Live Sports - From Remote Mountain Slopes to International Television: How DropIn-TV Broadcasted the 2024 LAAX Open
Overview
Overview
High in the Swiss Alps at an altitude of 2263m, the 2024 LAAX Open took place at Crap Sogn Gion — where 300 of the world's best freestyle snowboarders converged for a 6-day spectacle of skill, adrenaline, and sheer audacity. This highly anticipated event requires a seamless live broadcast that captures every twist and turn in real-time, delivering an immersive experience to viewers around the globe.
For 9 consecutive years, media production company DropIn-TV has been responsible for the broadcast of the LAAX Open. Their task is to create high-quality live video content that captures the excitement and energy of the competition for their worldwide audience. The complexity of this task is compounded by the physical size of the slopeside parcours.
‶The collaboration with Teradek
has
massively accelerated the
efficiency
and speed in the
production of videos
and
various
assets. We were able to
deliver
content faster while
maintaining
the same quality.”
‶The collaboration with Teradek
has
massively accelerated the
efficiency
and speed in the
production of videos
and
various
assets. We were able to
deliver
content faster while
maintaining
the same quality.”
Manuel, Durst
CEO of DropIn-TV
High altitudes pose a unique challenge for the live video demands of
this event. Photo courtesy of DropIn-TV.
High altitudes pose a unique challenge for the live video demands of
this event. Photo courtesy of DropIn-TV.
Challenge: Robust Video
at Altitude
Challenge: Robust Video
at Altitude
The action was directed from the top of the mountain while the post production team was stationed in the valley at the bottom. With such a large physical gap between the teams, synchronization and real-time access to the live content would be key.
Even before the team at DropIn-TV scaled the mountain, they knew there was a need for post production to have real-time, high quality video from the top in order to get edits out fast enough for social and broadcast interstitials.
The crew were expected to capture dynamic, action-packed shots of the athletes. Photo courtesy of DropIn-TV.
The crew were expected to capture dynamic, action-packed shots of the athletes. Photo courtesy of DropIn-TV.
Dynamic Content to
Capture and Broadcast
Dynamic Content to
Capture and Broadcast
Some of the production elements that DropIn-TV needed to create were:
- Roundtables: talkshow-style segments that provided viewers with insight into the event with discussions on the competitors and analyses of their performances, broadcasted live on Instagram and YouTube.
- Daily highlight reels: features of the most impressive stunts and interviews with the athletes, organizers, and other key figures throughout the event.
- Live broadcasts during the qualification, semi-finals, and finals: allowing audiences at home to follow each stage of the competition in real-time.
The DropIn-TV crew connected Ranger transmitters to cameras placed along the slopes. Photo
courtesy of DropIn-TV.
The DropIn-TV crew connected Ranger transmitters to cameras placed along the slopes. Photo
courtesy of DropIn-TV.
The event also required a method to transmit feeds from fixed cameras stationed along the slopes down to the valley. These feeds were crucial for providing a variety of camera angles in the live streams, enhancing the overall viewing experience.
Solution: Wearable Broadcast
Packs for Mobility with
Increased Connectivity
Solution: Wearable Broadcast
Packs for Mobility with
Increased Connectivity
The camera crews were equipped with RED® Epic-W 8K, RED® Gemini 5K, Sony FX6 4K, and Sony FX3 4K cameras. Capturing high-action shots of the athletes on the slopes required quick maneuverability and constant focus on the action. To solve these issues on the slopes, each camera operator was given a Prism Mobile Backpack, outfitted with the latest Prism Mobile 5G units.
The ergonomic backpack design ensured that the ENG crews remained highly mobile, as it was essential to stay nimble in the challenging terrain while following the movements of the athletes.
The Teradek Backpack contained the new Prism Mobile 5G and Node Modems, photo courtesy
of DropIn-TV.
The Teradek Backpack contained the new Prism Mobile 5G and Node Modems, photo courtesy
of DropIn-TV.
Extreme Streaming Connectivity with
5G Bonded Cellular
Extreme Streaming Connectivity with
5G Bonded Cellular
To ensure the backpacks maintained a solid connection, across the varied terrain of Crap Sogn Gion, each backpack contained a Prism Mobile 5G and two Node 5G modems. These devices bonded across three cellular carriers using Teradek Data SIM cards: Teradek’s flexible multi-carrier data plans.
The Teradek Data SIM cards were provisioned for Vodafone, O2, and T-Mobile, offering DropIn-TV a robust and reliable connection.
The video was delivered simultaneously to two platforms:
- Teradek Core, a cloud platform, where the live video was re-routed to:
- Core Share - a low-latency monitoring app for stakeholder viewing and real-time collaboration. This allowed decision makers to remain synced with other creative members, giving them the ability to direct and comment for real-time feedback.
- YouTube, Vimeo, and Instagram for direct audience consumption.
- Tricaster TC2 via SRT for video switching purposes. The mixed signal was sent back to Teradek Core, via Prism Rack encoders and then distributed to the TV stations via RTMP or SRT streams. Additionally, clipped video content could be downloaded simultaneously in Frame.io.
- Adobe’s Frame.io platform - Teradek’s native bonded file upload integration is available on all Prism models. The encoders used multiple modems at a time to expedite the upload of video assets to the post production team.
Live Post Production Edits Using Camera-to-Cloud
Live Post Production Edits Using Camera-to-Cloud
Using Adobe’s Frame.io, the post production crews stationed in the valley gained real-time access to recordings, eliminating the need to wait for physical delivery of files. This instant access allowed the post production process to begin immediately upon capturing footage, leveraging proxy files for editing content intended for distribution across television and social media channels.
‶By using Camera to Cloud
production,
we were able to
provide viewers with
insights
and different perspectives of the
event much faster than in the
past, when
transporting the
recorded material to the
valley
was necessary.”
‶By using Camera to Cloud
production,
we were able to
provide viewers with
insights
and different perspectives of the
event much faster than in the
past, when
transporting the
recorded material to the
valley
was necessary.”
Manuel, Durst
CEO of DropIn-TV
The post production team, located in the Crap Sogn Gion valley.
Photo courtesy of DropIn-TV.
The post production team, located in the Crap Sogn Gion valley.
Photo courtesy of DropIn-TV.
These recorded clips, including slow-motion and replay sequences, were distributed via Teradek Core to their respective destinations, providing an easy workflow for the post production team to turn around edits quickly.
Live Zero-Delay Wireless Transmission with Ranger
Live Zero-Delay Wireless Transmission with Ranger
High-quality, zero-delay wireless video feeds were essential for supervising and directing across the entirety of the slopes. The Teradek Ranger utilizes 6GHz U-NII-5 bands to operate within 500 MHz of uncongested RF bandwidth. Video feeds through Ranger were transmitted with no perceivable interference or delay, allowing for real-time direction and supervision despite the concentration of wireless devices on the slopes.
Ranger provided interference-free zero-delay wireless video
monitoring. Photo courtesy of DropIn-TV.
Ranger provided interference-free zero-delay wireless video
monitoring. Photo courtesy of DropIn-TV.
Outcome: A Completely Wireless, Efficient, and Cost-Effective Setup
Outcome: A Completely Wireless, Efficient, and Cost-Effective Setup
The vast expanse of the event required the DropIn-TV crew to stay untethered and agile. Prism Mobile and Ranger both ensured that the camera operators could have a flexible, on-the-go shooting experience. This approach not only enhanced the ergonomics of the production but also resulted in significant time and cost savings by eliminating the need for extensive wiring across the slopes.
A Reliable Connection Regardless
of Altitude
A Reliable Connection Regardless
of Altitude
The Prism Mobile’s cellular bonding capabilities provided the strong and reliable connection that ensured all video streams were seamlessly sent to the cloud. The Teradek Data SIMs inside the Prisms harnessed the cellular services across Vodafone, O2, and T-Mobile—providing triple the coverage and redundancy and ensured uninterrupted streaming.
Expedited Post Production
Expedited Post Production
Prism Mobile’s native integration with Frame.io significantly expedited the post production process. Crews stationed in the valley gained real-time access to recordings, eliminating the delays associated with physical file transfers. This immediate access enabled post production to commence as soon as footage was captured, utilizing proxy files for efficient editing and seamless distribution across television and social media channels in near-real time.
A Well-synchronized Production
A Well-synchronized Production
Despite the distance and altitude differences, Ranger’s rock-solid, zero-delay 6GHz RF transmissions ensured the team remained fully synchronized for full-slope direction and supervision throughout the entire event. Thanks to Teradek Core Share, crew members could stay in sync from anywhere on the slopes using their personal devices. With the ability to monitor up to 9 simultaneous feeds and utilize built-in voice and text chat tools, Core Share enabled real-time collaboration and seamless communication. This setup allowed the entire crew to monitor the exact same situation as it unfolded, without any lag or interference disrupting the wireless video, no matter where they were stationed.
Dynamic and Engaging
Live Broadcasts
Dynamic and Engaging
Live Broadcasts
With over 17,000 viewers, audiences around the world enjoyed an exciting live show that closed the gap between the event and its global fans. Teradek’s wireless and IP video capabilities enabled DropIn-TV to deliver a seamless viewing experience, showcasing every thrilling moment of the competition. This successful broadcast not only highlighted the skill and daring of the athletes but also demonstrated DropIn-TV’s expertise in consistently overcoming technical challenges to deliver unparalleled coverage of the LAAX Open.
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