ve come to expect. MDR’s team were excited about the huge leap forward in efficiency that direct optical transport provides but they were also impressed with the future-scalability of the network. Its modular design means they can scale and leverage 100Gbit/s capabilities whenever viewers demand. It also guarantees connectivity that can grow with the desires of audiences and evolve with the ambitions of MDR’s creative team.”

“Native video transmission over optical fiber represents a huge breakthrough for our customers,” said Daniel Wolbers, group manager, transport & infrastructure, MEDIA BROADCAST. “As a regional public broadcaster, MDR operates in a highly creative and hugely competitive environment. Naturally, it requires a data-connectivity infrastructure that empowers its creative teams to work at the optimum level. Harnessing DWDM technology gives MDR the best network solution possible and the scalability it needs for future projects.”

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