Miami PBS Station WPBT2 Upgrades With Second Calrec Console to Improve Production and Attract New Studio Clients
HEBDEN BRIDGE, U.K. -- Jan. 24, 2012 -- Calrec Audio today announced that Miami PBS station WPBT2 has installed its second Calrec console in the new HD control room known as Studio B. The station uses the studio to produce its own local programs and can rent it for client productions through its for-profit facility, Comtel. WPBT2 also supplies the production facilities for "Nightly Business Report," which is the most watched business news program in the country. The new Omega console with Calrec's Bluefin(TM) HDSP technology is being used on this live production Monday through Friday, 52 weeks a year.
The Omega console replaces another aging console and complements WPBT2's existing Calrec Sigma console that has been in place in its Studio A for about eight years. WPBT2 also used a Sigma desk for many years in an outside broadcast truck that it used to own.
"The new Calrec console is an enormous upgrade for us. We now have the ability to mix 5.1 audio, which is a selling point," said Graham Simmons, senior vice president of engineering and operations at WPBT2. "Calrec is well-known for its products and is an easy sell when trying to attract clients. It's definitely a competitive advantage when potential clients tour our studios."
Simmons said his experience with Calrec products was a major driver in his decision to purchase another Calrec desk.
"I love the Calrec products and decided early on that another Calrec was what I wanted," Simmons said. "From the time that I purchased our first Calrec console, the service and support have been outstanding. That is one of the main reasons I have continued to be a loyal Calrec customer over the years."
Bexel Inc., Calrec's distribution partner in the region, provided training and ongoing support for the WPBT2 installation.
"Calrec is very good, particularly in live production, redundancy, and reliability," said Helen Carr, audio sales manager at Bexel Inc. "Calrec's reputation in live TV is like no other. That's why it works especially well for a station that might use a console day in and day out for 10 years or more."
Omega uses Calrec's award-winning Bluefin technology, and it features 240 channel processing paths packaged as 72 stereo and 96 mono channels, allowing up to 39 x 5.1 surround channels. Omega offers considerable power in a very compact frame. Providing greatly expanded monitoring options with full configurability, Omega also features Calrec's unique TFT metering capabilities across the upstand. The console was designed to have as much control on the surface as possible and to maintain the immediacy of an assignable system without compromising access.
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About WPBT2
South Florida's premier public broadcaster, WPBT2 is a community-licensed, not-for-profit media enterprise serving communities from the Treasure Coast to the Florida Keys. WPBT2 provides high-quality content from PBS, independent acquisitions, and its own original productions. WPBT2's digital media platform offers: 2HD, a 24-hour high definition channel; Digital 2.2, a mix of Science & Nature Channel, The Florida Channel, and Create; Digital 2.3, V-me, a 24-hour national Spanish-language network; and www.WPBT2.org, the WPBT2 website that includes Impromp2 (a community blog), the WPBT2 Video Player, and uVu, a video sharing website.
About Calrec Audio
Calrec Audio, part of D&M Holdings Inc., is exclusively dedicated to excellence in audio mixing for on-air and live production. A broadcast specialist for more than 35 years, Calrec has developed a range of digital and analog consoles relied on by the world's most successful broadcasters. For putting sound in the picture, broadcasters put their trust in Calrec. More information is available at www.calrec.com.
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