In Broadcast - August 2016 - 51

www.inbroadcast.com | Vol: 6 - Issue 8 | August 2016

InStudio

Connecting To The Right Mix
Contributing Editor Kevin Hilton examines the latest trends and technologies in the realms of
audio consoles and desks...

oday's audio consoles have
evolved beyond their core
mixing functions. Advances in digital
technology for both live production and
post-production now enable the mixer
to take on additional roles, including
routing and networking, opening up
possibilities for controlling automation
systems, cameras and lights. All this is
an extension of the production chain,
going beyond the constraints of just
sound or video, and bringing greater
connectivity and control.
Workflow
"Certainly 'workflow' is the current
buzzword," comments James Gordon,
Managing Director of DiGiCo. "The
ability to operate with fewer people,
so speed of operation and integration
with other broadcast systems and
protocols is important, goes handin-hand with general connectivity
to multiple formats. This of course
increases the flexibility and reliability
of the consoles."
DiGiCo is part of the Audiotonix
group that also includes fellow
UK console manufacturers Calrec
Audio and Allen & Heath, with
the three independent brands
sharing development of routing
and
networking
technologies.
"Broadcasters need to deal with
different formats and delivery
requirements and as a console we
need to talk to everyone," Gordon
says. "At this stage we are working
with Dante and therefore [IP
interoperability
standard]
AES67
but as a group we are looking into
RAVENNA and AES67. Video will have
a large driver on the final winning
format for IP in broadcast and we are
watching what direction is taken there
very closely."
Audio over IP (AoIP) is becoming
more established and widely used
in broadcasting for a variety of
applications, from contributions and
distribution to networked transport of
sound and video data. Of the formats
developed over the last ten years,
RAVENNA was aimed specifically
at broadcast and conceived as an
open standard. Audinate's Dante
is a proprietary Ethernet-based

system able to
carry a range
of
protocols,
including
AoIP.
It was initially
intended for
live
sound
but has found
favour in TV and radio.
A third contender is AVB
(audio video bridge); this
comes under the auspices
of industry forum the AVnu Alliance
and is based on specially designed
switches.
Allen & Heath is primarily known for
live music desks but its products are
also used in broadcasting, including
Panama national broadcaster TVN.
The company's GLD Series and dLive
mixing systems incorporate 64x64
Dante capability, plus optional
cards for the Waves SoundGrid
processing/networking
package.
"AoIP is becoming the norm in AV
installations and broadcast studios
are no exception," comments Nicola
Beretta, Senior Product Manager at
Allen & Heath. "Often it runs alongside
existing MADI or SDI distribution but
with the added benefit of routing
flexibility and use of standard,
inexpensive Ethernet infrastructure."
Cadac's long history began with
music recording but it became famous
for live sound, specifically theatre
mixing. Many of its desks were built
for specific productions but today,
as Director of Sales and Marketing,

Calrec's Brio was launched at NAB

Allen & Heath dLive S7000 DM64 has Dante capability

Richard Ferriday explains, its products
are more generic. "Our two latest
desks, the CDC six and CDC eight,
have the same hardware and software
platforms," he says. "What changes
is the user interface. The CDC eight
is designed for sound reinforcement
but it is also being used for music
recording. In broadcasting we see it
for live sound, such as in OB trucks and
mixing performances."

"The GUI is akin to the Summa desk,"
comments Goodman, "and has all the
features expected but the control
surface is more straightforward than
our other desks. The main difference is
that the DSP is built into the surface,
which means there is a lot less for
the operator to contend with or be
intimidated by. But it still has full
broadcast monitoring, 5.1 surround
and ability for mix-minuses."

Calrec is a broadcast specialist and
offers connectivity over a variety
of formats, including SDI, MADI
(Multichannel Audio Digital Interface),
Dante and AES67. The company's
Head of Sales and Marketing, Henry
Goodman, explains that its desks are
designed to run with AoIP, Calrec's
own Hydra2 routing and interface
system or a combination of the two.
Both Hydra2 and the Bluefin2
processor feature on Calrec's latest
console, the Brio, which was launched
at the 2016 NAB Show. It is Calrec's
smallest console and marks a
departure from the manufacturer's
established design configurations.

Processing Power
The general increase in processing
capability has brought greater power
for broadcast mixing consoles but
there is always the question of how
much is actually needed. "When we
came out with our x86-AoIP Infinity
core in 2014 some of our people were
asking 'Who needs 800 channels?'
but our dealers said, 'Don't worry,
they will find a use for it.'," comments
Roger Heiniger, Product Manager at
Studer Professional Audio.
Like other console manufacturers,
Studer is working with third party
developers, including intercom and
networking specialist Riedel, on
new connectivity methods, as well
as following emerging standards.
Among these are the EmbEr control
protocol, which enables many console
settings to be run using TCP/IP
(Transmission Control Protocol over
Internet Protocol); and AIMS (Alliance
for IP Media Solutions). This industry
initiative includes Lawo, Imagine
Communications,
Grass
Valley,
Nevion and SAM, AIMS is looking
to create IP systems based on open
standards for full interoperability.
Among the technologies being
investigated are SMPTE 2022-6, the
standard for carrying high

http://www.inbroadcast.com https://youtu.be/9X_UDQPmq0c http://calrec.com/brio/

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