SVG Sit-Down: Riedel Communications' Joyce Bente on Supplying Remote Audio Necessities The company's Bolero wireless intercom system has played a vital role By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor
Wednesday, July 22, 2020 - 1:00 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
Since COVID-19 flipped the sports-video community upside down, teams and organizations have looked for new ways to create and distribute content to their fanbase. With staffers working from home, maintaining internal communication on various projects or productions became a constant hurdle. SVG spoke with Joyce Bente, president, Americas, Riedel Communications, to discuss how the company is helping clients stay on the same page throughout the pandemic.
Riedel Communications' Joyce Bente: We're looking into ways to facilitate remote productions and to allow companies to reopen while keeping their workplace and employees safe.
What challenges come along with working in a remote setting?
Luckily, well before this started, we started using Microsoft Teams. It wasn't immediately adopted well within in the group, but now we are constantly doing everything through that platform: all of our meetings and trainings with customers, our own internal training, and mostly [collaborating] with our colleagues since most of us are working remotely. In some cases, it has actually increased our collaboration within the group as well as with our customers, given the ability to share projects, designs, and ideas through the platform. This has made access to each other and our customers way easier and more streamlined.
The one difficult thing has been doing demos and POCs [proof of concepts], but we have found some innovative ways for doing these with online racks and theater, allowing us to bring our customers into the interface online. Obviously, virtual demos don't really replace a live product demo, where the customer can touch and feel the product, but, at least, it gives them something that comes close.
What are the current projects that the company is involved in? How have some been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?
Live projects - sports, theaters, etc. - are definitely being affected, but there are still many that are going through, which have included some last-minute design changes to facilitate remote operations.
Then there are the projects that have to be finished, such as the NFL Network, which is utilizing our MediorNet IP edge devices and gateways as well as our Artist Digital Matrix and Bolero comms. We've also recently installed MediorNet in the Prudential Center, where we replaced their aging signal and communications infrastructure with our distributed network along with our Intercom backbone. But it certainly hasn't been easy as we've definitely had some challenges finishing up new stadium builds like Allegiant Stadium with the Las Vegas Raiders and the SoFi Stadium with the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, due to some COVID-related issues, but, luckily, much of what we can do can be done remotely.
What solutions are being given to customers to produce content from home? Do you believe that these remote workflows will continue to be leveraged after the pandemic?
We have been working diligently with our customers to come up with some different and new workflows to help them continue with their projects. Remote productions are not a luxury anymore, since it has been a priority since March. We've always had the ability to remote panels over a wide-area-network connection, and we also have virtual control panels for PCs as well as apps for iOS and Android devices.
While everybody is being forced to do at-home workflows, they are still seeing that they can get the job done. It's sometimes with added efficiencies, not only with our audio products but also our main IP video line. With our purchase of Embrionix, we now have a box called the Fusion 6B. This unit can be placed on a camera, and the signal can be sent back to the studio via IP with an SDI 2110 gateway. As you can see, on the video side as well as on the audio side, we have a lot of very good remote solutions.
How has technological progress been maintained despite the current circumstances?
Our R&D initiatives have not slowed down at all, and, in fact, they have actually increased. This company is all about innovation - always has been and always will be - so we're not only looking into ways of improving our current technologies to facilitate these remote productions by addressing issues like improved audio quality and increasing security, but we're also working on some technologies to allow companies to reopen while keeping their workplace and employees safe.
For example, one of our R&D hubs located in New Zealand typically focuses on GPS tracking devices for high-performance water sports, like sailing and kayaking, by designing and creating hardware and software solutions to help coaches and analysts boost their athletes' performances. [It has] developed a new distance-monitoring device called DisTag. DisTag can alert employees when they're not keeping safe distances from each other visually, auditorily, or with haptics.
We also have another R&D hub in Germany, which had already developed a real-time crowd-management system and now [has] incorporated thermal body testing. Instead of having your temperature taken by someone in front of you, you walk up to this scanner, and it reads for body temperature and will display on the screen a green light (go) or red light (stop).
Overall, [founder] Thomas Riedel is a highly creative engineering-driven man. He likes to see innovation, and he definitely likes to keep things moving and shaking. It can be a crazy place to work, but I really love it.
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
04/05/2024
NEW YORK As the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off in May, Nielsen has released an extensive new report diving into their media habits with data sh...
04/05/2024
PHILADELPHIA As National Military Appreciation Month gets underway, Comcast has announced several new initiatives to help veterans, service members, and their f...
04/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled...
04/05/2024
The Broadband Forum has announced major enhancements to key 5G convergence standards that the group said will help advance next-generation applications, improve...
04/05/2024
Spotify Wrapped Campaign Spot Graded With DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Blackmagic Design today announced that Colorist M...
04/05/2024
Three Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions.
...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1
Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
SVG Sit-Down: Riedel Communications' Joyce Bente on Supplying Remote Audio Necessities The company's Bolero wireless intercom system has played a vital role By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor 
