Solid Video Excels at ASEAN Summit

Solid Video Corporation, Philippines.

photo of delegates at the ASEAN Summit
How we did it
The Challenge

To set up an International Media Centre for the 31st ASEAN Summit and Dialogue Partners in Manila, Philippines.

The Outcome

Seamless integration and operational flexibility for visiting TV crew and journalists.

The Solution

Deploy a wide range of Sony products including system cameras, XDCAM™ camcorders, switchers, professional monitors and projector.

It’s no secret that many of the world’s best news organisations use Sony products and technology. By equipping the IMC with Sony, many of the TV stations simply relied on our feeds provided directly to their booths. There was no need for them to deploy additional production crew.

Nestor Baloro
Head of Marketing and Engineering, Solid Video Corporation

One Shot at Choosing Equipment

Setting up an International Media Centre, be it for a mega sports event or a regional summit is akin to building from scratch a fully functional TV station. The only difference is, it is often a race against time and you only have one shot at choosing the right broadcast equipment.

Two weeks was all Solid Video had to transform 9,000 sq. m. at the World Trade Center in Manila into an International Media Centre for the 31st ASEAN Summit. The 6-day event which was held in November 2017 featured over 20 world leaders.

Established in 1984, Solid Video is no stranger to being thrust in the spotlight. Part of the Solid Group, it began its journey as a small department handling broadcast equipment sales and rentals. Through the years it has transformed itself to become a leader in providing project management and turnkey broadcast solutions to a wide range of clients including TV stations, production houses, churches and independent producers. It also supported various agencies of the Philippines government to set up important regional events including the ASEAN Summit in 2006 and the APEC Summit in 2015.

image of delegates in a studio control room
Image of Sony Shoulder Camcorder

The Gold Standard for IMCs

Solid Video’s impeccable set up of the IMC at the 2015 APEC Summit set the gold standard for IMCs in the country.

For the 31st ASEAN Summit, Solid Video made World Trade Center a hub for local and international journalists covering the summit’s various events which were held at the WTC as well as other venues across the city. The IMC included 100 broadcast booths, 60 media rooms, a master control room, a 2,000-seat main briefing room, 3 large LED walls and booking centres for interviews and live video feeds.

Solid Video pulled out all the stops to equip the IMC with a full suite of advanced Sony equipment ranging from HD system cameras, remote studio cameras, XDCAM™ camcorders, multi format switchers, mobile recorders, 3LCD projectors and more.

Why Sony

Says Nestor Baloro, Head of Marketing and Engineering at Solid Video Corporation: “It’s no secret that many of the world’s best news organisations use Sony products and technology. By equipping the IMC with Sony, many of the TV stations simply relied on our feeds provided directly to their booths. There was no need for them to deploy additional production crew.”

Another point highlighted by Baloro on Sony’s selection for the summit was its wide range of equipment. Adds Baloro: “Sony allowed us to choose the right product for the right task. For instance the main briefing room was equipped with a 4-cam set-up utilizing the PXW-X400 in a system camera configuration with an MVS-3000A switcher. High security meeting venues meanwhile utilised the versatile compact robotic camera the BRC-H900. To capture heads of state arriving, we deployed the HDC-1700 mounted on our fleet of OB vans. By working closely with Sony, we helped deliver the best of Philippines to the world.”

*Product availability may vary by country.

image of Sony MVS-3000A switcher