Calrec Audio has supplied twin 64-fader Sigma with Bluefin digital mixing consoles to NBC Olympics for U.S. coverage of the Olympic Games in Beijing. The consoles will be installed at the International Broadcast Center (IBC) in Beijing in May 2008.
"Each Olympic Games' coverage brings with it new demands for better technology, increased flexibility and greater efficiency," said Bob Dixon, NBC's director of sound design for the Beijing games. "From the summer games in Atlanta in 1996 to the upcoming summer games in Beijing in 2008, we have gone from an analog-only, two-channel contribution and distribution audio platform to a fully digital, discrete 5.1-channel platform."
Sigma with Bluefin provides 320 channel-processing paths packaged as 108 stereo and 104 mono channels and allows up to 52 full 5.1 surround channels. This is provided on just one DSP card, with full EQ and dynamics on all channel groups and main outputs.
NBC Olympics started planning for the Beijing Games more than two years in advance. The broadcaster holds exclusive U.S. rights for coverage of the Beijing Games, with more than 3600 hours of coverage scheduled across the many NBC Universal outlets during the event next August.
For more information, visit www.nbcolympics.com and www.calrec.com.
