SKOKIE, Ill.— Studio Technologies has unveiled Model 385, a compact, lightweight Dante-enabled beltpack designed specifically for broadcast and live-event audio professionals who use parabolic microphones, boom poles and other specialized microphones to capture critical on-air audio.

The portable Model 385 combines a high-performance microphone preamplifier with a single-talk/two-listen intercom interface, delivering a unique combination of on-air microphone and intercom audio resources in a convenient beltpack form factor, the company said.

Supporting Dante audio-over-Ethernet networking and powered via Power-over-Ethernet (PoE), the Model 385 integrates seamlessly into modern fixed and mobile broadcast environments, it said.

“The Model 385 was developed to address the evolving needs of broadcast sports and live entertainment production teams that require reliable, high-quality microphone and intercom functionality in a highly portable format,” Studio Technologies President Gordon Kapes said. “By combining exceptional audio performance, Dante networking and flexible monitoring capabilities into a single rugged device, the Model 385 gives field audio personnel an efficient and intuitive solution for demanding production environments.”

Using a standard 3-pin XLR connector, the Model 385 supports both dynamic and condenser microphones, with selectable P48 phantom power available for condenser microphone applications. A low-noise, low-distortion microphone preamplifier circuit offers adjustable gain ranging from 20 decibels to 65 dB in 1 dB increments. The analog microphone signal is converted to 24-bit digital audio and output through a Dante transmitter channel.

A 5-pin XLR connector allows connection of a broadcast headset, with adjustable gain and low-voltage electret power support for the headset’s microphone. The output of the headset’s microphone is routed through a second Dante transmitter channel, activated via a pushbutton talk switch, to provide intercom communication with other Dante-enabled beltpacks and intercom devices.

“The flexibility of Dante networking was a major design priority for the Model 385,” said Kapes. “Users can easily integrate the unit with Studio Technologies products as well as a wide range of Dante-enabled equipment from other manufacturers.”

The unit is Dante Domain Manager-compatible and compliant with AES67. Crews can quickly get up and running with just a PoE Ethernet connection, microphone and headset while maintaining dependable communications and premium audio performance, Kapes said.

Model 385 allows users to create highly customizable headphone mixes by combining up to four audio sources routed to the headset’s dual-channel headphone output. Three push-in/push-out rotary controls enable adjustment of listen levels for the main microphone preamplifier output and the two incoming Dante receiver channels.

These channels are commonly used to support intercom and program audio feeds. An integrated sidetone function provides confidence monitoring of the headset’s microphone signal.

More information is available on the company’s website.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Dante developer Audinate Group has announced that it is celebrating the 20^th anniversary of the AVoIP platform’s introduction.

Originally developed to simplify the complexity of digital audio networking, Dante has grown from support for plug-and-play audio over IP to encompass video, control, and cloud-based management.

“Twenty years ago, Dante didn’t just solve a technical challenge. It redefined what was possible for AV,” said Aidan Williams, CEO of Audinate. “What began as a better way to move high-quality audio reliably and easily over IP has become a platform that underpins today’s AV systems. This milestone validates our vision, the sustained collaboration of our partners, and the depth and commitment of the global Dante community.”

Among Dante’s milestones since its introduction in 2006 are:

• 2008: Dolby Lake Processor becomes first Dante-enabled device.
• 2010: Dante Virtual Soundcard brings Dante to computers.
• 2012: Yamaha, Focusrite, Shure, Harman and Allen & Heath are among brands adopting Dante.
• 2014: Yamaha CL Series becomes first console with Dante built in.
• 2016: Dante Certification Program builds global audio networking community.
• 2017: Dante Domain Manager introduced.
• 2018: Dante AVIO Adapters launched.
• 2019: Dante AV extends Dante’s powers to networked video.
• 2020: Dante wins Technology & Engineering Emmy Award.
• 2023: Audinate manufactures and ships more than 1 million Dante devices—a company record.
• 2024: Dante Director enables the remote management of Dante devices from any manufacturer.
• 2025: Introduced Dante AVIO adapters for the installation market.

“Reaching 20 years is not just about celebrating the past,” said Williams. “It’s about reaffirming our commitment to innovation and ensuring Dante continues to enable the next generation of AV experiences, making them simpler to deploy, easier to manage and more powerful than ever.”

More information is available on the company’s website.

The broadcast industry stands at a critical juncture. As facilities transition from traditional infrastructures to IP-based workflows, the decisions made today about interoperability will define operational flexibility for years to come. The selection of underlying technology standards has profound implications for innovation, scalability, and long-term cost management.

Interoperability represents more than technical compatibility. It embodies a philosophy of system design that prioritizes flexibility, choice, and futureproofing over vendor lock-in. As broadcast facilities invest heavily in AV-over-IP infrastructure, understanding the full spectrum of interoperability considerations becomes essential.

The broadcast industry thrives on innovation, with technological advancement driving improvements in production quality, workflow efficiency, and audience experience. Open, interoperable systems accelerate this innovation by enabling more product selection for the ecosystem. When manufacturers build products that seamlessly integrate with existing infrastructure, they're empowered to focus on solving specific problems rather than recreating entire ecosystems.

Consider the practical implications: more manufacturers developing interoperable products means more resources dedicated to solving industry challenges, more diverse perspectives addressing workflow bottlenecks, and more rapid iteration on solutions.

Innovation for Everyone
This expanded ecosystem also distributes time to market across multiple companies. When one manufacturer develops a breakthrough in a specific area—whether audio processing, video encoding, or network management—that innovation becomes immediately available to the entire ecosystem without waiting for a single vendor to replicate the functionality.

Interoperable systems provide broadcast facilities with manufacturer-agnostic selection criteria. Technical specifications, performance requirements, and feature sets drive purchasing decisions rather than ecosystem compatibility. When upgrading a single component—a video encoder, audio processor, or control interface—the decision focuses on finding the best tool for the job rather than the best tool that works within existing constraints.

Broadcast operations rarely remain static. Facilities expand, production demands increase, and new workflows emerge. Open, interoperable systems scale more gracefully because growth isn't constrained by single-vendor product availability or capacity limitations.

Geographic distribution presents another scalability advantage. Open platforms running on standard IT infrastructure enable facilities to extend operations across multiple locations, connecting remote production sites, satellite offices, and cloud resources without architectural limitations. Signals route seamlessly wherever network connectivity exists, whether across a building, a campus, or continents.

Open, interoperable systems also introduce competitive pricing dynamics. Multiple manufacturers competing for each component category create natural price pressure and incentivize value innovation.

Longevity and upgrade cycles also affect budgets. Interoperable systems allow facilities to extend the productive life of equipment, replacing components based on capability requirements rather than compatibility mandates.

Security Considerations
Security represents a critical consideration in any broadcast infrastructure decision. Modern interoperable platforms incorporate robust security frameworks that address the unique requirements of broadcast operations. Authentication systems ensure that only authorized users can configure signal routing or modify system parameters. Encryption protects media streams from interception or unauthorized access, whether signals traverse local networks or extend to cloud resources.

Consider how platforms like Dante address security in broadcast contexts. Dante Director and Dante Domain Manager provide comprehensive user authentication, ensuring signal routes remain secure and content reaches only intended destinations. These tools enable role-based access control, audit logging, and encrypted communication between devices—all while maintaining the flexibility and interoperability that make open platforms valuable.

Security in multi-manufacturer environments requires neutral oversight. When a single manufacturer controls both the devices and the security framework, other manufacturers face challenges in achieving truly equivalent integration. Security credentials, authentication mechanisms, and encryption implementations may be documented but not genuinely accessible, creating practical barriers to interoperability.

Independent third-party management of security frameworks ensures that all manufacturers operate on equal footing. Platform providers like Audinate maintain a security infrastructure that works consistently across devices from any manufacturer. This neutrality is essential for creating genuinely interoperable ecosystems where security doesn't become a competitive moat separating manufacturers.

Independence also matters for long-term viability. When security infrastructure exists separately from any single device manufacturer, broadcast facilities gain assurance that security support will continue regardless of individual manufacturer's business decisions or market position changes.

Interoperable platforms address security and management requirements through management tools that provide unified visibility and control across hybrid infrastructures. Dante Director, for example, enables secure, cloud-based management and monitoring of Dante devices wherever they're located, providing a single interface for device management, signal routing, and system health monitoring.

Cloud Integration
Cloud integration represents a growing imperative for many broadcast operations. Remote production, disaster recovery, scalability on demand, and global content distribution all depend on seamless cloud connectivity. Interoperability between on-premises infrastructure and cloud resources determines how effectively facilities can leverage these capabilities.

Open platforms facilitate cloud integration in several ways. Standard protocols enable communication between on-premises devices and cloud services. Geographic distribution becomes architecture-independent—signals route between physical facilities and cloud resources using the same mechanisms that connect devices within a building.

Cloud-based broadcast workflows introduce new requirements for interoperability. Facilities need to route signals between on-premises equipment and cloud processing resources, manage and monitor devices regardless of physical location, and maintain consistent security postures across distributed infrastructure.

Cloud economics shift broadcast infrastructure from capital expenditure to operational expenditure, providing flexibility in how facilities allocate resources. However, realizing these economic benefits requires interoperability that enables facilities to leverage cloud services without abandoning existing infrastructure investments.

The interoperability decisions broadcast facilities make today will reverberate for years. Interoperability enables innovation by expanding the ecosystem of manufacturers solving industry challenges. It provides choice in equipment selection, scalability as operations grow, and budget flexibility through competitive dynamics and extended equipment lifecycles. Security, when properly implemented in open systems, matches or exceeds proprietary alternatives while maintaining the flexibility that makes interoperability valuable.

Before selecting a technology path, broadcast facilities should evaluate platforms across multiple dimensions: the breadth of manufacturer support, the maturity of security implementations, the availability of management and monitoring tools, compatibility with existing network infrastructure, and support for cloud integration.

The question isn't whether interoperability matters, but whether broadcast facilities can afford the limitations of alternatives that don't provide it.

HOUSTON—Regional sports network Space City Home Network has upgraded its audio control room with a Solid State Logic System T S300-32 audio console as part of the broadcaster ongoing buildout of Dante network infrastructure.

SCHN is a regional sports network that provides coverage of Houston Astros MLB and Houston Rockets NBA games across a five-state area via satellite, cable and OTT providers.

“I’ve always been impressed by Solid State Logic and the System T was the natural progression from the C10 [from Solid State Logic] that we had previously,” Chris Frazier, chief broadcast engineer, said. “When you're on a C10 you have already bought into how well Solid State Logic builds their desks.”

SCHN’s C10 came from NBC News in Los Angeles when the Houston facility was under different ownership. “We continued to use a C10 that was manufactured in 2011 all the way until this year, so we got a good 13 years out of it,” he commented. “The fact is, SSL builds good stuff.”

​SCHN’s production facility is connected to the teams’ local sports venues via dark fibre. Video and audio feeds are taken directly from the respective venues, with the production team located at SCHN’s facility. Road games for both teams are produced from the SCHN studio. Following the installation of the System T, Frazier said, “we've already extended our network so we're now doing our pre- and post-game shows with Dante across the dark fiber network.”

​The System T S300 32-fader control surface at SCHN is controlling a TE2 Tempest Engine. To interface with the control room’s new and legacy audio equipment, the System T is connected to two Net I/O D64 AES to Dante converters, a pair of Net I/O A32 SSL SuperAnalogue line level I/O to Dante and AES 67-based IP network interfaces, and a Net I/O SB i16 SuperAnalogue mic/line to Dante stage box, the two companies explained.

System T’s market-leading Dante integration was a critical factor in SCHN’s purchase decision. Through previous capital expenditure projects, Frazier said, SCHN had already installed a variety of Dante-enabled audio signal distribution equipment. “We had a lot of the appliances that we needed but we weren't ready to develop our Dante network until we had the desk here, because it's central to all of what we do. The ability to manage the entire Dante network from the desk is crucial. System T’s inbuilt Dante routing control determines 90% of our routes.”

​San Francisco-based Advanced Systems Group LLC (ASG), which is headquartered in the Bay Area with an office in London, supplied and integrated the new System T platform, having provided asset management, archive and broadcast equipment to SCHN’s previous owner’s regional sports network facilities around the country. The decommissioning of the C10 and the commissioning of the new System T were scheduled during a four-day break from live productions. ​

“I’ve had the privilege of working with Chris and his team for nearly a decade, and this solution was a great fit,” said Tyler Berry of ASG. “We deployed System T at a former owner’s facility with seamless results. When SCHN needed to replace the C10, System T was the clear choice for its flexibility and SSL's outstanding support. Thanks to Chris, SSL, and ASG’s systems integration team lead by Michele Ferreira, the project was a resounding success."

Decommissioning started on a Saturday, Frazier reported. “The System T configuration process started Monday morning, by Wednesday morning we were capable of doing a complete show and by Thursday afternoon we were trained and fully operational,” he said. “SSL’s Support Manager Richard Wand was awesome. We really enjoyed his leadership and his ability to get us up to speed. He was a great resource.”

Frazier said he also appreciated the support of Jason Martin, a provider of A1 broadcast remote audio services who works in the broadcast truck at Houston home games, and who has had extensive experience with System T. “System T came highly recommended from Jason; he was a huge advocate for it. He was already familiar with the System T from a previous installation he had done where he mixed, so his level of expertise came in handy,” he said.

Space City Home Network, which re-launched under its new name and new ownership in October 2023, broadcasts about 250 games annually “We don't have a lot of downtime here,” Frazier says. “On average, we do six games a week during baseball season, and an average of three to four during the basketball season.“

SCHN is available through a variety of providers in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and eastern New Mexico. ​

More information is available at www.solidstatelogic.com.

In advance of the 2025 IBC Show, Sept. 12-15 at the RAI Amsterdam, Grass Valley has announced two new partners for its AMPP OS (Agile Media Processing Platform Operating System) platform.

Audinate is bringing native Dante audio networking to AMPP via its Dante AV-over-IP platform and Hitomi’s Hitomi's trusted timing measurement capabilities are being integrated directly into AMPP environments through MatchBox Software Analyser, MatchBox Probe, and MatchBox Renderer applications. MatchBox Software solutions operate entirely within AMPP's virtualised infrastructure.

The Audinate partnership brings seamless Dante connectivity directly into AMPP OS, allowing users to discover, manage, and route Dante audio streams without external hardware. With support for up to 128×128 bidirectional channels and latency as low as 1ms, the integration delivers robust audio capabilities across any AMPP-powered workflow.

By incorporating Dante into AMPP, Grass Valley is enabling agile, software-defined audio routing that aligns with modern production demands, whether in a studio, on location, or in the cloud, the company said. The new functionality is fully integrated into AMPP’s microservices architecture, and is deployed, scaled and managed like any other AMPP service. This allows operators to mix Dante sources alongside other IP audio formats within the GV Media Universe.

For the first time, Dante I/O is available through AMPP’s flexible licensing model, offering hourly and monthly subscription options. This gives customers instant, cost-effective access to professional audio networking enabling rapid deployment for short-term productions, seasonal events, or dynamic scaling needs.

The integration benefits a broad range of users across sectors including broadcast, live events, corporate AV, worship, education, and esports—industries increasingly turning to remote production and distributed workflows.

“This partnership reflects the accelerating shift to IP-based media infrastructure,” said Chris Ware, Senior Vice President, Product Development at Audinate. “By integrating Dante into AMPP OS, Grass Valley is offering a powerful platform for modern audio workflows, built to scale for everything from small studios to enterprise-grade distributed productions.”

The solution also supports the use of Dante Domain Manager for effective device management across complex network installations, including the creation of multiple clocking domains, management and routing of signals across VLANs and subnets, creation and management of AES67 & ST2110 device domains, and effective monitoring of the overall Dante system status.

The Hitomi partnership addresses one of broadcasters' primary concerns about migrating to software-based production: maintaining precise timing and synchronisation throughout complex virtualised workflows. Integrating MatchBox Software Analyser, MatchBox Probe, and MatchBox Renderer applications into AMPP's virtualised infrastructure enables engineers to position timing measurement probes throughout their broadcast chain without signal conversion or external routing. This provides true end-to-end visibility, allowing broadcasters to monitor timing at multiple points from a centralized web interface whilst maintaining the same millisecond-accurate measurements that broadcast professionals rely on worldwide, Hitomi said.

"Traditional workflows using hardware analyzers require video signals to be routed out of software-based environments and converted back to SDI for analysis, which not only adds complexity but can introduce the very timing errors customers are trying to detect," explains Russell Johnson, Director at Hitomi Broadcast. "Our native AMPP integration eliminates this problem by enabling in-situ timing measurement within the software infrastructure itself."

"Managing sync and latency is one of the key concerns about the migration to cloud production," notes Matthew Yates, Director of Strategic Alliances at Grass Valley. "Hitomi's MatchBox solutions demonstrate exactly the kind of integration the Alliance is built for: delivering precision timing measurement that broadcasters require whilst working seamlessly within AMPP workflows."

The partnership reflects Grass Valley Alliance's focus on creating integrated solutions that work together out of the box, rather than requiring weeks of custom integration. MatchBox Software Analyser can manage multiple probes simultaneously, providing the scalability essential for modern virtualized broadcast operations while reducing infrastructure investment and maintaining precision.

Grass Valley will be in Stand 9.A01.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Audinate Group Limited, developer of the Dante media networking platform, is acquiring Iris Studio Inc. a U.S.-based provider of AI-powered, cloud-based camera control technology.

Iris offers a control-first video production platform that enables users to seamlessly manage cameras remotely, providing features like AI-driven auto tracking, real-time color correction and cloud recording, all from a single, cloud-based interface, according to the company. The Iris platform is brand-agnostic and is currently enabled on a wide range of PTZ cameras on the market. Beyond cameras, the Iris software platform is also applicable to a variety of AV products, including encoders, decoders, vision mixers and more.

Audinate says the acquisition will “strengthen the company’s video platform capabilities while also accelerating its broader vision for interoperable control and management across the AV device ecosystem.”

Iris enables OEMs with native cloud-based control directly into their devices, allowing users to remotely access, control, manage and monitor devices in real time—without the need for additional hardware. Iris has partnered with 14 different camera manufacturers, including Lumens, PTZOptics, Marshall, BirdDog, Telycam, AIDA and more.

Audinate says adding Iris to its portfolio will bring greater value to Dante customers across a range of markets, including corporate, entertainment, sports, government, houses of worship, broadcast and education. By combining advanced features like remote PTZ control, AI auto-tracking, color correction, and cloud recording with the capabilities of Dante Studio, AV professionals can deliver more flexible, efficient, and intelligent audio-visual experiences.

“The addition of Iris to the Dante ecosystem is a major step forward for the Dante platform,” commented Aidan Williams, co-founder and CEO of Audinate. “Combining Iris's broad applicability and cutting-edge remote production capabilities with powerful cloud-based management software like Dante Director will provide significant value for customers managing the millions of Dante-enabled devices in the field today.”

Iris launched as a white-label service earlier this year and will launch publicly in the second half of 2025. Audinate and Iris are actively working on integrating future roadmaps to bring Iris functionality to Dante customers.

Iris’s current employees will join Audinate following transaction completion and will work in collaboration with Audinate’s teams to continue to expand the capabilities of the Iris platform and to integrate its functionality with Dante products.

“At Iris, we set out to rethink AV device control—intelligent, intuitive, and accessible from anywhere,” said Noah Johnson, CEO of Iris. “Partnering with Audinate gives us the scale, reach, and deep AV expertise to accelerate our roadmap and bring our vision to the next level.”

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—Studio Technologies said the Harvard University athletics department has integrated Dante-enabled equipment from the vendor into its broadcast productions.

The solutions include the Model 204 and Model 205 Announcer’s Consoles, Model 5205 Mic/Line to Dante Interface and Model 5422A Dante Intercom Audio Engine. The products from Studio Technologies are used to produce approximately 325 live broadcasts annually, covering home games for 40 of its 42 varsity teams.

In recent years, Harvard Athletics has centralized its production operations, shifting from on-site setups to a remote production model. Two central control rooms, located at the basketball and hockey facilities, now manage nearly all Harvard sports broadcasts.

This shift has been aided by implementing Studio Technologies’ Dante-enabled audio equipment, including the Model 204 and Model 205 Announcer’s Consoles. These devices allow commentators to seamlessly connect from any location on campus, utilizing the university’s robust, unified network infrastructure, Studio Technologies said.

“In the past, setting up for a swim meet or any other event required transporting massive amounts of gear to the site,” said Imry Halevi, senior associate director of athletics. “Now, with Studio Technologies’ Dante-enabled commentator stations, we simply plug in and everything integrates effortlessly. Whether it’s fencing, volleyball, or football, the system is flexible and reliable.”

A key improvement in Harvard’s setup has been the introduction of Studio Technologies’ Model 5205, which provides microphones with both phantom power and conversion to Dante digital. This eliminates previous challenges associated with capturing ambient audio, including allowing remote gain adjustments via Studio Technologies’ STcontroller software.

“We used to have to send someone to manually adjust mixers on-site,” Halevi added. “Now we can do it remotely, saving time and effort.”

Harvard has also enhanced its communication capabilities with Studio Technologies’ beltpacks and intercom solutions, enabling seamless communication between directors, camera operators, and commentators. The adoption of the Model 5422A for both intercom support as well as serving as a Dante leader clock has resolved previous network stability issues, further streamlining operations.

In addition to sports like football, basketball and hockey, Harvard also produces broadcasts for lesser-covered sports such as skiing, sailing, water polo and fencing. The university has built dedicated commentary booths featuring Studio Technologies equipment, allowing commentators to provide coverage remotely. These efforts have helped Harvard expand its reach and engagement, particularly with alumni and prospective students, the company said.

Harvard’s broadcasts are available on ESPN+ as part of the Ivy League’s agreement with the network, with select broadcasts on New England Sports Network (NESN), a Boston-based regional sports network. The athletic department has also experimented with innovative formats, such as a social media-focused vertical broadcasts for tennis, leveraging Studio Technologies’ Dante audio solutions for a smoother production experience.

“Our mission is to tell the stories of our student-athletes and coaches, and high-quality broadcasts are a big part of that,” Halevi said. “Studio Technologies’ solutions have been instrumental in helping us maintain excellence within our budget constraints.”

PORTLAND, Ore.—Audinate Group has announced that cloud-based solutions from Calrec, Gallery Sienna, LAMA, Lawo, and Telos Alliance have been added to the growing list of applications that support native Dante audio in cloud-based production workflows. 

The recently released SDK for Dante Connect enables software developers to build Dante audio transmission and reception natively into their cloud-based applications, Audinate reported. 

Calrec, Gallery Sienna, LAMA, Lawo, and Telos Alliance join the expanding ecosystem of cloud-based software applications to choose direct integration of Dante into their applications. Integrating Dante directly into cloud-based applications enables end customers to connect any existing Dante hardware or software to cloud-based software applications using Dante Connect, the companies said. 

These new Dante integrations give broadcasters and audio engineers a vast array of new products to choose from when building cloud-based Dante audio production workflows. 

The new integrations join existing Dante-native cloud-based tools from Solid State Logic and Waves, as well as solutions connected by Dante Virtual Soundcard from Grass Valley, Harrison, Riedel, and Vizrt. The ecosystem now includes eleven professional tools that broadcasters can selectively integrate into their workflows, Audinate reported. 

Following its development preview at NAB 2024, Calrec joins Audiotonix’s sister company, Solid State Logic, with the integration of a cloud-based DSP mixing engine and software on demand, which will make its debut at IBC 2024 in Amsterdam. Calrec’s ImPulseV, hosted entirely in a public cloud environment like AWS can be accessed from anywhere in the world and is suitable for all broadcast audio production workflows. It delivers the same audio quality and feature set as Calrec’s hardware-based ImPulse processing cores.

“By using Dante Connect, we give customers maximum flexibility for audio production with an on-premise Calrec hardware and cloud-based audio DSP mixing engine,” says Henry Goodman, director of product management at Calrec. “As new cloud functionality and flexibility is adopted by our customers, Calrec continues to develop and deploy new audio equipment and software designed to exceed customer demands.”

Gallery Sienna has integrated Dante into the Sienna ND Processing Engine. Dante support enables broadcasters using a variety of video protocols, including NDI and SRT to seamlessly bridge embedded audio streams to Dante Native systems in their workflow.

"As we see the growth of cloud-based workflows, dedicated audio mixing platforms are increasingly required, and many of these are native Dante", says Mark Gilbert, chief technology officer of Gallery Sienna. "Adding Dante support to the industry standard infrastructure platform, Sienna ND Processing Engine connects the embedded audio in video streams with Dante-based mixing platforms and also adds new mechanisms for remote contribution of Dante audio from the ground to the cloud, along with remote monitoring of cloud-based Dante streams."

LAMA, Lean And Mean Audio BV, brings Dante integration to their software-based audio solutions to enable new options for audio mixing in broadcast productions. 

“Audio production and orchestration is critical to broadcast productions and cloud-based software solutions give engineers and A1s new options for additional flexibility,” says Ewan Cameron, co-founder and chief commercial officer of LAMA. “Adding native Dante connectivity within LAMA Connect enables broadcasters to quickly connect existing Dante hardware to the cloud-based software toolset.”

Lawo brings Dante integration to their HOME Apps platform to support productions, including television broadcast and on-air radio, performing arts, houses of worship, and professional AV. 

“The integration of Dante into HOME Apps is an important milestone for Lawo’s open, unified HOME platform,” states Jamie Dunn, Lawo’s Deputy CEO. “Providing Dante integration on a server-based microservice level yields a vast range of creative benefits for operators as it helps them navigate the transition to future-proof hardware-abstracted processing.”

Telos Alliance adds Dante into the cloud-based Telos Infinity VIP intercom system, the first professional intercom system to support cloud-based Dante workflows.

“Adding Dante to the Telos Infinity VIP intercom system enables customers to expand the integration of additional audio signals from any Dante device into the Telos Infinity intercom network,” says John Schur, president of Media Solutions. “This provides customers the flexibility and scalability of intercom systems without the requirement of additional hardware costs.” 

Using the Dante SDK, software developers get free access to send and receive Dante audio to any Dante-enabled hardware and software. This enables end users to send audio from existing on-premises Dante hardware to cloud-based mixers, DSPs, and orchestration software, providing maximum flexibility in configuration. 

Licensing for Dante audio support is managed by Dante Connect, freeing developers to add functionality without additional costs. End customers license Dante Connect, enabling native Dante connections and cloud-based Dante Virtual Soundcard integrations. 

To learn more about Dante Connect, visit IBC Booth 8.A95 or go to www.getdante.com/DanteConnect.  

Missed any of our recent product news? Here is TV Tech's weekly wrap-up of new products, services and deployments we published in our newsletter between August 19 to August 23. The stories are listed from the newest on Friday August 23, day by day back to our stories from Monday August 19.

Dish Business Launches News Evolve M2 Set Top Box for Hotels

Evolve M2 allows hoteliers, senior living facilities and others to update internal systems and tailor settings and apps available to guests on each property.

Nugen Audio to Celebrate 20th Anniversary at IBC 2024

From the outset, Nugen Audio has been fully focused on providing solutions to real-life problems and will be highlighting new solutions during the show.

PilotDesk and LG Ad Solutions Ink New Long-Term Ad Tech Deal

As part of the agreement, YieldPilot will optimize and streamline ad inventory with automated yield optimization for publishers.

Three Reasons Why Brazil’s TV 3.0 Decision Matters Here

What does the accomplishment mean to U.S. broadcasters grappling with the myriad of challenges the voluntary transition to 3.0 has created?

Multiple Trends Driving Dynamic KVM Market for M&E

With the industry’s move to IP, lower latency, more flexibility in the offing.

Revolutionizing Broadcast Production Models With Dante

Access to Dante in the cloud allows broadcasters to rethink how they approach audio production.

Evertz to Focus on Software Defined Video Networking at IBC 2024

Company’s SDVN solution targets media companies moving to IP or expanding all-IP infrastructures using SMPTE ST 2110 and NMOS.

Yospace To Showcase Dynamic Ad Insertion Developments At IBC 2024

The company’s technology powered delivery of 10 billion ads on four continents this summer.

SDVI to Feature Latest Rally Access Workstation Developments at IBC 2024

Rally enables anywhere, anytime access to hosted edit workstations and content in the cloud.

Actus Digital To Highlight Compliance, Monitoring Product Developments At IBC 2024

The company will showcase its technology and mark its 20th anniversary at the show.

Sony Electronics Unveils 4K Handheld Professional Camcorders with AI-Based Tools

The camcorders offer AI-based subject recognition autofocus, tracking, and auto framing.

RCN Colombia Leverages Zixi To Streamline Content Distribution To U.S. Affiliates

The Latin American broadcaster is using Zixi’s IP solution portfolio in place of satellite.

NAB Studio Deploys Unytalk Live Interactive Webcast Solution

The studio is using the solution to produce and broadcast interactive content.

You Can Now Smell Your TV Programs for Just $180

Elevated Perceptions has launched “MovieScent,” an AI-powered device that the company says releases real-time scents based on events and environments within movies, TV shows, televised sporting events and streams.

Chyron To Feature Latest Enhancements for PRIME, PAINT and LIVE At IBC 2024

The company will show a new Chyron PRIME playout workflow that simplifies operation.

Mo-Sys To Feature MoViewer Multi-Camera Virtual Production Preview Solution At IBC 2024

MoViewer eliminates the need for per-camera render nodes.

Dante is a complete, easy-to-use AV-over-IP platform that is inherently interoperable across thousands of products from hundreds of manufacturers, seamlessly integrating best-in-class audio, video, control, and management features.

Long the de facto standard for transmitting audio in pro AV and on-premise broadcast applications, the Dante platform is revolutionizing the broadcasting industry by enabling reliable hybrid and distributed production models in the cloud. The importance of these models lies in their ability to adapt swiftly to technological advancements and operational requirements, ensuring high-quality broadcasts in various scenarios.

Evolution of Broadcast Production Models
Traditional on-premises production relied heavily on centralized facilities, which limited flexibility and scalability. However, we are entering a new era of broadcasting based on shifting audience viewing preferences, workflow paradigms, and content creation/curation.

For these reasons, cloud-based broadcast production is gaining popularity since it offers several advantages over traditional production workflows, including flexibility and efficiency. However, change is hard, and broadcasters face challenges integrating new technologies and managing distributed teams, necessitating robust solutions like cloud-based Dante solutions.

Dante Cloud Possibilities
The ability to use Dante software applications in the cloud opens opportunities for A1s and mixing engineers to choose a familiar audio platform that’s easy to use with tight synchronization and seamless connectivity to centralize production tools running on cloud instances.

Access to Dante in the cloud allows broadcasters to rethink how they approach audio production. Maintaining the familiar workflows that production teams are accustomed to in on-premise environments makes the adoption of cloud-based Dante feel easy and intuitive. Only by utilizing cloud resources can broadcasters create the necessary programming to cater to ever-personalized and fragmented audience destinations.

With Dante cloud capabilities, Dante audio products can send up to 256 channels at a time of synchronized, high-fidelity audio directly from on-premise Dante devices to best-of-breed or customer-preferred production software in the cloud.

Audio can be distributed globally within the cloud, allowing different teams to use the same audio within multiple applications and locations to address different audiences, languages, and aspects of the production process. Source audio can be sent directly to the cloud from remote sites so mixing engineers can do their jobs from anywhere.

Benefits of Dante in the Cloud
Cloud-based Dante solutions transform traditional work models and workflows by enabling remote and flexible work opportunities for production teams. Their integration with existing tools and technologies allows for a smooth transition and enhanced collaboration among team members, regardless of their location.

Adopting Dante for the cloud leads to significant efficiency gains and economies of scale. Broadcasters can reduce hardware and operational costs, simplify setup and maintenance processes, and scale their operations to accommodate different production sizes. This scalability is crucial for handling various broadcast demands without compromising quality.

Cloud capabilities also boost content production volume by facilitating faster turnaround times and enabling more simultaneous productions. This capability allows broadcasters to meet the growing demand for diverse and high-quality content, ensuring they stay competitive in the ever-evolving media landscape.

Dante in the Cloud Example
Picture a week filled with overlapping races: a Formula 1 Grand Prix in Monaco, a MotoGP race in Valencia, and a World Rally Championship event in Finland. Each of these events, happening in different locations and time zones, requires a unique audio setup, and the Dante platform is the key to managing these complex requirements.

On the ground at each race, Dante-enabled microphones capture the engines' roar, the crowd's cheers, and the commentary from the pit lane. These microphones are connected to Dante-enabled mixers and communication systems, creating a robust on-premise audio network that can capture and process high-quality audio in real time.

The cloud becomes an extension of that audio network. Here, cloud-based Dante-enabled mixers, digital signal processors (DSPs), and intercom systems take over. These devices allow technical staff to control and fine-tune the audio broadcast from a single location, regardless of where the races occur. This seamless integration of on-premise and cloud-based devices creates a flexible, efficient, and scalable audio ecosystem that can adapt to the needs of any broadcast.

Taking Dante to the Next Level
The Dante platform’s ability to support diverse production models, streamline workflows, and enhance collaboration makes it an invaluable asset for broadcasters adapting to modern production demands.

Dante accessible via the cloud allows broadcasters to rethink how they approach audio production by letting them take advantage of Dante devices anywhere in the world, create a cloud-based network of these devices, and then manage it from wherever their production staff is based.

The ability to create efficient remote production workflows directly from the hundreds of thousands of on-premise Dante devices has the potential to revolutionize cloud-based audio production.

Missed any of our product news this week? Here is our new weekly wrap-up of new products, services and deployments we published in our newsletter between June 3 and June 7. The stories are listed from the newest on Friday June 7, day by day back to our stories from Monday June 3. 

Charter Sees a Big Payoff from AI-Generated Ads

Evidence that AI tools can be a bonanza for local ad sales and bring in a host of new clients that might not otherwise be able to produce video ads, can be found at Charter’s Spectrum Reach’s local ad sales efforts.

J:COM Taps Brightcove for New Streaming Service

Brightcove has announced that J:COM Co., Ltd., Japan’s largest cable TV company, is using Brightcove technologies to power J:COM’s newest streaming service, Ikimono Watch (“Animal Watch”).

Blackmagic Design Announces Blackmagic Cloud Live Sync

Blackmagic Design has announced Blackmagic Cloud Sync, a new feature of Blackmagic Cloud storage that allows a camera to sync media into a DaVinci Resolve bin while the camera is recording.

Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation Deploys Riedel's Production Suite in OB Vans

Riedel Communications has announced that the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT S.A.), Greece’s state-owned public broadcaster, has acquired Riedel's cutting-edge Simplylive Production Suite to expand its live production capabilities across a wide range of events.

ARRI Introduces Hi-5 SX Wireless Camera, Lens Control Unit

ARRI has unveiled its single-axis Hi-5 SX wireless camera and lens control hand unit, which can be upgraded with greater functionality via an optional software license.

Live Cloud Production Takes Off With Far-Reaching Implications

The broadcast industry’s accelerating transition to cloud-based production of sports, news and other live programming is proving far more disruptive to the evolution of video services than seemed likely not so long ago.

Dante Adds Media Encryption, Enhancing Security Features of the Dante AV-over-IP Platform

Audinate Group Limited, developer of the Dante AV-over-IP solution, has announced the addition of Dante Media Encryption to the security features and benefits of the Dante platform. Dante Media Encryption protects the content of media flows using strong AES-256 encryption, safeguarding media from interception or unauthorized access.

Anton/Bauer Launches 'Preservation Power' Campaign in Partnership with Rainforest Trust

Anton/Bauer has announced the launch of its 'Preservation Power' campaign. This initiative supports Rainforest Trust's mission to conserve and protect the world's most threatened tropical forests and endangered wildlife.

Canon Announces New EOS C400 6K Full-Frame RF Mount Cinema Camera

Canon U.S.A. Inc. has made several new product announcements with the unveiling of the new Canon EOS C400 cinema camera, a new RF-Mount CINE-SERVO and firmware updates with enhanced features for Cinema EOS Cameras and Pro Camcorders.

New Yahoo Advertising Data Offering Takes Aim at Ad Market Fragmentation

Yahoo Advertising is addressing the splintering advertising market with a new product that blends datasets to give advertisers greater perspective on connected TV (CTV) and linear audience viewers.

ITV Turns To Friend MTS To Fight Piracy

U.K. commercial broadcaster ITV has selected Friend MTS anti-piracy services to help protect its content.

Akili Kids! Handles Fast-Paced Schedule With PlayBox Neo

The Kenyan children’s network broadcast more than 1 million video files in four years using PlayBox Neo technologies.

Clear-Com Expands Connectivity, Device Support Of Arcadia Intercom

The update includes I.V. Direct Interfacing and HelixNet HXII-DPL Powerline device support.

Sony Electronics Unveils New Firmware Roadmap for the BURANO Digital Cinema Camera

Two new firmware updates will include additional recording modes, support for live event production and more improvements, which will be released over the next year.

DZS Completes NetComm Acquisition

Deal expands its offerings to broadband networking, connectivity and cloud software and its footprint in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Australia/New Zealand.

FCC Ends Affordable Connectivity Program

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced that the agency officially ended the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) on June 1, 2024 after Congress failed to provide additional funding.

Dielectric Antennas Help CTN Spread Its Message Far and Wide

This user report explains how the Christian Television Network, which operates 24 television stations throughout the United States, recently installed three new Dielectric antennas at its stations. 

PORTLAND, Ore.—Audinate Group Limited, developer of the Dante AV-over-IP solution, has announced the addition of Dante Media Encryption to the security features and benefits of the Dante platform. Dante Media Encryption protects the content of media flows using strong AES-256 encryption, safeguarding media from interception or unauthorized access.

Dante product updates for Dante Media Encryption will be available for original equipment manufacturers to integrate with their products in the second half of this year, the company said. 

Dante is a complete, AV-over-IP platform that is interoperable across more than 4,000 products from over 600 manufacturers, integrating audio, video, control, and management features. This interoperability, combined with the ability to access and route AV signals anywhere in the world, makes Dante uniquely qualified to add end-to-end encryption between connected products, the company said. 

Dante offers device, network, and media-level protections for Pro AV manufacturers to integrate into their products and system solutions. The accelerating convergence of AV equipment and IT network technologies has increased the need for integrators and manufacturers to provide network protection for system users with security-conscious designs and adherence to emerging IoT (Internet-of-Things) network regulations, the company said. 

Audinate also stressed that Dante systems and endpoints implement a multilayer security architecture that provides unmatched threat and vulnerability protection to the network and connected devices. The multilayer security architecture provides a solid foundation for manufacturers and systems integrators to follow best practices when configuring Dante and their products to meet new regulations. 

The addition of Dante Media Encryption enables Pro AV equipment manufacturers to upgrade qualified Dante firmware and software in new or existing designs to support AES-256 encryption security policies on managed Dante networks, the company reported. 

“Dante Media Encryption is the only fully interoperable and manufacturer-agnostic solution for AV installations, providing a powerful tool to customers that must adhere to strict security and privacy mandates,” says Mark Gerrard, group product manager, Audinate. “The introduction of Dante Media Encryption demonstrates Audinate’s ongoing industry leadership in the Pro AV industry.”

Dante Media Encryption capabilities are fully compatible between updated devices in managed Dante networks. Managed networks are fundamental to a secure AV-over-IP system, with Dante Director and Dante Domain Manager (DDM) providing secure access controls, network segmentation, policy management, and event logging as essential protections to an installation. Dante Media Encryption policy is configurable by the AV network administrator through an intuitive user interface on the Dante Director management platform. Dante Director also provides strong key management, including key rotation, for enrolled devices, the company said. 

GRASS VALLEY, Calif.—AJA Video Systems has released Dante AV 4K v1.1, the first update for its Dante AV 4K-T and 4K-R transmitter/receiver converters, which enable the transport and control of ultra-low latency, professional quality 4K/UltraHD/2K/HD/VESA Dante video and audio to/from 12G-SDI or HDMI 2.0 devices over a 1 GigE Dante AV network. 

Available as a free download, the robust update extends the capabilities of both devices with user-inspired improvements that answer modern workflow demands and provide AV professionals with more flexibility in the field as they integrate high-quality, visually lossless video into a diverse range of AV-over-IP environments.

“There’s no singular path to video over IP, and workflows vary broadly, depending upon the approach, so we’re continuously investing in bringing new features to AJA’s 4K-R and 4K-T that give users the tools they need to achieve their vision,” explained AJA president Nick Rashby. “AJA Dante AV 4K v1.1 boasts a ton of new great features for users to explore, and we’re excited to see how they start leveraging them.” 

With high dynamic range (HDR) workflows continuing to gain in popularity across broadcast, production, and proAV, AJA Dante AV 4K v1.1 delivers support for HDR, ensuring HDR signals pass through the devices seamlessly and that users can easily change the HDR metadata on outputs received, the company reported. 

The release also introduces AJA Dante AV 4K-R support for Ref In, so that a device like the AJA GEN 10 HD/SD sync generator may be used to lock the output of the 4K-R when the signal must be combined with other baseband device outputs and sources. Furthermore, AJA Dante AV 4K v1.1 activates a second locking ethernet port (Eth2) on the device, allowing users to connect a second device to their Dante AV switch, without a second ethernet cable needing to be connected directly to the switch.

New cropping and scale resizing capabilities for 4K-R, available via the update, let users easily scale 4K to UHD and downscale UHD to HD, with the ability to select between Auto, Native, and Crop 4K to UHD/Scale UHD to HD. AJA Dante AV 4K v1.1 also validates select 4K and 8K 4x4 workflows where AJA 4K-T signals can be sent to four 4K-Rs and all four outputs are confirmed to be in time and in sync, which is essential in live production settings where all four outputs must be perfectly timed. 3G Level B 4:2:2 10-bit high frame rate is now supported as well. Added compatibility with Audinate’s Dante Domain Manager, which is available for purchase from valued resellers worldwide, ensures AJA 4K-R and 4K-T users can take advantage of the solution’s API to control Dante from touch panels, monitor status, and automate workflows, the company explained. 

Commenting on the update, Audinate senior product manager Wim Roose shared, “AJA has proven to be a great addition to the Dante AV family, and we’ve been thrilled to watch customers worldwide embrace AJA Dante AV 4K-T and 4K-R to capitalize on the benefits of Dante audio with synchronized, high-quality, ultra low latency networked video. It’s exciting to see AJA deliver a new update less than a year since launching their products and we’re looking forward to continuing our partnership with them, which will help advance IP workflows across pro AV and media and entertainment.” 

AJA Dante AV 4K v1.1 is available today from AJA’s support page as a free download. AJA Dante AV 4K-T and 4K-R can be purchased through AJA’s worldwide network of resellers for $2495 US MSRP each. For rack-mounting up to two units, the 1RU AJA ​​IOX-RM rack mount shelf accessory is available for $120 US MSRP. For more information, visit www.aja.com/dante-av-ultra.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—CP Communication’s Red House Streaming has launched Flight, a new video production flypack for multi-camera location shoots. Designed for easy setup and quick deployment, Flight offers a professional HD production option for live broadcast or streaming of small-to-medium sized location shoots.

The rack-based Flight system supports four Sony HDC-2570 3-CCD HD cameras with Canon 20x lenses on a base level, for live production of corporate events, concerts, music festivals, and Tier 2/3 sports, the company explained. 

The video infrastructure brings together a complete workflow for content creators that is extendable to Spark HD, a 16-foot production trailer with a hybrid HD-SDI and IP production workflow plus a professional live streaming control room. Flight’s content acquisition capabilities can also scale for eight-camera shoots whether used with Spark HD or as a standalone REMI video production flypack.

The all-IP audio workflow simplifies routing and distribution for up to 40 channels of Dante audio, with direct connectivity to a 32-channel Calrec Brio audio console, Unity radios, and an RTS ADAM matrix intercom with OMNEO and RVON connectivity. When used with Spark HD or a separate transmission rack, Flight’s edge routing capabilities encodes video to IP with SRT transport capabilities for low-latency content delivery. The complete video production flypack workflow also includes a 72x72 Ross Video NK router (with an NK-IPS network bridge), Evertz DreamCatcher replay servers, and choice of a Ross Video Carbonite or Blackmagic ATEM Constellation production switcher, the company said. 

“Not every project calls for a production truck or trailer. Flight will take you wherever you want to go for less money and on short notice,” said Kurt Heitmann, CEO, CP Communications and Red House Streaming. “We have pre-built Flight systems in house and ready to go, and we can quickly accommodate available gear options that plug into its architecture before shipping.”

Flight’s pre-built wheeled racks can be adjusted quickly to add equipment and capabilities, depending on production needs. 

One example is the content creator who wants a more diverse video acquisition strategy for live event capture. “Flight can accommodate PTZs, POVs and RF cameras in the same flypack to provide the director with a broader array of camera angles and shot selections,” said Heitmann. 

For standard four-camera flypacks, Flight includes a portable video control console with four Sony RCP-1500 control panels, monitors and other equipment for easy access and control in the field.

“The bottom line is we are problem solvers, and that includes the ability to quick-ship solutions to support short-notice productions or fill gaps in a production workflow that has already been deployed for a shoot,” added Aaron Segarra, vice president of sales, CP Communications. “Flight is an ideal solution for the on-site production needs of our local clients in Florida, and is built to interoperate with the live streaming production workflow at our Red House Streaming Production Center in St. Petersburg. However, Flight’s powerful and professional infrastructure is also built with the national production community in mind, and we are excited to share it with broadcasters and live streaming event producers across the country.” 

For rental availability and more information on Flight, contact sales@redhousestreaming.com. 

GRASS VALLEY, Calif.—AJA Video Systems will be unveiling a new slate of products and updates designed to meet the evolving demands of Video-over-IP, color conversion and management, streaming, remote production, and data management and curation workflows during the 2023 NAB Show.

Through a partnership with Audinate, developer of the new Dante AV Ultra high image quality solution for standard 1 GigE networks, AJA has released Dante AV 4K-T, which converts 4K/UHD/2K/HD/VESA SDI and HDMI 2.0 to Dante AV Ultra signals, and Dante AV 4K-R, which converts Dante AV Ultra signals to 4K/UHD/2K/HD/VESA SDI and HDMI 2.0. 

AJA has also revealed new firmware updates for HELO Plus, ColorBox, BRIDGE LIVE, FS-HDR, and AJA Diskover Media Edition.

“Between the dynamic nature of the M&E and proAV industries, and the continuous pursuit of an improved end-viewer experience, technological innovation is a constant, and AJA strives to give professionals access to groundbreaking new tools and product updates that help them keep pace with emerging and evolving workflows,” shared AJA president Nick Rashby. “We’re thrilled to roll out our new Dante AV 4K-T and 4K-R converters to the community, alongside powerful updates for some of our most popular products that bring users more workflow flexibility and control.”

The new AJA Dante AV 4K-T and 4K-R transmitter/receiver converters enable transport and control of low latency, professional quality 4K/UltraHD/2K/HD/VESA IP video and audio to/from 12G-SDI or HDMI 2.0 devices over a 1 GigE Dante AV network. 

Leveraging the tools and infrastructure of the extremely popular Dante IP audio technology from Audinate, the converters offer professionals a reliable and familiar way to integrate video distribution in a networked facility, and seamlessly incorporate high-quality, visually lossless Dante AV Ultra IP video into environments spanning stadiums, arenas, theaters, churches, schools, office complexes, hotels, conference rooms, and more, the company said. 

AJA Dante AV 4K-T and 4K-R are available today from AJA’s worldwide reseller network for $2,495 US MSRP each. 

Firmware updates on display at the 2023 NAB Show include: 

• HELO Plus v2.0 Firmware. New v2.0 firmware for the AJA HELO Plus H.264 streaming/encoding/recording device includes several free improvements that make it easier for users to deliver more compelling live streams. The update also introduces two new licensable features, including simultaneous multi-channel stereo audio streaming/recording and PlayToStream, which lets users leverage a previously recorded program for a future streaming event. HELO Plus is available today from AJA’s worldwide reseller network for $1,869 US MSRP, with v2.0 improvements (outside of PlayToStream and simultaneous multi-channel stereo audio) available next month for free via the AJA support page. At the same time, PlayToStream and multi-channel stereo audio streaming/recording options will be available for $199 and $99 US MSRP, respectively.
• ColorBox v2.0. Available now, AJA ColorBox v2.0 firmware brings a host of new customer-requested features to the high-performance converter for color-managed workflows, including an add-on license to expand ColorBox’s Colorfront Engine™ video processing options with all-new TV Mode and Live Mode. With the update, the latest v1.6 BBC HLG LUTs are supported. An ORION-CONVERT update is also now accessible with a gamma compensation function to ensure compatibility between different color conversion philosophies. Rounding out the release are improvements such as support for overlaying frame lines or other graphics, five additional built-in test patterns, and Light Illusion, Portrait Displays Calman, and QTAKE Video Assist integrations. ColorBox is available today from AJA’s worldwide reseller network for $1,995 US MSRP, with optional licenses for Colorfront at $995 US MSRP, the ORION-CONVERT pipeline at $695 US MSRP, and the BBC HLG LUT pipeline at $145 US MSRP. 
• AJA BRIDGE LIVE v1.14. A robust firmware update for AJA’s multi-channel UltraHD and HD live video solution for remote production, contribution, collaboration, streaming, and delivery, AJA BRIDGE LIVE v1.14 introduces optional perpetual JPEG XS I/O licenses. Additional improvements include RTMP input, support for ST 2022-7 hitless redundancy, and input auto-reconfiguration, which further streamline user workflows and automate workflow tasks. BRIDGE LIVE v1.14 will soon be available for existing users with an active maintenance agreement for download from AJA’s website. Customers without a maintenance agreement can access bug fixes within v1.14 but will not receive new feature access. BRIDGE LIVE is available through AJA’s worldwide reseller network starting at $15,999 US MSRP. Optional, perpetual BRIDGE LIVE JPEG XS01 and BRIDGE LIVE JPEG XS04 licenses can be purchased for $1,500 US MSRP per HD channel and $6,000 US MSRP per UltraHD/four-channel HD respectively.
• FS-HDR v4.2. New v4.2 firmware for the AJA FS-HDR real-time HDR/WCG converter/frame synchronizer with Colorfront Engine video processing introduces an all-new Colorfront TV Mode, utilizing the latest color science advancements from Colorfront, and powerful Live and Film Mode updates, including support for ARRI LogC4 and Sony S-Log3 transforms. BBC HLG LUTs have been updated to v1.6, including a new combination LUT for camera shading in live productions and a new CAM (Color Appearance Model) based LUT. FS-HDR is available today from AJA’s worldwide reseller network for $9,569 US MSRP. The v4.2 firmware update is now available via AJA’s support page.
• AJA Diskover Media Edition Updates. Additions to AJA Diskover Media Edition sustainable data management and curation software include core software enhancements that provide advanced security, enrich metadata with business context, bring users live insights into their data, and streamline deployment. Expanded search capabilities save facilities time and afford more flexibility, while analytics improvements such as integration with the Xytech Media Operations Platform, and Illegal File Name and Hash Differential plug-ins help provide accuracy and granular data curation. Play and preview capabilities are enabled via the CineSys Cineviewer Player plug-in, and a powerful, purpose-built Oxagile plug-in streamlines arduous content delivery tasks for IMF packages. AJA Diskover Media Edition users with active licenses can access these updates today. The software is available for $11,995 US MSRP per license. For pricing on supported partner plug-ins and integrations, please contact the respective developers (CineSys.io, Oxagile, Qumulo, and Xytech).

AJA is exhibiting at NAB booth #W2600 (West Hall) at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

SKOKIE, Ill.—Studio Technologies has unveiled the Model 545DC and Model 545DR intercom interfaces, which allow users to use analog party-line (PL) intercom circuits with contemporary Dante audio-over-Ethernet (AoE) applications.

The new intercoms will be shown at the 2023 NAB Show between April 15 to 19. 

“Analog party-line (PL) intercom remains a staple of broadcast, theater and industrial workflows, creating a need for seamless integration into modern Dante applications,” said Gordon Kapes, president of Studio Technologies. “Our enhanced, intercom interfaces ensure that analog PL applications can become part of contemporary Dante-based applications. The supported audio quality is excellent, ensuring that all users are provided with effective intercommunications.”

The Model 545DC supports two single-channel PL intercom circuits and is directly compatible with single-channel analog party-line (PL) products from Clear-Com. The Model 545DR offers one 2-channel interface and works directly with the RTS TW-series of 2-channel analog intercom circuits. Both can interconnect with Dante-supported devices. The interfaces are also compatible with Studio Technologies’ line of Dante-enabled user beltpack, intercom station and intercom audio engine products.

The Model 545DC is designed for use with single-channel analog party-line (PL) intercom circuits. The Model 545DR is intended for use in applications, typically broadcast, that provide two-channels of analog PL on a single 3-conductor cable. High-frequency call signals are combined with voice audio and are supported by the Model 545DR. Each interface is capable of providing DC power, allowing direct connection of a limited number of analog PL user devices, the company said.

Both the Model 545DC and Model 545DR can be powered by a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) connection or an external source of 12 volts DC. An etherCON RJ45 jack is used to interface the units with a 100 MB/sec Ethernet signal, it said.

Standard 3-conductor XLR connectors allow the analog party-line (PL) intercom circuits to be directly interconnected. For assistance during installation and troubleshooting, both the Model 545DC and Model 545DR contain two sets of 5-segment LED level meters. Each set of two meters displays the level of signals being sent to and received from their associated party-line interface channel. Each unit has two analog hybrid functions that separate the PL intercom circuits’ send and receive audio channels. The software-controlled hybrid circuits provide high return loss and excellent audio quality, it said.

The Model 545DC and Model 545DR operating parameters are configured using the STcontroller software application. Available free of charge from Studio Technologies, STcontroller allows production personnel to quickly and easily configure the unit’s capabilities to meet an application’s exact needs. STcontroller is offered in versions that are compatible with the WinOS and macOS operating systems, the company said.

More information is available on the company’s website.

NANJING, China—Magewell has launched the Pro Convert Audio DX multi-format IP audio encoder, decoder and capture device and will feature it at the 2023 NAB Show, April 15-19, in Las Vegas. 

The device, the company’s first to offer integrated support for Audinate Dante audio networking, enables users to convert audio between Dante, NDI and SRT transport technologies while also bridging analog audio, software and IP networks, the company said.

Pro Convert Audio DX can send and receive up to eight channels of audio in unicast or multicast Dante flows (audio streams). In addition to Dante, the device also supports uncompressed audio using the NDI media-over-IP technology or compressed AAC audio using the low-latency SRT protocol, it said.

With the ability to convert between Dante, NDI and SRT, the new device enables mixed-technology local and remote production workflows that combine best-of-breed products supporting different standards and formats. The Pro Convert Audio DX also can serve as a gateway to the IP domain for analog audio, encoding signals into Dante, NDI or SRT streams. Similarly, it can decode IP audio streams for analog output, it said.

Pro Convert Audio DX also can serve as an audio capture device when connected via USB to a laptop or desktop computer. UAC (USB Audio Class) compatibility provides plug-and-play ease of use and immediate compatibility with popular video conferencing, streaming, and production software, the company said.

See Magewell in NAB Show booth C5031.

More information is available on the company’s website. 

INGLEWOOD, Calif.—The NFL Media headquarters—a state-of-the-art IP media broadcast production center that opened less than a year and a half ago—leverages one of the world’s largest Dante audio networks in the world with some 18,000 Dante connections as well as connections to 31 direct fiber audio locations at SoFi Stadium here and six local direct fiber audio locations.

The ultramodern IP-based 4K and HDR-capable facility, home to NFL Network, NFL.com, NFL RedZone, the NFL app and other departments, is also connected to all 30 NFL stadiums via 10-Gbps interfaces and all 32 NFL practice facilities. 

Currently the facility, which employs more than 1,000 people, houses five main stages supported by numerous production control rooms, audio control rooms and workstations, has a post-production operation with 18 high-end edit rooms, two audio-sweetening suites and 90 VDI thin-client desktop editors accessible from anywhere in the facility or remotely, said Bruce Goldfeder, NFL Media vice president of broadcast engineering.

At the moment, NFL Media produces 1080p60 broadcasts with Dolby 5.1 audio, but the facility’s infrastructure can support 4K60 with Dolby Atmos 7.2.4 audio and is capable of scaling to future formats, including 8K and HDR.

To bring all of this together, the facility relies on nearly 18,000 Dante audio network connections, 16,000 MADI connections and more than 2,000 Riedel intercom channels. The Dante audio-over-IP platform enables audio and control data to be transported via standard 1GB Ethernet networks. More than 3,500 products from 500 manufacturers support Dante, which replaces point-to-point analog and digital connections with software-based routing, making it possible to send audio channels anywhere on the network.

For audio production, the various NFL Media studios are equipped with a mix of 11 System T Dante-enabled broadcast production audio consoles from Solid State Logic.  

“This is one of the largest, if not the largest, Dante installations in the world, and the NFL team picked SSL in part because we offer the most Dante-integrated broadcast production consoles available,” said Phil Wagner, senior vice president at Solid State Logic. “The Dante ecosystem is huge, and it continues to grow because Dante is incredibly solid, flexible and secure.”

The facility also uses Dante Domain Manager to secure audio networks and allow for seamless expansion of Dante systems over any network infrastructure. DDM is a complete network management software that enables user authentication, role-based security and audit capabilities for Dante networks.

“The Dante network and tools like Dante Domain Manager make it easy for us to quickly and easily reconfigure our audio workflows to bring together the equipment and people needed for any production,” said Goldfeder. “We needed a solid infrastructure for the productions we’re creating today, and we need to know that the system we have in place can grow with us and accommodate our future needs. Dante offers that level of scalability and flexibility.”

More information is available on the Audinate and Solid State Logic websites.

BOSTON—Emerson College has upgraded broadcast audio capabilities at its downtown main campus, equipping four of its TV production control rooms with Dante-networked Solid State Logic T digital audio platforms.

Powered by a TE1 Tempest Engine, each SSL T platform provides up to 256-path capacity and is controlled by an S300 surface and Tempest Control Rack (TCR) with Fade Tile, the company said. 

Three of the upgraded control rooms originally were built in 2003 and underwent a previous update in 2010. That installation include SSL C10 HD digital broadcast desks. 

“We were so pleased with the C10 that we wanted to stick with SSL,” says Tim MacArthur, director of technical operations for media technologies and production, which oversees use of the college’s production and post-production technology.

The college replaced the C10 with an SSL System T S300 surface in its Audio A Studio in the Vin Di Bona Television Studio in the Tufte Performance and Production Center (PPC). “We wanted to increase the flexibility of pooled resources among our facilities, and this summer we embarked on a complete central machine room initiative,” said MacArthur. “Previously we had three disparate machine rooms for our facilities but wanted to consolidate, so we invested in new fiber to make that happen.” 

The Tufte Television Studios also are home to the Teaching Studio and Control Room B, a classroom inside a standard television control room, where the audio facilities now incorporate a System T TCR—a 3RU PC enclosure that runs System T control software—as well as a Fader Tile control interface.

The TV studios are now interconnected with the nearby Journalism Production Center, Emerson Television Channels, the Bobbi Brown and Steven Plofker Gym and Cutler Majestic Theatre.

The college also replaced its core Evertz router with a Dante hub. It enables embedding, de-embedding and other functions necessary to transport signals in a Dante environment and process them with System T. “Using Dante with multicast was just such an appealing promise to us; being able to grab a mic from a preamp in one studio and bring it to a control room in another,” said MacArthur.   

Besides the Dante workflow, the college was attracted to the solution because of the infrastructure flexibility the System T and Dante offer. “And logic is intuitive once you wrap your head around the new world of audio routing,” he said. “Plus, the power of the effects processing on every channel is just phenomenal.”

The college also deployed an SSL System T Fader Tile and TCR systems at the control room and studio facilities in the Journalism Production Center. “It’s largely instructional, so we’re teaching journalists and producing daily newscasts, whether they’re self-contained as a course resource or posted online,” he says.

A Fader Tile and TCR combination also was integrated into a control room in the nearby Bobbi Brown and Steven Plofker Gym to support live coverage of men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball games. The onsite mix control system is networked to its TE1 Tempest Engine in the central machine room in the Tufte PPC.

Students find the upgrades particularly appealing, said MacArthur. “What’s interesting for us, with the generation of students that we have now, and especially with the TCRs, is the touch screen option,” he said. “So many of our students will intuitively grab a ‘fader’ with their finger and slide it.  It’s a very elegant display.”

The physical controller also meets the college’s requirements for solutions that stand up to the wear and tear that can be expected in an educational setting. “The Fader Tiles are so well constructed. We’re optimistic about their durability with novice users,” he said.

Diversified provided system integration services for the upgrade.

More information is available on the company’s website.

CHAMPAIGN, Il—Cobalt Digital Inc. will be at NAB Show NY demo-ing its latest products for live video production and master control.

Cobalt, a founding partner in the openGear initiative, will be highlighting its 9904-UDX-4K card that has been enhanced with its Indigo 2110-DC-01, an option that offers support for high-density native 4K ST 2110 audio and video processing on openGear form factor. 

The company will also show its new version of the SafeLink Gateway as a virtual machine, and a higher-density solution of +MPx-DANTE-64x64, the industry’s first license-based quad-channel 3G-SDI bridge to Dante audio.

Cobalt will also conduct multiple demonstrations including ST 2110 processing, its line of compression products with a synchronized decoding demo of RIST (Reliable Internet Streaming Transport), and a new feature from Technicolor that allows reversible inverse tone mapping SDR to HDR, followed by SL-HDR1 in seamless fashion.

Cobalt will be in Booth #915 at NAB Show New York, Oct. 19-20 at the Javits Center.

 LAS VEGAS—At the 2022 NAB Show next month, Cobalt Digital will introduce its +UDX-Dante-16x16, the industry’s first license-based 12G-SDI bridge to Dante audio, according to the company. Also on deck is Cobalt's new Indigo 2110-DC-01 SMPTE ST-2110 solution, as well as the company's line of compression products with a multilink demo of RIST, and new Technicolor features for reversible inverse tone mapping SDR to HDR incorporated into Cobalt products.

Dante is Audinate’s combination of software, hardware and network protocols that deliver uncompressed, multichannel, low-latency digital audio over a standard Ethernet network. Dante effortlessly replaces point-to-point analog and digital connections with software-based routing sending AV channels anywhere on the network with perfect digital fidelity.

Cobalt has made Dante’s IP-based audio networking solution available to users on a license-basis, which is field upgradable, by incorporating the functionality into the Company’s 9904-UDX processing card. +UDX-Dante-16x16 supports embedding and de-embedding all the way to 12G with full audio routing capabilities between SDI, MADI, and Dante, both input and output, adding up to 32 channels to existing 9904 cards for a high-density solution without the need for any new hardware. Users can ingest and process up to 16 audio channels from the network and output up to 16 channels back into the network using Dante and the Ethernet port. 

In addition to accessing Dante on Cobalt’s 9904 cards, users also have access to the card’s other functions such as UDX, color correction, 3D-LUT, frame-sync, audio mixing which are still available while embedding and de-embedding to/from SDI.

+UDX-Dante-16x16 users can also benefit from Cobalt’s BBG-1300 compact and portable frame by inserting a licensed 9904 card into a frame, converting it to a standalone chassis.

Cobalt's Indigo 2110-DC-01, is a new openGear-based SMPTE ST-2110 solution with dual 25G interfaces and 4K support. This highly integrated factory option offers best-of-class native ST 2110 audio/video processing to the Company’s 9904-UDX-4K and 9905-MPx audio/video processor cards. 

On the compression side, the 9992-ENC/DEC line has been enhanced with support for decoding Dolby AC-4 and Dolby E, as well as transport protocols such as SRT and soon, Zixi.

Cobalt will also conduct multiple demonstrations including ST 2110 processing, multilink RIST in seamless switching mode using SMPTE ST 2022-7, and a new feature from Technicolor that allows reversible inverse tone mapping SDR to HDR, followed by SL-HDR1 in seamless fashion.

Cobalt Digital will be in Booth N3713.

For more information on the NAB Show, April 23-27, visit nabshow.com/2022/.

LAS VEGAS—Studio Technologies will introduce the Dante-compatible Model 5304 Intercom Station at the 2022 NAB Show 2022. The unit is designed to serve as a user interface for a variety of applications, including on-air and production television, live events, theater, industrial, aerospace, house of worship, and corporate AV. 

The Model 5304 allows the establishment of four independent talk and listen channels with just a headset and a Dante Audio-over-Ethernet connection. Party-line intercom applications can easily be created using standard IP networks along with a Dante-enabled audio processing device, such as the Studio Technologies Model 5421 or Model 5422A Dante Intercom Audio Engine. A range of resources allows production personnel to incorporate the Model 5304 locally or as part of a remote application.

“With a wide range of capabilities and excellent audio quality, we’re confident that the Model 5304 can provide a powerful intercom resource for production and support personnel,” said Gordon Kapes, President of Studio Technologies. “It’s intended to work directly with our wide range of Dante intercom beltpack and related products, offering the form-factor needed for desk- and table-top applications. When used with one of our Dante intercom audio engine units, technical personnel can quickly create high-performance, simple to use ‘virtual’ party-line intercom systems. We look forward to showcasing our latest solutions, including the Model 5304, at this year’s NAB show.”

The Model 5304 is supported by the STcontroller software application, allowing the unit’s extensive range of operating features to be quickly and intuitively configured. Versions of STcontroller are available, free of charge, for use with Windows and macOS operating systems. 

Single- and dual-ear broadcast headsets are directly supported. A low-noise, wide dynamic-range microphone preamplifier supports both dynamic and electret microphones. An analog dynamics controller circuit ensure excellent microphone audio quality and minimizes the chance of signal overload. 

A single Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) connection supplies the Model 5304 with both power and network data. The Model 5304 is housed in a lightweight “1/2-rack” aluminum enclosure. Optional mounting kits allow one or two units to be mounted in one space (1U) of a standard 19-inch rack enclosure.

Studio Technologies will be in Booth C2625. For more information on the NAB Show, visit nabshow.com/2022.

SKOKIE, Ill.—Studio Technologies is ready to share its new Model 5421 Dante Intercom Engine, a Dante audio-over-IP (AoIP) party-line intercom system that can handle up to 16 users.

The Model 5421 is designed to remove possible party-line issues like a high noise-floor and poor voice intelligibility by moving party-line comms to a Dante-based, AES67 and Dante Domain Manager-compatible, Power-over-Ethernet system that uses a a standard Ethernet local-area-network. 

The new Studio Technologies intercom requires a single RJ45 Ethernet connection for both data and power, and setup from Studio Technologies’ STController software. It features a field-programmable gate array-based mix minus matrix to create the party line for up to 16. The systems’ audio engine can be divided into five group configurations. Meanwhile, the beltpack’s bidirectional Dante audio paths can be configured by routing transmit (output) and receive (input) pairs to the Model 5421 using the Dante Controller software application.

Model 5421 also features an intercom-specific Auto Mix that when activated employs a digital-audio algorithm designed for enhanced party-line audio performance. This automatically adjusts the level of each user’s contribution to a group mix based on an analysis of every input.

The new intercom is compatible with all Dante-compatible intercom beltpacks, including Studio Technologies’ own Model 372A and Model 373A. Model 5421 can also be integrated into applications that utilize other audio devices, including mixing consoles, user stations and matrix intercom systems.

Additional features include a USB type A connector for firmware updates and LED status indicators for Ethernet network and Dante status monitoring. An installation kit is also available to mount one or two Model 5421 units in one space.

For more information, visit www.studio-tech.com.  

Petaluma, Calif. — Yvonne Ho and James Lamb, longtime partners in Point Source Audio, have announced the formation of Wider Pro, LLC, a new company to support their distributed lines that serve the broadcast industry. Based in Petaluma, California, Wider Pro, LLC will be the company to represent North American distribution of Digigram, AuviTran and other brands to be announced.

Point Source Audio will continue to handle all facets—manufacturing, distribution, sales, marketing as well as service—of its microphone and headset products for all markets including the broadcast sector. The timing is right for the transition of its current distributed brands from Point Source Audio to Wider Pro according to Point Source President James Lamb: “I have worked with the teams at both Digigram and AuviTran for almost two decades, and with the pending announcements of new products from both companies, we will be equipped to move into the next phase of growth under the Wider Pro company.”

Yvonne Ho, vice president of sales and marketing at Point Source Audio, and a principal at Wider underscores this point by saying, “Taking care of our customers will always be our first priority, and so we have been and will continue to add highly customer-service minded sales and marketing members to both the Point Source and Wider companies.” The principals equally stress that this pivotal change is intended to accelerate new products to market while maintaining hyper focus on customer service and support for all the brands.

Digigram, based in France, develops digital encoding and streaming links. The company manufactures sound cards, audio processing software and IP audio codecs that are used by broadcast professionals worldwide. Their IQOYA series of IP audio delivery devices are single rack units that can be ordered in a wide variety of configurations. The company also makes the Audioway Bridge line of products for facilitating the transfer of audio streams.

AuviTran, also in France, manufactures several innovative products for broadcast including the Audio ToolBox, a flexible and modular system that greatly simplifies IP networking when dealing with multiple protocols. Their AVDT-BOB is a compact DANTE breakout box with embedded digital signal processing.

Point Source Audio and Wider Pro will be exhibiting at upcoming broadcast industry events including the NRB Convention in Anaheim, March 26-29, booth 722; and the NAB Convention in Las Vegas, April 6-11, booth C2357. To learn more about Point Source Audio and Wider Pro products, please visit www.point-sourceaudio.com and www.widerpro.com

About Point Source Audio Point Source Audio (@PSA_audio) manufactures and distributes worldwide their SERIES8, EMBRACE, and CONFIDENCE collection of miniature microphones—a unique line of headset, earworn and earmounted microphones known for their robust bendable boom and waterproof features. The company also holds two patents for the EMBRACE concealable microphone as well as the patent for the world’s first modular in-ear comms headset that is supporting the hearing health for audio, lighting and camera techs using headsets everywhere from sports to space. Founded in 2004, Point Source Audio is headquartered in Petaluma, Calif. For more information call (415) 226-1122 or visit www.point-sourceaudio.com. Follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PSA_audio.

About Wider Pro Wider Pro is a distribution company led by a highly experienced and connected team of professionals who are dedicated to delivering imaginative technology solutions to the broadcast industry. Manufacturers can rely on Wider for world-class marketing and sales support throughout the Americas. For more information call (707) 728-8180 or visit www.widerpro.com. Follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WiderPro.

COLUMBIA, S.C.—South Carolina Educational Television (SCETV) has chosen Calrec Audio Brio consoles for two trucks –a 45-foot production vehicle outfitted with a Brio36 console and a smaller uplink vehicle equipped with a Brio12.

“With both Hydra2 network and Dante interfaces, the consoles are easily expandable and flexible with a wide range of input and output options,” says SCETV engineering project manager Benjamin Wilson. “The Dante interface greatly simplifies the cabling needs from the trucks to the set.”

As the heart of each truck’s audio processing system, both Brio unitsprovide a compact audio console solution with the features needed for broadcast productions of any size, says Helen Carr, Calrec regional sales manager.

The Brio12 in the smaller uplink unit can be linked with the Brio36 stationed in 45-foot OB vehicle, which is being outfitted by full-service system integrator Diversified, if a production needs more resources or more than one operator, says Wilson. SCETV is experimenting with the Automix function for mix minuses to different locations, he adds.

Both vehicles rely on MADI interconnectivity. The Brio12 uses one of its expansion slots in the console for MADI. The Brio36 interfaces via MADI with a Grass Valley TDM router, which in turn routes using MADI to the uplink truck. Analog I/O is used for external I/O panels on the side of both truck.

“Various A1s have commented that the consoles and routing are very easy to use and connect,” says Wilson. “They like to be able to move channels around on the fly without interrupting signals and appreciate having a full set of dynamics and EQ for each channel strip.”

More information is available on the Calrec audio website. 

At this year’s NAB Show, I was engaged in a discussion about audio over IP with Phil Wagner, recently named president of Apogee, when he mentioned that no one was really discussing how to merge the technology into existing television environments. My own columns have been pointed more toward implementing it into new builds.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

There are really just a few key things to keep in mind when tossing AoIP equipment into the technology mix of a current broadcast plant, but with SMPTE ST-2110-based facilities coming online and AoIP beginning to manifest itself in a very physical sense, this seems like a good time to look at them.

Just as we’ve done since television audio became digital, everything in the plant needs to be referenced to the same master clock. This has traditionally meant providing either black, tri-level, word clock or AES reference (DARS), but network connected devices—surprise—look for their clock on the network, which means we now need to provide them with an IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) clock, which has been referenced to the house master. In the past this might have been achieved with a master clock from the IT world, but broadcast device manufacturers now provide master sync generators that include PTP alongside standard reference signals. Reference remains critical because the audio going through those network cables is still digital, so nasty tics, pops or complete lack of audio is the result when the reference clock is missing or incorrect.

Choosing a specific AoIP technology can seem like a daunting task since incompatibilities remain even with the publication of the AES67 standard. Remember that AES67 is not an end-to-end solution but is a defined set of internet protocols that, if followed, will allow audio to pass from one AoIP device to another. The good news is that virtually all AoIP equipment manufacturers ship their newer products with an AES67 compatibility mode of some sort, which ensures that audio will pass when connecting a box with one AoIP technology to a box with a different AoIP technology.

The bad news is that the audio is all that is guaranteed. Sticking with a given AoIP technology, Dante, LiveWire, Ravenna or WheatNet for instance, provide a more end-to-end solution so that all AoIP equipment on the network is aware of each other and information can be shared between them. It also means having full control of those devices, allowing routing and management. Mixing AoIP technologies doesn’t preclude the possibility of doing any of these things, but the lack of information sharing between technologies can make it very, very difficult.

OPERATING IN AES67 MODE

Careful planning is the best course of action before heading down the AoIP road. Since AES67 is the PCM audio transport of ST-2110, any AoIP devices in the broadcast chain will most likely need to operate in AES67 mode, so it is necessary to determine what, if any, features are lost when switching devices to this mode. Since discovery, control and management are not part of AES67, it is also critical to determine how this will be done prior to adding AoIP devices to the plant.

As previously mentioned, sticking with one technology or manufacturer will solve this problem, but this may not provide all the necessary pieces. There are now some third-party software products that promise to make differing AoIP solutions work together despite their differences, but a demonstration of the software controlling actual hardware seems in order before committing to this.

A solid solution seems on the very near horizon however, and it is already part of the ST-2110 package of standards. Obviously, ST-2110 will need discovery and registration, connection management and control, so the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) Network Media Open Specifications (NMOS) IS-04 and IS-05 have been chosen to solve those needs for ST-2110 devices. This means that AoIP devices in television facilities will use AES67 for audio transport, IS-04 to locate each other, and IS-05 to connect. Actual implementation of these specifications will be through additional software, but this is the current solution planned for SMPTE ST-2110.

A temporary workaround to the lack of discovery, connection and control across all AoIP technologies is to build an AoIP system from a single technology, then isolate this AoIP island from the rest of the plant with the exception of converting signals going in and out of these rooms. This could work for an audio suite (or group of suites) or even live mix rooms where IO to the room is self-contained and does not need to interface with other IO other than for ingest and playout. Outfitting professional broadcast audio consoles (and some semi-pro models) with AoIP alongside SDI, MADI, AES, analog IO as part of the system’s configuration is becoming standard practice. Achieving the same thing in video edit suites and the greater facility will prove a bit more difficult, and will involve more interstitial pieces. But again, advance planning is key, and part of that planning should be looking toward the facility’s future and not just its current state.

Probably the easiest part of adding AoIP devices to a television facility is connecting existing audio and networked audio devices together. There is more to it than just plugging in Ethernet cables for the AoIP devices themselves, since they need to be set up properly on the network. The type of network and its particular setup will determine how complex this actually is. Yet when it comes to interfacing AoIP devices with traditional audio devices there are plenty of solutions available of all types.

Attention needs to be paid to the underlying technology and whether it has an AES67 mode, but not every piece will be part of the broadcast chain.

Jay Yeary is a television engineer who specializes in audio. He can be contacted throughTV Technologymagazine.

With the AES67, SMPTE ST 2110, AMWA NMOS and ATSC 3.0 standards and guidelines now largely in place, the inexorable march toward all-IP workflows continued at the 2018 NAB Show, with precious few new product introductions not offering some form of networking. New IP-enabled mixing console, interface and intercom products were in particular abundance, no doubt spurred by this new era of digital audio interoperability.

AUDIO MIXERS & INTERFACES

CALREC AUDIO debuted its Brio 12 compact 12-fader mixer, offering 12 physical dual-layer faders with additional virtual faders, 48 input channels and the same bus count as the Brio36, in less than 18 inches wide. New RP1 remote production unit features include a 2-band filter, 4-band EQ, expander and gate, compressor and sidechain EQ facilities, direct output for all remote faders, up to 5.1 wide, and remote auxes via Calrec Assist.

FAIRLIGHT, part of Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve 15 software suite, debuted an ADR toolset, 3D panners, shared sound libraries, support for legacy Fairlight projects, and built-in cross-platform plug-ins such as reverb, hum removal, vocal channel, and de-esser.

FERROFISH rolled out the PULSE 16 DX, a 16-channel, AD/DA converter with Dante compatibility.

LAWO unveiled its third-gen mc²56 console, incorporating features drawn from Lawo’s mc²96, in a compact, flexible and versatile form factor that address applications ranging from broadcast trucks and studios to live performance and recording.

NTP TECHNOLOGY introduced its new Dante/AES67 Penta 720 2RU modular audio interface with a variety of analog and digital interface options. The new Penta 721 is a 1U digital-only unit, with dual power supplies, that can be configured with various built-in options.

RME introduced its new Digiface Dante mobile audio interface, providing transmission of up to 64 Dante channels and 64 MADI channels via a USB 3.0 connection. The Digiface AVB mobile audio interface enables transmission of up to 256 network audio channels between a Windows computer and other AVB devices within an audio Gigabit network via a single USB 3.0 cable.

SOLID STATE LOGIC’S System T-S300 comes in two versions, 16+1 faders and 32+1 faders, supports Dante, AES67 and SMPTE 2110-30, and can connect to either a Tempest T25 (256 paths @ 48kHz) or a T80 (800 paths @ 48kHz) processor engine.

SONIFEX’S new AVN-PXH12 12x2-channel mixer monitor can simultaneously monitor/mix up to 24 RAVENNA, AES67 or AES67-enabled Dante sources in a compact 1U rack to a speaker/headphone combination.

STAGE TEC unveiled a preview of its Avatus IP mixing console, which features control and display via touch screens with color-coded faders and rotary encoders. IP-connected frame bays allow distributed placement for remote productions. Stage Tec’s new software release 4.5 adds audio processing highlights for Aurus and Crescendo desks. The company also announced at the show that it had joined the RAVENNA partnership.

STUDIO TECHNOLOGIES expanded its Dante-compatible offerings with three new compact, software-configurable announcer’s consoles—the Model 205, Model 206, and Model 208—that offer unique combinations of analog and digital audio resources to create on-air talent hubs for both AoIP and traditional analog audio environments.

WHEATSTONE debuted Screen-Builder 2.0, a new version of the development platform for its WheatNet-IP audio network that includes scripting tools and GUI for developing virtual news desks, producer workstations, control panels, and other virtual interfaces and workflows for the WheatNet-IP networked studio.

AUDIO RECORDING & PLAYOUT

AVID’S new Pro Tools|Ultimate includes the Avid Complete Plug-in Bundle and Pro Tools|MachineControl with cloud collaboration enhancements and Dolby Atmos mixing with supporting of up to 256 audio tracks. The Avid Connect App, available to Avid’s 1.4 million account holders this summer, offers a personalized connection into the Artist Community and Marketplace from computers, mobile devices and within Avid creative tools.

ZAXCOM is now shipping the fourth iteration of its Deva 24-track hard disc recorder, Deva 24 and Mix-16, a control surface for the unit featuring 16 motorized faders in five banks.

AUDIO MONITORING & METERING

RTW showcased its TM3 Smart and TM3-3G SmartTouchMonitors as well as TM7/TM9 TouchMonitors, MM3 MusicMeter and TM3-Primus. It also highlighted its software and plug-in solutions along with Nixer Pro Audio’s PD-Dante, a small portable monitoring and diagnostic system that is now available through RTW’s worldwide distribution.

TSL PRODUCTS unveiled the MPA1-MIXSDI, MPA1-SOLO-8 and MPA1-MIX-8, extending the range of connectivity to its MPA1 audio monitor line.

HEADPHONES/HEADSETS

AUDIO-TECHNICA announced the new BPHS2 broadcast stereo headset for news and sports broadcasting, available in the standard BPHS2 stereo and the BPHS2S single-ear versions, both with a hypercardioid dynamic mic, and the BPHS2C stereo with a condenser mic.

SENNHEISER launched its 300 PRO series, available in August 2018, comprising the HD 300 PRO and HD 300 PROtect monitoring headphones and HMD 300 PRO and single-sided HMD 301 PRO communications headsets.

AUDIO DISTRIBUTION, ROUTING & CODECS

AUDINATE released Dante firmware v4.1 for the Ultimo UXT family of audio networking chipsets, bringing AES67 networking to 2-and 4-channel count products. The company also launched Dante Domain Manager, which allows AV and IT professionals to define specific AV device groupings by room, building and site, allowing for the creation of independent Dante Domains and enabling a single Dante Domain to encompass multiple IP subnets.

ORBAN demonstrated OPTICLOUD Any Content | Any Device, a patented technology addressing the problem of voice intelligibility in the home as well as stereo/multichannel imaging for users who view content on mobile devices.

MICROPHONES

DPA MICROPHONES introduced its d:vote 4099 Instrument Mics with CORE, designed for use with every woodwind and acoustical instrument and featuring versatile mounting/clip options. DPA also unveiled CORE, a new amplifier technology designed to minimize distortion and increase the dynamic range of its d:screet, d:fine and d:vote lines of miniature lavalier, headset and instrument microphones.

SANKEN MICROPHONES’ new compact CS-M1 super cardioid shotgun microphone, for mounting on DSLR cameras, is intended for professional boom pole drama and film location recording applications.

SENNHEISER unveiled the Essential range of headset and lavalier microphones, available from July 2018, including the HSP Essential Omni omni-directional capsule and MKE Essential Omni omnidirectional lavalier microphone

WIRELESS

ALTEROS’ GTX Series L.A.W.N. ultra-wideband (UWB) 6.5 GHz wireless microphone system supports up to 24 channels via an antenna array (up to 32) and enables multiple systems to be used in close proximity with no interference and with no frequency coordination.

AUDIO-TECHNICA introduced its new ATW-T6002x handheld transmitter for the 6000 Series high density wireless system, plus a half-dozen new interchangeable microphone capsules.

PROFESSIONAL WIRELESS SYSTEMS announced the new PWS 4X4 quad antenna distribution for the Shure Axient Digital Quadversity wireless mic system. The new V-IC, 4-zone intercom multicoupler for the VHF range is intended for use with Radio Active Designs UV-1G wireless intercom systems. The new P-812S houses eight independent, passive two-way RF splitters, enabling two-zone transmission for up to four UV-1G base stations.

SENNHEISER’S new 500-p series professional packages for ENG and film work include the ew 512-p G4 Pro portable lavalier mic set, ew 500 BOOM G4 Pro portable boom set and ew 500 FILM G4 combo set variously ship with a camera receiver, bodypack transmitter, MKE 2 lavalier mic or plug-on transmitter and various accessories.

WISYCOM debuted its LFA ultra-wideband active antenna, which operates in the 410-1300 MHz frequency range and features three filters. The new BFA-B/BFA-N ultra-wideband booster can supplement existing antennas, ampliying the antenna signal up to +27 dB over the same frequency range.

INTERCOM & REMOTE CONTRIBUTION

CLEAR-COM’S new E-IPA IP card enables users to build out high density audio distribution and intercom systems by adding 16, 32, 48 or 64-port frame cards to existing Clear-Com Eclipse HX-Delta, Median, and Omega systems, and is AES67-compliant and SMPTE 2110-30-ready. Clear-Com also presented the BroaMan-brand of solutions including the MUX22-IVT/IC422, which integrates Clear-Com matrix-panel intercom connections including audio and control data transport.

COMREX unveiled EarShot, which delivers telephone-based IFB and live studio program audio to field-based remote broadcasts. Up to 30 users can listen to program or IFB feeds by calling into EarShot with a mobile phone. It can handle up to four program feeds or two IFB feeds, but for higher fidelity, smartphone apps can be used to pull the audio in studio quality.

EARTEC introduced the UltraLITE HUB series, which weighs 9 ounces and allows seven users to talk hands-free, in full duplex, simultaneous talk. Also new is Eartec’s UltraPAK, an ergonomic mini belt pack that allows the addition of lightweight headsets to the full duplex, simultaneous talk intercom.

GLENSOUND’S Beatrice R8 8-channel (expandable to 16) rackmount intercom system offers Dante/AES67 networking with 32 digital audio channels, two local analog I/O with two four-wire circuits plus redundant copper and fiber network interfaces.

RIEDEL COMMUNICATIONS introduced its new 1200 series SmartPanel, the RSP-1232HL, a 32-key user interface designed for workflow flexibility, power, and connectivity, including AES3 and SMPTE 2110-30 (AES67). Riedel’s new Bolero Standalone Application is a license-enabled upgrade that allows antennas to be daisy-chained to each other in a line or a redundant ring via a low-latency, synchronized TDM network, among other features.

RTS launched its Odin (OMNEO digital intercom matrix) IP comms system, scalable from 16 ports to 128, with the potential to gang up to eight panels to achieve 1,024 ports; it ships in June 2018.

STUDIO TECHNOLOGIES’ new Model 391 Dante Alerting Unit offers both visual and audible indications that attract operator attention and can be used in conjunction with Dante intercom beltpacks and user stations that support call light functionality.

TIELINE TECHNOLOGY unveiled a new 6-channel IFB and push-to-talk (PTT) intercom solution called ChatterBox. The ChatterBox smartphone app delivers up to six dedicated IFB and push-to-talk communications circuits over cellular networks (3G, 4G LTE, 5G) and Wi-Fi.

TELOS’ Infinity is a distributed IP intercom system based on VoIP and Livewire+ AES67 AoIP transports that integrates with existing analog, AES, SDI, and MADI systems using Telos Alliance xNode baseband-to-IP interfaces and other AES67 partner devices.

AUDIO PROCESSING

JÜNGER AUDIO launched AIXpressor, a 1RU x86 processor-based platform, equipped with a comprehensive range of built-in interfaces, supporting software-defined products that are created using Jünger’s new Flexible Audio Infrastructure flexAI.

NUGEN AUDIO showed the newly released Dolby E Module for the AMB Audio Management Batch Processor, offering improved processing speeds and greater scalability.

THE TELOS ALLIANCE announced a partnership with FiDef to deliver new audio-enhancing technology with a roundtable discussion featuring world-renowned producers, mixers and engineers Gary Katz, Al Schmitt, Frank Filipetti and Ed Cherney.

THX and QUALCOMM TECHNOLOGIES demonstrated an end-to-end THX Spatial Audio workflow using MPEG-H for the delivery of next-generation immersive audio experiences, including features to optimize audio playback over a wide range of consumer devices.

ACCESSORIES

BITTREE unveiled the limited edition 969A-Series 2x48 audio patchbay N96DC, featuring patented front-programmability and offering 96 TT (bantam) connections in a 2RU rackmount chassis.

LAS VEGAS — Audinate Group Limited will showcase six new Dante AVIO adapters at InfoComm 2018, June 6–8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The new adapters are designed to serve as cost-effective endpoints that connect legacy analog and digital audio equipment to Dante audio over IP networks.

Dante networks can transmit synchronized audio signals long distances over Ethernet cable to multiple locations simultaneously. Available as dedicated inputs or outputs with one or two channels of audio, Dante AVIO analog input adapters allow mixers, mic preamps, stage DIs and more to connect to a Dante audio network, while analog output adapters can drive amplifiers, powered speakers or recorders. This eliminates long, potentially noisy analog cable, and signal routes can be remotely managed using Dante Controller software.

The product line also includes the Dante AVIO USB adapter, which connects any computer to a Dante audio network without additional software, providing class-compliant stereo input and output that can be used by any audio application. Suitable for presentations and conference rooms, the Dante AVIO USB adapter may be passed between computers without altering networked audio connections.

Lastly, the Dante AVIO AES3 adapter provides stereo inputs/outputs, connecting any AES device to any Dante network with no degradation of signal due to extraneous D/A and A/D conversion. The company says this preserves the customers’ investment in AES3-connected devices, such as DSPs, mixers, compressors, and preamps.

At the InfoComm show, Audinate will have daily drawings to give attendees a chance to win a free Dante AVIO adapter. The product is now available from several online retailers, including Full Compass, Dale Pro Audio and Thomann, as well as regional distributors worldwide.

Audinate will be in Booth #456 in the Central Hall.

[Want more information like this? Subscribe to our newsletter and get it delivered right to your inbox.]

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y.—MultiDyne Fiber Optic Solutions has added Audinate’s Dante Audio over IP networking into its range of openGear systems for modular, high-density fiber transport and signal conversion.

Bulldog

With this integration, MultiDyne users can use Dante across fiber networks, allowing users to convert XLR audio, line-level audio, intercom and more to Dante and vice versa at the inputs and outputs of MultiDyne hardware.

Among the MultiDyne products that will benefit from this are the Bulldog field fiber transport system and the FiberNet optical network control system. For the Bulldog, the Dante-enabled openGear technology brings more channel capacity and functionality for field-based fiber transport to a studio or mobile production truck. Within FiberNet, the technology eliminates interface equipment that was traditionally required to bring audio onto the fiber network.

The interoperability between Dante software and MultiDyne hardware is assisted by the openGear 8x8 module. This module supports an 8x8 architecture but can be scaled to allow users to create a matrix within MultiDyne hardware to support multichannel capacities up to 64x64.

AMSTERDAM—Audinate will take some time to celebrate at ISE 2017 a pair of recent accomplishments for its Dante media networking technology.

The first of the Dante milestones is that there are now more than 1,000 different commercially available products currently available. The second, per Audinate, is that more than 350 manufacturers have licensed Dante, 75 more than the same time last year.

Audinate will show many of its Dante-enabled products at ISE 2017, which is currently underway in Amsterdam.

PORTLAND, ORE.—With more than 500 channels being used across campus, Governor’s State University in Illinois has turned to the Dante Audio over IP network from Audinate to support its campus audio distribution.

GSU Chief Engineer Heather Penn and Charles Nolley

Though it now supports audio distribution of channels between the university’s TV studios, performing arts center, campus halls and educational buildings, Dante’s implementation at the school began with the campus broadcast production center. Using Cisco switchers and standard network cabling, the campus technical staff designed and deployed the campus-wide Dante network with existing dark fiber. The network has been expanded to other locations gradually over time.

Now, GSU manages multichannel Dante digital audio across a campus fiber network for all of its broadcast and production operations. Dante has also interfaced its production-oriented communications with intercom systems with Dante-enabled Yamaha DSPs and Studio Technologies interface devices.

Additional uses like mixing of theater performances and the creation of a portable audio conferencing system have been made possible by the use of the Dante network.

PORTLAND, ORE.—Users can now get Dante certified from anywhere with access to online, as Audinate has announced that it is making the entirety of its Level 1 Dante Certification program available online.

The Dante Certification program provides a way for system designers, engineers and other to learn about Dante with in-depth training. There are two levels, with Level 1 available both in person and now online, and Level 2, which is only available in person.

Level 1 certification tests proficiency of basic Dante audio networking concepts, covering audio networking fundamentals, basic networking concepts, creating a small-scale Dante network, and using Dante Controller and Dante Soundcard. The course consists of five videos and a 40 question test. When completed, participants receive a certificate and are registered in Audinate’s internal database of certified professionals.

For more information on the online course, visit www.audinate.com/cert-info.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA—Amphenol has hopped on the Dante audio networking train, creating a new series of Amphe-Dante adapters. This range of Dante digital to analog audio adapters is meant to simplify the connection of analog equipment to Dante networks. It also includes a new cable dongle housing design for Dante-enabled products, enabling integrators to mount the adapter without additional rack or shelf space.

The Amphe-Dante adapters receive audio channels from a Dante network and provide low-latency audio through an XLR connector to analog audio equipment. Single- or two-channel options with XLR connectors are available upon release. The XLR adapters can be used to connect to audio equipment without built-in XLR connectors.

Amphenol plans to display the Amphe-Dante adapters at the upcoming InfoComm 2016 conference, which will take place from June 8-10 in Las Vegas. Amphenol will be located at booth C12012; Audinate will be at booth C11529.

SKOKIE, ILL.—Video and fiber optic system provider Studio Technologies has added the Dante-enabled Model 5205 Mic/Line to Dante Interface. Now available for shipping, the Model 5205 allows two microphones or line-level signals to interface with systems that use Dante media networking technology.

The Model 5205 features high-performance audio circuitry, adjustable gain and P48 phantom power and is compatible with most condenser, dynamic and ribbon microphones, and balanced and unbalanced analog line-level sources. The product’s mic/line inputs can be used in both permanent and portable applications; its filtering also minimizes the chance that RF energy will interfere with audio input signals.

Additional features for the Model 5205 include a Power-over-Ethernet power source, two 3-pin XLR connectors, front-panel pushbutton switches, LED indicators, and it can be used as a portable or mounted device.

LOS ANGELES—IT and broadcast are converging across the television industry, with an escalating number of facilities transitioning from baseband distribution to video and audio over IP. Today, broadcasters routinely and efficiently route multichannel signals between control rooms, production spaces and technical operations with a minimum of cables and connections.

Authentic Entertainment production cart with Dante-enabled hardware

The value of digital media networking in television extends beyond the traditional studio facility, however. Production companies increasingly rely on these networks to improve efficiencies across the production and post cycle, from setup to tear down, reducing the labor associated with TV production.

Authentic Entertainment, a production company specializing in reality and documentary programming, is an example of this trend. Using Dante Audio over IP networking from Audinate, we recently streamlined the end-to-end production process for season two of “It Takes a Church,” a dating/game show that brings traditional TV matchmaking into houses of worship.

SHEDDING WEIGHT
Having Dante on the production floor brings several immediate benefits, including quicker setup, lighter infrastructure and higher channel counts. For infrastructure, we reduced the weight of our mixing bags to less than 5 pounds apiece and centralized the recording architecture to a single cart. Cabling and connections are minimized, using Cat6 network cabling and off-the-shelf switches to transport audio.

For “It Takes a Church,” our Dante architecture employs Sound Devices 970 units in the field to record audio. Connected to a Dante-enabled Yamaha QL1 mixer, the feeds are recorded onto a single solid-state drive using Dante before sending the whole media package to post over the network.

With everything centralized, we simply roll out the cart, power up and go. No question, the transition to Dante has cut production time in half. Setup and breakdown has become a very simple process where everything locks right in at the onset. Everything plugs into a single laptop, and our production staff can quickly make all the connections between the recorders and mixer using the Dante Controller. We no longer have to run around the production floor to monitor and adjust five devices.

SIMPLER WORKLOAD
The networked architecture currently supports between 24 and 32 channels per project, as needed. Dante is a very low-latency technology, which simplifies the process of recording multiple tracks simultaneously. All audio and video remains perfectly synchronized across the production workflow as a result.

Extending out from the cart, the production team across the floor enjoys a simpler workload. Normally, we would assign four crew members to this size of shoot, each outfitted with two cameras and a hefty mixing bag. Each crew member was tasked with following talent assigned to those cameras, and tracking them with a boom mic.

For the Authentic Entertainment team, this meant piecing everything together on at least four different hard drives from a variety of cameras and mixing bags, each of which could be assigned to several actors. This always made the handoff to post more of a challenge, but the ability to now have everything on one hard drive and one recording—with all track names in a single database—has been a huge help to post. They no longer have to run around seeking out the right hard drives for the right tracks.

The benefits of Dante Audio over IP for TV production have made everything simpler. Those that are nervous about transitioning to the network will get past it very quickly. It may seem complicated from a distance, but in reality it makes everything much easier.

Paul Rials can be reached atprials@prodsupport.com.

For more information on Audinate, contact Joshua Rush at 971-219-7546 or visitwww.audinate.com.

LOS ANGELES—As a production sound mixer and audio supervisor, I’m involved in the production process from the early planning stages through delivery to post. Since I—along with my company Audio Justice—specialize in house-reality builds, hidden camera, and competition shows, I’m often faced with a huge number of microphones and sound sources to record. Managing these shows requires reliable equipment, efficient workflows, and utilizing the best technology offered on the market. Sound Devices’ 970 audio recorder checks every box and is a staple on every set I work on.

Nathaniel ‘Doc Justice’ Barrow using Sound Devices’ 970 audio recorder

DANTE COMPATIBLE
“Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge,” a weekly reality show that airs on the CMT network, consists of eight contestants and Austin, a former pro wrestler, all of whom are typically outfitted with Lectrosonics transmitters and Sanken or Countryman lav microphones. In addition to these nine audio sources, plant microphones and wireless booms are positioned around the set to capture all critical audio. This includes dialogue, footsteps, splashes, bangs, crashes, and any sound that a particular challenge may create. It all adds up to a lot of tracks and a lot of metadata. Using Sound Devices 970’s built-in Dante network capabilities, I’m can easily route and label all of my tracks.

The majority of the shows I work on have a centralized control room, plus ENG mixers who are mixing specific scenes or to assigned cameras; such is the case on “Broken Skull Challenge.” I employ the 970 as the main multitrack recorder, while the ENG mixers use Sound Devices 664 mixer/recorders to record camera-focused audio. The 970 works in conjunction with the Yamaha QL1 digital mixing console, which allows for 32 tracks of Dante directly from the console. Using the 970 with the QL1 means a single CAT5 cable sends and receives all of my audio back and forth with no issues, making it easier to directly handle all of my audio sources and mix buses.

Since the 970 has its own delay and gain compensation for each channel, I can utilize either the Dante publishing or the analog audio outputs to route audio to other sources. With these features, I’ve been able to match the delay of the video microwave transmitters from the 970 back to the Yamaha QL1.

FLEXIBLE DELIVERY
The 970 also offers a lot more flexibility with my deliverables. It allows me to record directly to a CF card, and back up that audio to an SSD. This way I can deliver the CF card right to post and keep the SSD backup for myself. Recording to all solid-state media means I no longer have to deal with the inconsistencies and unreliability of spinning hard drives, and I feel much more comfortable delivering to post. Metadata management is paramount, and having structured and specific sound reports included directly on the media means post has a clear roadmap of the day’s audio.

The combination of the 970 and QL1 has transformed my job. Dante networking has become a big part of life on set, and 970 as a dedicated audio recorder does a great job of handling it. I put a lot of trust in my equipment, and I know the 970 does its job and does it well every time.

Doc Justice owns Audio Justice, Inc., a sound services company in Los Angeles. He can be reached atdocjustice@me.com.

For more information, visitwww.sounddevices.comor call 608-524-0625.