Working with event communication and networking firm Barrett Evolution, Australian integrator and contractor, the P.A. People,, extended its networking capability to include HD-SDI video and MADI over IP in support of the Australia Day celebrations.

The P.A. People provided HD-SDI and MADI audio transport using four Lawo V__remote4 IP video processors and an extensive 10G Brocade IP network to distribute pictures and audio between Event Vision control, the Broadcast facility at the Sydney Opera House, and many cameras and LED screens.

Singers on a floating barge some 120m from the shore performed to music generated by an on-stage orchestra, and then pictures were relayed back to the shore for broadcast. The only link to the barge was a dedicated weighted fibre cable which carried the video and audio signals between the broadcast van near the Sydney Opera House, the IMAG switching location and the barge.

The Lawo product was connected to a temporary 10G network backbone based on The P.A. People inventory of Ruckus (formerly Brocade) network switches, dedicated single and multimode fibre and a number of wireless links. “The network and the Lawo product performed flawlessly,” said Paul Barrett, principal of Barrett Evolution and technical director for the project.  “Being IP-based, the system provided by The P.A. People was able to allow creative freedom that would not have been possible with any other system.”

Chris Dodds, managing director of The P.A. People, said: “We have a long-term and unique relationship with a number of our key suppliers including ClearCom and Motorola. We are excited to add Lawo to our roster of trusted suppliers and to be able to extend our commitment to IP as the transport of choice for all our communications systems with the V_remote4 product.”