the input sources and output destinations are regularly changing, where feeds need to be routed to or from different studios and facilities and this will be more required by larger radio stations, which can afford digital mixers.”
WORKING TO BUDGET Another manufacturer looking to tailor lower cost equipment for the budget-conscious end of the market is Allen & Heath. The company was already addressing radio with the XB-14 and recently introduced the XB-10. This is described as an ultra-compact mixer aimed at small radio or internet broadcast studios, as well as college/university podcasting and content creation applications. It has three mic/line and three stereo inputs and includes a telephone communication channel, mic channel with switch sensing and stereo channel start/cue outputs for CD deck transport control. A&H digital product specialist Nicola Beretta says budgets are “shrinking” for smaller broadcast
“It will be a while before every product –let’s say a typical microphone or speaker pair –is AoIP enabled, but it will happen” Marcus Brooke, Sonifex
and college stations, podcasters and newsrooms, many of which cannot afford dedicated networked systems. “Typically they have two choices: limp
broadcastfeature CASE STUDY: BBC RADIO 5 LIVE AT SALFORD QUAYS
Radio 5 live, the BBC’s national news and sports network, moved into its new home in purpose-built studios at MediaCityUK nearly a year ago. The bulk of the station’s output now comes from a single floor at Quay House on the Salford Quays site, opposite the central TV studios building. In this area are four main studios, preparation suites known as workshops, a central production control space called The Hub, the newsroom and supporting production offices. Technical facilities were installed by integration contractor IPE Systems, which also built the BBC Audio and Music studios at nearby Dock House. The two big studios for news, current affairs and sport broadcasting, S11 and S12, are identical and ‘flip-flop’ between programmes. Each control room houses a 48-fader Studer On Air 3000 desk. Between these two studios is a space for live performance and audience shows, which can be run from either control room.
Studios S13 and S14 are smaller but based on the same principle. S13
is used for digital-only service 5 live Sport Extra, while S14 works on World Service sports programming. The workshops feature 12-fader On Air 3000s with ISDN connections and are designed to be used by journalists for interviews and preparing reports. The various aspects of the VCS automation system, including newsroom and on-air productions, are integrated using the MOS (media object server) communications protocol. Production areas, including the central Hub lines and circuits control desk, are linked to the studios using Delec intercom. Talkback
between the control rooms and studios is based on Studer panels. Radio 5 live’s old studios at Television Centre in London used DHD consoles but the BBC has now gone for a more consistent approach over all its networks by installing Studer. Operations manager Chris Houghton says the move to Salford marked a big change because it meant the station was now in studios built specially for it. Mark Smith, technical manager with BBC News, describes the Studer desks as “more traditional” but says there is full modern connectivity, including audio over IP circuits to London.
P A R TYLINE Take the Stage
The HelixNet Partyline intercom was created to perform on the big stage. Reliable and durable to withstand the most demanding productions, the rugged beltpacks provide access to two of four intercom channels over a single standard microphone cable. HelixNet leverages existing cable infrastructures—no rewiring required. It can also integrate with other communication systems over two- or four- wire interfaces.