Our process
How are we going to do that? Let’s take a quick look at the Helium advantage.
The future of remote broadcasts
Although we are fully versed in traditional RF broadcasting, we have seen the future, and it is IP-bonded facilities using cellphone networks.
There are two key advantages to IP-bonded networks:
1. While RF broadcasts require OB vans onsite and line-of-site signal transmission, IP-bonded facilities use mobile data networks (and therefore satellites) to send content, removing the need for line-of-site while maintaining a strong connection.
2. Since we can stream content straight to our centralised production studio, we need a smaller crew and less gear on location. This has numerous benefits, including saving money on travel, insurance, hotels, etc. It also reduces our carbon footprint.
Extreme mobility
Whatever the terrain, whatever the weather, you want to get the shots and send the shots to your channels. Helium has been chasing lead marathon runners, covering the action from helicopters, and navigating alpine trails for years, and we understand that agility is key.
To make sure we can get the shot whenever, wherever, whatever the conditions, our broadcast units are built to fit into a backpack. They can be biked, hiked, flown, and trekked to the perfect position, and thanks to their IP-bonding technology, can send a crystal clear stream to our control room with sub-second latency.
Backups upon Backups
Helium uses mobile networks to stream content to the studio, and although they are generally reliable, we don’t take any chances. Our broadcast units have SIM cards from multiple signal carriers, and they switch intelligently between them to ensure a constant connection and stable broadcast.
Work local, stream global
Our centralised studio is where most of the magic happens. When the raw content arrives from location, it’s pulled into our workflow and transformed into polished content with commentary, graphics, and everything else you’d expect, with a delay of only 500 milliseconds.
