Enclosures for broadcast
& media technology

Broadcast is becoming IT — the racks grow with it

The switch from SDI to IP-based production (SMPTE ST 2110) turns control rooms, edit suites and playout into a small data centre: more servers, more network, more heat in a confined space. At the same time, the classic requirements remain — signal distribution, patch panels, monitor walls, OB vans. ZPAS supplies the right 19-inch server cabinets and racks for both: usually in black (RAL 9005) for the look of the studio, with perforated doors for the heat load, orderly cable management and monitoring.

And where the signal reaches the antenna — at transmitter masts for DAB+, DVB-T2 and FM — weatherproof outdoor enclosures with climate control and battery space take over, as on the telecommunications page.

Typical applications

Requirements — clearly classified

Norms & standards

Broadcast racks follow the 19-inch standard EN 60297 (or DIN 41494) — the same U grid as in IT, so that servers, signal processors and patch panels fit without adapters. The degree of protection indoors is tested according to EN 60529 (studio usually IP 20, outdoor transmitter site IP 54/55). Where playout and media centres reach the size of a data centre, the planning principles of EN 50600 also apply — airflow, redundancy, access.

The difference from a pure data centre lies in the detail: studio racks are visible and often close to people — hence black instead of light grey, hence the emphasis on quiet cooling and tidy cable routes. All certificates and declarations of conformity can be found in the certificates section.

Which rack for which broadcast task?

Typical project: playout centre on IP

Starting point: a broadcaster is migrating its playout from SDI to IP (ST 2110). A few signal racks become a dense server and network landscape — with noticeably more heat in the same equipment room. The racks stand in view of the control room, so noise and appearance matter.

The solution: SZB IT rows in black with perforated doors, orderly cable management and active climate control; for the densest rows, cold aisle containment so that cold and warm air do not mix. The cooling capacity is sized in advance with the cooling calculator, and monitoring reports temperature and access for each rack.

Why broadcast needs its own racks

A studio is not a server room in the basement. The equipment is visible, often in the same room as people who are concentrating on their work. That shifts the priorities: appearance (black instead of light grey, tidy fronts), noise (quiet fans, cooling without droning) and accessibility (quick repatching during live broadcasts) count as much as load capacity and cooling. ZPAS builds the racks accordingly: black finish, well-thought-out cable management, door opening up to 270° for full access — and the same manufacturing quality as in the data centre.

Planning checklist: racks for broadcast & media technology

These points should be clarified before the tender:

• Location: studio/control room (visible, quiet), equipment room (density, cooling) or outdoor transmitter site (weatherproof) — each has different requirements.
• Heat load: determine the current and target power per rack — the cooling calculator provides the sizing.
• Cable management: separate signal and power paths, plan in reserve — provide cable management panels and vertical ducts.
• Appearance & noise: colour (usually RAL 9005), fronts and quiet cooling for the studio environment.
• Access & security: lockable doors, DSR IT compartments for multiple users, monitoring for temperature and access.
• Documentation: request equipment lists, PDU and declarations of conformity for each rack.

Why ZPAS

Because broadcast technology sits between two worlds — visible like a piece of furniture, as resilient as a data centre. ZPAS builds racks for both: in black and to drawing for the studio, with load capacity, cooling and monitoring for IP production — direct from the factory.