There have been huge advances in audio technology over the past 10 years. Stereo has gone to surround. Analog has gone to digital and is now transmitted as a single data stream. Tape has gone to hard disk. Complex streams of both video and audio data are multiplexed with other data streams that are being engineered for bandwidth efficiency rather than fidelity. These streams are being embedded, de-embedded and re-embedded over and over again from content creation to consumer, creating a potential operational nightmare at the local level.
Systems integration firm Advanced Broadcast Solutions (ABS) is addressing this changing professional audio landscape with "Understanding the Bastard Child of Broadcast," a series of free educational sessions in Oregon and Washington this month.
"Audio never seems to get the respect it deserves, but it's an essential part of television production," said Mark Siegel, president of ABS. "With recent advancements in digital technology, audio has also become more complicated than ever. Our 'Bastard' tour is designed to help industry professionals stay current with audio technologies and techniques."
Co-sponsored by Dolby, Genelec, Linear Acoustic, Sennheiser and Yamaha, the "Bastard" tour kicks off July 20 at Oregon Public Broadcasting in Portland. Additional tour stops include KEZI in Eugene, OR, on the 21st; KOBI Medford on the 22nd; KSPS in Spokane, July 24; KCTS Seattle on the 27th; and KBTC Tacoma, July 28. There will be two presentations at all locations.
The educational sessions will provide instruction on 5.1 monitoring, mixing and encoding, and creating the highest audio quality in facilities. Additional topics will include dialnorm and loudness issues, as well as the recent developments in the wireless spectrum. Program content is designed for broadcasters, but all video professionals are invited to attend.
