TV Tools

Royal Caribbean Quantum class luxury cruise ships

TV Tools has designed and implemented broadcast systems for 17 Royal Caribbean International (RCI) luxury cruise ships over the past 21 years. These 17 cruisers have been built at STX’s Turku and Helsinki shipyards and Meyer Werft’s shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.

RCI selected the German Meyer Werft shipyard to build the latest Quantum-class ship. Although shipbuilding moved to Germany, the Finnish TV Tools continued to deliver their broadcast systems. A total of five Quantum class ships were built between 2013 and 2021:

  • 2014 Quantum of the Seas 
  • 2015 Anthem of the Seas 
  • 2016 Ovation of the Seas
  • 2019 Spectrum of the Seas
  • 2021 Odyssey of the Seas

The first cruiser of the new generation is called Quantum of the Seas. The ship’s entire broadcast technology has been redesigned compared to previous ships. The technology was designed entirely to HD level and the entire video and audio signaling has been implemented on a new platform. The core of the system is a whopping 30-node Riedel MediorNet signal routing system. It combines all technologies related to the ship’s broadcast and forms a huge matrix that routes video, audio, ethernet, RS control, command and GPI signals.

Equally flexible signaling hasn’t previously been seen in ship broadcast systems. In addition, the savings in cabling weight, cost and workload are very significant. Only fiber optic cable is routed between different broadcast systems. The longest cable runs are over 300 meters, which, as HD grade copper cabling, would require more active equipment.

Royal Caribbean Quantum.

22 Panasonic remote-controlled HD cameras were installed in different areas of the cruiser. They can record performances in a variety of spaces, such as broadway musicals at a 1200 seat theater, rock club concerts, or flying dancers at the panorama theater. The 270 degree glass walls of the Panorama Theater turn into projection surfaces 40 meters wide and four meters high in the evening, which serve as the background for the performances.

The intercom system for the ship’s Broadcast and Entertainment areas is Riedel’s. The broadcast center has a Riedel Artist intercom matrix and a wireless system base station. Each area also has its own Riedel Performer partyline system. All intercom systems are connected together via Riedel MediorNet, which provides almost limitless possibilities for intercom routing.

Royal Caribbean Quantum.

Royal Caribbean Quantum.

The broadcast center can control all the ship’s broadcast systems. The L-S-B’s Virtual Studio Manager (VSM) system controls all Riedel devices, Evertz matrix, multi-split, and signal processing devices and AJA Ki Pro Rack recorders. In addition, VSM controls projectors and screens in different areas.

The ship’s Broadcast Center can do two productions at the same time. The mixed program is displayed on stage projectors and screens, stored or delivered to encoders that transmit it to one of the ship’s 55 IPTV channels.

Royal Caribbean Quantum.

TV Tools was responsible for the design, implementation and maintenance of Broadcast systems. The systems were first built at TV Tools’ previous head office in Lauttasaari, Helsinki. Also the factory testing were implemented before the system were delivered to the shipyard in Paperburg, Germany. At the shipyard, TV Tools did the final installations, testing, training, and commissioning before Quantum of the Seas left to the Caribbean.

The new generation monitoring system Mon Tool, developed by TV Tools, assists in the maintenance. Mon Tool monitors all of the systems in real-time from Finland. Maintenance is mainly done remotely from Finland, but if necessary, TV Tools personnel travels to maintenance visits to the Caribbean.

In this project

Riedel
Riedel
Evertz
Evertz
AJA
AJA

Get in touch!

Sales & Customer Relations
Mikko Kujala

Mikko Kujala

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

+358 40 180 5555

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