Broadcast Audio Guide 2013

BUYER’S GUIDE

THE

A S p e c i a l P r o m o t i o n a l P u b l i c a t i o n F r o m I n t e n t M e d i a

BROADCAST • INTERNET AUDIO • MULTIMEDIA • POST PRODUCTION • RECORDING

I N T E R N AT I O N A L E D I T I O N

In association with:

Broadcast AudioProduced By:

Guide 2013

BBroadcast Audio – An International Buyers Guide 2013 August 2013 3

CONTENTS

> Sales Manager Graham Kirk [email protected]

> Deputy EditorJory [email protected]

> Head of Design & ProductionAdam [email protected]

> Production ExecutiveJason [email protected]

> DesignerJat [email protected]

>>> CONTENTS

>>> MEET THE TEAM

> 4Broadcast Technology

> 6Location Recording List

> 10Trends: Stereo, 5.1 & Live Sport

> 12Foundation in Loudness

> 13Loudness Tools

> 20London 2012: A Year Later

> 22Manufacturers Directory

The contents of this publication are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or in part, whethermechanical or electronic, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publishers. Great care is taken to ensureaccuracy in the preparation of this publication but neither NewBay Media nor the Editor can be held responsible for its contents orany omissions. The views expressed are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Publishers or Editor. The Publishers accept no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, or artwork. © 2013 NewBay Media. All rights reserved.

It’s with great pleasure that we present for thefirst time ever, Broadcast Audio 2013 –an International Buyers Guide dedicated to audio in broadcast.

Alongside extensive listings of gear for a variety of applications you willfind in-depth articles on some of the biggest issues facing anyone working

on audio in broadcast.

Yes, there’s a heavy focus on loudness, as you can’t talk about theindustry without acknowledging the changes it is currently facing due tolegislation such as the US Commercial Advertisement LoudnessMitigation Act (CALM) and the new technical standards recently set inthe UK by the Digital Production Partnership (DPP). Yet beyond thishot topic, we also focus on a varying range of issues facing this ever-changing industry.

Kevin Hilton looks past loudness and focuses on the future ofbroadcast audio, using examples of some recent builds, both traditionalstudios and OB trucks, to see how technological changes such asnetworked connections and digital consoles are changing the waybroadcasters work both in Europe and abroad.

As an ex-BBC producer, Alistair McGhee has years of experiencerecording sound in diverse conditions and locations and runs us throughhis list of must-have gear for the location recordist. Don’t know whichfield mixer will stand up to the most demanding situations? Curiousabout handheld recorders but unsure where to start? Alistair shares hisyears of wisdom and makes your choices that much easier.

We’ve also included everything you need to know about loudness,with expert advice from TC Electronic’s CTO for Broadcast andProduction, Thomas Lund, and extensive information on a number of loudness tools.

If you work in broadcast audio this is a publication tailoredspecifically for you. From loudness to location recording, Broadcast Audio2013 has you covered.

Broadcast Audio 2013 is a project developed by Audio Media - the magazine that focuses on the business of production and productiontechnology for professional creative, operators, technicians, andengineers everywhere.

Jory MacKay, Audio Media

August Issue 2013

AUDIO MEDIA (UK)

Audio Media is published by Intent Media London, 1st Floor, Suncourt House, 18-26 Essex Road, London N1 8LN, England. www.audiomedia.comTelephone: 0207 354 6001

www.nbmedia.com

>ADVERTISER INDEXAdvertiser Page

Calrec 11

Genelec 21

Media Logic 9

Nugen 18

Olympus 17

Orban 24

Riedel 15

Sennheiser 7

Studer 19

TC Electronic 2

Yellowtec 23

AUDIO FOR BROADCAST

Broadcast Boom

NEW STUDIOS and OB trucks usually haveone big design or technological selling pointthat can obscure everything else. In both cases,high-definition pictures with 5.1 surroundsound and digital audio consoles have beenhighlights over the past decade. On aninfrastructure level, 3G is becoming the normbut, particularly in the OB market, this is seenas a means to offer 3D, with 4k for Ultra HDproduction lurking in the background. Forboth, bigger is better as expanding side vehiclesand four-wall spaces are built to accommodatelarger, more intricate programmes.

Behind this are implementations oftechnology that are making installations easierand quicker with, as always, an eye on budgets.This is happening particularly in the audiodepartment, where new approaches to signalrouting and connectivity are being taken toreduce both costs and the amount of rackequipment needed.

BBC Studios and Post Production (BBCS&PP) took this approach for its new soundgalleries at Elstree Studios, where it is basedwhile Television Centre (TVC) is beingredeveloped. The audio area for Studio D atElstree has been enlarged and refurbished,while control rooms have been built for soundstages at nearby Elstree Film Studios (EFS).

A great deal of equipment has beentransferred from TVC, including Studer Vista8 and OnAir 3000 consoles. The installationsin the sound galleries of Studio D and the

George Lucas Stages at EFS are “almostidentical”, according to Danny Popkin, BBCS&PP’s Technical Development Manager.

Instead of an AES router, all studio inputsand outputs are routed through the OnAir3000 using MADI over fibre. SoundSupervisor Andy Tapley explains that this is amove away from connecting the gallery andstudio with copper lines. Five wall boxes havebeen installed for multiple connections.

The sound control room is able toaccommodate up to 240 mic circuits and can be

adjusted to suit individual productionrequirements. “We can take multiple feeds,”Tapley observes. “The days of running singlecables are long gone.” Popkin adds that thisnew approach means there only has to be threeaudio bays in each control area. “These daysthere’s more Cat5 cable than audio cable.”

The continuing growth of Cat5 is confirmedby Wayland Twiston Davies, OB specialist withSony Professional’s systems integrationdivision. “There’s a lot of fibre being usedbecause it’s relatively inexpensive to break out

from. Coachbuilders are used to putting inlarge amounts of cable but these days we’rereducing how much is put in.”

Twiston Davies comments that audio overIP (AoIP) is becoming “more significant”,while another trend is the closer integration ofsound and vision. “We’re particularly seeingRavenna being used to send large chunks ofaudio on low-cost Cat5,” he says. He adds thatanother part of this new approach is theincreased availability and affordability of digitalconsoles over the past five years, to the pointwhere they are the standard for new builds.

“We’ve seen the control surface becomeseparate from the mix engine, which meansI/Os can be separate as well,” he observes. “Anadvantage is that you can have a stage boxnearer the mics and mic amps, giving a bettersignal-to-noise ratio. It also means there is lesswiring to the console itself. What clients areasking for is a lot more I/O than before. In thebigger trucks we’re seeing systems like VSM[virtual studio manager] being used to controlthe various ins and outs.”

The major desk manufacturers haveembraced this methodology, either, in the caseof companies like Stagetec, starting at thematrix end and working backwards to thecontroller; or, as with Calrec Audio, extendingtheir technology from the mixer intonetworking and routing.

Calrec now produces the Hydra2 networkingsystem as well as a range of digital desks.

4 August 2013 Broadcast Audio – An International Buyers Guide 2013

New studio and OB facilities continue to be built, with no sign of economics or market saturationslowing them down. Behind the design, high-tech visual and HD/3D/4K production values, audio isplaying a vital role in making sure everything gets to where it should be, as KEVIN HILTON reports.

“We’re particularly seeingRavenna being used to send

large chunks of audio on low-cost Cat5.”

Wayland Twiston Davies

Calrec 40-fader Artemis Light desksfeature in the control galleries of the three

main studios at BT Sport’s new home

wwww.audiomedia.com August 2013 5

AUDIO FOR BROADCAST

While the company is expanding its exportreach, the UK remains a key market. Recentinstallations include the BT Sport studios,which went on air this month; dock10 studiosat MediaCityUK in Salford; and OBcontractor Telegenic’s 4k truck, T25.

Henry Goodman, Head of Sales andMarketing at Calrec, says they have “beendoing networking as long as anybody”, goingback to its early Alpha digital desk and the firstversion of Hydra. “With Hydra2 we’ve createda router to meet the demands of the market aswe see it,” he says. “That’s being able to handlelarge numbers of channels and give goodbandwidth across networks with low latency.”

As well as multiple signal paths over fewercables, today’s DSP-based networking systemsoffer broadcasters and facilities operators morebecause of the level of computer controlinvolved. Goodman gives the example ofdock10, which, although it was built with theBBC in mind as a primary user, is also acommercial studio centre for general hire. “Thegalleries and studios there are being rented outto different customers,” explains Goodman, “soyou could have the BBC in one gallery andstudio and ITV in another. The last thing youwant is for them to be sharing microphonesand other inputs and equipment.”

To prevent any eavesdropping or feeds goingastray, Hydra2 is based on the principle ofaccess rights, with the network divided andpartitioned to ensure individual technical areasremain separate.

In contrast, the BT Sport studio centre onthe Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park has beendesigned to allow as much crossover as possiblebetween its three channels - BT Sport 1 and 2and ESPN. Calrec 40-fader Artemis Lightdesks feature in the control galleries of thethree studios. These are linked to an ArtemisBeam rack as a routing core to create a Hydra2network. Instead of hiring a conventional ‘four-wall’ studio for presentation, BT Sport decidedto take over part of what had been theInternational Broadcast Centre used during theLondon 2012 Olympics. The result is Studios1 and 2, a 14,000sq ft space claimed to be thebiggest L-shaped studio in the world. Within

this is the mezzanine presentation area, behinda screen that allows the studio’s most strikingvisual feature - a glass floor inset with LEDsthat can be configured to create the pitchmarkings for different sports, includingfootball, rugby and tennis.

“We had the opportunity to create anenvironment that was about being live on airwith more than one channel at a time,” saysJamie Hindhaugh, Chief Operating Officer ofBT Sport. “We want our presenters to be ableto move between the studios and channels.”

This ability to roam extends beyond therecognised on-air areas. To allow this kind offreedom, 16 RF aerial arrays have beeninstalled throughout the centre. “We’ve wiredthe entire building to work with the radio micsand radio cameras,” explains Dan McDonnell,Managing Director of Timeline Television,who managed the design and build of the BTSport production facilities. “You can send aradio camera with a radio mic up to a dressingroom or office and walk through the facilitywithout the RF signals being disturbed.”

The radio mic system is based on 16Wisycom MRK960 dual true diversityreceivers, which give 32 channels of wireless, 24MTP40 belt packs with DPA 460microphones, and eight MTH400 handhelds.In-ear monitoring is critical and this systemcomprises Wisycom’s new MTK952. Four dualmono/stereo transmitters have been installedalong with 24 MPR30 receivers - all suppliedby Raycom, Wisycom’s UK distributor.

The studio spaces, production areas and

post-production suites in the centre weredesigned and built by Studio Schemes, withtechnical installation by Megahertz BroadcastSystems. Greg Hoskin, Managing Director ofMegahertz, comments that the commonapproach to building studio facilities today,once the technical particulars have been set, isto develop the central apparatus area (CAR)and then work outwards. “It’s a building blocksapproach,” he explains. “Once we have theCAR and routing established, the individualrooms can be designed almost in isolation.”

Megahertz works on OB trucks as well asstudios, with an estimated 66 percent of itscontracts outside of the UK. Technical DirectorSteve Burgess observes that installations of allsizes, from big studio centres to small 12-to-16-camera OB vehicles, are not just usingMADI over fibre but are connected to bighybrid routers. “This is giving us and theclients greater ease of installation, with fewercables. Once everything is in MADI they onlyneed to break out when they really have to.”

The next big potential leap forward in theindustry is 4k production for Ultra HD. Thishas triggered debate on both the video andaudio sides as to what technologies will bestsuit the new format. In sound terms, spatialsurround - with sensations of height, depth,width and length - is seen as the right auralpartner to higher resolution pictures.

Whether this will be the NHK prescribed22.2, or variations on Ambisonics or object-based technologies being developed by theBBC and others, remains to be seen.

All studio inputs and outputs in the George Lucas Gallery at Elstree FilmStudios are routed through an OnAir 3000 using MADI over fibre

UK systems integrator C2Shas recently completed afour-studio broadcastcentre in Nairobi, Kenyafeaturing Yamaha LS9consoles and Avid Pro Tools

EMERGING MARKETSAnother emergent territory in terms ofbroadcast technology is Africa. UK systemsintegrator C2S has been active in thecontinent for some time, producing trucksand studios for pan-African pay TV networkM-Net and its sports channel, SuperSport.

Its most recent project was a four studiobroadcast centre in Nairobi, Kenya, whichhad to fulfil the requirements of both dramaproduction and live sports broadcasting, withthe added complication of working in twolanguages: English and Swahili.

The facility features Yamaha LS9 consoles,with Avid Pro Tools for recording andediting. Jonathan Lyth, Systems Manager ofC2S, says that on the OB side, differentconsoles of varying sophistication are useddepending on what the truck will be doing.

“In Nigeria, for example, there is a truckequipped with a Lawo mc256 for 5.1 work,which is available for internationalproductions,” he says. “They also have avehicle with a Yamaha M7. In East Africathe LS9 is the main desk, although there isone with a DM2000.”

LOCATION RECORDING

Location List

LOCATION RECORDING has its well-established names with SQN mixers, Nagrarecorders and Sennheiser microphones beingsome of the most recognisable brands still goingstrong. However, the market is anything butstatic. The application of digital techniques israpidly changing the market’s landscape withFilmtech and Cooper Sound just two of themuch-loved mixer manufacturers no longer inbusiness. First, digital recorders replacedquarter-inch tape on a one-for-one basis (outwith the Nagra, in with the DAT) but the moveto hard disk and now USB and/or card-basedsystems has lifted the two channel limit andportable multi-tracks are the order of the day.

I’ve just reviewed the Roland R-88 (seeAudio Media August 2013, page 40), whichbrings eight-track recording with time codeunder the two-grand mark. In professionallocation recording terms that’s very, veryaffordable. Of course, if you want the full rangeof pro features then Sound Devices’ 788T andZaxcom’s range of Diva and Fusion recorderswill fit the bill albeit at a higher price.

RECORDERSFor those working with a bag over theshoulder, the Sound Devices 788 has beenmassively popular, and with add-on fader packslike the CL-8 and CL-9, it is a system that hasflexibility and power. For those working on carttops, the Zaxcom Deva has revolutionisedworkflows on TV and film sets around theworld. And neither Sound Devices norZaxcom are standing still. Sound Devicesreplaced their industry standard 442 mixer withthe 552 mixer/recorder adding a fifth channeland the ability to make a stereo recording builtright in. And in short order the 552 had abigger brother the 664. Here SD really hasblown the bloody doors off – six mic inputs,four output busses, 10 record tracks (that’s allsix inputs and all four outputs), ambient timecode and recording to Compact Flash and SD card. And if all this wasn’t enough, add in the CL-6 for another six line levelrecordable inputs.

Not to be outdone in this battle for the bag,over at Zaxcom they have a range of Nomads,from four tracks up to 12, and a new NomadLite model on the way. Not all the action isfrom the USA though. Alongside the eight-channel Roland there’s Tascam’s HS-P82eight-channel recorder and the complementaryRC-F82 offering linear fader control andtalkback facilities for location recording.

Back in Europe we still have some bighitters. The eight-channel Nagra VI is muchfavoured in location music recording and offerssix tracks and a stereo mix. The arrival of theNagra EMP allows Nagra VI owners access toa full six channels of Nagra mic inputpreamplifiers. I should also fly a tricolour forthe AETA recorders. I reviewed the Mixy forAudio Media a year or so ago and while I cansee it is an acquired taste, I grew to love it.Sadly I’ve never had a go at the 4Minx – theMixy’s bigger brother – but it looks splendidand offers a range of time code and trackoptions. Staying in France but looking up theprice slope, Aaton is promising an X3 versionof the Cantar next year. Hopefully thecompany’s financial problems will provetemporary and the Cantar will get the upgradeit deserves, as it is an engineering masterpieceand the world is a better place for its existence.

FIELD MIXERSWith all this excitement in the world ofrecorders it’s easy to forget that the humblemixer is alive and kicking. SQN offers a five-channel flagship in the 5S series II, but if it willforgive me, I still get a bigger kick out of the4S mini mkII. I have the older version but it isso tiny and beautiful that grown men weepeven while mixing tedious regional news items.The 4S mini is the most fun you can have in abag, allegedly.

Having been suitably impressed by its Solicecart top mixer, I was thrilled when I saw thatPSC is introducing a six-channel over theshoulder mixer for 2013. Bravo I say, and theAlexis looks pretty fine from what I have seenso far. Talking of cart tops, again we lament thepassing of Cooper Sound but here in Blighty,Audio Developments continues to set thestandard. It was no surprise when I talked toSimon Hayes of Les Miserables fame that ontop of his carts sat Audio Developmentsmixers – limiters specially tweaked, of course.Take a seat before reading the prices, but laughin the face of danger while mixing. Talking ofcold hard francs, Sonosax is another legendaryname in mixing, not least because I have yet tolay my hands on one of the company’sproducts. They do, however, have multi-trackrecorders and over the shoulder and cart topmixers in their range and all look fantastic ontheir website. Call me if you see one.

More affordable are the mixers from Fostex.I found the four-channel FM-4 and its smallerbrother, the FM-3, to be very serviceable. Theyhave on-board digital DSP (if you like that sortof thing) and are a bit cheaper than some ofthe options I’ve mentioned so far.

PREAMPSOne aspect of location recording that getseveryone hot under the collar is the quality ofthe mic preamps with some people willing toshell out for premium brands. Of course even


Veteran location sound recordist and ex-BBC producer ALISTAIR MCGHEE runs us through his topchoices for location recording gear, from mixers and microphones to batteries.

“One aspect of locationrecording that gets everyone

hot under the collar is thequality of the mic preampswith some people willing to

shell out for premium brands.”

The Sound Devices 788T

Zaxcom Nomad 6

Audio Developments’ AD149

8 August 2013 BBroadcast Audio – An International Buyers Guide 2013

LOCATION RECORDING

more people are willing to argue the toss onaudio forums and you could spend the rest ofyour life balancing claim and counter claim, bemy guest. This week I’m mostly recording withthe preamps of the CS104 and the Nagra LB.

TWO-TRACK RECORDINGSpeaking of the LB – what about two trackrecording? Suppose you want neither mixer normulti-track, but just two tracks of pristinestereo. Well, the LB is hard to beat. Nagrapreamps, milled aluminium finish, FTP serverand client on-board, really nice physical format,made like a Swiss watch – it is a thing ofbeauty. However, you may prefer the SoundDevices 702/722 range – the units have moreof an industrial feel and are very reliable,probably more useful in a fight, but then theNagra has not one, but two colour screens –tres jolie as we say in Cardiff. Mind you there’sa multitude of handheld recorders on themarket these days. I’ve had Rolands andZooms and Olympus versions, and all havebeen a pleasure. Personally I think they arebuilt on the same chipsets – just look at thecontrol layouts, all suspiciously similar to me. Ido like the Olympus just for their approach tofinish. Shiny works for me.

HANDHELDSStep up from the standard handheld mob andthere are some interesting options. Yellowtechas picked up the baton in baton-shapedrecorders from HHB with its iXm. I like theformat, except I couldn’t see themeters on the HHB whilerecording. The iXmdoesn’t have meters sodon’t worry about that (itsDSP system takes care oflevels for you). Nagra hassome mid-range mobilephone-type machines ofwhich the SD looks themost interesting. Fostexhas the now venerableFR2-LE and morerecently has taken up thechallenge of DSLRrecording with the veryinteresting looking DC-R302. I’m cheating abit here as it has a three-channel mixer but in onecute little package. Andmaybe Fostex is ontosomething – a whole newmarket maybe? Tascamnow has the DR-60Dbilled as a DSLRrecorder and AudioDevelopments offer itsAD071 DSLR mixer. A little further afield, Irecently reviewed a very

well engineered DAC fromSwedish outfit Marenius (seeAudio Media August 2013, page46). It too has a Compact Flashrecorder and some high-specbattery-powered mic amps.

MICROPHONESFinally we come tomicrophones. If people aretalking outside get a Sennheiser416 and a Rycote windshieldsystem, and make sure you gettheir lyre mic mounts as thesewill actually make you a betterlocation sound recordist.There’s quite some choice ingun mics – DPA, Schoeps, andSanken all have their fans. Whynot hire some from theRichmond Film guys beforeyou buy, that’s got to makesense. Going indoors? Grab ahypercardioid. The NeumannKM 185 sounds good but watch out forhandling noise. Again Schoeps probably hasthe best reputation. No one ever got shot forbuying a Schoeps, unless it was by the accountsdepartment. The Sennheiser MKH 50 has a lotof followers too. Omnis – again it’s the usualsuspects. DPA and Schoeps look good in frontof musicians. My last word on mics is ribbonsfor figure of eights, Royer Labs and Coles.Small is now officially beautiful. With Les Misbeing done on personals, anything is possible.

DPAs were used on thatproduction but if you’re intodocs Trams has a great rep. I

use Sanken Cos11s. Mind you, I was veryimpressed by the Sony ECM 88 when Ireviewed it many moons ago.

BATTERIESWhich brings me finally to the most importantthing on location: batteries. They say naïvephotographers argue about cameras, those inthe know about lenses, and real professionalsabout tripods and heads. Well, in audio terms,that means newbies debate microphones, prosthe mic preamps and old lags the batteries. Ireviewed the Audioroot battery system recentlyand it is a work of genius, really, genius.

Fostex FR2-LE

Sanken Cos11

Olympus’ new LS-14

TRENDS

Stereo, 5.1 &Live Sport

THE STEREO audio mix is anintegral part of live sport, and notone that 5.1 is going to consign tothe history books for a while yet.Despite the undoubted advancesthat 5.1 represents and growth inthe amount of sport captured inthe format, the demand for stereois still there, and not just for SDtransmissions either.

“There are transmissionplatforms and other destinationsthat will always require stereo suchas Red Button [UK interactiveservices], SD channels, radio, webstreaming, stereo archives, stereoaudio recorders, and somebroadcasting partners,” said BBCSport’s Dave Lee.

“Then there is content whichcontributes to programmes thatcan come from a wide range ofsources, including some elementsthat are only stereo – such as musicCDs/downloads, stereo edit suiteoutputs, and archives.”

With the market still requiringstereo audio, OB trucks have toprovide it. As the European fleetof HD production vehicles aremainly kitted out for 5.1 thistypically means integrating a stereodownmix into the workflow.

“Just as SD versions wereeventually created via downconversion of superior HD signals,downmixing is fully capable ofhandling the stereo path,” saidLinear Acoustic President TimCarroll. “The burden of carryingboth 5.1 and stereo is enormous, it

is expensive, and it is usually acompromise. Mixing in 5.1, whilechecking the downmix andadjusting the 5.1 if necessary,absolutely works.”

Realities of budgets and spaceconstraints within trucks meansthat separate stereo and 5.1 audioareas are impossible. As CTV’sTechnical Head Hamish Griegpoints out, the biggest problem is“the quality of the respective mixes

being compromised, as you onlyhave one set of ears and can onlylisten to one thing at a time.”

However, there are some goodand established workarounds.During the London Olympics, USgiant NBC decided to use aneight-track model that eliminatedthe stereo workflows used in thepast. Instead, NBC used either sixchannels for full surround, or asubset of just the first threechannels. This three-channel mode

contained just the original FrontL&R from the surround signal(used as stereo FX), and the monoannounce channel on track three.

Central to the new workflowwere Linear Acoustic upmixerswith software loaded for automaticdetection of three-channel or six-channel content.

The boxes would seamlesslychange between upmix or bypassmode to provide a consistent six-channel output. Of course, ithelps that mono sources can be‘positioned’ anywhere in thesurround arena, while stereo needsto be unravelled and processedusing occasionally fiendishalgorithms to position its elementsas desired. It is also important thatany upmix doesn’t break the stereoas the majority of viewers will stillend up listening to a downmixedstereo signal at home. Also, asCarroll points out, upmixing is nota substitute, either short- or long-term, for a good 5.1 channel mix.

“It may not always be practicalto do it though, and so an excellentstereo mix that is then upmixedmay be an acceptable solution,” hesaid. “However, this is not the bestuse of upmixing technology.Instead, upmixing can be used tohelp build a 5.1 channelfoundation quickly where fullydiscrete elements are then addedin. This is particularly useful intime-constrained situations wherea truck arrives in the morning andis on air by late afternoon.”


By ANDY STOUT

“The burden ofcarrying both 5.1 andstereo is enormous, itis expensive, and it is

usually a compromise.Mixing in 5.1, while

checking the downmixand adjusting the 5.1 ifnecessary, absolutely

works.”Tim Carroll

London in 5.1The 2012 Olympics not onlyallowed viewers the world overto hear a range of new sportsin 5.1, it also gave theproduction teams carteblanche to spread their wingsand apply it in areas they hadn’ttried before. The fencingcompetition was a goodexample of this in practice.Theo Schulte was the Calrecengineer tasked with thetechnical set-up.

“Each piste [the fencingmatch area] had its ownArtemis 40-fader console,which were all networked via acentral router so that everyconsole could pick everymicrophone and do itsrespective mix,” he explained.“It was the mixers’ decision toattenuate the signal comingfrom the surround microphoneby 18dB below the other mics.This was due to the manyfights going on: the reaction ofthe audience could not alwayshave been allocated to therespective picture you sawbecause it might have been areaction from the other pistes,and the microphone wouldhave picked that up. Thiswould have been distracting.”

The surround channels wereused to create an immersiveexperience. Anything thatcould be characterised asambience was routed to them.No additional reverb was used.Announcements and musicfrom a playback source weresent to the centre channel aswell as slightly to the left andright, in order to broaden thefront. The subwoofer was notfed anything since it proved tobe too disturbing to amplify thefootsteps of the fencers.

“Networking the consolesnot only allowed (a mixer) topick any microphone, but alsoallowed for easy exchange ofprogramme material,” saidSchulte. “If an operator hasmade a good mix of thegeneral venue atmosphere onone console, the otherconsoles could pick up thatoutput bus via HydraVirtualPatchbays, an ingenious way tospread any form of signalthroughout the Hydra networkfor further use.”

LOUDNESS

Loudness Foundations

1. WELCOME LOUDNESSNORMALISATIONThe days of the Loudness Wars – where themantra was ‘the louder the better’ – are comingto an end. Thanks to ITU, a non-commercialorganisation under the United Nations, audioprofessionals from any genre can work againsta transparent Loudness Target. If you’resystematically below that Target, theprogramme or track will get turned up. If you’realways above, it will be turned down. Theconcept is called ‘loudness normalisation’. Itworks great, is based on open standards, and it’sfinding a way into TV, mobile TV, radio,iTunes, gaming, and even cinemas and IMAXtheatres. Loudness normalisation also allowsentirely different types of programmes to sitback-to-back because it defines a best fit gain offset.

2. GOODBYE SAUSAGE PROCESSINGHaving the same loudness programme-for-programme, track-for-track doesn’t mean thateach of them has to be the same shade of greyfrom start to finish. On the contrary, becauselevel is no longer constantly banging againstthe ceiling, a wonderful quality is beingrediscovered: variation. Once again, loudnessvariation can become part of the storytelling inmusic, drama, and broadcast. The EBUstandard even includes an objective measure ofhow much loudness varies inside a programmeor a track, allowing you to objectively balancecontrasts and suit a certain audience or aparticular listening situation. Old sausagecompressors and sausage limiters can still beused for creative reasons, but chances are thatyour music track or commercial will appear dulland not very appealing if you overdose it. Usingmore words from the food vocabulary: like liverpaste among other programmes with Gruyère,Jamon Iberico, and Truffles.

After loudness correction in broadcast or iniTunes, a sausaged audio file will actuallyappear to be softer than most other programmematerial, drawing less attention.

3. DELIVERY SPECS: PROGRAMMELOUDNESSIf the end destination for your production isHD broadcast, be sure to know the deliveryspecifications you’re up against. Nearly allbroadcasters in the world are now rooted in thesame ITU standard named BS.1770. It’s tightlyfollowed by Brazil, China, Europe, Japan, andothers, but there are still a few things to check:

the default Target Loudness in Europe is -23LUFS; everywhere else it’s -24 LUFS. Usingan EBU R128 compliant meter, yourprogramme should measure one of those as‘Programme Loudness’.

Uncertainty only really creeps in if you’redelivering to a US broadcaster, whererequirements could be according to the localATSC A/85 standard specifying speech level tobe measured instead of Programme Loudness,unless it’s a commercial. For these stations, hit-24 LUFS when soloing normal speech inregular programmes. For a US-boundcommercial, measure all audio like withBS.1770. Until the next revision of ATSCA/85, US stations may also ask formeasurements to be carried out using anobsolete version of BS.1770. On a loudnessmeter, the outdated version might appear as‘Leq(K)’ or ‘BS.1770-1’.

4. DELIVERY SPECS: TRUE-PEAK LEVELLoudness measurement is by far the mostimportant part of the new broadcast standards.A user is even encouraged to disregard peaklevel unless there’s a risk of overload. Still, theITU standard includes a more precise way ofmeasuring peak level in the digital domainthan the old sample-by-sample measure called‘true-peak’. To maximise headroom, which is adefining factor in music clarity and in speechintelligibility, as high true-peaks as possibleshould be allowed. The EBU R128 standardsets the bar high at -1dBTP, which is ideal forlinear audio, while most other regions requiretrue-peak to stay below -2dBTP.

5. UNIVERSAL HD BROADCASTDELIVERY1. Use a BS.1770-3 meter to hit -23 LUFS.Most countries accept between -26 and -22LUFS, except for Europe where you should bebetween -24 and -22 LUFS.2. Make sure you don’t have true-peak levelhigher than -2 dBTP.3. Make sure that solo of regular speech doesn’tfall below -25 LUFS.

6. MIXING FOR MOBILE TV, ITUNES,AND WEBIf your production is not targeted at broadcast,but for instance iTunes, mobile TV, or onlinestreams, it is still recommended to use the newand efficient loudness tools when mixing.Apple’s iTunes has a fine function called‘Sound Check’ which is able to normalise musictracks and podcasts. Research has shown thatits Target Loudness is close to -16 LUFS on aBS.1770 scale; so tracks softer than -16 LUFSare boosted, those louder are brought down.Another recent study proved how -16 LUFS ingeneral is a good target to aim for, where theuser of mobile TVs from any vendor, iPods,iPads, etc..., is able to turn up the level highenough, while it still allows for essentialtransients to survive. Fortunately, it’s not aproblem to convert an HD broadcastprogramme normalised at -23 LUFS to a finesounding, mobile TV version normalised at -16LUFS. It can easily be done without destroyingthe discrimination between foreground andbackground sounds or without custommetadata and codecs.

For consumers with flatpanel TVs andmatchbox-sized loudspeakers, personalplatforms and headphones are the closest theyget to a decent audio experience these days.Let’s make sure that possibility is preserved byputting an end to sausage processing and tolossy data reduction where we can. Bottom line:there’s no reason to make mobile TV, iPod, andweb mixes louder than -16 LUFS.

Thomas Lund is CTO for Broadcast andProduction at TC Electronic, one of theleading manufacturers of loudness meters andaudio processors. With perceptual studies asthe background, Thomas has played asignificant role in the development of severalbroadcast standards such as ITU-R BS.1770,BS.1771, BS.1864, EBU R128, ATSC A/85,and others.www.tcgroup.tc


You know loudness is important, you know the world is putting limits on LUFS; but are you wellenough prepared and equipped to ensure your deliverables don’t get returned to sender? It’s time toexchange your sausages for Toblerones. TC Electronic’s THOMAS LUND breaks down the basics...

Thomas Lund, TC Group

wwww.audiomedia.com August 2013 13

TECHNOLOGY

Loudness Tools

TC Electronic’s DB8 MKII and DB4 MKII(pictured) units are state-of-the-art transmissionprocessors. They allow users to measure loudness,correct accordingly to various broadcaststandards, and to convert seamlessly betweenformats. The only difference between DB4MKII and DB8 MKII is the number ofprocessors. Both units have dual power inlets,dual Pabst fans, and dual fuses. Both units alsofeature a wide variety of I/O formats andphysical connectors, including SDI, AES/EBU,Coax, BNC, and Sub-D. The TC ElectronicRadar Loudness Meter is included with bothunits, and TC Icon hardware can be connectedfor hands-on control. The units offer standardcompatibility with ITU BS.1770-3, EBU R128,and ATSC A/85.

The DB2 puts ‘all tools necessary for trouble-free broadcasting into one rack-mountable unit’.It features automatic loudness correction, iscompliant with the latest metering specifications,and can be easily upgraded.www.tcelectronic.com

The LM2 from TC Electronic offers a full-featured stereo loudness and true-peak levelmeter. The front panel gives instant access tofigures for broadcast standard compliance and formore detail, the user can connect LM2 to a PCor Mac via USB and get a full, real time Radarscreen picture. LM2 facilitates precisionnormalisation and optimum use of dialnormmetadata in AC3 transmission. It comes pre-loaded with factory presets compliant with ITU-R BS.1770, ATSC A/85, EBU R128, NABJ,OP-59, and BCAP guidelines. A variety of 24-bit resolution audio inputs and outputs areoffered, including AES/EBU, TOS,SPDIF/AES3 id, ADAT, and analogue.

Also available is the LM2 Radar LoudnessMeter, a native plug-in that measures loudnessand true-peak on stereo tracks in all majorDAWs. It features a Radar Display that givesloudness history, momentary loudness, true-peaklevel, programme loudness, and loudness range(LRA) in a single view. www.tcelectronic.com

Junger Audio’s T*AP Television Audio Processoris compliant with all current broadcast audioloudness recommendations. It features loudnessnormalisation and dynamic range processing forup to eight channels of audio. Optional Dolbydecoding and encoding including metadatamanagement are also provided, along with 5.1downmix and upmix features.

The M*AP Monitoring Processor combinesan audio monitor controller with network-enabled loudness measurement features. Itsupports up to eight speakers to allow for A/Bchecking of stereo compatibility of a surrounddownmix through alternative speakers, as well asvia L/R front speakers. A Dolby productiontoolset emulates a coding and decoding process.

The D*AP series of digital audio processorsconsists of two products with 1 x stereo or 2 xstereo programmes. The LM2/LM4_2ch offerstwo channels of processing with AES andoptional analogue I/O, while the LM4 canhandle four channels with on-board AES I/Oand optional 3G SDI or analogue I/O.

Cards available for the C8000 modularsystem include a 16-channel HD/SDI de-embedder and embedder; MADI in and outcards; AES in and out cards; analogue mic in,and XLR and Sub-D in and out cards.www.junger-audio.com

ISL from Nugen Audio is a transparent look-ahead limiter that uses the standardised true-peak algorithms of ITU-R B.S 1770 and relatedstandards, and is suitable for the control of audiofor post production and broadcast applications.ISL differs from traditional approaches tolimiting by measuring inter-sample peaks andallowing the user to set the true-peak limit,rather than the traditional threshold at whichlimiting begins. By measuring and correcting for

inter-sample levels, ISL protects againstdistortion that can be introduced by downstreamcodecs such as MP3 and AAC. It is monothrough 5.1 surround compatible. www.nugenaudio.com

RTW’s compact TouchMonitor TM3 consists ofa display unit and a remote interface box. Ithandles analogue or digital stereo signals (TM3)and digital six-channel signals (TM3-6CH).The TM3’s user interface allows the selection ofup to 10 presets with a finger swipe. Localpresets can be configured using the Devicer DC1software application, allowing existing presets tobe personalised and adapted. Devicer DC1allows the creation of several configuration setswith different presets. The TM3 featurescomprehensive loudness measuring features,conforming to all relevant internationalstandards. Loudness instruments include single-channel and summing bargraphs, loudness rangeand numerical displays.

The TouchMonitorTM3-3G offers loudness,true-peak and PPMmetering for 3G SDIaudio, with optional 16-channel de-embedderoutputs and monitorcontroller. The TM3-3Ghas an integrated 3G-SDIde-embedder interface, anddisplays level and loudnessof any eight 3G-SDI audiochannels. Independently from this, up to 16 SDIaudio signals can be sent to eight AES3 outputs. www.rtw.de

Nugen Audio’s VisLM features detailed,objective loudness measurement, history andlogging facilities, offering an ITU, ATSC, andEBU standard compliant way to measure,compare, and contrast loudness.

It offers true-peak level metering (inter-sample accurate level monitoring), loudnessrange (to help decide if and how much dynamiccompression to apply), momentary‘instantaneous loudness’ for mixing by ear, short-term loudness (three-second time window), andprogram loudness (long-term integratedloudness measurement); and is a comprehensivetool to help users deal with the complexity ofloudness compliance. It is available in twoversions: VisLM-C (compact) and VisLM-H,with history view and data logging options. www.nugenaudio.com

Loudness in broadcasting is subject to increasing government legislation, recommendations fromstandards organisations, and a growing array of software and hardware solutions. If you need someguidance on how to make loudness less of an issue, you need this Tech Focus.


TECHNOLOGY

The RTW/TC Electronic TM7 and TM9TouchMonitor units are equipped with high-grade seven or nine-inch touch screens and aneasy-to-use GUI, which is controlled by either afinger or a mouse. Instruments can be scaled,randomly positioned, and combined in almostevery way for optimised use of available screenspace. There is 16-channel audio interfacing,including analogue, AES3 and AES3id(depending on hardware version). On the TM9,there is a 3G-SDI interface for up to 32 inputchannels.

TouchMonitor TM7 is available withhousings for 19-inch/3U standard racks, or intostandard 19-inch rack-mount cabinets forwaveform monitors for video studios.

The latest firmware enhancement now givesthe possibility to measure and to display signalsof the 7.1 DD+ surround format, plus RTW’sSurround Sound Analyzer has been expanded todisplay the balance and the subjective impressionof the 7.1 DD+ format in a clear graphicaloverview.www.rtw.de

The TSL PAM PiCo, developed with DKTechnologies around its Loudness Meter, is acompact standalone audio and loudness meter.Designed for use in any operational positionwhere ‘at a glance’ audio metering is required,PAM PiCo is available in four formats; todisplay stereo, multi-channel or surround soundaudio from analogue, AES or embedded SDIsignal sources, all measuring loudness tointernational standards. No bigger than asmartphone, PAM PiCo handles stereo or 5.1metering with an array of user-selectablebargraphs, moving coil emulation, and StarFishsurround sound displays for use in diverse audiomonitoring applications. Built aroundproprietary hardware,the PAM PiCo doesnot rely on a thirdparty consumerelectronics platformand is self-contained.

It displaysintegrated and slidingscale loudnessmeasurementsimultaneously with anoption to showloudness history across an extended graphicaldisplay. Parameters are fully configurable via acomprehensive set-up menu.www.tsl.co.uk

DK Technologies’ Loudness Meter is a ‘one boxsolution’ to audio and loudness metering. TheDK Meter complies with all major broadcastloudness standards and has a fully-featured audiometer package including bargraph, optional FFT,vectorscope, phase correlation, StarFish,JellyFish, and moving coil emulation. Featuresinclude a unique loudness reclaim factor, whichallows users to optimise loudness results; realtime true peak PPM – an optimised level withno hidden ‘digital overs’; and an optional ‘eyewidth’ SDI signal quality indicator. The touchuser interface allows plug-and-play use, and theflexible, user definable display set-up allowspersonalised viewings for individual workflows.

The optional screen grabber gives instantdocumentation of loudness levels. The 4.3inscreen offers vertical and horizontal viewing, andthe unit can be powered from the included PSUor directly from a computer USB port.www.dk-technlogies.com

The Waves WLM Loudness Meter plug-in is anall-in-one, cross-platform, multi-format loudnessmetering software solution. It provides precisionloudness measurement and metering forbroadcast, movie trailers, games, packaged media,and more.

Fully SoundGrid-compatible and compliantwith current ITU-R BS.1770-2, EBU R-128,and ATSC A/85 specifications, the WLM offerscomprehensive momentary, short term, longterm, and true peak readouts, plus a warning andlogging system that keeps track of levels and letsthe user know when they have exceeded them –or fallen short. Waves recommend the WLM forcontent creators and post-production houses, aswell as cable head-end facilities.

The Waves Loudness Meter offers threemeasurement methods. EBU uses foregroundaudio as the loudness anchor; LM1 measuresand averages loudness across the whole

programme; and DIAL uses dialogue as theloudness anchor, measuring, and averagingloudness only when dialogue is detected. Itfeatures mono, stereo, and 5.1 components.www.waves.com

The Wohler 1RU AMP1-16 Series monitors 16channels of audio from 3G/HD/SD-SDI andAES audio, while the AMP1-E16V-MDincludes Dolby D and Dolby E capability. Allchannels can be selected for simultaneous displayand concurrently monitored on an LCD screen.All serial audio channels are de-embedded andavailable on the rear panel as eight unbalancedAES signal pairs or eight analogue channels. Thesystem can also output a re-clocked3G/HD/SD-SDI.

The AMP2-16 Series is a modular 16-channel audio/video workstation with a completesuite of tools for analysing and managing audioquality, level and loudness, metadata and more.www.wohler.com

Wohler’s Pandora loudness analyser is a solutionfor monitoring and identifying inconsistentloudness levels from channel to channel, andfrom programming to commercials. Standardsaddressed are ATSC A/85 (ITU-1770 and1771), EBU R128, and ARIB TR-B32. TheWohler Loudness application, when used inconjunction with Wohler Pandora, allows theuser to monitor and analyse loudness levels fromstereo up to eight channels extracted from eitheran SDI input or four AES embedded pairs.Pandora enables users to set up their ownreference parameters including over/under limits,as well as gating, integration time, and meteringmodes.

Configuration is done via a touch screeninterface that runs on an iPod touch. Featuresinclude logging, with the ability to email log files

in .csv format; integration, histogram, andloudness range setting menu; and adjustableintegration periods with histogram display ofloudness over time. It is available as a tabletop orrack-mounted unit.www.wohler.com


Linear Acoustic’s AERO.2000 combinesloudness control, AEROMAX audio processing,Dolby encoding/decoding, upmixing viaUPMAX II and extensive I/O features.AERO.1000 is a high-density, metadata-basedtransmission audio loudness platform thatcomprises up to eight AEROMAX audioprocessing engines in a single 1RU package. TheAERO.1000 features CARBON HybridProcessing, a hybrid between multi-bandtechniques and metadata control.

The 1RU AERO.one comes in four versions.The two-channel AERO.lite is aimed atbroadcasters who do not require handling multi-channel audio.

AERO.mobile addresses audio quality forthose watching and listening on mobile devices.

AERO.qc is a comprehensive quality controlsystem that allows users to fix loudness problemsautomatically and in real time as audio enters theplant and is fed into the ingest server or in liveproduction environments. www.linearacoustic.com

The Flux Sound and Picture Pure AnalyzerSystem is a network-driven modular RTAsystem providing an extensive range of analyseroptions for a multitude of audio analysis andmeasurement applications. Pure Analyzerpresents the option to separate the signalacquisition from the analysis, utilising a Samplegrabber plug-in, and also provides I/O supportfor ASIO and Core Audio. The foundation ofthe system is a standalone application, PureAnalyzer Essential, which can be extended withmodules for live, metering/loudness andsurround analysis, performing the graphicanalysis rendering using a GPU-efficient 2D/3Dgraphic engine. The Pure Analyzer Essentialapplication receives the sample feeds from theSample grabber and analyses them in real time.

Pure Analyzer Metering provides anextensive set of measurement tools adapted forbroadcast and post production facilities,presenting the metering tools for a range ofstandards such as true peak, RMS, ITU-1779,EBU-R128, history, and more.www.fluxhome.com

Insight from iZotope is a comprehensivemetering suite for post production and broadcastapplications. Insight provides an extensive set ofaudio analysis and metering tools, for visualisingchanges made during mixing and mastering,troubleshooting problematic mixes, and ensuringcompliance with broadcast loudness standards.Fully customisable and scalable, Insight allowsthe user to visually monitor all relevant

information from a mono, stereo, or surroundmix in a floating window. A complete set ofmetering tools is provided, including true-peakmeters, loudness meters, a loudness historygraph, stereo vectroscope, surround scope,2D/3D spectrogram, and spectrum analyser. It iscompliant with current loudness standards.

Insight is also part of iZotope’s Ozone 5Advanced, which is a complete mastering systemincluding eight mastering tools. Ozone 5Advanced also includes extended features andcontrols for every module, as well as individualcomponent plug-ins for DAW use – includingInsight.www.izotope.com

Minnetonka Audio’s AudioTools’ AWE is a low-cost, complete solution for the automatedalteration of digital audio assets. Existing filescan be post-processed or repurposed quickly andeasily in a completely pre-defined way.

AudioTools AWE allows users to specify anend-to-end file handling and DSP chain ofactions that can be run unattended. Via theOutput Sets feature, a single interleaved sourcefile can be de-interleaved, processed through aDSP chain including VST plug-ins and thendelivered as multiple output files in multipleformats simultaneously. www.minnetonkaaudio.com

MeterPlugs’ LCAST loudness meter forbroadcast is available in stereo or surroundversions, and supports all major loudnessstandards, with easy-to-use presets for the mostpopular. Mono, stereo, and surround formats areall compatible (surround only in LCASTSurround). LCAST can be used with Logic,Final Cut Pro X, Soundtrack Pro, Cubase,Nuendo, Reaper, and others. The primary display,the history plot, shows a timeline of aprogramme’s loudness and allows loudness peaksand valleys to be spotted quickly. It records up to24 hours of loudness history. The history plotdisplays all standard loudness measurements:momentary, short-term and integrated loudness.LCAST features a custom variance measurementthat gives the user an idea how dynamic theaudio is. LCAST’s true peak meters accuratelydetect inter-sample peaks and warn of potentialclipping by internally quadrupling the signalfrequency and interpolating between signals. www.meterplugs.com

The Qualis Audio Sentinel surround soundaudio monitor measures and monitors loudnessto the latest ITU-R BS.1770, ATSC A/85 andEBU R128 standards. The Sentinel logs allmeasured parameters and can be configured topreserve the data as a continuous measurementhistory in a long-term storage repository. Whenloudness problems are found, the Sentinel cansend problem specific notifications via email,contact closures, or audible alarms. Allmeasurements, alarms, and logs are accessible viaits network connection using a standard webbrowser. Dual Stream technology measuresinterleaved commercial and programmesegments – when pausing the loudnessmeasurement on a programme, it automaticallyperforms a separate loudness measurement of thecommercials.

The Loudness and QA Forensics toolbox is acomprehensive set of tools to investigateloudness exceptions and QoE issues.Quantitative downmix analysis identifies stereoand mono downmix issues. www.qualisaudio.com

TTECHNOLOGY


TECHNOLOGY

The Trinnov SmartMeter V3 is asoftware option based on TrinnovAudio stereo and multi-channelmonitoring platforms that nowsynchronises loudness measurementsto timecode. All Loudness and true-peak values are constantly recordedand time stamped, allowing recall,inspection and verification at anytime without having to manuallypause, resume or restart ameasurement.

In combination with fourintegrated loudness meters, multi-loudness management, momentaryloudness statistics, dynamic alertsprofiling, sessions save and recallcapabilities, and SNMP traps,Trinnov says that Smart Meter V3 is“One the most comprehensiveloudness metering solution availableon the market”.

Industry standards from mono to7.1 are supported, as well asforthcoming multichannel formatsup to 24 channels. Session-specificthresholds can be chosen from thestandard alert profiles – EBU R128,ATSC A/85, CST RT17, ARIB TRB32 – or user-defined to comply withthe custom delivery requirements.The event log is constantly updatedand can be filtered to display thealerts of a specific source and/or typeof alert. Users are notified about LTCdrops and therefore potentialmeasurement errors.www.trinnov.com

DaySequerra’s iLM8 LiveIntelligence Loudness Monitormeasures perceived loudness of eightchannels of programme audio usingITU-R BS.1770/1 and DTS NeuralLoudness Measure (NLM)algorithms, and displays the results inan easy-to-read numerical formatwith a moving average over time.Four AES inputs and one HD-SDIinput (optional) are provided for

simultaneous measurement for 5.1surround and auxiliary stereo inputs.With the HD/SDI option, eightchannels of de-multiplexed SDIaudio can be routed to the AESoutputs. The iLM8 Live uses a DSP-based processing platform to avoidbroadcast disruptions caused byoperating system lockups.www.daysequerra.com

Nugen Audio LM-Correct is aloudness quick-fix tool, available as astandalone model and also for Avid

AudioSuite. LM-Correct offersautomatic correction to internationalstandards, including ITU-R BS1770-2, ATSC A/85, and EBU R128; plusimmediate finalisation of audiomixed using real-time loudnessmeters. Loudness jumps areeliminated by consistencyassessments and programme loudnessmatching.

It offers true-peak measurementand is mono through 5.1 surroundcompatible. LM-Correct works fasterthan real time and offers a clearintuitive GUI, with a two-clicksolution to loudness normalisationand conformance.www.nugenaudio.com

Nugen Audio’s LMB LoudnessManagement Batch processor is anoff-line, file-based loudness analysisand correction program designed forassessment and correction of files forloudness and true-peak content toITU-R BS.1770 and EBU R128-based specifications. It has a drag-and-drop interface, a ‘hot folders’facility, and it checks and conformsfiles to multiple broadcast criteria.www.nugenaudio.com

SPORT

EXPERIENCE SHOWS when mixing 5.1audio, and in London the third time was thecharm. The experience gained by NBC’s crewmixing the Beijing and Vancouver Olympics in5.1 – coupled with increasing work in 5.1between the events – was a big factor inhelping produce “the best sound we’ve had yet”,said Bob Dixon, Director, Sound Design forIBC, venues and communications.

“This is a very pleasant show to listen to,”said Dixon. “I don’t care what venue you tunein on; by and large it’s really comfortable andit’s fun. I think we’ve come a long way.”

Dixon was quick to credit host broadcasterOBS as a partner in developing mic plans andmore. “They’ve been very handy to work with,and this year we have gotten all of our stemsand mic splits from them as MADI signals,which made the work so much easier for them,and for us.”

The big audio news from London was achange in the way NBC handled audio tracks.During recent Games where 5.1 audio was afactor, the network moved 16 tracks of audioaround. In London a simpler eight-track modeleliminated the Stereo workflows that were usedin the past, and used either six channels for fullsurround or a subset of just the first threechannels. This three-channel mode containsjust the original Front L&R from the surround signal (used as Stereo EFX)

and the mono announce channel on track 3.According to the NBC Olympics IBC tech

manual and the broadcaster’s experience inLondon and at pre-Games test events, this“split track” signal is far easier to upmix tosurround and sounds better than upmixingfrom a full two-channel stereo mix.

Central to the new workflow were LinearAcoustic upmixers with special software forautomatic detection of three-channel or six-channel content. The boxes would seamlesslychange between upmix or bypass mode tomake a consistent six-channel output.

“We discovered by accident how much betteran upmix sounds when you don’t include theannouncer in that mix,” said Dixon. “Thesound image we got out of mixing all thesesound effects was stable; didn’t collapse tomono. It stayed full and open.”

Dixon said that if editors – who have avariety of audio comfort levels and are oftenworking in rooms not ideal for 5.1 – wereuncomfortable working in 5.1, they could workin 3.0. In these situations, the editor wouldhave access to a Miranda iSolo, which, when anHD/SDI signal is put into it, gives the user theability to do a downmix. It will put the centrein the centre automatically, and left goes to theleft, the right goes to right, and the centre goesto both.

“It comes out of there as a stereo mix,” said

Dixon. “We give [the editors] two speakers andthey will edit just as they always have in stereo.The thing is that they’re cutting across threechannels, instead of two. So the announcer’salways separate.

“There are still some editors that want towork in 3.0, and that’s fine,” said Dixon. “Nowthat we have Tim’s box [Linear Acoustic’s TimCarroll, on-site in London] we don’t even haveto worry about, ‘is this coming to us as a 3.0 ora 5.1?’ because it doesn’t matter – the box willpass it through if it’s 5.1 or will upmix in stereoeffects only and pass the announcers if it’s 3.0.”


Credit: Panasonic

One year on from the London 2012 Olympics we look back at how NBC managed the event,including a new way of handling audio tracks. By MARK HALLINGER.

“We discovered by accident how much betteran upmix sounds when you don’t include the

announcer in that mix.” Bob Dixon

Super Hi-Vision Taps SIS LIVESIS LIVE supported the BBC and NHK in theirdeployment of Super Hi-Vision (SHV)technology at the London Olympics. Selectedevents from the Games that were producedand shown in SHV included the Opening andClosing ceremonies and the men’s 100 metrefinal, which were broadcast live in SHV atspecial screenings around the UK, as well asat locations in Japan and the USA.

NBC Tackles Dual 5.1Stereo Production

Sky Taps EnsembleItalian satellite TV provider Sky Italia usedEnsemble Designs Avenue and BrightEye gearfor its coverage of the Summer 2012 OlympicGames in London.

Ensemble’s Avenue audio embedders andframe synchronisers played a key role in theSky Italia signal processing chain.

AEA Technologywww.aeatechnology.com

AETA Audio Systemswww.aeta-audio.com

AEQwww.aeqbroadcast.com

AKGwww.akg.com

Allen & Heathwww.allen-heath.com

Aphexwww.aphex.com

Audio Artswww.audioartsengineering.com

Audio Technicawww.audio-technica.com

Audix Broadcastwww.audixbroadcast.co.uk

Avidwww.avid.com

AXIAwww.axiaaudio.com

Bel Digital Audio www.beldigital.com

beyerdynamicwww.europe.beyerdynamic.com

Blackmagic Designwww.blackmagicdesign.com/uk

Broadcast Bionicswww.bionics.co.uk

BW Broadcastwww.bwbroadcast.com

Calrecwww.calrec.com

Clear-Comwww.clearcom.com

Clyde Broadcastwww.clydebroadcast.com

Coles www.coleselectroacoustics.com

DaySequerrawww.daysequerra.com

DBXwww.dbxpro.com

Delecwww.delec.de

DiGiCowww.digico.biz

Digigramwww.digigram.com

Digital Nirvanawww.digital-nirvana.com

DirectOutwww.directout.eul

DK-Technologieswww.dk-technologies.com

Dolbywww.dolby.com

DPAwww.dpamicrophones.com

Drawmerwww.drawmer.com

DTSwww.dts.com

Dynaudiowww.dynaudioprofessional.com

Electrovoicewww.electrovoice.com

Eventidewww.eventide.com

Fairlightwww.fairlight.com.au

Fluxwww.fluxhome.com

Focalwww.focal.com

Fostexwww.fostex.com

Genelecwww.genelec.com

Glensoundwww.glensound.co.uk

Grace Designwww.gracedesign.com

Heil Soundwww.heilsound.com

iZotopewww.izotope.com

Junger Audiowww.junger-audio.com

Lawowww.lawo.de

Linear Acousticwww.linearacoustic.com

Marantzwww.marantz.co.uk

Marquis Broadcastwww.marquisbroadcast.com

Mayahwww.mayah.com

Maycom Audio Systemswww.maycom.nl

MediaLogicwww.media-logic.de

Mergingwww.merging.com

MeterPlugswww.meterplugs.com

Microtech Gefellwww.microtechgefell.de

MicWwww.mic-w.com

Minnetonka Audiowww.minnetonkaaudio.com

Miranda Technologieswww.miranda.com

Mogami Cableswww.mogamicable.com

Nagrawww.nagraaudio.com

Neumannwww.neumann.com

Nugen Audiowww.nugenaudio.com

Olympuswww.olympus.co.uk/audio

Omnia Audiowww.omniaaudio.com

Orbanwww.orban.com

Precowww.preco.co.uk

PreSonuswww.presonus.com

Prism Soundwww.prismsound.com

Qualiswww.qualisaudio.com

Quantelwww.quantel.co.uk

Riedelwww.riedel.net

RØDE Microphoneswww.rodemic.com

Rohde & Schwarzwww.rohde-schwarz.com/en

Roland RSGwww.rolandsystemsgroup.co.uk

RTWwww.rtw.de

Rycotewww.rycote.com

SADiEwww.sadie.com

Samsonwww.samsontech.com

Schoepswww.schoeps.de

Sennheiserwww.sennheiser.com

Shurewww.shure.co.uk

Sonifexwww.sonifex.co.uk

Sonnoxwww.sonnoxplugins.com

Sonywww.sony.co.uk

Soundcraft Studerwww.harmanpro.com

Sound Deviceswww.sounddevices.com

Soundfieldwww.soundfield.com

Stagetecwww.stagetec.com

Studio Technologieswww.studio-tech.com

SSLwww.solid-state-logic.com

Tascamwww.tascam.com

TC Electronicwww.tcelectronic.com

Telos Systemswww.telos-systems.com

Trinnovwww.trinnov.com

TSLwww.tsl.co.uk

Waveswww.waves.com

Wheatstonewww.wheatstone.com

Wohlerwww.wohler.com

XTAwww.audiocore.co.uk

Yamahawww.yamahaproaudio.com

Yellowtecwww.yellowtec.com

Zaxcomwww.zaxcom.com

Zoomwww.zoom.co.jp

BROADCAST AUDIO MANUFACTURERS DIRECTORY 2013


Documents

Broadcast Audio Guide 2013