Al Jazeera Children’s Channel - MCI delivers a second HDTV OB-Van to Al-Jazeera

In August 2014 MCI won an order from Al Jazeera Network to build another HDTV OB-vehicle. This is the second large HDTV OB-vehicle built by MCI for the Children’s Channel JCC since 2008. It provides production facilities in HDTV 1080p for up to 10 cameras, 2 of which are wireless. There are 4 separate operational areas inside for a crew of 13 to produce, record and transmit programme material. Deployment will be mainly for the Children’s Channel at their headquarters in Doha, Qatar.

The concept is very similar to the vehicle from 2008, however with several optimizations. The whole vehicle is shorter and more compact than the previous one. The reason being that a separate support vehicle will now be used, this replaces the storage space in the tailgate of the first OB.

The vehicle comprises of a Mercedes Benz Actros and a 12m semi-trailer with a single expanding side.

The work places for graphics and slomo operators are in the expanding side.

Provan Solutions GmbH was responsible for the planning of the coach building, air-conditioning plant and electrical installation, and the company Schuler Fahrzeugbau GmbH carried out works on the chassis and the box.

The intercom system is an Eclipse-HX-Median 32 port matrix from ClearCom. The latest generation of their configuration software proves to be extremely flexible and therefore excellently suited for use in OB-vehicles.

Al Jazeera chose once again a video mixer from Sony and controller system VSM from LSB. Monitoring in the gallery is implemented with multiviewers from Evertz and displays from Samsung and Sony. All programme material is recorded on 2 6-channel XT3 slow motion servers from EVS. Fibre optic transmission paths with corresponding connectors from Rosenberger Osi are used between camera heads and CCUs. A L1700 wireless camera link from Vislink has been implemented on one of the Sony HDC2500 cameras.

A Lawo mc²66 console takes a central position in the spatially separated sound gallery, 5.1 surround processing is possible through the complete audio system.

Special regard must be given to the air conditioning system. On the one hand cooling must be provided when the outside temperature is 50°C , on the other hand fresh air intake must be sufficiently protected from ingress of sand und dust contamination. A double-layered roof construction offers further protection from heat due to direct sun light, and reduces warming of the interior spaces.

The support vehicle, in addition to storage space, has a working area and a generator which can supply power to the OB-vehicle. Because of this not only is space saved in the vehicle but heat and noise from the generator is kept away from the production areas.

The vehicle was handed over to Al Jazeera at the end of 2015. All engineering and operational training was carried out by MCI in Doha following acceptance.