How Sony and Vatican Media revolutionised broadcast technology at the Vatican

In a continued collaboration with Vatican Media, Sony has revealed details about how it has enhanced the broadcasting capabilities of the Vatican while preserving its historic surroundings and reducing the ecological footprint of broadcast equipment within the Vatican.

Formerly known as Centro Televisivo Vaticano, Vatican Media has long been the official platform responsible for transmitting the Vatican's activities, including the Pope's speeches, to a global audience. Sony's latest upgrade was designed to provide viewers with a more immersive viewing experience, and reveal more of the Vatican's rich history.

The project, initiated in 2020, involved a comprehensive overhaul of the Vatican's broadcast system, focusing on implementing a more streamlined fibre network infrastructure. Sony's HDCE-100 adaptor, capable of seamlessly connecting 4k cameras, has played a pivotal role in this transformation. Through single-mode fibre interconnections, multiple locations within Vatican City have been networked, creating a baseband network for transmitting camera signals to the control room.

Crucially, this new infrastructure also minimises its impact on the historic buildings. Compact HDCE-100 units, along with thin optical fibre cables, have been instrumental in reducing the physical footprint of the system, allowing for a more harmonious integration with the Vatican's architectural heritage.

Sony's HDC-5500 cameras, capable of capturing 4k, HD, and HDR images with exceptionally low noise, have replaced older camera models throughout the Vatican. This upgrade ensures that crucial events and ceremonies within the Vatican are captured with best in class image quality, and creative flexibility, thanks to their ability to shoot in very low light.

A technique, connecting two camera heads to a single camera cable, has been adopted to enhance production efficiency and monitor operations using Sony PVM-X series monitors. These cameras are especially adept at capturing the Vatican's atmospheric and low-light settings, contributing to an impactful visual experience.

In a groundbreaking move, Sony BRC-H800 PTZ cameras have also been discreetly installed inside the iconic St. Peter’s Basilica, eliminating the need for on-site camera operators. This allows for more creative and unobtrusive filming from angles not previously accessible, further preserving the historic setting.

An FX9 camera, installed in November 2022 to film St. Peter’s Square around the clock, provides higher image quality and a cinematic feel.
Francesco Masci, Director of the Technology Department at the Vatican, praised Sony's innovative solutions, stating that they have constructed a high-quality, future-proof system that will bring the Vatican closer to viewers worldwide while respecting its historical context.

“Building such a complex system while in-keeping with the historic location was never going to be an easy task, but by using the expertise of our long-term partners Sony we were able to find the perfect solution,” he says.

Norbert Paquet, Head of Live Production Solutions at Sony Professional Europe, highlighted the partnership's importance in achieving scalable and reliable broadcasting with minimal impact on the Vatican's environment.

“We look forward to continuing to work closely with Vatican Media as a technology partner,” says Paquet, “helping them to expand in crescendo the potential of broadcasting from this historic place with such a valuable heritage to always reach every corner of the world."’