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Anthony Coppedge |
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In this edition of Church Production Magazine Online Update, we speak with Anthony Coppedge, who is the principal technology evangelist for Church Media Group, a full-service creative agency in Southlake, Texas. The discussion follows up on Coppedge’s article, “Making the Switch – Understanding image magnification (IMAG) and Broadcast”, which appeared in the March 2008 issue of Church Production Magazine. We discuss the different types of video production that HOWs employ in their technical ministries, and help define some of the terminologies used.
For more information on Church Media Group, visit: www.churchmedia.cc.
Equipment for the interview was provided courtesy of D&M Professional
(www.d-mpro.com) and Audio-Technica (www.audio-technica.com).
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour Gets New Sound
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Midas H2000 |
the console for the church.
The H2000 was installed into the 1,250-capacity Council Hall of the Moscow cathedral, which is used for meetings of Local and Bishops' councils as well as events ranging from meetings and conferences to orchestral, organ, choral, and folklore performances. The multipurpose hall, noted for its beautiful décor, unique architectural features, frescoes, Florentine mosaics and winter gardens, is also now equipped with state-of-the-art acoustic equipment.
Head of the department of communication for the cathedral fund, Roman Demidov, explains, "The issue of purchasing a mixing console for the Council Hall had been going on for about a year, and we’d looked at several models from leading manufacturers. As the Hall hosts many important events involving chiefs of state and the Russian Orthodox Church, our basic criteria were reliability, sound quality, number of channels, and ease of use without the need for preliminary rehearsals. Considering all this, we decided the optimum solution was the Midas H2000, which can handle a wide range of events with an easy to navigate, ergonomic control surface."
Once the H2000 had been purchased from TTT, it had to be installed within a short timeframe, keeping disruption to a minimum. A week was set aside to dismantle the old equipment, reconnect all cabling, and install and check the new equipment.
"By joining forces with specialists from TTT, the project came in on time, allowing us to hold our first planned event as scheduled," continues Demidov.
Demidov also notes, "We are now looking forward to the H2000's reliability proving itself over many years of operation. I don’t have to worry that one day I’ll run out of inputs or subgroups, even when mixing orchestral performances."
The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was built to commemorate Russia's victory over Napoleon in the Great Patriotic War of 1812. It was demolished by the Stalin regime in 1931 and rebuilt after the end of Soviet rule in the late 20th century.
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Martin Audio OMNILINE Micro Line Array System Fill Your Sanctuary With Sound, Not Speakers
Aware of the increasing demand for high performance speaker arrays that don’t visually overwhelm a space and require complex, costly rigging to support heavy enclosures, Martin Audio has spent years creating an ultra compact modular system that can be easily scaled for any size space or application. Besides houses of worship, OMNILINE is ideal for museums, transport terminals, concert halls, conference centers and other large reverberant spaces where superior audio is a necessity.
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OMNILINE |
Highly scalable, OMNILINE incorporates a series of new technological approaches that extend its use far beyond that of conventional line arrays. With as few as 4 enclosures, the system can be highly effective in foreground or "short throw" applications where vertical focusing of the low and midrange frequencies is less critical because of the shorter distances that have to be covered.
OMNILINE also functions extremely well in long arrays or "hangs" of up to 32 speakers where high output and vertical focusing down to low/mid frequencies are needed to provide effective sound reinforcement for large acoustic spaces. This exceptional scalability is what allows OMNILINE to be used in a variety of applications and in so many different ways within a single venue.
Martin Audio has developed new, patent-pending software that can intelligently shape or curve the arrays so they deliver focused sound precisely over any vertical angle within the site where it is required, without spilling onto reflective surfaces and ceilings.
More effective than the use of digital signal processing to configure a traditional speaker column, this new software process eliminates excessive reverberation and related forms of audio distortion, while optimizing the array’s use in a specific location. By physically configuring the array in accordance with the optimization software, the SPL (sound pressure level) distribution of an OMNILINE array can be specifically contoured to the shape of the venue, at all frequencies. This can help overcome the structural limitations of any sanctuary and listening space, while ensuring exceptional sound quality and coverage anywhere in the room.
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From a performance standpoint, sound is distributed evenly throughout the space because the horizontal coverage angle of the OMNILINE array is an impressive 100° at the -6dB points. Its constant-directivity pattern control is exceptional; with ultra-smooth off-axis frequency response curves that exactly track the enclosure’s on-axis response. The constant-directivity characteristics are not confined to higher frequencies, but are maintained down through the midrange by the close physical spacing of the low/mid drivers.
Vertical coverage is also specifically tailored to the location by the intelligent optimization software the array sounds very clean and musical with a smooth, full-frequency performance down to 70Hz.
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OMNILINE |
Rosco Donates Proceeds to Behind the Scenes
The ESTA Foundation is pleased to announce that Rosco will donate the proceeds from the sales of Roscolux #359 Medium Violet to Behind the Scenes. While the color name remains the same, the Behind the Scenes logo will be added to the Roscolux swatch book slip sheet and marketing materials, making it easy to identify.
Ame Strong is Rosco's color filter product manager. During a conversation with Behind the Scenes Chair Rick Rudolph she remarked how pleased she is that Rosco would be contributing profits from sales of Roscolux 359 to the Behind the Scenes initiative. "I am impressed at how easy it is to apply for a grant by simply downloading an application from the website and also how quickly the grant applications are reviewed. It is wonderful that our industry is helping colleagues with doctor bills, health insurance payments, saving homes, and putting food on the table, as well as helping widows when they are suddenly alone. And I'm proud that Rosco's commitment is a gift that will continue far into the future and hope it will inspire other companies and individuals to contribute to the program as well."
Behind the Scenes’ mission is to provide financial assistance to entertainment technology professionals who are seriously ill or injured. Funds may be used for a wide variety of items including medical expenses, funeral expenses or basic living expenses such as mortgage, rent, utilities, food, transportation, and childcare. These funds are available to anyone who has worked at least five years full time in the entertainment technology industry.
For more information about Behind the Scenes, to donate, or to apply for a grant, visit www.estafoundation.org/bts.htm.
Shure Sets The Wireless Record Straight
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spectrum map |
Shure has a strong message for our wireless microphone customers. "The sky is not falling," says Director of Applications Engineering, Michael Pettersen, whose department talks to hundreds of wireless microphone users every week. "Most people have heard only half of the story, and that half is often wrong."
While the UHF television band may become more crowded, it is not going away by any means. "Reports of the death of the UHF TV band have been greatly exaggerated," says Senior Director, Public and Industry Relations, Mark Brunner "The UHF TV band has been, and will continue to be, the largest and best spectrum for wireless microphone users."
The FCC is in the middle of a multi-faceted reorganization of the UHF television band, stimulated by the future transition from analog to digital television broadcasting. The DTV stations will occupy a smaller section of the UHF spectrum (470 – 698 MHz) than is currently allocated for television broadcasting. The remaining spectrum (698 – 806 MHz) has been divided up into blocks. Some blocks have been or will be auctioned to companies that will use them to provide new nationwide wireless services, while others have been reserved for Public Safety communications.
Even with packing the digital TV stations into a smaller piece of spectrum, there will still be unoccupied channels in every market. These "White Spaces" are used by wireless microphones, in-ear monitors, and production intercoms. The FCC is considering the use of the "White Spaces" to deliver wireless broadband Internet service to consumer wireless devices.
The scale and complexity of this project has generated confusion among wireless microphone users, resellers, and even some manufacturers. Shure explains three points of misunderstanding: the difference between the "White Spaces" and the auctioned spectrum blocks, the fate of wireless microphones after the DTV transition, and the viability of other frequency bands for wireless microphone use.
No Auction For White Spaces
"The 'White Spaces' are not being auctioned," Brunner says. The auctions cover the spectrum from 698 MHz to 806 MHz, often referred to as ‘the 700 Megahertz band.' "The ‘White Spaces" will not be sold to Google, Microsoft, or anyone else," he says.
The Morning After
And what happens on “the morning after” the DTV transition? "Wireless microphones will not stop working on February 18, 2009," says Shure's Technology Director, Advanced Development, Edgar Reihl. "Any consumer device that the FCC allows to operate in the "White Spaces" must include circuitry and software that allows it to detect and avoid both TV broadcasts and wireless microphone signals." The FCC is currently testing this avoidance technology, and it is unlikely to authorize new devices unless they can adhere to these rigid rules and their performance is verified under real world conditions.
Wishful Thinking
Some have engaged in wishful thinking that moving wireless microphones to other frequency bands can eliminate the risk of interference. "The 902 - 928 Megahertz and 2.4 Gigahertz ranges have been represented as some sort of ‘spectrum lifeboats’, but those ‘boats’ have holes in them," states Reihl. "The core UHF TV bands have much more usable spectrum available than the 902 MHz and 2.4 GHz bands, even after taking into account any new unlicensed devices that may exist in the years after 2009. More usable spectrum translates into more wireless microphone channels available to the user. Additionally, providing interference-free, high quality audio is even more challenging in these bands, where wireless microphones compete with other signals such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth."
Working Closely With FCC
Shure has been actively engaged with the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology and with legislators in Congress since 2003. The Company has provided samples of its wireless products for use in FCC testing, submitted plans for field testing of interference effects, and has arranged meetings between FCC officials and representatives from broadcast networks, sports leagues, and other major wireless microphone user groups. "No one can definitively say how this will turn out," Brunner says. "The FCC has to iron out a lot of details before it makes any decisions related to new use of the 'White Spaces'."
Group One Ltd and Digico Reach Distribution Agreement
U.S. Pro Audio distributor, Group One Ltd., under the direction of President Jack Kelly is pleased to announce it has reached an agreement with UK-based digital console manufacturer DiGiCo to distribute its products within the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
"Looking back, the Group One decision seems so obvious but finding the right man with the drive, passion, and motivation for an expanding brand in a growing market was not an easy find," says DiGiCo Managing Director, James Gordon. "From the very first meeting it seemed clear Jack [Kelly] possessed the drive and the experience to make this work. After the second meeting, there was no doubting his passion for the industry and the potential for DiGiCo. From that point, it was just a question of timing."
"I’ve known Jack since 1980," adds David Webster, Marketing Director. "I was working at Klark Teknik as a test engineer and he became part of the organization, handling their U.S. distribution. Even at that point, I noticed how many more boxes started going out of the door as soon as he became involved. It meant I had to work harder, but the rewards were certainly worth it."
"DiGiCo has developed a strong brand in the U.S.," Webster continues. "Combining this, the established DiGiCo U.S. team, and the distribution know-how of Group One, gives us the ideal marriage to further strengthen our position and fully implement the extensive plans we have for the not too distant future. Jack has proved himself time and time again in the intervening years with high-end professional products and I’m very much looking forward to working with him again."
"Working with James and Dave over the last few months," sums Group One President, Jack Kelly, "I was committed to putting this agreement together the right way—for the long term and for the benefit of all of DiGiCo's current and future customers. I feel we have achieved that and I'm incredibly positive about our relationship and our prospects for continuing to build the DiGiCo brand in the United States."
Allen & Heath's iDR0 Extends iLive Digital Family
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iDRO |
Allen & Heath has added iDR0, a new processing unit, to its iLive digital mixing system.
The iDR0 is a 2U rack unit that provides all the processing features of the iLive system for networked audio systems. Instead of slots for I/O modules, the iDR0 offers two EtherSound ports, which provide all the audio inputs and outputs of the system. It provides a compact solution to users who wish to mix common sources for different applications such as FOH and Monitor, or need an additional mix for broadcast or recording that allows full processing and mix capability with the source material.
The iDR0 unit is modular and uses the same processing PCBs as the iDR10, the 'mix rack' which provides I/O and all processing and mixing functions with the current iLive system. Processing for 64 inputs, with full dynamics and EQ, into
32 mixes with dynamics, EQ and graphic EQ is provided, and can be controlled by any of the iLive surfaces over Ethernet. Provision is also made for the back-up power supply unit, iPS10, if required.
iDR0 includes the new 'iDR-64 Mix Engine Rack Extra' PCB, which provides the digital signal processing capability for the rack, offering 8 effects engines, which can run system effects or can be inserted into input or mix channels. The iDR-64 Mix Engine Rack Extra module is also available as an upgrade to existing iLive systems.
Allen & Heath's new iLive V1.2 software, which is pre-installed in the iDR0 unit, has also been released. A full list of the features is available on the iLive website, where the new software is available as a free download.
Avocent Adds New VGA over CAT 5 with Serial Products
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Emerge EMS series |
Avocent Corporation announces the Avocent Emerge EMS series of VGA over CAT 5 extenders. The new audio video extenders deliver high resolution video and digital stereo audio across installations up to 1000 ft away. With the newly added RS232 support, video display panels can be controlled and interrogated remotely. Using the flexibility of Avocent's solutions can help to deliver advertising messages and information in the growing digital signage market.
The Avocent Emerge EMS2100T transmitter and EMS2100R receiver deliver point to point VGA video, audio, and serial data over standard CAT 5 cabling. Each individual EMS2100R receiver supports two displays and two audio devices.
The Avocent Emerge EMS2110R VGA over CAT 5 receiver product has integrated skew correction with a 300MHz bandwidth. Having integrated de-skew capability enables installation with the added security of adapting to changes in system.
The Avocent Emerge EMS2400T extends a single high-resolution video, high fidelity audio, and RS232 signals to 4 different receivers. The EMS2400T has support for a local port to connect a local screen, speakers, and serial device. The EMS2400T additionally supports cascading which enables multiple transmitters to be linked together.
Linear Equation: Acclaim's X-Stick 500/1000 SMD LED Strips
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X-Stick 500 |
The new X-Stick 500/1000 from Acclaim Lighting will line up down the stretch and make it across the finish line. These RGB color-mixing SMD LED strips can be placed end-to-end across a ceiling, down a hallway, around a floor perimeter or in any architectural or entertainment application where a line of color is desired.
Made of extruded aluminum, the X-Stick features a compact design to fit into a variety of spaces and configurations. It is available in two lengths: X-Stick 500 (500mm), and X-Stick 1000 (1000mm).
The shorter X-Stick 500 contains 24 high-intensity 5060 SMD (Surface Mount Device) red, green and blue tri-color LEDs. Twice as long, the X-Stick 1000 contains 48 5060 SMD red, green and blue tri-color LEDs. Both models can produce a variety of colors via RGB mixing.
"Lighting designers were requesting an LED product that they could use to create long 'unbroken' lines of color," said Eric Loader, director of sales for Acclaim Lighting. "The X-Stick answers this need because they line up together end-to-end."
Featuring plug-and-play operation, the X-Stick can run in stand-alone mode, or it can be operated with a DMX controller.
For stand-alone operation, each unit features 7 built-in programs, which will run in sequence when in the X-Stick is in Auto Mode. Chase speed and fade time are selectable by dipswitches.
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