ZDF, Germany Chooses Apantac KVM over IP Solutions for Remote Production of World Cup

Apantac, manufacturer of multiviewers, video walls, extension and signal processing solutions announces today that ZDF chose the company’s KVM over IP solutions for its remote production of the 2022 World Cup Soccer Games.

ZDF, a German public service television broadcaster produced and showed the World Cup live in Germany on free-to-air television. The games production will be handled remotely at the National Broadcasting Center (NBC) located at ZDF in Mainz, rather than on-site in Qatar.

IP technology and its adoption within the Broadcast environment has been a game changer for KVM technology as it brings significant advantages in terms of architecture flexibility and capabilities over traditional approaches. For this project, MPE (“mobile production unit” founded and driven by ARD and ZDF) purchased more than one hundred and fifty KVM over IP transmitters (Tx) and receivers (Rx) (models: KVM-IP-Tx-PL/KVM-IP-Rx-P) and “free flow” software licenses from Apantac, via Broadcast Solutions Produkte und Service, Apantac’s representative in Germany.

MPE chose the Apantac KVM over IP Extender/Receiver solutions so that its technical team can extend and switch video signals, keyboard and mouse functions, as well as embedded and analog audio signals over IP. With this solution, operators can access all their computers and servers on the network from any display, keyboard and mouse consoles. The receivers allow scaling of the incoming video to match the resolution of the computer console monitor, regardless of the source computer resolution. The “free flow” licenses allow operators to control up to four consoles from a single keyboard and mouse by simply moving the mouse pointer across the different displays.

In addition, a KVM over IP Transmitter Firmware has been specially designed for this project. This Firmware adds an extra 3840x1080 EDID to the Tx module, which addresses MPE’s need to display two computers (top and bottom) on a single 16:9 UHD monitor.

Broadcast Solutions Produkte und Service, Apantac’s partner in Germany played an instrumental pre-sales and support role for this project. “When we showed ZDF the flexibility, scalability and functional capabilities of Apantac’s KVM over IP solution, it made sense to them and their operations,” comments Jens Hoppe, Head of Support for Broadcast Solutions.

“Apantac ’s KVM over IP solution offers us a KVM matrix with a scalable architecture without requiring a centralized configuration server,” comments Patrick Jung, chief operator in the NBC. “They are simple to install thanks to the magnetic base of the Tx and Rx modules, and straightforward to use.“

More information about Apantac KVM over IP products can be found here: https://www.apantac.com/products?category=kvm-over-ip

ZDF-World-Cup3 MPE NBC Control Room – World Cup. Using Apantac KVM over IP Solutions to control computers and servers from a single console – display, mouse and keyboard.

ZDF-World-Cup2 __Apantac KVM over IP Hardware with Magnetic Base make it straightforward to install __

About ZDF ZDF (Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen) is Germany’s national public television. It is run as an independent non-profit corporation under the authority of the Länder, the sixteen states that constitute the Federal Republic of Germany. The nationwide channel ZDF has been broadcasting since 1st April 1963 and remains one of the country’s leading sources of information. More information at: https://www.zdf.de : Facts and figures about ZDF - ZDFmediathek

About Broadcast Solutions Produkte und Service Being one of Europe’s biggest system integrators and comprising a group of companies acting worldwide, Broadcast Solutions stands for innovation and engineering “Made in Germany”. With subsidiaries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East the group plans, implements and realises projects and offers its services in all broadcast and content related areas – globally. Working as a hardware independent system integrator Broadcast Solutions offers its customers tailor-made solutions – from idea to implementation and beyond. The subsidiary Broadcast Solutions Produkte und Service acts as the DACH sales, reseller and integration branch of the company and in this function is the representative for high-class and innovative brands and products. More information at: https://broadcast-solutions.de/en/broadcast-technology/

About Apantac LLC Apantac LLC is a leading designer and developer of high quality and cost effective multiviewers, video walls, matrices, extenders, openGear solutions and signal processing equipment. The Apantac product line has been specifically designed to provide users with flexible and innovative technology solutions for the broadcast and ProAV industries.

Apantac was founded in 2008 and is a privately held company with its headquarters located in Portland, Oregon, USA.

For more information about Apantac’s products & services please visit: www.apantac.com.