In Broadcast - March 2013 - 64

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

WWW.INBROADCAST.COM | ISSUE 17 - MARCH 2013

N E W S

InMEDIA

JoeCo A BlackBox Revolution
When the ﬁrst JoeCo BLACKBOX RECORDER appeared in 2009, the
24-channel audio recorder presented a revolutionary concept…

T

he compact 1U dimensions and
practical method of capturing
audio direct to external USB drive
in Broadcast WAV format, without
involving a computer, made the
BlackBox unique. As an audio
acquisition device for location
sound recording, the recorder’s
advantages quickly began to
emerge.
Ease of operation combined with
the use of readily available storage
media and a universal ﬁle format
meant that it could be deployed
almost anywhere. The BWAV ﬁles
recorded on location could be
directly imported into workstations
for instant post-production use,
with no ﬁle conversion or transfer

time to slow up the process.
Today, the BlackBox Recorder
is regularly spec’d for a range of
broadcast and OB applications,
from documentaries and reality TV
to ﬁlm sets and locations as diverse
as baking tents, award ceremonies
and jungles. Its users include some
of the world’s leading broadcast
corporations and production houses.
Over the years, BlackBox system
developments have been constant,
including a major expansion from
24-track to 64-track recording
capability during 2011 with
the incorporation of MADI and
DANTE technology.
The early implementation of an
optional iXML plug-in provided

64

JoeCo’s BlackBox BBR64-MADI Recorder

broadcast customers with a
number of features designed to
simplify the transfer of recorded
digital audio ﬁles through the postproduction process. With safety
and reliability key to any kind of
live audio acquisition, the BlackBox
was also equipped at an early
stage with features including the
Safe’n’Sound Record Recovery that
enables recorded audio ﬁles to be
recovered after a sudden accidental
loss of power.
Following its most recent software
update, the BlackBox Recorder
now supports the replay and also
the recording of polyphonic WAV
ﬁles (in addition to standard mono
BWAVs) using the iXML plug-in. This
feature enables TV and ﬁlm location
recordists to better serve the needs
of post-production facilities, or
systems where audio material is
ingested in single large ﬁles. For
playback purposes, mono, stereo
and multi-channel ﬁles can now be
used in the same project, massively
enhancing the system’s potential.
“We are always delighted to talk
to our broadcast customers and
extend our knowledge about their
current workﬂows and issues,” says
Joe Bull, JoeCo’s Managing Director.

“These latest enhancements to the
BlackBox range show how we have
listened and implemented their
requests to augment their usage of
these versatile machines.”
As a playback device, the
BlackBox also has several
applications in broadcast, including
use for timed multi-language or
multi-station play-out. Installation
of BlackBox Player software turns
the device into a dedicated multichannel playback unit that can
instantly access and replay material
stored on customised playlists.
Originally limited to the 24-track
BlackBox systems, Player capability
has recently been implemented on
the MADI and DANTE systems
enabling replay of up to 64 channels
of high quality synchronous audio.
The addition of a new “chase” mode
enables the player to commence
playback in sync when it receives
incoming timecode. Recently
extended SONY 9-pin support
also enables the rehearsal, via
remote control, of shows that are
normally locked to timecode. These
extended 9-pin commands are also
compatible with most edit suites and
show controllers.
See the latest BlackBoxes at NAB.

InPLAY

ToolsOnAir Upgrades just:play And just:live
T

oolsOnAir, creators of innovative
QuickTime-based workﬂ ows
for broadcast video production
professionals, has released version
1.7.1 of their just:play and just:live
video playout solutions.
Updates in version 1.7.1 are
based on feedback and requests

ToolsOnAir update to just:play solution

from ToolsOnAir’s user base of more
than 350 channels in 47 countries
on six continents.
With last year’s introduction of the
‘TV Station in a Mac Mini’ paradigm,
ToolsOnAir’s Broadcast Suite has
been receiving even more attention
from broadcast playout providers.

Using Apple’s new generation Mac
Mini with a Thunderbolt-based multiI/O interface, an entire professional
HD playout system can ﬁt into a
single rack space and consume
only 85 Watts of power. Multiple
networks can ﬁt into a small closet.
New features in version 1.7.1
include support for the new Mac
Mini’s integrated Intel HD graphics
4000, including rendering of
complex real-time graphics. Support
is also included for Blackmagic
Designs’ UltraStudio Mini Monitor
Thunderbolt device. Combined
with the new generation Mac Mini,
the cost of operation for a full HD
playout server is now even more
affordable than ever.
Version 1.7.1 implements a
new, advanced Spotlight-like help
functionality, offering full text search
to help administrators ﬁnd answers
to their questions without having
to exit the application. And new
Superuser client option enables
simpliﬁed setup for users who may

The version 1.7.1 software features
improved help functionality

require connection to a channel via
multiple machines.
A host of additional features are
included in version 1.7.1, including
improved master time sync mode,
improved timeline track visibility,
as well as enhanced handling of
the default gap playlist. In addition,
version 1.71 of just:live includes
improved MOS features and timeline
“lock,” while just:play offers a new
schedule-timing (roll-under) model
for improved functionality.
“We are fortunate to have a very
wide and diverse user base, and the
feedback they provide is invaluable,”
says ToolsOnAir Product Manager
Georg Deisting. “We have continued
to implement as many suggestions
as possible into each new release,
and version 1.7.1 is no exception.
These new just:play and just:live
updates deliver the features our
customers have been asking for.”

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dir/?first=Phillip&last=Izzard&search=Go https://twitter.com/inbroadcast http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/inbroadcast/id468652679?mt=8 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.branded.inbroadcast&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5icmFuZGVkLmluYnJvYWRjYXN0Il0. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpzEatLsHdE&feature=youtube_gdata_player https://www.facebook.com/InBroadcast http://WWW.INBROADCAST.COM http://WWW.INBROADCAST.COM http://www.joeco.co.uk/main/videos.html http://www.toolsonair.com/2011/products_justlive.html http://www.toolsonair.com/2011/products_justplay.html

In Broadcast - March 2013

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