Gigawave HD Logo

News Stories and Events
from around the world:

July 2006
On Your Marks, Get Set, Go!
Damax Double at Ascari Summer Festival
HD Link Presses the BBC's 'Red Button'
A Steep Learning Curve for Damax Ascari

Archived News Stories 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006

Archived News Stories 2005
 Jan - Dec 2005

Archived News Stories 2004
 Jan - Dec 2004

Archived News Stories 2003
Jan - Dec 2003

Archived News Stories 2002
Jan - Dec 2002
On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!
 Once again the D-Cam has been selected by the host broadcaster for its live coverage of the European Swimming Championships. This year the Championships are being held in Budapest, Hungary.
With only three weeks to go to the start of the competition, Gigawave's Hungarian Agent, Studiotech, received an order from the Hungarian State Broadcaster, MTV, for the supply of three D-Cam 'Dockable' wireless camera systems, complete with camera control.

In previous European Swimming Championships, D-Cam wireless camera systems have clearly demonstrated their performance and reliability. However, the big advantage of using wireless camera systems over triax cameras is one of safety, especially on the poolside.
As part of their commitment to Studiotech and MTV, Gigawave flew one of their Customer Service Engineers out to Hungary to assist with the setting up of the equipment at Magarita Island in Budapest. Whilst there, the engineer also provided MTV engineers with operational training.

For their live coverage of the European Swimming Championships, MTV are using two D-Cam wireless camera systems for the swimming, and one for the diving. All three systems are operating in 64QAM, and MTV are delighted with the results

Budapest, Hungary - July 2006
Factory Training for TRK Links Engineers
Engineers from Television Ukraine (TRK) and Broadcast Solutions recently attended a course at the Gigawave Technical Centre to provide them with training on the D-Cam wireless camera system.
TRK specified the D-Cam wireless camera system when inviting companies to tender for the supply of a new OB truck to be based in Donetsk, Ukraine. The contract, which included two 'Low Delay' D-Cam Systems with Diversity Control Units and Camera Control was won by a German company, Broadcast Solutions.

This brings to eight the number of D-Cams and D-Cam 'Clip-on' systems being used in the Ukraine. Other broadcasters using D-Cam systems include Ukraine's first private channel 'Studio 1+1' who operate both D-Cam 'Dockable' and 'Clip-on' systems.

In addition to three ENG News Vans equipped with D-Cam 'Clip-on' Systems, Studio 1+1 have an OB truck equipped with a MTV-D transmitter. Signals from the OB truck are received by a central receiver system on the TV tower in Kiev.

The system supplied to TRK is of interest in that it consists of two D-Cam 'Clip-on' transmitters, two 'Diversity' Receivers, two RF Heads, and two Receivers.This allows the production team to use two wireless camera systems in non-diversity mode or one camera in full diversity mode.

The two receive antennas are normally mounted on the roof of the OB truck. However, each antenna can be de-rigged and deployed up to 100 metres from the truck. This offers both flexibility and optimal operational performance.

The factory-based training, which was attended by levgen Stepanenko (TRK), Wladislaw Grabowski (Broadcast Solutions, Germany),  Alexander Marinichev (Broadcast Solutions Moscow Agent),. included 'Digital Theory', 'D-Cam Operation and Maintenance'.

Donetsk, Ukraine - July 2006
Damax Double at Ascari Summer Festival
Damax entered Ascari KZ-1R cars finished first and third, in class, in both British GT Championship races at Snetterton. The races formed part of what was appropriately named the 'Ascari Summer Festival'
Car #45 driven by Aaron Scott and Richard Turvey won the race one despite an early collision with a Lotus Sport Exige. At one stage it had looked like it would be a one - two for the Damax cars. However, Rob Barff suffered a collision with a back marker which broke the front suspension.

In race two the Damax Ascari cars dominated the race from the start. Rob Barff in car #90 made the initial running, but there was little to separate the two cars. In the end Aaron Scott found a way into the lead as the cars started to lap the slower cars.
When Scott handed over to Richard Turvey at the pit stop, his co-driver confidently increased their lead to 17 seconds over the Aston Martin in second place. Third place went to Richard Stanton who brought the second Damax Ascari home to make it a double podium for Damax.

Damax were using the Ascari sponsored event as a shakedown for the third round of the FIA GT3 European Championship, which is a support event for the Proximus 24 Hour race at Spa at the end of July.
Not to miss out on an opportunity to test their digital on-board camera system under race conditions, Gigawave engineers were again on hand. On this occasion, a spare system was installed on a Barwell Motorsport entered Aston Martin DBRS9.

Snetterton Circuit, England - July 2006
HD Link Presses the BBC's 'Red Button'
Gigawave has loaned BBC Outside Broadcasts (part of BBC Resources Limited) a MVL-D2 digital wide-band link as part of the UK host broadcaster's live coverage of this year's Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon.
The Gigawave 7GHz link, suitable for HD transmission, is in service carrying a multiplex of six services for the BBC’s Interactive Service. The total throughput on the link is 50Mbit/s.

The Interactive Service allows viewers using the BBC’s DDT, Satellite or cable services to access alternative tennis matches and scores, in addition to the matches on BBC ONE and BBC TWO. By pressing the 'Red Button' on the remote control, viewers enter BBCi's Wimbledon interactive service and can choose between play from five courts using the up and down keys.

The Gigawave 7GHz link is set up between the Wimbledon venue and the Crystal Palace OB receiving site. The ASI signal is then passed to Television Centre via a permanent fibre optic circuit.

All England Tennis Club, Wimbledon, England - July 2006
A Steep Learning Curve for Damax Ascari
FIA GT3 Championship - Oschersleben (Race #1)
Hopes of there being two Ascari cars on the front row of the grid for race one were dashed when a loose connector resulted in car #45 starting from the back of the grid, leaving car #46 alongside a Dodge Viper on Row #1.
Despite superhuman efforts by the Damax Team mechanics they were unable to resolve the misfire that prevented Aaron Scott and co-driver, Richard Stanton, from joining team mates Nick Adams and Andy Thompson on the front row of the grid. The problem was later traced to a loose connector, which meant that the car was firing on only six of eight cylinders.

Prior to the race, many drivers had predicted carnage on the tight Oschersleben track. They were right. Few cars finished the race without damage thanks to a combination of bad driving and the difficulty drivers had in terms of overtaking. The problem was compounded by oil on the track.
 
One such patch of oil caught out driver Stuart Turvey in car #47. He spun off into the gravel trap only to be Hit in the side moments later by a Lamborghini Gallardo. Despite extensive damage to both cars, Stuart Turvey was able to drive the car back to the pit lane. After inspecting the car, Team Manager, Robin Ward, withdrew the car from the race, for safety reasons.

Commenting after the race, the driver of the Lamborghini was amazed that Stuart Turvey was able to drive the car back to the pits, such was the force of the impact. Although driveable, the damage to the carbon fibre body/chassis was more than the Damax Ascari Team mechanics could repair on site, which meant that the car had to be retired from the second race of the weekend.

Meanwhile Richard Stanton and Aaron Scott were battling their way up the field of 42 cars when suddenly on lap #13 Aaron Scott was forced to retire after the car's electrical system failed. This left just car #46 in the race, and with Andy Thompson at the wheel following the mandatory pit stop he managed to make his way up the field to finish sixth overall.
Race #1 was not a good race for the team mechanics, most of whom worked late into the night to prepare the cars for the second race of the weekend, at 1200 Sunday morning. However, it was a great race for the spectators and for those fortunate enough to view the race coverage on Oschersleben's closed circuit television system.

Parked in the TV compound was Gigawave's own truck where Gigawave engineers were feeding live images from all three cars direct into the host broadcasters OB truck. Intercut into the race coverage were some sensational on-board camera images from the three Ascari KZ-1R cars. These images, particularly those from car #45 before it retired, emphasised exactly what it was like for the drivers out on the track

One person who was impressed by the images was SRO Chairman, Stephane Ratel. He stopped by the Damax Ascari box on Sunday morning to congratulate the two gigawave engineers, Ashley Jackson and Fenton Yeulett on their efforts, which he felt had greatly enhanced the television coverage of the race.

FIA GT3 Championship - Oschersleben (Race #2)
The retirement of car #47 following an incident in Saturday's action packed race robbed the Damax Ascari Team of their place on the second row of the grid for race #2 of the weekend.
An electrical problem during qualifying also resulted in car #45 starting from the back of the grid. This left Nick Adams and co-driver, Andy Thompson on the ninth row with the best chances of a podium place for the Damax Ascari Team at Oschersleben.

The race started well with both cars making their way up the field of thirty-nine cars. However, a problem with the gear change lever forced car #46 to retire after only eleven laps.

According to the driver, Andy Thompson, the gear change started to feel 'wobbly' early in the race and before long came away in his hand. Although he could not change gear, Andy managed to get the car back to the pits where Damax Ascari mechanics desperately tried to replace the broken gear stick. Not a difficult job in a workshop but virtually impossible in the pit lane.
Working his way up from the back of the grid, driver, Aaron Scott almost collapsed with heat exhaustion from the high temperatures when he handed over to co-driver, Richard Stanton during the mandatory pit stop at the half-way stage of the race. However, he soon recovered and was quickly out on the pit lane wall watching the progress of Richard Stanton, who at one stage had worked his way up to sixth place.

Sadly car #45 ended the race in 21st position after spinning off with just ten minutes left of the race. Overtaking on the tight three and a half kilometres long is is notoriously difficult thanks to the fact that a good driver can make a GT3 car very wide!

As much as Team Manager, Robin Ward, was looking forward to a podium place in both races at Oschersleben, he had to satisfy himself with Andy Thompson setting the fastest lap in Sunday's race. his attitude was philosophical.

"This weekend has been beset with problems, but we have some talented drivers. The fact that we can set the fastest lap and can work our way up from the back of the grid to sixth place proves that the Ascari KZ-1R has the potential to win, and there are still six more races this season!

The last six months have been a steep learning curve for the Damax Team, Ascari and our sponsors, all who have been tremendously supportive. One of our sponsors, Mark Cammack, even rolled his sleeves up and helped Damax mechanics replace the gearbox into car #45 this morning."
 
As part of their ongoing testing programme, Gigawave engineers again fed live on-board camera images from both Ascari cars to the host broadcaster's OB truck. Although the race was not broadcast live, it was shown live on the circuit's closed circuit system and in the Press Centre, where it generated a lot of complimentary comments.

The next round of the FIA GT3 European Championship is at the Spa-Francorchamps Circuit in Belgium, in a months time. However, the Gigawave sponsored Ascari KZ-1R will be racing in the British GT Championship at Snetterton on 15/16 July.

Oschersleben Circuit , Germany - July 2006

More News
To return to the Gigawave 'Home' Page, click on the: