HAUPPAUGE, N.Y.—Broadcast Integration Services selected TSL Products’ PAM2 audio monitoring system for a major client’s new technical operations center., the vendor said. BIS, a media technology engineering, design and systems integration firm servicing clients from NBC and Viacom to Microsoft and CitiGroup, created the new TOC to provide expanded channel playout capacity for up to 80 additional HD/SD-SDI on-air playout chains, augmenting the existing NOC channel compliment. BIS also created multiple virtual control-room environments, implementing the PAM2 3G16 units in dedicated quality-control positions to ensure audio playout continuity.
“The overall TOC project encompassed expansion of the existing plant infrastructure, as well as its SDI routing, monitoring, broadcast-related IT control and ancillary sub-systems in order to fully support the increased channel count,” said Joseph Policastro, senior director for Broadcast Integration Services. “The new channels and related subsystems were designed as scalable ‘building-block’ platforms to provide a path for future growth and expansion, as well as to facilitate troubleshooting and maintenance. In addition, the TOC environment included a complement of multipurpose control rooms commissioned in parallel with channel growth. TSL’s audio monitoring units were implemented in each multipurpose control room and help to accomplish the mission of maintaining continuity in programming.”
BSI installed the PAM2 3G16 units as part of the dedicated operator quality-control positions. Channels that required detailed analysis of audio and video were routed into a QC position with test and measurement equipment that included the TSL PAM units for audio verification and monitoring. A second PAM unit was incorporated in each control room’s surround sound monitor system. In addition to the QC-station implementation, PAM2 3G16 units were also installed in a series of four stations throughout the TOC equipment room. User-defined presets on the PAM2 are key in allowing the operator to move through the audio channel map (16 channels) and monitor a channel’s stereo audio, SAP, 5.1 surround sound and AC3 audio included within each video stream. This makes verification of audio tracks straightforward and easy to accomplish.
