audio the future of audio
Above left, Tim
Carroll, president of
Linear Acoustic.
Above right, John
Emmett of
Broadcast Project
Research.
The 2000s threw up two major loudness. The dream of selling boxes the last bottleneck in an all digital
controversies, although one had been to 'fix' whatever the director and the chain," he said. "A transparent device
bubbling under since the late 1990s. sound department have chosen to do would be coupled to the mixer so you
But it was during the last five or so is always there - but so will be can see above each fader that it is
years that loudness really came to
The EBU
bagpipes and rock and roll." Certainly, available. Maybe it will only open a
concentrate the minds of developers, as Tim Carroll points out, file-based full bandwidth radio link when you
manufacturers, broadcasters, dubbing
P/Loud
loudness analysis and correction push the fader up. That way you could
mixers, regulators and the duty group is still systems will become part of the mic up a cast of 256 and use only the
officers at TV stations.
engaged in
solution as everyone learns more minimum RF bandwidth."
The ITU published its 1770 and 1771
fine-tuning
about the whole area of perceived Computerisation will continue, with
algorithm and recommendations in
and adding
volume. perhaps the coming of true virtual
2006/7, laying the foundations for Loudness has ushered in a new working. There was the suggestion in
new monitoring and metering
to the ITU
breed of audio meter but the next the early 2000s that post houses as
products, as well as official guidelines
specs and
few years will see the appearance of we know them now would start to
for broadcast levels and loudness. The intends to a reinvention of old-style peak disappear, much in the same way as
ATSC produced its own Recommend
publish five
measurement for the 21st century. the big music recording studios have,
Practice.
documents
The AES and other bodies are with video editors and dubbing
The EBU P/Loud group is still
describing
researching into a common, global mixers going on location or to a
engaged in fine-tuning and adding to audio meter, something that Emmett client's premises to work. This seems
the ITU specs and intends to publish
the loudness
is involved with. "This needs to bring less likely with audio as big
five documents describing the algorithm for in 5.1, mono and two channels as soundtracks still need to be mixed in
loudness algorithm for meters and
meters and
one," he said, "and recognise the big rooms.
how material should be mixed using it
how material
importance of reading a needle angle There is still something in the
during the early part of this year. Tim
should be
at a glance." human psyche that likes a tactile
Carroll, president of Linear Acoustic, is The other contentious area is the interface so maybe the mixer will not
heavily involved with P/Loud and
mixed using
reallocation of analogue spectrum. In go the same way as the T-Rex. One
hopes a way can be found to manage
it during the
the UK the PMSE (programme makers thing for certain is that there will be
loudness from the creative starting early part of and special events) community is more integration between audio and
point. "This will require such a
this year.
continuing to fight its corner in the run video equipment, as seen in the last
massively concerted effort between up to Ofcom publishing its final few years with collaborations
honest people that I have my doubts arrangements for the Digital Dividend. between companies like Ross Video
it will work completely," he said. "I The regulator has laid out its plans for and Calrec Audio.
am hopeful that the consumer-side managing radio mics, in-ear This has been aided by greater
loudness management systems, such monitoring, wireless cameras and interoperability and open exchange
as Dolby Volume, can do their jobs communications during the 2012 formats. The BBC has been at the
and still allow content quality to be London Olympics and while most forefront of this for tapeless operation
preserved. This could be as simple as parties are happy with these, there at its production centres, using the
a ‘let me hear the unprocessed audio’ are real fears over what happens EBU Broadcast Wave Format (BWF).
switch. We've got to make sure we afterwards. John Emmett observes that building on
don't accidentally throw out the The concern is that after spectrum this work will provide multiple audio
quality with the dirty bathwater." is sold off there will be limited tracks downstream but without having
John Emmett of Broadcast Project resources available for PMSE, putting to use low bit rate coding throughout
Research developed an early loudness the future of big TV and live the production chain.
algorithm and continues to monitor productions that rely on wireless That's enough to be getting on with
this complex and thorny area. Like technology in doubt. and arguing over, although I fear there
many he does not view legislation as John Emmett hopes for a will be more discussion of whether
the way forward: "I don't expect the ‘transparent’ radio mic based on 2010 is truly the start of a new decade
lawyers to have much effect on digits. "Analogue radio mics are now or merely the end of the old one.
12 l ibe l january/february 2010 l www.ibeweb.com
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