New Fibre-connected Eclipse-Omega based systems for German Broadcaster NDR to centralise communication and provide expandability across multiple broadcast studios

Clear-Com®, a Vitec Group brand and global leader of trusted intercom systems, announces the completion of a 5 matrix fibre networked intercom system for NDR Germany (Northern Germany’s public radio and TV broadcaster).The system includes a specifically designed Gateway to intelligently link to the existing Schlegel SES system and be installed without any disruption to the live operation of 3 studios and a lines control area.

NDR worked closely with Clear-Com through local agent, Studio-Hamburg MCI, to provide an enhanced replacement of the studio intercom operation and to help pre-install the systems prior to a phased swap out over 8 months.

“Clear-Com was the preferred choice for NDR. Throughout the project MCI and Clear-Com worked closely together to deliver a fibre optic system that met NDR’s needs,” said Martin Koops, MCI. “The Eclipse system, now in operation, has been a great success and NDR are delighted with the outcome,” he added.

The five Clear-Com Eclipse Omega matrices are linked over a 100% redundant fibre system that allows centralised communication lines to be shared by individual studio intercoms. The system is totally non-blocking and has capacity to grow with NDR to over 1300 ports. NDR expect to expand the Eclipse system by the addition of further matrices over the next few years. Currently Clear-Com, NDR and MCI are engaged in the Eclipse installation for the ARD Aktuell area. This work is planned to be completed by the end of June 2007.

The 112 user panels, mainly 4222Es, feature 24 keys each with 10 character displays and individual volume mix controls. The panels also allow supervisors to control and set-up other panel user’s keys and levels on-line without any disruption to the system. The 4222E panels have full soft assignment capability for those users who wish to make rapid changes to their intercom keys or dial out to telephone lines.

The Eclipse-Omega system is controlled through ECS Management software which has both set-up and on-line monitoring in an intuitive graphical package. The ECS system uses sophisticated client and server networking to ensure global system monitoring without sacrificing local system configuration.