WBTV, the CBS affiliate in Charlotte, North Carolina, has invested in Jünger Audio’s LEVEL MAGIC™ processing to address problems it was experiencing with audio levels after changing from analog to digital transmission.
WBTV is one of the oldest television stations in the USA and one of two flagship stations for Raycom Media. Last year, coinciding with its 60th anniversary celebrations, WBTV switched off its analog channel 3 signal and began broadcasting on digital channel 23.
According to Don Shaw, Director of Operations and Engineering at WBTV, this left a huge gap in the audio processing and level control of its all digital channel.
“Loudness control is at the forefront of every station’s mind these days and WBTV was no exception,” Shaw explains. “After switching off our analog transmitter, viewer complaints began to stack up - and rightly so because our audio levels were all over the map. Huge audio disparities existed between our studio, commercial, program and network levels. Even after lengthy adjustments and oversight with the operators we could not control the audio levels effectively.”
WBTV began searching for a solution and, through the involvement of Jünger Audio’s US distributor GMA, it learned of LEVEL MAGIC, Junger’s Automated Audio Loudness Control system. LEVEL MAGIC successfully addresses the problems caused by surprise level changes when switching from one source to another. Capable of using any kind of I/O sources, (Analog, AES Digital, SDI, HD/SDI, in mono, stereo, discrete 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and all its related metadata), LEVEL MAGIC is a powerful Automated Audio Loudness Control system for production and on-air broadcast. The product employs a sophisticated adaptive level control algorithm that is designed to adjust the level from any source at any time, with no pumping, breathing or distortion. It is based on a simultaneous combination of an AGC, a Transient Processor for fast changes and a “look ahead” Peak Limiter for continuous unattended control of any programme material, regardless of its original source.
“Thankfully, we were given approval to purchase a Jünger Audio processor with HD and LEVEL MAGIC cards,” Shaw says. “Our audio instantly improved and all of our sources are now matched perfectly. There are no more audio lulls in soaps, followed by blaring commercial breaks and the ensuing viewer complaints afterwards. All of that has now completely gone.”
Don Shaw adds that WBTV couldn’t be more please with the set-it and forget-it installation of its Jünger Audio LEVEL MAGIC Audio Processor, which is proving to be both reliable and easy to use.
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About Jünger Audio
Established in Berlin in 1990, Jünger Audio specialises in the design and manufacture of high-quality digital audio dynamics processors. Jünger Audio has developed a unique range of digital processors that are designed to meet the demands of broadcast and post production. All of Jünger Audio’s products are easy to operate and are developed and manufactured in-house, ensuring that the highest standards are maintained throughout. Jünger Audio’s customers include many of the world’s top radio and TV broadcasters, IPTV providers, music recording studios and audio post production facilities.
