Delta's DVCS is one of the world´s most advanced control systems and proven turnkey solutions with many cutting-edge features designed specifically for control room visual display systems. DVCS has enabled MARUM to capture, distribute, control and display high-definition video sources during research expeditions with drill rigs MeBo and MeBo200.Video signals from sea floor equipment are transmitted through optical fiber inside main steel cable and then distributed to the control container through an IP network, reliably and cost-effectively with DVCS. Through their close collaboration, Delta has provided the MARUM team with superior service and comprehensive training that has ensured the success of the project.

MARUM, a research faculty of the University of Bremen funded by the DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) focusing on the role of the ocean in the climate system, interactions between geosphere and biosphere, and sedimentation processes at the sea floor.

MARUM develops and operates marine technology like Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and the unique seafloor drill rigs, MeBo and MeBo200. They are deployed worldwide during research expeditions on various research vessels. High quality and low latency video streams from the deep sea and the capture of still images are essential for deep sea drill operations and scientific analysis. MeBo can be deployed in water depths up to 2,000 m and is capable of sampling soft sediments as well as hard rock up to 80 m below the seafloor.

DELTA's DVCS is used for video management and control of customer PAL cameras installed on MeBo. Camera signal and other telemetry are transmitted through optical fiber cable placed in main cable. Operators in control room manage MeBo drilling operations and videos are shown on 2 PCs LCDs in container control room. There are 12 DVCS Video processors connected to PAL cameras and 2 RGB processors connected to PCs as input sources. The DVCS input and output processors are all connected over the LAN / IP network via a network switch with industry standard Ethernet CAT6 cable. This means that analog RGB/Video cable is no longer needed resulting in a much higher reliability. Display set up and window configuration is fully controlled by the DVCS ensuring the MeBo's source content is captured, processed, transmitted, and displayed exactly. The RGB processor ensures the perfect continuity of images across multiple cubes. In addition, the to the 12 DVCS PAL cameras and 2 RGB processors, 2 PCs display processors are used for MeBo videos and a 1 PC display processor is connected to a video recorder.

Robust solution
The first test installation was done on the 24th of April with Delta providing the MARUM team with in-depth instruction and preparation; MARUM operators are well-trained on all operational procedures since they have be independent as MARUM’s expeditions typically take 5 weeks and on-site maintenance help is not possible, just remote assistance. Delta gave operators at MARUM spare power supplies and dongles for any unexpected event during the expedition. The DVCS also provides additional safety and security as the system is never completely shut down in comparison with old traditional PC controllers. The DVCS is a flexible and robust solution that can support 64 input signal sources in one display, 10 RGB/Video signal previews simultaneously, and also allows multiple operators to control a large scale display wall simultaneously. Furthermore, the DVCS server can communicate with more than 10,000 processors. With the DVCS manager, image resolution, text information and window position can be controlled at will. Additionally, the SRIS (Super Resolution Image Software) solution of the DVCS is another highlight as it is designed to handle super-resolution images with high performance even under harsh seawater conditions and can support resolutions up to 102400x7680. All of these advanced features and benefits have provided the MARUM program with high-definition, super-resolution videos and displays that has increased their knowledge of the sea floor that will be useful for future investigations. Based on the success of the DVCS with MeBo, MARUM is interested in purchasing a DVCS system with an LCD wall for a new container.