Live From Tokyo Olympics: OBS Technical Area Offers Inside Look at How The Games Come Together By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, July 27, 2021 - 9:00 am
Print This Story
One of the highlights of a visit to an Olympics IBC is getting a chance to see the team at work in the technical area. Any time of day there will be at least some activity going on and watching the amount of work being done lower and rise based on the tide of incoming events is always fascinating. Here's a quick tour of this year's facilities:
Tokyo Big Sight, the largest exhibition center in Japan, is home to the IBC and MPC for the Tokyo Olympics.
Contribution, Distribution & Unilateral
One of the areas that always impresses is the contribution, distribution, and unilateral area. But this year, more than ever sees the facility transitioning as it involves an extensive combination of on-premises broadcast and IT components, both physical and virtualized, and fully virtualised systems placed on specially managed public cloud. The OBS technical infrastructure is also based more and more on IP technologies, taking full advantage of the flexibility and increased reliability that can be engineered based on virtualized and cloud-centric architectures.
https://www.sportsvideo.org/new/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/contribution2.mp4
The contribution, distribution, and unilateral area brings everything together from the venues and beyond. The efforts are the basis for a production that sees OBS broadcast all outputs in UHD, combined with HDR and immersive audio from the 42 Olympic competition venues (only the production for the seven outside Tennis courts will remain in HD).
All RHBs will receive the international signal in HD, based on the host city's HD standards. For Tokyo, the SMPTE 292 standard is used for the production of the 1080i/59.94 HD-SDI signal. OBS will follow the 59.94 Hz specification. UHD takers will receive the international signal in UHD HDR, with 5.1.4 audio configuration. The UHD production will adhere to the SMPTE 2036-1 standard and follow the 59.94 Hz specification. The HDR standard will be Hybrid-Log Gamma (HLG) with WCG (Wider Colour Gamut) following the BT-2100-2 and BT.2020 ITU standards, respectively.
As per the Rights Agreements and relevant IOC technical manuals, the ITVR signals are produced and delivered in High Definition at the aspect ratio of 16:9 with discrete 5.1 surround sound, as well as in stereo sound for television and in stereo for radio.
While accomplishing the above obligation for all RHBs, OBS will also produce Ultra High Definition (UHD) - also referred to as 4K UHDTV - coverage of all sports, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and the beauty cameras of the Olympic Games. The full live 4K coverage of the Olympic Games comes also with the adoption of HDR (High Dynamic Range).
The UHD coverage is an exact copy of the OBS coverage in HD, since it is derived from the same cameras and follows the same direction sequences with HD.
Audio
OBS is capturing the sounds of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics through an immersive 5.1.4 audio configuration that enables viewers to have a more realistic audio experience, with sound appearing to come from every direction - even from above.
OBS has expanded upon 5.1 surround sound by adding an overhead, and thus third dimension with the addition of four hanging ceiling microphones with heights that will be adjustable. Two new microphones were specifically designed for this immersive sound production. In total, OBS will use 3,600 microphones (28 different models). Three immersive audio quality control rooms will support the venue production and guarantee quality consistency across all sports.
The CDU hosts four audio monitoring rooms, including two that are fully equipped to monitor surround sound in 5.1.4 and two others which may be used for ongoing monitoring of any issue that risks tying up the main rooms for an extended period.
The operators work closely with Contribution operators in CDU while performing the daily line-up procedures of the Multilaterals from the venues. They also continually monitor the surround sound quality for all Multilaterals and other sources during competition.
Commentary Switching Center
https://www.sportsvideo.org/new/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/commentary.mp4
The global audience for the games means they are broadcast in a vast number of languages which, in turn, makes the commentary switching center as crucial as it gets. Multilateral and unilateral commentary and coordination audio circuits from the venues and the IBC are routed through the Commentary Switching Center (CSC). The testing, monitoring and troubleshooting of these signals is the responsibility of the CSC, in cooperation with the Commentary Control Room (CCR) at the venues. All commentary and coordination signals from Games-time bookable facilities in the IBC and the venues also pass through the Transmission Centre before being delivered to the RHB areas.
For the commentary and coordination audio, the same fully redundant contribution network used for the data and video feeds, is used to provide an end-to-end transport and establish full-duplex communication between the competition venues and the IBC. OBS provides, installs and operates all required equipment (commentary units, network transmission and switching/routing equipment, digital-analogue panels, network management, etc.) The service is supported at the venue from the Commentary Control Room (CCR), and in the Commentary Switching Centre (CSC) in the IBC. At the venues, all RHB commentary and coordination circuit extensions from the RHB unilateral positions (compound, mixed zone, announce and camera platforms) will be connected to/via the CCR by OBS. All RHB ordered and confirmed bi-directional audio circuits between venues and the IBC will terminate at the OBS/RH
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
26/11/2025
As high-stakes Premier League fixtures approach and additional premium content launches, with MONO positioning themselves to dominate Thailand's sports stre...
26/11/2025
Hosting a wide variety of events from high-intensity NHL games to complex live music concerts and major entertainment productions, Montreal's 21,000 capacit...
26/11/2025
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, a...
26/11/2025
ITN Productions, an award-winning factual content producer, today launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins. Responsible for delivering a leading...
26/11/2025
Ikegami reports ongoing advances throughout 2025 in developing and delivering coordinated television production solutions that maximize quality, versatility and...
26/11/2025
Following the Nov. 21 blackout of NBCUniversal channels on Fubo, the two sides have traded barbs about their inability to reach a new carriage deal....
26/11/2025
LONDON As TV sports rights become increasingly important for both broadcasters and streamers, Ampere Analysis predicts global investment in the genre will surpa...
26/11/2025
LOS ANGELES Vubiquity said it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Media & Entertainment Competency as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN). This designa...
26/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau said it has entered into a consent decree with Comcast calling for the cable company t...
26/11/2025
Berklee Named to the Hollywood Reporters Top Music Schools List The publication highlights the college's screen scoring program, industry partnerships, and ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Animated Series Love Through a Prism' Casts New Light on ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
NALIP Unveils Fifth Cohort of Director Incubator
Social Impact
26 November 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
The National Assoc...
26/11/2025
YouView Achieves Greenly Gold Certification for SustainabilityNov 26, 2025
YouView is proud to announce a Gold Certification award from Greenly for our perform...
Live From Tokyo Olympics: OBS Technical Area Offers Inside Look at How The Games Come Together By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director 
