Austrian OB broadcast specialist Miko Event & Rental has installed a Studer Vista 1 mixing console in a newly configured OB van, providing the hub of a fully redundant system.

Joining a a fleet of trucks that provide outside broadcast services – mainly for Austrian public service broadcaster ORF and the Red Bull Media House – the new MF11D 15-ton Ü-Wagen has been designed around video and internet broadcasting, and high-quality radio programming. The sound infrastructure can also support live recording (up to 7.1). Originally built by Krämer in Germany it was rebuilt by Miko to handle these video broadcasts.

According to Michael Kogler, who founded Miko in 1991: ‘Although the truck was built for a total weight of 15 tons, we reduced it to 12 tons to give us fewer limitations – leaving around 1.5 tons available for other equipment.

‘Our previous console weighed 600kg and required 2.1kW of power [as well as its own conditioning circuit]. The Vista 1, run in conjunction with our existing Studer Madi Compact Stagebox, is substantially more economical on weight and power draw – and it doesn’t need an air conditioning circuit. So we can drop the electric power consumption from three-phase 400V-32A to 16A.

‘But best of all in Austria the climate is only extremely warm in July and August, so we only need to circulate fresh air; it means we can drop the electric power consumption again to a single phase 230V-16A – this is really amazing for such a truck.’

Along with the 3.5-ton Ü-Wagen, Miko can now offer image handling and allow third video production companies to rent space and install their own equipment. Kogler adds that it also provides technicians with a more enjoyable experience when handling events ranging from Ski Alpine to live music events and other high-profile TV shows for ORF.

‘Having an all-in-one package such as Vista 1 means that this compact control platform can be used as a standalone system outside the truck – for example at classical and musical sound reinforcement events – and also places where the ÜW cannot go, such as high up in the mountains or on a ship,’ he continued,’ he says. ‘We really like the Vista’s compact form factor, its ease of use and the excellent sound quality and we are now looking forward to adding the Vista FX option.’

The existing C Madi Compact Stagebox SB, with 48 mic/line inputs and 16 line outs, is linked via two Neutrik DuoCon Extreme 150m fibre-optic cables.

The MF11D Mainframe saw first service on an ORF and RAI Bolzano worship transmission, and subsequently on the first live ski transfer from St Anton in the Arlberg region was tackled successfully with Pilger Film-und Videoproduktion from Innsbruck renting the van.

Kogler confirms that the Miko technicians are satisfied that the Vista 1 meets all their technical requirements, while the OB-van itself conforms to the ARD SWR and VBG BGI -811 standards for Ü-Wagens.