BERLIN—Studio Berlin upgraded audio production capabilities onboard its Ü2 OB truck based on Audio-over-IP (AoIP) technology in time for production of the 75th Berlinale Film Festival.
The upgrade included a 48-fader Lawo mc²56 MKIII console that replaced the production unit’s existing mc²66 mixing desk. The upgrade also required expanding an existing Lawo VSM system to optimize control over the IP-based broadcast infrastructure as well as the addition of Lawo A__stage units used as I/O devices and the HOME mc² DSP App, which provides 256 DSP channels, the company said.
“With the HOME mc² DSP App, we can manage DSP resources flexibly and efficiently—an essential improvement for our workflow. This is particularly crucial as we continue to upgrade and expand our studio facilities and control rooms,” said Mathias Heinrich, head of audio at Studio Berlin. “Virtualization eliminates the need for dedicated DSP hardware, which not only saves space but also provides exceptional flexibility in configuration and scalability.”
Completed in time for the film festival, which began Feb. 13, the truck was used to produce the event’s opening ceremony and its awards gala Feb. 22. The productions were live-streamed and later broadcast by Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb) as well as ZDF/3sat. In collaboration with X Verleih, the opening gala and premiere film were also transmitted live to seven cinemas across Germany.
During the upgrade it was important to integrate the new technology seamlessly into Ü2’s existing 3G-SDI workflow.
“The challenge was to replace a well-established infrastructure with emerging, continuously evolving technology,” said Studio Berlin audio engineer Leonard Weißhahn. “The HOME mc² DSP App has proven to be a solid, future-proof solution. It delivers the renowned Lawo quality and performance while offering a valuable learning and development opportunity for both Lawo and Studio Berlin.”
The move of AoIP required efficient routing of all relevant audio signals as well as seamless communication between the mc²56 MKIII console, A__stage units and the redundant DSP App. The existing Lawo VSM system played a crucial role by providing centralized control of the entire infrastructure and enabling intuitive workflow optimizations, it said.
The truck’s new IP-based support simplifies setup and making adjustments for productions. “Previously, modifying signal processing during large-scale productions was a challenge,” said Heinrich. “With the HOME mc² DSP App, we can make real-time adjustments as needed without reconfiguring physical hardware, saving both time and resources,” said Heinrich.
The HOME mc² DSP App enables optimized signal processing, superior audio quality and flexible resource management. “We now have a production environment that meets current demands while being fully prepared for future developments in the broadcast sector. At the same time, we are gaining valuable insights together with Lawo as we navigate this exciting technological transition,” said Weißhahn.
More information is available on the company’s website.
