Mel Lambert's reports for "The AES Daily" | |
Addressing real-word surround-sound production and delivery, Bosse Ternström from Swedish Radio, and Kimio Hamasaki from NHK, Tokyo, emphasized that existing infrastructures can handle data-reduced multichannel audio running at up to 1.5 Mbits/seconds; Swedish Radio has broadcast a number of programs with DST-encoded surround, while NHK favors 384 Kbit MPEG-2 AAC. “5.1-channel surround sound is the future of digital radio,” Hamasaki stressed. During a session on Archiving Multichannel Productions, Udo Appel of Bayerischer Rundfunk detailed the design criterion for a tape robotic system to store essence data with companion metadata, while Yvonne Graf of IBM-Germany described the ADMIRA system for managing data files and add-on agents for generating application-specific metadata. “Multichannel productions are just another format for your digital archive,” she considered. (The soon-to-be-released IBM Ice Cube will store 26 TBytes of data in a 60x60x60-cm package.) Broadcast Distribution was covered by Heinz-Peter Reykers, Westdeutscher Rundfunk, who described a flexible system for carrying two stereo channels and an AC3-endcoded surround channel over a 2-Mbit E1 lines, while Gerhard Möller of DAVID-Germany focused on his firm’s new workflow for packaging data from acquisition through integration to delivery, including use of Extended BWAV files. Asked the highly relevant question: “What is the future of multichannel radio?” responses from symposium participants and industry insiders ranged from optimistic to pessimistic. “People want 5.1-channel,” Swedish Radio’s Ternström enthused, “Radio is a high quality provider,” NHK’s Hamasaki stated (pictured extreme right in adjacent image), “and can give an impetus to the audio community,” while DAVID’s Möller (pictured center in adjacent image) offered that “radio can add spatial awareness, even in automobiles.” IRT’s Theile ((pictured extreme left in adjacent image) concluded that “multichannel radio is a high-quality deliver medium, capable of motivating listeners.” As was to be expected, the symposium provided a unique opportunity for in-depth discussions on up-to-the-minute issues. | |
Monday May10, 2004: While wandering these hallowed exhibition halls, I was struck by a dramatic example of technological convergence. That two leading pro-audio manufacturers had reached the same conclusion was remarkable; that their response appears so different is highly significant. I’m referring, of course, to integrating multichannel mixing, editing and signal processing within a single system, to take full advantage of the DSP power of today’s fourth-generation DAWs. The new Digidesign ICON Integrated Console (pictured lower left) and Solid State Logic AWS 900 Analogue Workstation System (pictured lower right) both offer one-stop mixing, editing and signal processing, but with dramatically contrasting topologies. Digidesign (stand 3208) decided to develop an advanced work surface and proprietary protocol that enables every Pro Tools control setting, including plug-ins, to be modified from assignable front-panel faders, knobs and “A Pro Tools user can start a session on a 002 or MBox and laptop PC,” continued Rich Nevens, Digidesign’s International Sales Manager /Consoles, “and finish in a commercial studios without loosing any of the project’s evolving mix, EQ, dynamics and plug-in settings. Everything stays with the sound files; you just have more access to the [control] settings on the ICON’s [D-Control Tactile Worksurface] than a PC/Mac GUI. Using a separate add-on analog or digital mixer is archaic; you shouldn’t have to use two automation systems. The ICON control surface is an extension of Pro Tools.” Niall Feldman, It’s all about appropriate hardware and connectivity; after all, creativity doesn’t exist in a vacuum these days. >>SSL AWS 900 Hybrid System >>Digidesign ICON Integrated Console >> EuCon Protocol overview The contents of this news feature is exclusive to and the sole property of Media&Marketing ©2023.
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