In this look at the potential use of IT solutions in broadcast applications, John Watkinson turns to key issues of bandwidth, latency and compression.
Over the last 25 years developers have worked on producing specific networking systems for broadcast that can transport many channels of high quality audio in the most efficient and budget conscious way. Since the mid 1980s Ethernet has formed the basis of many networks, for both IT and audio. CobraNet is generally regarded within the industry as the first commercially successful digital audio over Ethernet system. It first appeared in 1996 and while largely seen as a live and installed sound tool it showed what networking technology could do. The growing interest in networking around the cusp of the 20th and 21st centuries was reflected by the Audio Engineering Society (AES) organising a “moving audio” conference 14 years ago. This was at a time when, according to AES standards manager Mark Yonge chairing the Audio Networking Forum in London on 12 December, networks were a “new and novel idea”.
Headphones were invented in 1910 for use by the U.S. Navy and hundreds of manufacturers have emerged making headsets for a wide range of applications. What sounds good to one person, may not to another. Thus, the vast range of choices.
Like everything else, audio equipment is increasingly adopting IT solutions in the hope of achieving some combination of economy, resilience, flexibility and sound quality. John Watkinson argues that the best way to obtain the desired result is to make informed decisions based on an understanding of the technology.
The consolidation of the broadcast and production infrastructure continues to accelerate. The transition from analog to digital workflows – and gradually, onward to IP – has clearly reduced the number of separate components across facilities, from master controls to central rack rooms.
With the continued drive within the broadcast environment for keeping costs down, better productivity and improved efficiencies, ensuring that the workforce has the tools to do their jobs properly is critical. As with other industries, broadcast finds itself in a state of flux, with several trends and changes impacting on businesses over the last decade. These include aspects such as the adoption of cloud, the move away from the use of proprietary hardware, and the increased use of automation throughout the entire workflow.
Professional Wireless Systems provided frequency coordination for all wireless communications. The PWS team coordinated approximately 110 frequencies for a single game, ensuring that there were no dropped signals or unwanted interference during the live telecast.
With consumers viewing (and listening to) content on more devices and in more places than ever before, broadcasters are being challenged to meet demands for new and better audio experiences in the most cost-effective way. This means upping the ante on multichannel audio from the existing 5.1 surround sound systems found in homes across the world. Consequently, broadcasters are assessing the capabilities of existing infrastructures and determining how new developments in audio and video technology will affect their ability to deliver enhanced services to a broad array of end-user technologies—from high-end home theaters, to tablets and smart phones.