NEW YORK, NY - The grand Thanksgiving Day Parade in Manhattan requires a massive effort to capture the excitement of this traditional procession for millions of television viewers nationwide. Production crews for the event used three Studio Technologies Model 46 Dual 2-Wire to 4-Wire Interface units to streamline intercom setup and operations to help deliver the action. From the giant floats, bands and performers, to Santa passing by the procession stand, the Model 46 units performed flawlessly, helping to herald in the holiday season.
"The advantages of the Studio Technologies Model 46 are two-fold," says Peter Erskine, freelance audio technician specializing in wireless systems for the parade that included the wireless comms. "First, it provides power to the intercom belt packs worn by the camera operators and support crew. This eliminates having to haul and set up many additional power supplies, and the need to run supply wires to each belt pack, thereby streamlining the entire operation. With live events like the parade, everything needs to work flawlessly, so the faster the crew can set up, the more time is available to test the integrity of the intercom system. Second, it provides a very good, micro-processor-controlled, hybrid automatic null capability, where you push a button and it's done. The Model 46 delivers reliable performance and clean, clear sound."
The parade's main production trucks were located on the west side of Broadway between 34th and 35th streets. The grand procession stand was located around the corner from the trucks on the north side of 34th Street. Fiber optic cables that carried HD video, audio and communications signals were run from the production trucks, down into the subway under 34th Street and back up to a tower on the south side of 34th Street. From there the cables were run overhead on special poles to the production platform across from the procession stand - a run of hundreds of feet. The platform was raised to accommodate normal foot traffic.
Intercom audio was sent over the fiber system to the production platform where the original, digitized four-wire signal was converted to analog. "For each channel of intercom signal sent from the truck, we would get a four-wire send and receive line of audio that was plugged into the Model 46 to convert it back into the two-wire audio format necessary to feed the belt packs," Erskine explains. "The hardware belt packs were then distributed along the street for all the different departments to use, including cameras, staging and teleprompters. The Studio Technologies Model 46 made the parade much easier to accomplish, while delivering the audio quality necessary for high-level, critical communications. I have worked with many production companies over the years and frequently use different Studio Technologies units. The Model 46 units delivered an outstanding performance."
About Studio Technologies, Inc.
Studio Technologies, Inc. provides tailored, high-performance video, audio and fiber optic products for the professional audio and broadcast markets. The company was founded in 1978 with a commitment to design and manufacture dependable, individualized solutions for broadcast studio, stadium and corporate environments. Known for "designing for the way professionals work," the company is recognized as an industry leader that has never wavered from its individualized design pledge. Product categories include fiber-optic transport, broadcast support, mobile broadcast, intercom and IFB, announcer consoles, loudspeaker monitor control systems, distribution amplifiers, cable testers and sound pressure level monitor systems. For more information, please visit the Studio Technologies Web site at www.studio-tech.com or call 1.847.676.9177.
