feature audio for video
Matt Bell sets the development of Apollo, the
Feature sponsored
latest broadcast console from Calrec Audio, in
by Dolby
its historical context, and considers what it has
to offer the modern broadcaster.
Lunar landing
E
ven before the current
financial crisis, the last few
years have been a difficult
time for broadcasters trying to
stay on top of rapidly changing
technology. Analogue has
become digital, SD has become HD,
and stereo has become 5.1 surround
(and may not stop there). With the
speed of technology increasing,
deciding on the right time to upgrade
has been a tough call for many.
Riding the changes
If keeping on top of such rapid
technological change is difficult for
broadcasters, it can also be tricky for
those that make the technology itself -
over the years, many established
manufacturers have lost their
competitive edge or even gone under
as a result of not keeping up with the
times. One that has managed to thrive Three main The company stayed on top of these with its associated Hydra audio
in this fast-paced environment is
innovations
underpin Apollo's
changes, bringing out increasingly networking and control technology
console manufacturer Calrec Audio,
development:
sophisticated digitally controlled launched in 2003, has ensured that
based in the north of England. In 1971,
Bluefin2, Hydra2
analogue and then all-digital broadcast Alphas, Sigmas, Omegas and Zetas
when the company began making
and a control
surface very
desks as the 1980s and 1990s have continued to be industry-standard
broadcast desks, its products were all- different to progressed, culminating in the popular consoles in live studios, newsrooms
analogue, mono-output mixers with
anything Calrec has
assignable digital Alpha-series or and OB trucks around the world. But
audio running through each fader, but
done before.
'Greek letter' consoles from 1999 Calrec has known for years that
the surround-capable broadcast mixer onwards. In 2006, the company's retaining this position required the
of today is more of a remote control development of the Bluefin DSP option development of a completely new
surface, routing digital mixing and gave the Alpha series the extra platform. With the Alpha already sitting
processing instructions over Ethernet to processing power required to handle at the top of the console range, it had
a remote CPU 'brain' - and Calrec's multi-channel surround sound properly even used up all the possible Greek
current product line reflects this. for the first time, and this, together letters it could adopt as a name.
18 l ibe l may/june 2009 l www.ibeweb.com
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