Michael C. Payne is the CEO of Vislink, Inc. Michael has over 25 years of experience in the wireless video communications industry. Positions held during his tenure at MRC included Chief Technology Officer, Vice President of Marketing & Business Development and Director of Engineering. Michael holds a U.S. Patent for: Methods and Apparatus for Transmitting Analog and Digital Information Signals.

MilsatMagazine (MSM)
Vislink has been in the video contribution business for more than 50 years, beginning with analog microwave radios and now expanding into end-to-end video solutions for broadcast, government, law enforcement, military, and emergency services worldwide. To what do you attribute the company’s longevity and success?

Michael Payne
Vislink is committed to providing solutions that have value to our customers on the day they are delivered, and retain that value over the life of the product. We leverage the strength of our combined brands to offer integrated solutions for the most challenging video contribution applications. 

Vislink’s development team has been able to consistently introduce innovative wireless communications solutions that enhance our customers’ video workflows. Our management team is infused in the marketplace to stay in tune with technological trends and drive those into our development roadmap. 

Our engineering team is a world-class grouping of top talent, who are able to actualize these ideas, from development, through rigorous testing, to final product. Our expertise includes analog video, digital video, Internet Protocol,

RF microwave, and satellite technologies. Finally, our customer service team works tirelessly to deliver world-class service around the globe.

MSM
How is Vislink addressing the needs of the military and law enforcement markets?

Michael Payne
We realize that military and law enforcement markets also require reliable, go-anywhere communications and video equipment. Field personnel need to be able to rely on communications with command authorities in the field and in tactical situations, and live go-anywhere transmissions allow for action made decisions based on real-time information. With this in mind, we developed a product portfolio with enhanced portability and increased durability in extreme environments, whether it be the summit of Mount Everest or the dust and heat of the Middle East. 

For example, our updated Motorized MSAT satellite terminal provides communication links quicker and easier than ever before. This can make all the difference in surveillance scenarios, and enables disparate teams of military personnel to stay connected whatever the situation. (Please see the product sidebar on the following page.)

The new MSAT was designed to accommodate the extreme conditions faced by law enforcement and military personnel, yet still be light-weight and simple enough for rapid deployment and one-man operations in a variety of scenarios.

We currently have more than 100 units throughout the world, including the Middle East, Caribbean and United Kingdom.

MSM
What is Vislink V-Net and what is its significance to the marketplace?

Michael Payne
Vislink V-Net is a streamlined solution that integrates mobile, fixed and covert intelligence assets into a seamless flow of information. V-Net allows emergency response professionals to provide the highest possible level of crisis management by combining critical real-time video from a variety of deployed assets.

V–Net provides the complete wide area surveillance picture by collecting imagery from multiple locations such as police and fire assets (i.e., aircraft, watercraft, UAV, and so on), then distributing it via an Internet Protocol (IP) network to first responders, command staff, and EOC personnel at multiple locations. The encrypted video may be received by computers, tablets, and smart phones anywhere on the network.

V-Net integrates microwave, IP, 4G LTE, MESH, and satellite uplink networks providing an optimized solution. V-Net is Vislink’s end-to-end surveillance solution with products ranging from miniature covert transmitters to sophisticated satellite terminals designed for the transmission of IP, video, audio, and data. V-Net represents the next step in video intelligence collection technology.

Vislink has a number of unique features we developed to provide our customers with cutting-edge technology for their mission critical applications.

RangeMaster is an exclusive Vislink feature that maximizes the video transmission range and allows video signals to reach four times farther than COFDM/DVB-T transmission. On a high-speed chase, RangeMaster will enable you to downlink images over greater distances than a system without RangeMaster. 

DoubleVision supports the transmission of two simultaneous video feeds from a single transmitter. DoubleVision allows you to simultaneously downlink two video sources and associated imagery from a moving map, hoist camera, cabin camera, or any other video source monitoring vital mission information. 

FadeFighter Technology is an exclusive and unique Vislink feature that greatly reduces video break-up in dense metro area environments from fast-moving aircraft or ground-based vehicles. Momentary loss, or freezing of the video image, is common in metro environments when transmitting from moving platforms. FadeFighter works to minimize this effect.

MSM
Looking towards 2014, what is Vislink’s vision?

Michael Payne
Vislink is focused on growing its relationship with military and law enforcement agencies worldwide by developing interoperable solutions in support of interagency sharing and cooperation of mission critical real-time video. Vislink is the only secure communications manufacturer to offer integrated solutions that include satellite, microwave and cellular technologies.

We look to drive the next generation of Satellite Newsgathering (SNG), Electronic Newsgathering (ENG), and Cellular Newsgathering (CNG), and as a result, our current solutions portfolio and roadmap is rooted in multi-mode platforms addressing the broadcast and surveillance markets. http://www.vislink.com/

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The New Motorised MSAT

This offering is a rugged, portable satellite data terminal that uses one-button auto acquire for operation in various environments.

Vislink’s rugged product is resistant to extreme environmental conditions and can operate within any environment, anywhere in the world.

Following the successful launch of the military-spec Mantis MSAT last year, the new Motorised MSAT adds the option of a 120cm reflector. 

The terminal also provides improved data throughput rates of up to 10Mbps—this makes the MSAT the ideal system for surveillance missions in challenging or hostile environments.

With simultaneous three-axis motorization and one-button auto acquire, the MSAT terminal offers full support for two-way video, voice and data communications, and is designed for rapid deployment as well as one-man operation in a variety of scenarios.

Despite these additional features, the Motorised MSAT still weighs less than 25kgs.

Stephen Rudd, CEO of Vislink International Ltd., said, “The Motorised MSAT was developed in response to growing demand from military personnel for an automated version of our successful Mantis MSAT product. The new MSAT meets the same high-bandwidth connectivity requirements as the original unit, but now that it’s automated the MSAT can provide a communications link quicker and easier than ever before. This can make all the difference in surveillance scenarios, and can enable disparate teams of military personnel to stay connected whatever the situation.”

The Motorised MSAT is a full tri-band optioned system that can support X-, Ka- and Ku-band configurations. It is capable of delivering high-definition video and data from anywhere in the world and the feeds can be swapped in the field, building on the flexibility and portability that customers have come to expect from the MSAT range.

MSAT meets the MIL 810F & DEF-STAN military specifications for shock, vibration, sand and rain and is provided as a ‘one box’ solution incorporating antenna, modem and all electronics.

A high performance parabolic antenna is coupled, according to customer requirements, with interchangeable modem and encoder options. The terminal is available to operate in X-, Ka- and Ku-bands.