Zest4.tv's managing director, Simon Roe, looks at the ways in which compact OB Vans are the epitome of efficiency, proving that size does not limit their power when it comes to live coverage
By Contributor
Published: September 29, 2023
Zest4.tv's managing director, Simon Roe, looks at the ways in which compact OB Vans are the epitome of efficiency, proving that size does not limit their power when it comes to live coverage
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Compact OB vans are the unsung heroes of the production world. These small but mighty vehicles are revolutionising how we bring live events to audiences around the globe. With their advanced technology and versatility, they offer a seamless experience for both event organisers and viewers alike. Zest4.tv's compact OB vans have become an essential tool for delivering high-quality live events. Whether it's festivals, sports matches, concerts, studio projects or even royal engagements, these agile vehicles are perfect for capturing all the action.
At Zest4.tv we film live events, outside broadcasts, live streams and corporate productions. We're located in Sunbury-on-Thames, where we currently house two OB vans. The first truck, named OB1, is constructed on a sturdy 7.2T IVECO Daily chassis and can house up to 10 camera control units with a vision mixer capable of 40 inputs. OB1 also boasts three distinct seated galleries, with 4 seats dedicated to production, 2 allocated for engineering, and another seat for sound.
The compact OBMini is atop a nimble 3.5T Mercedes Sprinter chassis, can house 8 cameras and also has a vision mixer capable of 40 inputs. This mobile unit has 4 production seats and 2 engineering seats in the rear.
OB1 at the Cannes Film Festival Compact OB vans have proven to be incredibly convenient while operating in Central London, as they can easily fit outside most venues. We successfully stationed ourselves outside KOKO Camden for a corporate event, the Kentish Town Forum for a YungBlud concert, and even managed to squeeze into a narrow space on the side of the road during the Cannes Film Festival in France. The tightest space we've squeezed into was at the back of the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury music festival - anything a metre longer would not have fitted.
Smaller vehicles produce less emissions than larger trucks. Their use in an OB fleet aligns with a company's commitment to use more sustainable practices in broadcast production - for example in larger productions that want to be accredited as an albert+ sustainable production.
The use of smaller vehicles does not affect the ability to provide full production facilities (vision mixing, engineering, audio mix, EVS and graphics) or as an on-site engineering facility for remote productions (where the remote gallery is at a third party location or at our bespoke MCR in Sunbury-On-Thames, for example).
Small vehicles can also be combined to provide an increasingly powerful solution. Both OB1 and OBMini house ERECA Stage Racer 2 units. Two single-mode fibres allow 24 video, 32 audio, data and GPI signals to be transferred between vehicles as if they were a single, larger, truck.
Behind the scenes at Glastonbury 2022 OB1 and OBMini can also serve as an additional facility for larger events or OBs, for example as a truck for Pres (Presenter) coverage or combining feeds from multiple sources for a specific broadcast. For example, at the Glastonbury Festival in 2022, OB1 had 19 cameras on the mixer for the live IMAG screens during the Paul McCartney Pyramid Stage headline set. This combined a mixture of in-truck cameras, and external OB cameras from the separate BBC OB and artist cameras.
Smaller vans are frequently employed as a more cost-effective option compared to their counterparts. Cameras, graphics, audio and comms can be added bespoke to requirements and budget.
With our vans and expert engineers at the ready, we can easily deploy our compact OB vans at a moment's notice. We've worked on countless productions where we've stepped in at the last minute and pulled together resources to make it happen.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
20/08/2026
Multiview available via SaaS for streaming platforms and operators through broadpeak.io, with live demonstrations at IBC2026
Broadpeak , a leader in streaming ...
20/08/2026
Techex, a leading provider of live broadcast infrastructure solutions, has appointed Stuart Almond as Chief Revenue Officer, further strengthening its executive...
20/08/2026
Avid today announced that MediaCity Studios has upgraded its production infrastructure with an enhanced end-to-end Avid production ecosystem, including the dep...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
IPC Expands Brazilian Presence with New Channel Partner CCATech
Industry veterans Carlos Abrah o and Bruno Lopes strengthen local support and expand IPCs prese...
20/08/2026
Zixi Enters Mauritius Market Through Strategic Deployment with MTC Jockey Club
Worlds Oldest Horse Racing Club in the Southern Hemisphere Selects Zixis Softwar...
20/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research assistant professor Tiantian Liu has received a five-year NIAID DP2 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Di...
20/08/2026
Audiences reveal appetite for multicultural Australia on-screen 20 August 2026
Dr Georgie McClean, Dr Rebecca Huntley (L-R)
By Dr Georgie McClean and Dr Rebec...
20/08/2026
How Mavis Studio Is Expanding Live Production Teaching at Sussex
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image displays a student about to mix be...
20/08/2026
Vertical Unscripted Series Legal Queens Captured with Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Reality TV veteran Eric Gardner create...
20/08/2026
It's a new way into the cloud.
GeForce NOW welcomes Firefox support to the cloud, opening up another way to jump into high-performance PC gaming straight ...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
Zest4.tv's managing director, Simon Roe, looks at the ways in which compact OB Vans are the epitome of efficiency, proving that size does not limit their power when it comes to live coverage
