Live stream of the HUAWEI Mate 9 product launch on Periscope and YouTube
On Thursday, 3th November 2016, HUAWEI had invited more than 800 international journalists, media representatives, bloggers, influencers and analysts to the exclusive product launch event of the HUAWEI Mate 9 in the Ballhausforum in Unterschleißheim. When HUAWEI CEO Richard Yu came on the scene shortly after 2 pm, in addition to the guests on site also several tens of thousands of viewers worldwide saw it on the social networks Periscope and YouTube.
Already months before there were speculations about the Mate 9 on various forums, on relevant websites and on tech blogs. The announcement of the live stream transmission of the product launch was thus fitting for the HUAWEI fan base and potential buyers. In order to reach as many viewers as possible and to use the possibilities of social media platforms at the same time, the live stream should be transmitted parallel to Periscope and YouTube. Already a few minutes after announcing a live stream link on Twitter, the power of social networks reached its full volume. The links to Periscope and YouTube were immediately shared countless times, re-tweeted as well as incorporated into blogs and websites.
The live stream itself started on Periscope at 1:30 p. m. with a small preliminary report, insights behind the scene of the event and interviews with the arriving journalists and bloggers. Just a few minutes after the start of the live stream, we had several thousand spectators on Periscope. With the start of the YouTube live stream, the audience was already in the high five-digit range. At the end of the two-hour transmission, we exclusively transferred to Periscope impressions from the testing area, interviews with journalists and bloggers with first assessments and the first live un-boxing of the HUAWEI Mate 9.
BMK.TV realized live recording and live broadcasting
The technical realization of the live recording with four HD cameras and a worldwide live transmission was in the hands of BMK.TV. The request for a service provider for a multi-camera HD production, mobile production switcher, satellite uplink and Periscope live stream reached us only a week before the event. Thanks to our many years of professional experience, our own and immediately available equipment and personnel capacities on the day of the event, we were able to accept this request. The complete equipment consisted of, among other things, 4 HD cameras, HD image mixing technology, mobile KA-Sat satellite system, HD wireless camera connection, Intercom system, HDSDI and fibre optics. Together with our 6-member crew we arrived one day before the live show at the venue and we set up the equipment.
We built the complete production switcher in the FOH area with a direct view on the stage. From the production switcher we laid HD-SDI cables to the individual cameras, to the HD radio receiver for the mobile camera and took over the sound signal from the press service of the service provider for tone and sound equipment. We equipped fixed cameras with standard objectives and telescope objectives, the mobile camera got a super wide -angle objective. Since the mobile camera was additionally used for interviews among the presenter and journalists and bloggers, a LED flashlight and microphone for interviews were added to this camera.
Live stream to Periscope and YouTube via satellite uplink
From our HD live production switcher, we transferred the HDSDI PGM signal with embedded sound over two 300m fibre-optic cables to our transporter outside serving as an OB van. The PGM program signal was distributed via an HDSDI crossbar to two encoders that encoded the video signal for Periscope and YouTube. The transmission of the encoded signal to Periscope and YouTube took place via our mobile satellite uplink with a bandwidth of 6 Mbit/s. Therefore we had booked the broadcasting time at Eutelsat for duration of the live transmission in advance in order to have available a guaranteed bandwidth with Quality of Service (QoS). We raised the mobile satellite uplink unit with orientation towards south to ensure a safe and undisturbed transmission.
Experience, professionalism and commitment
At the end of the day there were satisfied faces everywhere: both journalists and customers enthusiastic about the Mate 9, the live stream ran smoothly and without interruptions, the number of viewers on Periscope and YouTube was far higher than expected and the entire event received a positive feedback in social networks. And for us again it was the confirmation that thanks to our experience, professionalism and commitment of our entire team; another order could be completed successfully.
