Multicasting is an incredibly powerful tool used in broadcast infrastructures to efficiently distribute streams of audio, video, and metadata. In this article, we look at the advantages of multicasting, how it works, and the alternatives that overcome some of its operational limitations.
After doing the tedious work of completing a documentary or complex news feature, the last thing anyone wants is an underpowered, unenthusiastic narrator. In addition to a high energy level, we also want that voice to have presence and sound bigger than life. How do we ensure a “big” sound from the voice artist?
The camera viewfinder is an essential tool to compose a shot and, in many cases, to focus. Early film cameras used a separate viewfinder, but the invention of the reflex mirror shutter by ARRI in 1937 allowed the operator a parallax-free view through the taking lens. Television cameras developed along a different route, with an electronic viewfinder (EVF) displaying the video output of the camera. Those early EVFs were monochrome CRTs.
Since the beginning of pro audio, connoisseurs of classic microphones have invested in rare, aging instruments that are said to bring a certain magical quality to the sound. Since many of these vintage mics are quite old, they incur an increasingly high level of costly maintenance. Most of the rest of us are priced out of this collector’s domain.
In the early days of pro audio, commercial recordings were often made with a single ribbon microphone, a simple broadcast console and a mono audio tape recorder. The choices were all about choreographing performers around the fixed microphone. Today, with the rise of digital audio workstations (DAW), the operational choices are infinite and the desire for perfection can overwhelm any recording.
The motor in a loudspeaker drive unit is a critical element in obtaining high performance. The moving coil principle is a century old and it has survived this long because it has certain advantages which no other technology has yet improved upon. For low frequency reproduction where significant travel is required, there is little competition.
To fully leverage the benefits of IP networks we need to think in IT terms. Just replacing the acronym MADI or AES with IP is insufficient as all we end up with is a very complex, poorly utilized, static network.
Network routing is a phrase that is bandied about broadcast forums liberally. But what exactly does it mean to route an IP datagram? And why is it important for broadcast and radio stations?
