Rockstar Show Services: Video Production Connectivity that Always Works
In the world of video production, connectivity has become increasingly indispensable. Whether it’s video-over-IP, on-set communications, or network-controlled lighting systems, any loss of connectivity can halt production.
Enter Rockstar Show Services. As experts in managing networks for live video production, Rockstar’s clients trust them to provide reliable, high-capacity connections anywhere it’s needed. And those connections truly can be needed anywhere, from events broadcasting from urban areas to on-location film sets far from civilization.
“If I have a very important streaming requirement and need to get video over IP to the outside world—it could be a movie production, a major awards show, a product announcement, whatever—I need to make absolute sure that my internet can’t go down,” said Rockstar founder and CEO Tony Wolken. “It’s now a utility—a need to have, not a nice to have.”
Success Factors
Uninterrupted connectivity
Solution must provide uninterrupted and jitter-free audio and video streams.
High-capacity networking
Solution must simultaneously support multiple connectivity applications including on-set communications and closed equipment networks.
Ease of deployment
Production staff must be able to set up the solution without training in network administration.
Technologies Utilized
A range of Peplink and Pepwave devices, including:
Provide Unbreakable Connectivity.
Partner with FrontierUS and Peplink.
The Unbreakable Internet Core
Traditionally, connectivity was provided via truck-mounted satellite dishes. Impressive as these satellite trucks may look, though, they represent outdated technology. Worse, they can be expensive to run, requiring that broadcasters pay to reserve time on dedicated satellites.
With satellite trucks falling out of favor, Rockstar introduced the Unbreakable Internet Core. A mobile solution available for rental or purchase, it provides everything a production team needs to establish and maintain their mission-critical connectivity. At only 4-8 rack units in size, it can be deployed anywhere—even parking is no longer an issue.
The Unbreakable Internet Core is powered by Peplink and Pepwave devices, and for good reason. The ability to incorporate multiple WAN connections into a single tunnel keeps Rockstar’s clients assured that their network will continue delivering the connectivity they need, no matter what. Thanks to cellular connectivity, this is even true in locations that initially have no internet available, like more remote film sets. Rockstar resells multiple cellular providers to make getting up and running even easier.
With the introduction of 5G and its promise of next-generation cellular performance, Peplink’s comprehensive line of 5G-ready devices has become a major value-add, as well. Recent versions of the Unbreakable Internet Core have incorporated Peplink’s Balance SDX Pro, an enterprise-grade SD-WAN router able to use Peplink’s FlexModules to add additional connections as-needed; Rockstar’s clients favor the dual-5G FlexModule. Plus, the ability of Peplink’s 5G devices to connect to LTE networks provides clients with additional peace of mind. “If 5G isn’t available on-location, the device will connect to whatever the best available connection is,” said Wolken.
In addition to their power and reliability, Peplink’s products are unmatched for ease of deployment. That ease is important as Rockstar’s clients employ highly trained crew members who are experts in production, but are not likely to be network engineers. “Ease of deployment has been a pleasant surprise with the Peplink product line. I can get a production person up and running on Pepwave gear faster than on anyone else’s,” said Wolken. “For a very technically advanced product, deployment is very simple and easy to understand.”
Unlimited Possibilities
Rockstar’s and their clients’ use of the Peplink and Pepwave devices isn’t limited to the Unbreakable Internet Core. They also have a large rental fleet that includes Pepwave MAX Transits; MAX HD2s; and Balance 310s, 310 5Gs, and 310Xs. With Peplink’s fully-integrated ecosystem, having these devices available enables innovative functions like remote involvement from off-site producers and other specialists.
“A producer might be contributing to a set from their home, where their internet service might not be very good,” said Wolken. “We can give them a kit that includes an on-site Unbreakable Internet Core, then sent a person doing production, or running a virtual green room, or managing set design a MAX HD2 or Transit connected to their own camera system. The addition of the cellular WAN stabilizes and normalizes their home connection so they can get their job done.”
Learn more about Rockstar Show Services at INeedARockstar.com.
Want to talk to someone about Peplink solutions or partnership opportunities?
Fill out the contact form below and a member of the FrontierUS team will reach out to you promptly.