Broadcast Solutions Nordic installs the live video system at the Nokia Arena Tampere

The heart of the project that Broadcast Solutions Nordic has just finished in the multipurpose enclosure Nokia Arena of Tampere (Finland) is a control room, from which it is managed, Collects, edits and distributes video and audio signals, both within the facility and to external partners.

Located in the Finnish city of Tampere, Nokia Arena is one of the most modern multipurpose enclosures in northern Europe, with the capacity to 15.000 Spectators, a luxury hotel, an international casino, numerous restaurants and versatile facilities to create a unique event experience.

This installation and its central roof have been designed by the architect Daniel Libeskind and has a very flexible media infrastructure to provide users with the freedom to produce different events with ease.

Broadcast Solutions Nordic, who is part of the group Broadcast Solutions, one of Europe's largest system integrators, has been responsible for developing and implementing a technological solution of live streaming from the beginning. The heart of the project is a main control room to manage, compile, edit and distribute video and audio signals within the venue and to external partners.

The video system controls and feeds all the screens of the enclosure, like the large Led cube, digital whiteboards, the ice rink projector, the digital signage and the channel Arena TV. Thanks to its flexible structure, it also manages external emissions by forwarding signals to the OB van enclosure., to a dedicated fibre link for broadcasters and distribution partners.

In addition, from the control room all incoming and outgoing audio signals from the ice rink are managed, feeding the stadium's public address system, the stage boxes around it and the PAVA system.

As he explains Antti Laurila, Managing Director of Broadcast Solutions Nordic, "I am from the Tampere region and I am very proud to have been involved in such an important project. The live media system we have designed and implemented enriches the visitor experience and provides a surprise effect not seen before in Finland.".

Broadcast Solutions' expertise in the integration of broadcasting systems, together with "our continuous learning and innovations in the latest technologies have been the key to the success of this project," says Laurila.. We participate in the design of the system from the beginning, so all aspects and innovations were taken into account in the solution to meet customer expectations".

Live Streaming Technology

The total amount of signal possibilities offered by the Nokia Arena tampere is impressive, as well as offering enough leeway to add more, which has made this venue one of the most innovative in northern Europe.

Usually, for ice hockey games arrive 32 camera signals. With added graphics and slow camera feeds, all signals are processed using the comprehensive solution of Ross Video, that combines the traditional production control room with that of the Led screens, enabling unmatched creative flexibility and scalability.

The hardware of the DashBoard server by Ross, together with the systems XPression Workflow and Tessera are used for the control of Led screens and room graphics. one Ultrix router de Ross is the backbone of the system for signal management, with video/audio routing, multivisors, audio processing, frame synchronizers, commutation, UHD gear and more, unified in a single system.

In addition, s12G support at all times, supports UHD and adds multiple IP I/O to the production system. The surprise effect that visitors already experience comes from the handling of real-time data and its use during productions., For example, showing video clips and shooting speed on the ice rink projector during the break. All boards and panels are visual Led walls, which gives the team the freedom to display any content that is needed.

As for the daily work with this system, Matthias Palo, audiovisual technician of the Finnish Aku Factory Ltd., points out that "it is very logical to use, graphics functions are seamlessly integrated and native to XPression, so we can make animations directly in the system and not use several tools and convert the graphics from one side to the other. With the control room, transitions from one production to another are effortless: we went from ice hockey productions to concerts quickly without problems".

The audio is based on a system of Dante network, with flexible ways to connect from any instance on the network. Stage boxes and Dante I/O access points are located at different points in the venue, with fiber cables.

A digital mixing console Yamaha QL5 takes care of all audio signals in the control room. For internal and external communications of the system an intercom system is used Riedel Artist of 64 harbours. The general media system handles all types of events flexibly and easily, from ice hockey games to musicals and more.

Officially opened in December 2021, the Nokia Arena in Tampere has hosted since the past 13 from May until the next day 29 the Ice Hockey World Championships 2022, as well as being the new home of two ice hockey clubs: Tampereen Ilves and Tappara.

Other articles on Aku Factory Ltd, Broadcast Solutions, Broadcast Solutions Nordic, Nokia Arena Tampere, Riedel, Ross Video, Yamaha