Czech TV Implements Landmark LiveU OB Project in Central Europe

10 OB vans upgraded with LiveU’s rackmount encoders for high-quality and cost-effective on-site and remote productions

Czech Television, the national public broadcaster, has deployed one of the largest LiveU live production projects in the region for live sports and news coverage, using LiveU’s on-site production solution. The project, designed and implemented with LiveU’s partner Smart Informatics, equips 10 Outside Broadcast (OB) vans with LiveU’s bonded IP technology, enabling Czech TV to achieve flexible, cost-effective, and future-proof live production workflows.

Until now, Czech TV relied heavily on satellite and landlines to power its OB fleet. This project introduces LiveU’s LU810 fixed encoders and servers into the vans, ensuring reliable bi-directional IP connectivity for live contribution and return feeds. The deployment is unique in Europe because of its inter-van interconnectivity at scale, allowing OB vans not only to connect to central facilities but also to interchange live feeds with each other across different locations. With the OB vans serving as mobile studios, multiple channels can be sent instantly to the master control room (MCR), and signals sent back as a video return. The setup is used for both the production of lower tier sports games and news stories around bigger international events.

“This project represents a major step forward for Czech Television, underscoring our commitment to innovation. Leveraging LiveU’s IP contribution technology, we can modernize our fleet – no longer bound by the limitations of costly satellite and not available landlines. We can provide live coverage for any sport, at every level – whether it’s football, ice hockey, or a triathlon, our OB vans can now connect anywhere, instantly, and exchange feeds between each other and with our master control room in Prague.” said Antonin Svach, Head of OB department, Czech TV.

“LiveU has been a trusted global newsgathering partner for years with their portable field units; this deployment shows the confidence we have in the reliability of their solutions for live sports as well”, Svach continued.

“With the deployment of bonded IP connectivity, Czech TV has achieved a new level of production agility, transforming its OB fleet into a fully connected, mobile studio ecosystem capable of going live remotely from anywhere” said Dariusz Grudzień, Regional Sales Director, LiveU. “This project demonstrates both the trust Czech TV has placed in LiveU and the flexibility of our technology to integrate into traditional OB workflows. It’s truly unique in terms of size and scale for our region.”

Antonin Svach, Czech TV added, “Moving slowly away from a satellite and landlines-only models was essential for us. This new hybrid setup, delivered with Smart Informatics, makes our OB fleet future ready. With bonded IP connectivity at the heart of our workflow, we can adapt to any production requirement, from small competitions to national broadcasts.”

Smart Informatics, the local systems partner, supported Czech TV in designing, integrating, and delivering the complex workflow. “From the proof-of-concept in 2023 to today’s full rollout, we worked side by side with Czech TV to create a future-ready solution,” said Tomas Vesely, Smart Informatics. “The reliability and flexibility of LiveU’s technology ensures Czech TV and other customers can adapt to any production scenario.”