GECs
Czech TV plugs into the future with LiveU powered IP OB revolution
MUMBAI: When live TV goes off script, Czech Television has decided its OB vans should be the last things to drop the signal. In a sweeping tech overhaul that puts IP at the heart of its broadcast muscle, the national public broadcaster has rolled out one of Europe’s largest LiveU-powered live production deployments, turning 10 Outside Broadcast vans into fully connected, mobile studios capable of exchanging live feeds across cities.
For decades, Czech TV depended on satellite links and landlines reliable but costly, inflexible, and, increasingly, outpaced by modern live-production demands. Now equipped with LiveU’s LU810 fixed encoders and servers, each OB van gains bonded IP connectivity, enabling seamless live contribution, return video feeds, and inter-van connectivity, a capability rare at this scale in Europe.
What makes this project stand out is its multi-point connectivity architecture. The OB vans can now talk not only to the master control room (MCR) in Prague, but to each other swapping feeds on the fly from football pitches, ice hockey arenas, or even triathlon routes, wherever they are deployed. For lower-tier sports, breaking news and sprawling multi-location coverage, this creates a flexible, decentralised production grid.
“This project represents a major step forward for Czech Television,” said Czech TV head of the OB department Antonin Svach, noting that bonded IP frees them from the constraints of “costly satellite and not available landlines.” With the upgraded fleet, he added, the broadcaster can deliver live coverage of “any sport, at every level” with instant connectivity and fluid control-room routing.
LiveU, already a long-standing partner for Czech TV’s field newsgathering units, now becomes embedded deeper into the broadcaster’s production DNA. “Czech TV has achieved a new level of production agility,” said LiveU regional sales director Dariusz Grudzień calling the transformation “truly unique in size and scale.”
The project was engineered and implemented alongside Smart Informatics, which supported the workflow redesign from the 2023 proof-of-concept through to full deployment. “We worked side by side with Czech TV to create a future-ready solution,” said Tomas Vesely, noting the hybrid IP-first production model is built to adapt to virtually any scenario.
With this upgrade, Czech Television is signalling a clear shift: the future of broadcasting is mobile, IP-driven and unshackled from traditional infrastructure. And thanks to its new IP-powered OB fleet, that future is already rolling on the roads of the Czech Republic antenna down, signal rock-solid.
GECs
Samsung TV Plus launches Kings of Comedy channel
New free FAST channel brings iconic Hindi comedy shows to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners.
MUMBAI: Samsung TV Plus has just turned up the laughter volume and it’s completely free. The leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service in India has launched Kings of Comedy, a premium comedy channel featuring some of the country’s most beloved primetime shows. Available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus, the channel delivers back-to-back hits including Comedy Nights with Kapil, Khatra Khatra Khatra, and Comedy Nights Bachao, with no login or subscription required.
The launch marks a milestone for free streaming in India, offering audiences a dedicated comedy destination directly from their Samsung TV home screen. It arrives as Samsung TV Plus India celebrates its 5th anniversary, during which the service has grown its monthly active users by 42 per cent and more than doubled its total viewing hours. The platform now offers over 180 free channels across 14 languages.
Samsung TV Plus India general manager and head of business development Kunal Mehta said, “Comedy is the heartbeat of Hindi entertainment, and Kings of Comedy brings together the shows Indians already love, completely free on their Samsung TV. Our focus remains the same take the content people know and make it effortless to access.”
Globally, Samsung TV Plus has surpassed 100 million monthly active users across more than 4,500 channels, solidifying its position as one of the world’s leading free streaming services.
Kings of Comedy is now available on all compatible Samsung Smart TVs. For viewers seeking non-stop laughter without any cost, this new channel delivers a royal treat proving that sometimes the best entertainment really does come with no strings (or subscriptions) attached.
