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amendments. Right now, you can’t simply drop-in corrections to an AS-11 file; you have to restart the encoding and QC process from scratch and this takes time. Producers need to get used to this as late changes will be costly and sometimes impossible close to transmission.
The EBU, supported by the DPP have been working hard to define all the possible tests and tolerances that make up the AQC process. However, there are many quality issues that cannot be assessed automatically, either because they are subjective, such
Loudness and R128
The transition to R128 loudness has been underway for a while now and will become mandatory for DPP file deliveries. The BBC are actively encouraging dubbing mixers to deliver to R128 even if the programme is on tape. Anecdotal evidence shows that drama mixers are really enjoying the creative freedoms that the increased headroom is bringing, which allows them to create some really dynamic and exciting soundscapes. Entertainment mixers traditionally use a lot of compression and their high energy balances measure up to 6LU (Loudness Units) above the R128 programme loudness target of -23LUFS (Loudness Units relative to Full Scale). To bring these balances in line with the rest of the broadcasters’ evening schedule, sound supervisors are being encouraged to turn up their monitoring levels. If they mix to the sound pressure levels they are used to, this naturally lowers the actual electrical levels of the audio. They can still use lots of compression to achieve that signature sound of say Saturday night entertainment, but it will require overall gain reduction. R128 doesn’t stop you using compression as a creative tool, but it cannot be used to be the loudest show on-the-box any more. That’s the whole point of loudness normalisation.
Consistent monitoring levels are important for loudness mixing, as now that the meters are in alignment with what you are hearing, you can get back to mixing with your ears, using the meter for confirmation that you are on target. There’s a wide choice of meter displays but NUGEN’s VisLM plug-in is proving popular. It can be used in ProTools, Avid and FCP suites. If you combine this with a normalisation tool like NUGEN’s LM-Correct which gives faster than real-time loudness correction, there’s really no excuse not to hit -23LUFS right on-the-nose.
as audio intelligibility or because nobody has yet worked out how to measure them on programme material, such as lip sync. A full eyes and ears review is still required to check these and other problems. By doing this in the post-facility and not repeating it at the broadcaster, it will be more efficient and will lead to fewer subjective rejections after delivery.
Some are worried that allowing producers to self-QC will lead to a slide in quality, but the essential thresholds will be kept in check by AQC devices.
HHB are the Industry’s Leading Loudness Experts
HHB’s wealth of knowledge on loudness allows us to offer the best solutions for all types of production workflow. Representing a very wide range of manufacturers, HHB is in a unique position to offer impartial advice on the many hardware and software solutions that are available.
The Pro Audio Report
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