TV Crews at Soccer World Cup Use Tait to Talk

Media release
For immediate release

TV Crews at Soccer World Cup Use Tait to Talk

Cameras and commentators at most-watched event use Tait radio solution

June 27 2006, Christchurch, New Zealand

As the soccer World Cup reaches a climax and an estimated one billion people watch the final games, Sky Television’s army of cameramen, presenters and commentators are using radio equipment from New Zealand communications company, Tait Electronics, to stay in touch.

From the Outside Broadcast (OB) truck, the director covering each match uses the TB7100 base station to communicate with his in-stadium team. Reports from the tunnel on who is substituted or injured are relayed by radio back to the truck and fed into on-screen graphics. Data sent by radio through the TB7100 direct to/ from the camera can control brightness and colour so the cameramen just have to point and focus.

The TB7100 was installed in the OB truck by The Wireless Works, a London-based Tait dealer owned by Tristian Bickerton. “The TB7100 is the perfect choice for OB applications due to its small size: in these trucks it’s a tight, confined area, so space is at a premium,” said Tristian. “Flexible power options were important too. Having a choice of 12 or 240 volt power sources makes the TB7100 ideal for use on location and onsite.”

NEP Visions, the company that owns the World Cup truck also has a contract with Sky to televise UK premiership soccer games as well as UEFA Cup and other European games. Tristian doesn’t get a huge buzz out of this because he is not much of a soccer fan. However, the TB7100-fitted derig portable systems will also be helping Australia’s Channel 9 and ESPN to cover Wimbledon.

“TB7100s are great because they have easy-to-configure buttons and you can make it do whatever you want it to do,” concludes Tristian. “The Tait equipment is very straightforward to install and set up to suit the customer. This is important for my customers because with broadcast and conferences, everything is ‘I need it tomorrow!’”

Why did Wireless Works choose Tait’s TB7100? “Well the size and power options make this an obvious candidate. And it’s at a really competitive price point. But mainly it just works. Just take it out the box, configure the system and install, and most importantly meet or exceed the customers’ very short delivery schedule!” says Tristian. Doing business with Tait is also working well. “They are attentive and responsive and don’t charge a fortune for a repair! My impression of Tait products? I compare Tait to a Toyota pick-up truck: tough and versatile.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media