SouthNET and its Wi-Fi service are proud to assist with the live streaming WebCast of HP50K of Coronet ski race. Links:

• WebCast Technology Summary
  Steve Gray
  HP50K WebCast Manager
  HP New Zealand
   
• 01-Aug-02, National Business Review
  HP takes to downhill skiing in wake of merger with Compaq
  Hewlett-Packard managing director Russell Hewitt doesn't beat around the bush. Like the downhill skiers at this year's HP50K race at Coronet Peak in Queenstown, everything he says is fast and to the point.
   
• 06-Aug-02, NZ Herald
  Wireless timing a race-winner
  Organisers of last week's down-hill endurance ski race at Queenstown's Coronet Peak reaped the rewards of having an IT heavyweight as their chief sponsor.
   
• www.hp50k.com
   

WebCast Technology Summary

provided by

Steve Gray
HP50K WebCast Manager
HP New Zealand

Coronet Peak, Queenstown is a ski/board haven but hardly the best location for broadcasting large volumes of video/voice data over the Internet.  In fact, in order to accomplish this feat, HP New Zealand has teamed up with a number of local and international companies – all of whom have donated their time, services and support to help the CureKids charity.

The remote location of the HP50K of Coronet ski race necessitates the use of a wireless network infrastructure.  SouthNet – WiFi (www.southnet.co.nz), a local ISP based out of Invercargill, has installed a number of Wireless Broadband Internet access points in the South Island of New Zealand and more recently a link to the top of Coronet Peak itself.  For our particular purpose, they also made available a significant amount of bandwidth for the traffic required and have installed extra equipment and services where required.

To generate multiple video streams, 2 identical high-spec HP-Compaq Evo D500 PC's have been deployed, running Microsoft Windows Professional 2000 and Windows Media Encoder.  For optimal performance, we have encoded single bit rate streams – 2 different streams per PC, outputting 4 different streams for a variety of modems, ISDN, ADSL, and Broadband (one has also been prepared for IPAQ Pocket PC's).

Each PC has its own Osprey 220 video capture card and software from ViewCast ( www.viewcast.com).  ViewCast have also provided their SimultStream software that enables multiple encoding sessions from the same PC.  This way, we have created 2 separate 34kbps and 84kbps streams on the PC1, while PC2 runs 150kbps and 225kbps streams (exact rates may be altered on the day of the race).  This process allows us the flexibility to always have multiple streams running effectively 100% of the time, while still adjusting them if required.  It also allows us to keep processing power at an acceptable level.  The support crew based in America has been extremely helpful to this effect.

Positive Pictures (TV Production Company based in Wellington) have situated their mobile broadcast van next to the Meadow Chairlift.  They have installed 7 cameras on-site (fixed and roaming) and will be capturing all footage of the 16-hour marathon event.  Action TV, (from Queenstown) are providing additional camera crew throughout the night.

The WebCast-TV Production, led by Johnathon Rutherford and Fergus Milner, will include live action, race updates, pre-race footage, interviews and more, plus live commentary from Steven Lee (captain of the Australian men's team in 2000/2001).  All footage will be put together on-site and a live A/V feed brought straight into both Osprey video capture cards.  The footage will be prepared in such a way as to minimize any extra work required by the Encoding PC's.  Fergus is also acting as the WebCast/Broadcast expert.

All encoded streams are sent off the mountain and picked up by the Prime Streaming Provider, AWACS (www.awacs.co.nz based in Wellington).  Mike Sutton from AWACS has provided excellent technical support to help generate the best combination of streams provided given the bandwidth capabilities possible.  Mike has also generated a special area on the www.awacs.co.nz/hp50k/ web site for this purpose, with multiple links for all streams and additional links to the International Streaming Provider, GIV/Akamai.

GIV (based in Sydney) in conjunction with Akamai (www.akamai.com) are providing the on-streaming capabilities for the event.  Using Akamai's network of international streaming servers allows users anywhere in the world to connect to the video stream from a streaming server closest to them.  GIV/Akamai will also act as the backup streaming provider for contingency purposes.

Prior to sending the Encoding PC's down to Queenstown, they were tested using the help of the technical support team of Iprolink (www.iprolink.com ISP in Auckland). 

Additional services & support have been provided by other members of the HP50K Technical Team including, David Libert (Security), Jason Grant (Networking) and Shaun Fuchs (WebSite Designer).

For additional information on the HP50K WebCast, please contact:

Steve Gray
HP50K WebCast Manager
HP New Zealand

Email: steven.gray@hp.com