Stagetec Stages Magazine 2012 - PDF - Aspen Media.

STAGES
Broadcast, Theatre, Film and more
Sochi: World-Class Biathlon Stadium
Berlin: Innovation in Film Voice Dubbing
Sydney: Small Broadcast Desk with Great Logic
Digital Version
including Bonus Article
No. 15/2012 ENGLISH

Inside STAGES:
Publisher: STAGETEC Entwicklungsgesellschaft für professionelle Audiotechnik mbH,
Tabbertstrasse10, D-12459 Berlin, Germany
Editorial: Medientechnik Presseservice, Köln, Germany
English: Rob James, Bognor Regis, UK
Design, Litho: art & craft [design worx], Köln, Germany
Printing: CE DE Druck, Köln, Germany
The Cover Photo:
Grow with the Flow
Numbered among the world’s busiest performing arts centres, with its
influence reflected by its size, the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay in
Singapore opened its doors ten years ago. The concept of the centre
with four indoor venues, an outdoor stage, plus temporary festival
stages and workshop and rehearsal facilities, proved to be highly
successful. Now it was time to enlarge the existing audio network,
which is why two CRESCENDO audio consoles and a number of
additional NEXUS components have been supplementing the preexisting
NEXUS network since 2011. Now this has grown into a system
comprising three NEXUS STARs, 21 Base Devices and two mixing
consoles.
The CRESCENDO was chosen since it not only integrates smoothly
into the existing NEXUS network but also meets the criteria for live
use, offering compact size combined with instant access to critical
channel functions. The two consoles are installed in the audio control
rooms of the large Theatre and of the Concert Hall. They are mainly
used for preproduction and for recordings of the events.
Advanced Technology for the World
German high-tech is in demand all around the world — and rightly so because products “Made in Germany” are among the most advanced
available today. Despite sweeping globalisation, international markets require very different country-specific products and solutions. Therefore,
STAGETEC systems, developed and made in Germany, are leading the market because they are highly customisable, scalable and easy to use,
regardless of all the underlying complexity. Ultimately, whether it’s the first or a subsequent installation, it is these qualities which determine how
well a system works in everyday life.
So, once again, we can bring you good news from around the world, we are well represented in Asia as in Australia where many promising
installations are pending. There is also much to tell about installations involving other MEDIAGROUP members as you can read, for example, in
the articles about the first major permanent oratis installation at the Sochi biathlon stadium, which will be used for the Winter Olympics in 2014,
and the complete overhaul of the stage-management system at the German Prinzregententheater.
STAGETEC systems are efficient, reliable, and future-proof. Because of course we design our systems to be long-lived and upgradeable. This in
turn protects the investments and the users — benefits much appreciated by our customers, both in Europe and worldwide, today and tomorrow.
Dr. Helmut Jahne Dipl. Ing. Wolfgang Salzbrenner Dr. Klaus-Peter Scholz
The Executive Directors of the STAGETEC Entwicklungsgesellschaft
Photopraphy:
Cover: Hidetaka Mori, courtesy of Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Singapore; p. 6: top:
Evgeniy Tumashov, Biathlonrus.com; top: Olympstroy; p. 8: top: Peter Kaminski, Hamburg;
top: Olympstroy; p. 12: top: Andreas Kolarik, Salzburger Festspiele; p. 13: top: Tourismus
Salzburg; p. 14: down: Marjolaine Rouzeau, Opéra National de Paris; p. 18 ff.: Thomas
Klinger, München; p. 19: top: Christoph Lieck, Köln; p. 23: Wikipedia, Skip88; p. 24: Frank
Rasowitz, Burghausen;
Jean-Paul Moerman, Brüssel; Arno Schünemann, Berlin; Gunter Engel, München; Aspen
Media, London; Stefani Renner, Köln; Dieter Kahlen, Neukirchen-Vluyn; picture library of
SALZBRENNER STAGETEC MEDIAGROUP
Dolby and the double-D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.

With the aid of the new STARs, the network architecture, formerly
highly centralised, can be divided into three segments. In this way
parallel productions can be better supported. The MADI connections
still allows cross-segment signal routing within the entire building
complex.
Robin Shuttleworth, Technical Manager (Sound), The Esplanade Co.
Ltd, says: “When purchasing our first NEXUS units back in 2008, we
already had a possible subsequent expansion of the overall system in
mind. That idea was very easy to put into practice. We were pleased
with the flexibility and adaptability of the system!”
(from left to right) Simon Ng, Robin
Shuttleworth, Immanuel Poh and Gary
Goh in the concert hall control room.
News
Persistence and Precision
World-class Biathlon Stadium with an oratis Commentary System
New Paths, and Not Just for Audio
NEXUS and the Big Wide World of IP Networking
Small Broadcast Desk with Great Logic
Interview about the First Networked ON AIR 24 Installation
Set in Stone?
Excellent Acoustics with Vivace
Success Story
Italian RAI and STAGETEC Have Signed a Framework Agreement
Innovation in Film Voice Dubbing
AURATUS and NEXUS Logic Support Film Versioning
For Many Stages
New Stage-Management and Alert System for the Prinzregententheater
Good Things Come In Threes
Hubei TV Wuhan Invests in New HDTV OB Fleet
New Stars in the Northern Sky
Large NEXUS Network for the North of the UK
An Excellent International Partner:
SALZBRENNER STAGETEC MEDIAGROUP Branch Locations
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First ON AIR 24 in Kuwait
The State of Kuwait in the gulf is no newcomer to STAGETEC
technology. In late 2004 the first large NEXUS network in the Middle
East went on-air in the Radio Kuwait main control room. This year,
Radio Kuwait is modernising its Superstation FM and Classic FM
studios, which will each be equipped with an AURATUS console. In this
context, two additional NEXUS Base Devices are being integrated into
the existing audio network, expanding it to a total of one STAR and 20
Base Devices.
At Al Watan Radio, an important private radio station which is
also located in Kuwait City, another installation has already been
completed. At present, Al Watan Radio broadcasts exclusively though
the internet but is expected to receive an FM license this year. Al
Watan has already put the appropriate production and transmission
technology into operation, with an ON AIR 24 together with a NEXUS
system as the basis for smooth on-air operations.
At Al Watan, DJ self-op operation is the norm. The small mixer with
just four faders but large possibilities fits the bill perfectly. Thanks to
intelligent integration, the ON AIR 24 can also be controlled by the
News
STAGETEC: Construction Time Again
More than ten years ago, STAGETEC moved to their current
headquarters located by the Spree River in Berlin. Much has happened
since. The number of employees has increased continuously, and so
has the STAGETEC range of products. In addition to the NEXUS, which
has always been the foundation of any STAGETEC installation, it now
includes four very different mixing consoles.
“Our order books are very healthy, and we will definitely continue to
expand. However, this also means that we now require much more
floor space than was assumed at the time our headquarters was
constructed,” explains Dr Helmut Jahne, head of development and one
of STAGETEC’s managing directors. “Our present building has become
much too small, so we are planning to construct an extension on the
neighbouring property.” Preparations are in full swing. From a bird’seye
view, the two buildings will form a stylised “S” representing the
company name.
After completion, the new building will house mainly the production
and customer service departments including test-engineering and
metrology. It will provide significantly larger production and storage
space for the various product lines as well as comprehensively
DALET production and play-out system. STAGETEC distributor ROMCO
Trading Co., which has represented MEDIAGROUP products in Kuwait
and the Middle East since 2003, was responsible for planning and
constructing the complete studio and also for the on-site training.
equipped inspection and test facilities and a large conference room for
training purposes. The development section, which has significantly
increased in size in recent years, will remain in the existing part of the
complex. Dr Jahne says, “We are now working in parallel on multiple
different products at the same time. Therefore, we require not only
more employees and offices but also the appropriate lab and test
environments.” With a total floor space of 4,100 square meters, which
represents a doubling of the current area, the new suite of buildings
will offer plenty of possibilities for further expansion in future.
Multifunctional Desk with Touch Control
The MEDIAGROUP developers from Buttenheim present the
TRIAGON POLARIS, an all new and unique modular console providing
unsurpassed flexibility together with a revolutionary multi-touch
control surface. A single multifunctional panel based on a touchsensitive
screen and 16 physical encoders form the basis of this
innovative user interface. In addition to consistent touch-screen
control, a further POLARIS feature is that the panel can be configured
in software for different functions. So it serves as either a control
surface for direct access to the channel strips or as a meter bridge.
Each panel is an independent module equipped with its own CPU
and communicates with the control computer via IP. This provides
for exceptional scalability and allows individual components to be
combined as the user requires. For users who prefer the classic
interface a module is available with physical faders. All modules
are hot-pluggable and can be combined freely, a mixer frame is not
required.
The most impressive new feature is the ability to control the POLARIS
with finger gestures, which speeds up the workflow considerably.
All important parameters are only a few steps away with POLARIS
displaying only information relevant to the selected function.
As was the case with its predecessor the TRIAGON POLARIS
integrates with the MEDIAGROUP Mediacontrol. Thus, the desk

Elegant DAW Control
STAGETEC consoles have been capable of controlling the transport
functions of popular DAWs for some considerable time. A new piece of
software now makes it possible to use the AURUS channel strips and
centre section to control a DAW via the HUI protocol depending on
the implementation. This offers extensive control over the DAW direct
from the mixer.
Three programs are supported currently, Nuendo, Cubase, and
Pro Tools running on Windows or Mac OS host systems. Up to 32
DAW channels can be addressed from the console surface so that
the faders, buttons and encoders control the corresponding DAW
functions. The AURUS TFT screen displays key parameters including
pan, EQ settings, and channel names. Mute, solo, record, and select
functions are accessible from the respective keys on the AURUS
control strips. Control of up to five aux channels is possible.
Remote control also extends to the DAW plug-ins, which opens up a
wide variety of editing options. Additional functions, such as storing or
recalling locators, can be invoked directly from the AURUS.
STAGETEC is also planning to adapt the software to control other
popular DAW systems. The new DAW control feature is already in use,
for example, at the Perdana studio of the Malaysian state TV and radio
service RTM.
can address a variety of control tasks. An entirely new feature is
integration with the Vivace room-acoustics enhancement system.
During a live show, Vivace presets can be called up from the mixing
console. With its flexibility and high level of integration, the TRIAGON
POLARIS commends itself as an ideal choice for theatres, opera
houses, multipurpose venues and all types of event and convention
centres.
A New Generation
Munich-based broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) has relied on
STAGETEC systems for a very long time. The very first CANTUS ever
was delivered to BR radio back in 1995! And there were many more
to follow. During the next few years, BR purchased another six of
STAGETEC’s debut consoles for BR radio plus another five CANTUS
for BR TV. Many of those systems are in use still today and have
been adapted to increased requirements by adding new NEXUS
components. One example is the FÜ3, one of the CANTUS-based TV
outside-broadcast trucks, which was expanded and upgraded to HD
recently and equipped with numerous NEXUS SDI interfaces for the
purpose.
Today, AURUS is also an indispensable part of the BR operation. At
present, BR is gradually replacing its outdated first-generation digital
desks. The two most important studios (Studio 1 and Studio 2) in the
main BR-radio centre have been completely modernised and upgraded
to AURUS systems. Both studios are used for very diverse applications
— ranging from jazz, chamber music and solo recordings to folk music
and pop while also providing plenty of space for concerts with a large
audience. For example they are important venues during the on3
Festival, which is held every year as part of on3, a tri-media youth
programme organised by BR.
A striking feature of the two control rooms is their orientation. The
AURUS consoles are installed facing away from the large glass
windows which overlook the studios. This allowed the console area
to be enlarged considerably compared to the previous arrangement
and for the Geithain 5.1 monitoring system to be installed without
compromises.
The two studios access a pool of NEXUS Base Devices, which are
distributed as appropriate for the day’s events. NEXUS was also
equipped with a special monitoring controller which allows any
external device to be selected and controls phase inversion, stereo
channel swapping and many more functions for signals ranging from
mono to 5.1.
Including these latest installations, BR now operates a total of five
AURUS consoles alongside its CANTUS desks. A large NEXUS system
comprising four STARs and a large number of Base Devices will
shortly be put into operation at the new TV broadcasting premises in
Freimann.
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Persistence and Precision
World-class biathlon and cross-country skiing stadium with
an oratis commentary system
How does the commentary arrive on your TV set? Previously, integrating the commentary feed into the TV audio mix required
considerable effort and a lot of hardware. The more so for international broadcasts with many affiliated stations — and therefore
many commentators. Today, there are ways of streamlining this task while improving quality. This is well illustrated by the first
large fixed oratis installation in the Russian Caucasus
Once it was just hunting on skis but now the contrast between the
challenging endurance sport of cross-country skiing and rifle shooting
as a precision discipline fascinates many people. Biathlon has become
very popular, especially in countries with cold winters. Such as Russia,
which is considered to be one of the strongholds of international
biathlon. For staging such events — or any other winter sports
competitions for that matter — the world now often looks to Russia.
Sochi will host the 2014 Winter Olympics. All the slopes for the alpine
winter sports events and the associated stadiums were already open in
the winter season at the beginning of 2012. With a wealth of experience
from two-and-a-half seasons and a number of large international
sports events to come, the local organizers will be well prepared for
2014 in terms of handling, logistics and the technical systems.
The biathlon tracks located in the Sochi Mountain Cluster have
already proved their suitability for the 2014 Olympics. Early in 2012
a series of Russian national competitions put them to the test.
When it comes to winter sports, especially broadcasting winter sport
events, MEDIAGROUP audio systems have played an important role
for quite some time. At the beginning of this century their digital
systems were already established alongside ski runs all over the world.
Optical cables are ideal for the purpose because they are able to span
considerable distances and are also relatively resilient to demanding
climatic conditions. On the other hand, the DELEC installation at
Sochi’s new biathlon stadium is a significant debut. It is the first fixed
installation of a digital oratis commentator network in a winter sports
stadium. Furthermore, it is the first oratis installation in the world to
network several matrix frames using an oratis R4000 router — and is
thus the largest system of its kind so far.
Networked Commentary Booths
The oratis commentary system is based on matrix frames. The Sochi
system comprises a total of four matrix frames which incorporate
various slide-in cards to enable them to be used as audio hubs. They
manage all audio signals required by the commentator and forward the
commentary signal to the relevant broadcaster.
The commentator uses a COM3 commentator terminal, which is
connected over a Gigabit Ethernet line to a commentary card in the
matrix frame. Other links in this setup are MADI based and allow for
cross-connections to all the participating broadcasters and the entire
stadium audio network. With this strategy, essentially the connections
to and from all sources and destinations are extended through the
fibre-optic network into the commentary booth. Thus, it is possible
to monitor or mix any audio signal immediately at the commentary
position.
Generally, the DELEC system provides one terminal per commentary
booth. Each unit provides the necessary services for up to three
Photo (top): Evgeniy Tumashov — Biathlonrus.com

commentators. Thus, a two handed presentation with an additional
roving reporter loses all of its previous complexity.
Designed for Expansion
The first international event on the future Olympic course, and an
ideal rehearsal, will happen in the coming season when the World Cup
takes place in Sochi. However, the course has already been in use
during the current season, early in February, for a Russian national
competition series. Although a much smaller undertaking than a major
international event it still afforded an excellent opportunity to evaluate
the new course.
The demands placed on the commentary system during these
initial events are correspondingly lower. Of the maximum of eight
commentator terminals which can be supported by each oratis matrix
frame, at the current stage of development, the Sochi system is
based on three frames with five terminals each. Another matrix frame
provides MADI digital I/O interfaces to the affiliated broadcasters OB
vans and control rooms.
At present, 15 commentator terminals are available, which is sufficient
for national events. When international competitions are scheduled,
the system can be upgraded with little effort. A setup with multiple
networked R4000 units and straightforward cabling could support
more than 200 commentary positions. A theoretical number since
in the Sochi stadium, as in almost all stadiums, no where near this
number of commentary booths are provided.
Winter Sports and Sea Views
Perhaps more fundamentally, all components of an oratis installation
are networked using managed Gigabit Ethernet. This means that no
extra wiring is needed, or multi-core cables. This infrastructure is
usually installed as a matter of course in a modern complex of this
sort. Gigabit Ethernet lines and ordinary Gigabit Ethernet routers and
switches are perfect for setting up an oratis system.
Line redundancy is also possible with Managed Gigabit Ethernet.
This was one of the basic requirements at Sochi, since commentary
systems are used to produce on-air sound. Therefore, the highest
level of reliability was a key criterion when designing the system.
oratis systems in use at Swiss outdoor-TV producer tpc have already
proven their robustness in cold tests and under heavy adverse climatic
conditions at a large number of skiing events since 2010. On the other
video
sport results
internet
1
Matrix Frame
Router R4000
1 2 3 4 5
2
Matrix Frame
The DELEC commentary system in the biathlon stadium
The current Sochi equipment configuration includes a total of 15
commentator terminals attached to three matrix frames. A fourth
matrix frame serves as a MADI connector for external sources and
hand, the climatic conditions in Sochi are considerably milder than in
Switzerland. The city can pride itself on holding the very first Winter
Games in a sub-tropical climate! It lies on the same latitude as Nice
in France, and it is better known for its palm trees than snowy slopes.
Therefore, only climate independent indoor sports such as ice hockey,
speed skating, curling and figure skating will be staged in the City of
Sochi — the so-called Coastal Cluster with a view of the Black Sea. The
snow dependent sports such as alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country
skiing and snowboarding will take place outside Sochi, 600 meters
above sea level, in the Mountain Cluster.
Terminal Capabilities
The COM3 terminal installed in each commentary booth is the
commentator’s essential tool. At first sight, it looks like a small
monitor mixer but is in reality much easier to use. Three stereo
aux signals, a talkback function and extensive monitoring facilities
are available to the commentator. Naturally, all of these use
uncompressed high-quality audio formats: 24-bit audio interfaces
with 32-bit internal processing at a sampling rate of 48 kHz. However,
the commentators do not need to concern themselves with any of
this since configuration is undertaken by the system administrator
centrally. If the commentator is uncertain about an aspect of
operating the terminal, then the administrator can assist over the
network or even operate all functions remotely. Although this means
help is always at hand the existing installations have demonstrated
that commentators learned the system quickly and intuitively. Initial
support from the administrator was only necessary in a very few
instances.
The biathlon stadium system also includes two oratis subscriber units
from the intercom product line. The administrator can talk to any of
the commentators, for example, to clarify technical matters. Of course,
this facility can also be used to discuss production issues. Since the
commentator already has headphones and a microphone, no extra
subscriber units are necessary.
Well Connected
A commentary position needs more than just audio connectivity
and mixing options. In the Sochi biathlon stadium each commentary
booth includes a video monitor, a computer connected to an online
content management system, and an internet connection for the
to the
commentator terminals
no. 6 to 10
3
Matrix Frame
gigabit ethernet connection
to the
commentator terminals
no. 11 to 15
4
Matrix Frame
MADI
MADI
destinations. A special feature of the Sochi system will be tunnelling.
This will supply many more signals to the commentary position than a
standard system.
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commentator's laptop. And since the Gigabit Ethernet lines connecting
the commentator terminals provide more than enough transmission
capacity, the DELEC infrastructure is also used to route these extra
services! A simple and elegant approach. The three services are
converted into IP streams and are then fed to the appropriate matrix
frame. From there, they are routed to the Gigabit Ethernet line going
to the commentator terminal. An integrated Gigabit Ethernet switch
is used to forward the data to the commentator. Up to four individual
IP streams can be routed to each commentary position. Three
connections per terminal are in use currently in Sochi.
Winners Galore
Russia is hoping to harvest a lot of medals during the biathlon events.
For several years, the Germans have also been among the leading
nations in the biathlon and it is a German trainer who will take
the Russians female biathletes to the top. Therefore, the close cooperation
between Russia and Germany is evident in Sochi not only in
the audio domain but also at the sporting level. In the end, everybody
will be a winner — first and foremost the spectators who will enjoy
breath-taking sporting achievements at home on TV, broadcast using
superlative technology producing crystal-clear commentary!
Read more on www.stagetec.com/stages
Sound Reinforcement and TV Audio Included
The biathlon stadium in the Mountain Cluster
not only has the DELEC commentary system but
is also host to two CRESCENDO consoles and a
NEXUS audio network. These are used as soundreinforcement
consoles in the stadium and the
press centre, respectively.
In addition to the Mountain Cluster, where snow
is guaranteed, there will also be a Coastal Cluster
located right on the shore of the Black Sea. The
Coastal Cluster will be the venue for all the indoor
sports. The newly constructed site includes five
ice rinks for the various disciplines and another
stadium for the opening and medal presentation
ceremonies. MEDIAGROUP audio systems can also
be found at the Coastal Cluster. The Olympic Skating
Centre where the figure-skating and short-track competitions will take
place, which is christened Iceberg (seen here under construction in
An oratis Commentary System in Switzerland
The first users of DELEC’s innovative commentary systems
were technology and production center switzerland ag (tpc).
As a technical service for the Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen
(SRF) tpc produce a lot of sports broadcasts as well as major
cultural events. Commentary systems play a key role in tpc’s
operations since Switzerland is a multilingual country and
broadcasts are often made with commentaries in three or
four languages.
tpc installed their first oratis commentary systems in 2010.
Today, these are used both for outside broadcasts and at the
Zurich-based TV studios where this picture of a commentary
booth was taken.
late 2010) due to its unusual shape and colour, uses two AURATUS
consoles and a NEXUS system for the arena PA and TV-sound mix.

New Paths, and Not Just for Audio
Do you really know what the NEXUS is? The answer is anything but trivial. If you ignore the numerous DSP, logic, and control
functions, you might indeed call a single NEXUS Base Device a matrix or format converter. However, when multiple Base Devices
are linked together, perhaps combined with a NEXUS STAR, you will end up not just with a bigger format converter or matrix but
an audio network. Thanks to the use of fibre-optic cabling, such a network can cover a very large area. And what is more, NEXUS
networks are now open to the big wide world of IP networking
At the time when the basic idea of the NEXUS was conceived, no
one could imagine that one day transferring audio over conventional
computer networks would become possible. Therefore, the internal
structure of a NEXUS network is fundamentally different. It is not
based on IP addressing but instead uses a Time-Division Multiplex
(TDM) bus structure. Such a system then guaranteed synchronicity
of a large number of audio channels and extremely low latencies —
and still does so now. Thanks to the enormous advances in IP-based
networking, the increases in data transmission rates and its ubiquity,
this technology from the computer industry has, over the years,
become increasingly attractive for audio transmission. The time was
right for these two technologies, NEXUS with TDM on the one hand
and IP networking on the other, to come together. If the two systems
were combined intelligently the result would benefit from the best of
both worlds.
Dante or AVB?
STAGETEC sought to find a strong partner with considerable expertise
in the field of audio-over-IP networking. Last year, STAGETEC began
to cooperate with one of the biggest players in this environment,
the Australian company Audinate. With their Dante product line,
Audinate is the world’s leading name in high-performance networking
for the transmission of uncompressed audio over standard IP
connections.
The first product resulting from this collaboration was recently
introduced in Berlin. A card for the NEXUS named XDIP (neXus Dante
IP). Based on the Dante Brooklyn module, the XDIP offers 64 input
channels and 64 output channels which provide an interface between
the IP world and the synchronously clocked, classical routing world of
NEXUS. The configuration allows for connecting the NEXUS to a Dante
network as either Word clock master or slave. Asynchronous operation
is also possible where the audio is converted by 128 SRCs on the XDIP
card. For maximum flexibility each XDIP is equipped with four Ethernet
ports. These ports can be used either for serial connections or in
parallel for redundancy.
Another MEDIAGROUP member, DELEC, has also developed a Dantecompliant
interface for the oratis product line. This interface will make
a higher profile appearance in Australia later this year.
Dante is a proprietary format. It is widespread and supported by a
large number of pro-audio manufacturers. The Audio-Video Bridging
(AVB) standards, ratified by the IEEE and developed by a consortium
of major IT and pro-audio manufacturers, will go one step further.
However, the details have not yet been fully specified. Since AVB is
set to become a true industrial standard for audio-over-IP networks, a
great future has been predicted for it. Therefore, the NEXUS XDIP card
already includes an AVB-enabled Ethernet switch in order to support
the new AVB standard in addition to the Dante format. Firmware
updates will ensure that the XDIP card will adapt to any future
modifications to the AVB standards.
OCA Control for All
Dante interfaces will soon be available for other MEDIAGROUP
products. An exciting development in this context is being driven
by the Open Control Architecture (OCA) alliance, a coalition of
important pro-audio companies including Bosch, d&b audiotechnik,
Yamaha, the MEDIAGROUP and more. The name is an approximate
description of what the alliance wants to achieve: a protocol which
allows easy-to-use audio and control connections to be established
between products from different vendors using Dante. While OCA
is still in the standardisation phase, it has already become obvious
that it will be a very powerful and comprehensive protocol that will
provide true interoperability. With their various Dante cards, the
MEDIAGROUP already meets the hardware requirements of those
future developments today.
Read more on www.stagetec.com/stages
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Small Broadcast Desk with Great Logic
National public broadcaster the Australian Broadcasting Corporation is in the process of putting into operation the first major
installation of the new ON AIR 24 broadcast console. We talked to the people from Berlin and Sydney who were responsible for an
installation with remarkable details
Scott Whyte is the ABC’s Project Manager who drove the
implementation of the ON AIR 24 consoles. With him, Treva Head, the
MEDIAGROUP’s Regional Manager Australia, and Jens Kuhlmann from
STAGETEC in Berlin, responsible for training and support of STAGETEC
systems, spoke with us about the details of this ON AIR 24 and NEXUS
installation.
STAGES: Scott, what was the reason for this technical innovation?
Scott Whyte: Our existing on-air consoles, also digital, had simply
become too old to be maintained reasonably. So we had to face
investment in new technology sooner or later. With this project, we
are going to rebuild our entire on-air studio operation from scratch.
Therefore, we take clusters of studios, gut the facilities, and install new
cabling, floor coverings, wall panels and studio furniture and of course,
totally new audio systems.
STAGES: What is in the scope of the project?
Scott Whyte: The first cluster consisted of two studios, or to be more
One Cluster, three differing workplaces
ABC has currently completed one cluster consisting of three ON
AIR 24 studios where each studio has a distinct workplace concept.
These three different technical specialisations support very flexible
utilisation and several operating modes, ranging from self-op mode
to operation with technical support, or joint production from two or
three studios combined.
precise, two self-op studios with interviewee seats, microphones,
and a mixer seat for the DJ or presenter. The two self-op studios are
separated by a glass pane — a special concept we have here at the
ABC broadcasting complex. This opens up a cluster for several, flexible
purposes: both studios can be used self-op or together for larger joint
productions and productions which need technical support.
In the meantime, we have put the second cluster into operation. It also
includes three studios supporting the same three operating modes
— solo mode, combined mode and shared mode. By the summer
of 2012, we will have converted a total of fifteen on-air studios in 5
clusters both in Sydney and also in Newcastle, which is two hours
drive north of here.
STAGES: What concept is your new STAGETEC system based on?
Scott Whyte: We have a pretty clear idea of what a “perfect”
broadcast console could do for us ...
Treva Head: ... and this idea is quite different to the notions in Europe
— and therefore also to what the STAGETEC developers in Berlin had in
their minds.
Scott Whyte: Yes, exactly. But we wanted to keep to this concept in
any case. The challenge of the technical change and new equipment
was therefore to replicate our previous workflow with the help of
NEXUS and ON AIR 24 components.
STAGES: What is so special about ABC’s approach?
Scott Whyte: As I said before, we have defined three operating
modes for working within a cluster: solo mode, combined mode and
shared mode. These allow for using the facilities within a cluster
either independently for use as self-op studios, in a set-up with
studio and control-room with the presenter and his guests in one
studio and the technical assistant in the other, or in a shared setup
with two technically equal control rooms used for working on the
same production. In that mode, the two studios share all sources
and destinations, which allows for good division of labour for more
complex productions.

Treva Head: Those workflows have important consequences for
the underlying technology. For example, each of the three modes
requires different logic operations. It starts simply with controlling the
microphone channels: In shared or solo modes, you want to control
them from the ON AIR 24 in the same room; in combined mode
however, an engineer will use the ON AIR 24 in one room to access
the microphones in the other.
An important planning decision was that we had to equip the NEXUS
systems that drive the ON AIR 24 consoles of the same cluster
identically. This approach simplifies interchange significantly and
increases flexibility when interconnecting the rooms. Nevertheless,
programming the NEXUS logic functions used for implementing the
different operating modes was a real challenge!
Scott Whyte: I think this was partly due to the completely different
ideas of what a mixing console is, how it is operated, what it controls
and basically, how live productions are made.
STAGES: Jens, you did the necessary NEXUS logic programming in
Sydney. How do the requirements at ABC differ from those you had
worked with previously?
Jens Kuhlmann: At first, ABC’s approach was totally extraordinary to
us. I assume that everybody who is not into broadcasting in Australia
would have felt the same way. So we from STAGETEC in Berlin first
had to understand the concepts and to become familiar with a number
of new terms, for example, “profanity delay”. As an explanation for
our readers in regions unfamiliar with the term, a profanity delay is a
dynamic delay that is inserted into each live microphone line or each
on-air phone call to allow for dumping so-called f-words, if they are
actually used. This detail, which is completely unknown in Germany
and many parts of Europe, makes studio switchovers and automatic
delegation from one job to another an enormous challenge. In fact,
you not only have to route two lines — the one before the delay and
the other one with the delay inserted — but it is also necessary to
keep the correct timing in mind. Has the final delay time already
been reached? Do the profanity-delay units of the two studios have
to be synchronised? Only after we had understood, thanks to Scott
and Treva’s energetic support, how to handle such a line that carries
sensitive information, were we able to configure logic operations for
studio switchovers. The work was worth it and now NEXUS and ON
AIR 24 map the workflows exactly as was required.
ON AIR 24 Facts
ON AIR 24 is a modular mixing console system. The user interface of
the new desk is based on compact panels with only four faders each,
enabling really small mixing units to be assembled. The console is
designed for self-op studios in particular. ON AIR 24 is very easy to
use, highly configurable and, thanks to
its snapshot automation and extensive
logic control functionality, supports
even complex on-air productions. The
processing power of the console is
provided by a mixer board hosted by a
NEXUS Base Device.
Apart from the Australian installation at
ABC which has seven consoles currently,
the new mixer can also be found at ASTRO and in Cyberjaya (both
in Malaysia) and in Radio Kuwait. It is in use in WDR OB vehicles
in Cologne and Dusseldorf (Germany). The Het Muziektheater in
Amsterdam (The Netherlands) has also equipped its on-air studio with
the compact STAGETEC console, as well as the Council of States at
the Parliament Bern (Switzerland).
Scott Whyte and the Australian MEDIAGROUP team:
Wil Stam, Mark Lownds, Scott Whyte (ABC) and Treva Head (from left to right) were
the leading actors in planning and realising the STAGETEC installation in Sydney. For our
conversation, we conferenced with Jens Kuhlmann in Berlin.
Scott Whyte: There were other customisations made for us. At first,
the consoles did funny things: When you turned a channel on, the
fader went to zero automatically. A disaster in a live broadcast!
Jens Kuhlmann: Not here in Europe. Over here, many presenters start
a player by pressing the fader-on key which automatically outputs a
fader-start on opening the fader …
STAGES: Scott, from your point of view, what was particularly
successful about the installation?
Scott Whyte: The advantage of our new facility is that we can access
all connected NEXUS channels even from the smallest ON AIR 24 with
just four faders. Operation is pretty easy for DJs or presenters, which
benefits our very diverse structure. People working in the broadcast
studios at ABC are very different with very different levels of technical
knowledge. For all these requirements we needed an incredibly flexible
console!
Jens Kuhlmann: For ABC we have enhanced the flexibility of the
ON AIR 24. Because of the new way of controlling several combined
consoles, which enables three different operating modes for using a
cluster’s consoles together or separately, we have created an entirely
new form of remote control on our ON AIR 24. This also includes a
full master-slave control where one console completely takes over the
surface of the other one.
STAGES: And what do you like particularly about the NEXUS and the
ON AIR 24?
Scott Whyte: In our solution what appears as a very simple small
console is able to provide us with the means to handle very complex
programs as well as more basic day to day work. In addition, we
can build purely touch screen based user interfaces that require no
hardware. This is extremely convenient. Plus the basic architecture of
the NEXUS and ON AIR 24 systems with underlying audio routers and
fibre-optic cabling is perfectly in line with our idea of a state-of-the-art
broadcasting studio.
Treva Head: With NEXUS and ON AIR 24 ABC now has much more
functionality than they originally expected. They had been looking for
a combination of several connectable, network controllable audio
modules. With the ON AIR 24, they have a real production console
which offers much greater convenience and more potential in the long
run.
Scott Whyte: I second that. However, for the moment it is much more
important that we can recreate our existing concept perfectly with the
new components.
Each cluster forms a separate island. These islands do not communicate
directly with each other but can still exchange signals using the main
switching room as a hub. This is by design. We planned the project
very carefully to make sure that the studios remain completely selfcontained.
If a studio — or even a cluster — failed for technical reasons,
we could still continue to use the other cluster. So we have many
islands that together make a very significant whole.
Read more on www.stagetec.com/stages
11

12
Set in Stone?
A long history, a very special atmosphere, good acoustics — these keywords characterize this unique Austrian stage. The ideal
venue, one might say. However, it can still be improved, for example with a little more reverb level at the spectator’s ears. Enjoy our
trip to the Salzburg Festival — with Vivace
Late in the 17th century, a former quarry and source of the
conglomerate stone used in the construction of Salzburg Cathedral
was converted to an open riding school for hunting and dressage.
Later on — early in the 20th century —, it was again repurposed and
turned into an outdoor theatre. 1926 saw the first Salzburg Festival at
the so-called Felsenreitschule (Summer Riding School). Carved directly
into the Mönchsberg cliff, the 96 arcades over three tiers, which
used to provide space for the riding-school audience, became part
of the stage scenery. And so it has remained until today. The unique
picturesque background gives Salzburg’s Felsenreitschule a charm of
its own — and contributes to its excellent acoustics.
Gunter Engel is an audio engineer, acoustician and physicist at
engineering company Müller-BBM. Engel and his colleague Professor
Karlheinz Müller, were in charge of planning the acoustics during the
recent Felsenreitschule renovation, the latest in its long history, taking
it to the point of being a modern venue for concerts, opera and drama.
“Because,” says Engel, “nowadays people want to hear a lot more
reverb than they would have a decade or two ago.” The audiences
and artists tastes have changed over time not only regarding home
comforts but also in terms of acoustic features.
Changing With the Times
In 1926 the Salzburg Festival was a lot more rustic than it is today.
Early performances at the Summer Riding School took place on a
stage floor made of compressed clay, the audience sat on wooden
benches and the stage was entirely at the mercy of the weather. This
is definitely not standard design practice nowadays so, the venue
has, unsurprisingly, undergone a number of modifications over the
years. Since the last facelift, a new stage roof has replaced the foil
structure that used to provide shelter from the rain. The new roof,
which consists of three roof segments, is equipped with a hydraulic
mechanism for deployment and retraction. It can now even be opened
as part of a production.
It was clear from the start that the new roof and also the considerable
increase in space which coincided with the conversion would have a
significant impact on the acoustics. So Müller-BBM was commissioned
to recalculate the environment and to design suitable acoustic
measures.
Versatile Electroacoustics
Gunter Engel analysed the new acoustics using a computer model
and developed strategies for improvement. A good number of the
improvements have been achieved by using conventional acoustic
treatments such as waveguides. During rehearsals of the first opera
production in the refurbished hall, the Vienna Philharmonic no less
and the Salzburger Festspiele management commended the new
acoustics.
Due to its early history and its former use as an arena for hunting and
dressage the building is different to classical theatres in that it has no
circles and that it is not a typical proscenium arch stage. The stage
having no closed sides and an overall width of more than 40 meters
results in a comparatively low reverb level. For several productions
and stagings the impression of the reverb envelope around the
audience could be usefully enhanced. Integrating an on-demand
room-enhancement system in the course of the renovation suggested
itself as a versatile solution to this desire. Vivace, designed by Müller-
BBM — with Gunter Engel playing a significant part in its genesis — is
just such a system and it is now manufactured and distributed by the
MEDIAGROUP.
Approaching the Ideal
Stated simply, the best known purpose of a Vivace system is to
simulate or complement a desired acoustic environment. This
functionality allows you to change certain acoustic properties of a
venue by electroacoustic means. To this end, Vivace uses a number
of techniques in order to create convincing virtual acoustics that
sound authentic to the audience. It adds nonexistent but desirable
early reflections and reverb to the existing envelope. It also gives the
audience an appropriate sense of spatial dimension — it communicates
something about the size of the sound-source, so to speak. Finally,

Widely represented in Salzburg
The Salzburg Festival, held annually in the summer, takes place in
many venues, even some in the open air in the centre of Salzburg.
The Felsenreitschule shares the Salzburg Festival Hall building
complex with the Great Hall and the Small Festival Hall (Haus für
Mozart). All three venues have their own NEXUS audio network. At
the Felsenreitschule, the NEXUS is enhanced with a Vivace system
meticulously installed and put into operation by Siemens Building
Technologies.
Other MEDIAGROUP audio components can be found in the Salzburg
Congress, a conference center in the middle of Salzburg’s inner city,
which relies on a NEXUS for interconnecting the conference rooms
and event halls.
A performance during the Salzburg Festival of the
traditional play “Jedermann”, written by one of the
festival founders, Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Vivace provides a balanced sound mix and an appropriate envelope
at every seat in the auditorium. Furthermore, the improved acoustic
impression supports the musicians on the stage. They can hear
themselves better, in a manner exactly appropriate to the musical
style.
These Vivace features enable environments that are too small or
insufficiently reverberant, to be enhanced acoustically, making them
suitable for staging productions from the most diverse genres.
Sometimes the environment is not too small but too large. In extreme
cases such spaces may give the acoustic impression of open-air venues,
where the listener does not perceive any early reflections at all!
In the case of the Felsenreitschule the situation was different. The
room already offered good acoustics which are enhanced by Vivace.
Gunter Engel, “It was only direct comparison that made it obvious that
the already good acoustics were further improved with Vivace. With
this installation, we have obsoleted the popular idea of an electroacoustic
system being only a fix for inferior rooms. No, one can also
use this technology to perfect good halls.”
Direct or Convolved?
At the Felsenreitschule, depending on staging, two to four microphones
are used to pick up the onstage sound. A NEXUS digital network
routes the signals to the Vivace system. The Vivace mainframe
performs real time analysis, processes the signals with a convolution
algorithm and outputs them to a sound reinforcement system with
digital amplifiers and speakers positioned precisely in the hall.
Gunter Engel calculated a total of 54 locations at which speakers were
hidden in the ceiling, the side walls, rear wall, stage and orchestra
pit. These speakers output the supplementary audio computed by
the Vivace system to enhance the natural sound. The large number
of speaker locations helps prevent acoustic localisation of individual
speakers. There are also eight mobile loudspeakers which can be
placed to suit the current production.
It would be a shame if this many high quality loudspeakers, excellent
audio-processing components and a sophisticated mixing matrix
could not also be used for other purposes. Therefore, when designing
the Vivace system, the developers decided to open it up for other
functions.
The first additional feature that was not part of the basic concept
of room-acoustics enhancement is the option of using the system’s
I/O matrix for effect feeds. The engineer can route any source, for
example an effect sound, over the matrix directly, with adjustable
delay, to a predefined set of speakers, bypassing the convolution
algorithm. The matrix routing function can also be combined with
room enhancement.
This method of using the Vivace matrix and the speaker installation
also makes it possible to use the system as public address for
announcements or speeches. In the Felsenreitschule this saves having
an additional sound reinforcement system for these purposes.
Gunter Engel says: “The next idea we had was to use the static Vivace
matrix to create a tracking feature for moving sources. Thus an
audio source can be moved freely in space or true-directivity sound
reinforcement can be implemented. We used that type of actortracking
system for the first time at the Oberammergau Passion Play.
It is applied so that the audience always hears the actors from the
correct direction wherever they are on the stage. Today, this feature
is tightly integrated with Vivace.” The actors microphone signals or
effects can be moved across walls and ceilings manually or moves can
Gunter Engel (Müller-BBM) on the Acoustic Redesign at the Felsenreitschule:
“The Felsenreitschule acoustics were already excellent before the renovation. The minimum
objective was to avoid acoustic deterioration due to the installation of new lighting
structures and the massive roof. The acoustics were of the highest priority during the
architectural renovation and redesign of the hall. This enabled us to improve the acoustic
environment even more using the characteristics of the local acoustics. The venue already
provides an excellent stage with its natural acoustics; however, we could optimise them
still further using Vivace and match them to the current production. It’s about subtle sonic
nuances at the highest quality standards, for example, the degree of sonic envelopment or
the smooth amalgamation of vocalists and orchestra.”
13

14
be pre-programmed and integrated seamlessly into the Vivace sound
environment. This feature was also installed in Salzburg. However, it
wasn't used during the last festival simply because it wasn't needed
for the production.
E-Motions
Things are completely different in a very recent, temporary Vivace
installation. Franz Lehar’s opera, The Merry Widow will be staged
at the prestigious Palais Garnier of the Opera National de Paris. For
the performances, which will take place between late February and
early April, the management hired a Vivace system which improves
intelligibility. In addition, it enables acoustically correct localisation of
soloists on stage.
With Vivace, there are three basic ways of positioning a source: using
a computer mouse or — as in Paris — a new touch-sensitive screen, to
move the actor manually around within a computer model of the hall,
using the innovative direction pointer which is pointed manually in the
real room to the desired direction, or automatically in combination
with an external tracking system. This makes it possible to achieve
a correct acoustic representation of the actor not only across the
entire width of the stage but also with regard to the stage depth.
Bjorn van Munster, the MEDIAGROUP’s Vivace expert, explains how
it works: “For auto-tracking the artist to be tracked is equipped with
a small transmitter. The resultant data enables the tracking system to
In some acts of Lehar’s The Merry Widow, the stage at the Palais Garnier in Paris is packed.
Nevertheless, with the help of the new touch-screen-based manual positioning of the sources’
signal, Vivace ensures great acoustic localisation.
calculate the current position of the wearer continuously. The position
information is then forwarded to the Vivace system which processes
the audio appropriately and routes the actor’s microphone signal to
the relevant speakers.”
A major benefit of this kind of motion tracking is that both Vivace and
the tracking systems which might be used are open systems. Thus, the
positioning information generated by the tracking system can also be
used for other purposes, for example, for automatic spotlight tracking.
This is a key factor because the trend is for many performances
to employ more directional references — and not only in sound
reinforcement.
For Large and Small
It is hard to conseive of two more different theatres. On the one hand
the renowned French house with its lavish baroque decorations, a
traditional proscenium stage and a relatively small auditorium; on
the other hand, more than 600 miles away, the Felsenreitschule.
Therefore, the acoustic requirements are completely different. But this
is true for almost all of the now numerous Vivace installations ranging
from very small halls, such as the St. Moritz Art Masters, to open-air
environments like the Klassik am Odeonsplatz festival in Munich.
Another highlight is the complex production of Olivier Messiaen’s
opera St. Francois d’Assise at a sports arena in Spain. Looking at other
continents is also worthwhile, for example in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
where the first Asian Vivace installation is being operated in a large
studio by state TV broadcaster RTM.
Bjorn van Munster comments: “The room-enhancement system is
such a success because it can provide flexible acoustics decoupled
from the physical architecture and therefore offers the opportunity to
produce a multitude of genres on the same stage.” These acoustics
are literally not carved in stone!
Read more on www.stagetec.com/stages
The Felsenreitschule in Salzburg with its stage open at the sides and with the 96 arcades carved
into the cliff

Success Story
It’s the story of the successful continuation of a long-lasting partnership. The Italian RAI and STAGETEC have signed a framework
agreement for another ten large mixing consoles
At the end of 2011, the Italian broadcaster RAI and STAGETEC signed a
framework agreement for ten digital mixing consoles, which are to be
supplied between then and 2013. Four of these consoles have already
been delivered and will go into operation shortly. The contract, which
was awarded to the MEDIAGROUP at the end of a long tendering
process, is for the provision of ten absolutely identical AURUS
systems, each with a 48-fader control surface and a full complement
of DSP. Thus the RAI has decided to use STAGETEC technology in all
its major studios in the years to come.
Joint History
RAI was an early adopter where converting its major studios to digital
was concerned. By the end of 1995 it had already installed a CANTUS,
the AURUS predecessor, in a new radio drama studio in Rome.
Just a few years later, the broadcaster had become one of the largest
users of CANTUS and NEXUS in the world. This is amply demonstrated
by the total of 14 CANTUS consoles, plus corresponding NEXUS
routers, six of them, installed in the main broadcasting centre in Rome,
which have been in operation since 1998 – and many of them are still
in use!
Crucial to the choice of technology, as with almost all STAGETEC
customers, now and then, was the great reliability of the systems.
The RAI systems have had a hard life. Many of the studios were,
and still are, used daily in double shifts for many different purposes.
These range from feature productions to music recordings and from
interviews to live on-air mixes.
The Author:
Claudio Masci is one of the
executive directors of
SALZBRENNER STAGETEC
MEDIAGROUP and manages the
MEDIAGROUP branch in Rome. In
addition to the Italian RAI, he also
numbers the Vatican amongst his
long-established customers.
It is traditional to hold
a concert in Rome on
the eve of Republic Day.
The event is held in the
courtyard of the Quirinal
Palace, residence of the
Italian President.
The photo shows the
2001 event with one of
the RAI CANTUS consoles
being used FOH.
As an innovative and constantly changing organisation, RAI were
involved in many product enhancements and sometimes initiated
customised solutions too. A good example is an early version of
the NEXUS logic functions which helped to achieve an automatic
loudspeaker muting function in the sound control room. 200
milliseconds prior to switching a studio on-air, NEXUS muted the
loudspeaker monitoring in the studio automatically. The delay allowed
the sound in the room to decay before the on-air programme started.
And on the move
Apart from the fixed installations in OB trucks and studio control
rooms, RAI also uses mobile systems. They are often used for
spectacular live events such as the production of Giuseppe Verdi’s
opera La Traviata which was staged at the original locations
and transmitted live to air at the original times of day. With this
presentation, RAI marked the beginning of a new kind of TV opera
production with new and challenging demands on both the technical
equipment and the artists. The Traviata production, mixed on a
CANTUS, was at that time transmitted live to 25 broadcast stations
in every corner of the world, from Argentina to New Zealand.
Other events broadcast internationally with STAGETEC equipment
include the Pavarotti & Friends Open-Air concert in 2001 and many
productions at the Italian San Remo Festival, a high-profile song
contest in Italy.
17 Years, 58 Consoles
This year, the largest HD OB truck belonging to RAI in Milan, equipped
with AURUS and NEXUS, will be present at the Olympic Games and
the Paralympics in London.
With the ten consoles procured under the Framework Agreement
included, the RAI will own a total of 58 CANTUS and AURUS consoles
plus around 150 NEXUS Base Devices. This will make RAI the largest
STAGETEC customer in Europe - an intense and exciting collaboration
which has already lasted for 17 years.
Read more on www.stagetec.com/stages
15

16
Innovation in Film Voice Dubbing
First STAGETEC installation for highly specialised film versioning
Everything is new and up-to-date with this installation: the rooms, the technology, the concept — and the choice of AURATUS
consoles, tailored to the needs of a dubbing studio
Hitherto, the film versioning industry seems to have been pretty
unimpressed by the digital revolution in audio technology, apart from
DAWs taking over from analogue mag film or tape. Outdated studios,
equipped with last century technology and interior design, dominate
the scene. The new Film- & Fernseh Synchron GmbH (FFS) premises in
Berlin are more remarkable. Opened in November 2011, a real passion
for design is evident here in each and every detail. For example, in
the rooms themselves. Five all-new studios together with their control
rooms and a lounge occupy 700 square meters in the loft of an
industrial building from the twenties, all of which is worthy of gracing
the pages of an international interior design magazine. The entire
ceiling was raised in order to achieve ceiling heights of up to four and
a half meters. These major building works were executed not only for
the sake of design aesthetics, but also to facilitate acoustic isolation
and optimum room acoustics. All areas were acoustically separated
from each other using room-within-a-room construction with acoustic
insulation and vibration-isolating bearings.
Acoustic Clones
Even inside the rooms acoustics set the tone: “Pretty much the only
requirement we gave the architect and the acoustician was to meet
specified values for the room acoustics. Otherwise we gave him a free
hand in most areas,” explains Rainer Ludwig, managing director of
FFS’s Berlin branch. The result is five studios and control rooms, all
of which are almost identical acoustically. “Thus we solved one of the
problems of film dubbing,” continues Rainer Ludwig. “For example,
we may begin by recording the voice for a trailer in one studio. Once
the entire movie is available for dubbing, we can continue in any other
studio without the sound changing.”
The audio files are stored on a networked audio server which is
accessible by all the DAWs in the building. The server also provides
access to the recorded voice files for the mixing studios, usually one of
the two FFS mixing studios at the Munich branch.
Much to Monitor
The technical equipment in the control rooms has also been
harmonised and specified to the highest level. Lars Lächel, head of
audio engineering, outlines the basic idea: “We consciously decided on
a mixing desk and DAW solution instead of a DAW Controller because
we believe in high-tech and speed. This ensures that our studios are
a real exception in the film dubbing field!” The choice of console
came to rest on AURATUS, the smallest of the STAGETEC production
consoles.
For language dubbing purposes, voices are usually recorded as
single tracks, i.e. mono. Stereo recording with multiple artists and
microphones at the same time is much less common. In contrast,
the monitoring requirements are much more complex. For a start,
the actor needs to hear the original dialogue in order to replicate
the performance accurately. While recording it is better to listen to
the original sound without the dialogue, i.e. the M&E (Music and
Effects). Both mixes are available in 5.0. AURATUS also takes care of
the downmix in order to make the surround sources available in the
artist’s headphones instead of just in the control rooms, which are
equipped with surround-sound systems for monitoring.
The AURATUS design engineers have used this installation as an
opportunity to further extend the desk’s surround capabilities. It now
supports two independent 5.1 buses, including one group bus and
one sum bus. For FFS this means the freedom to choose to record in
mono, stereo or in 5.1. All other AURATUS customers will benefit from
this development and after the next update will have the extended 5.1
functionality.
It’s logical
An actor may also want to switch back and forth between the original
voice and his recording which is very important for picking up cues.
This manual control of the NEXUS monitoring is selected by a user
assignable button in the AURATUS channel strip. Several other defined

Rainer Ludwig is managing director of the Berlin branch of Film & Fernseh Synchron GmbH,
founded in 1971. With branches in Berlin and Munich, 63 permanent employees, and numerous
freelance writers and directors FFS is a major player in the German movie dubbing industry.
left:
The first AURATUS installation in the film versioning industry, shipped in a trendy custom
colour - white
routings are triggered automatically, which is why the NEXUS systems
are equipped with XRI interfaces which receive external trigger signals
and can trigger external devices themselves.
For revoicing a so-called 'taker' system is usually used. This controls
the video and sound playout, displays a countdown clock and or wipes,
and can initiate automatic punch-in to record and punch-out. The
picture is displayed in takes, i.e. pre-programmed loops. The loops are
repeated as long as necessary until the sound engineer marks the new
recordings as good. The NEXUS XRI interface is also connected to the
taker system. Once a DAW recording starts, NEXUS selects the artists
microphone as the monitoring source automatically. This is controlled
by its logic circuits and triggered by the taker system.
With these functions, the AURATUS and NEXUS combination is
optimised for the specialised voice dubbing workflow. Compared with
external relay circuits, the close integration of all logical functions
offers much greater flexibility because they can be re-programmed
at any time. Not to mention that this bespoke solution is very fast
and easy to use — a real advantage in this business! The talkback and
cueing functions between control rooms and studios also rely on this
solution, with NEXUS being responsible for control signals as well as
audio routing.
The NEXUS logic functions, together with a feature available as an
option for all STAGETEC production desks, meter display switching,
has made a slightly more unusual application possible. Here, this
combination is used for access control. If the doorbell rings, the
NEXUS logic routes the view of the door camera to the sound
engineer’s monitor for about five seconds, who can then open the
door if necessary.
Small Islands — Big Archipelago
A small 3U NEXUS Base Device in each control room hosts the
necessary AURATUS DSP cards. Since these NEXUS units do not
require fans — power consumption of each device with all the modules
used in FFS is only 40 Watts — one could even be installed directly
into the control room’s desk, which was neccessary for construction
reasons. As access to this hardware is not needed in normal use, it is
installed at the back, out of sight.
The five AURATUS and NEXUS units operate completely independently.
They are not networked for audio; file exchange is achieved via the
DAW-Server.
One extraordinary feature of this installation is that no operational
changes to the NEXUS or AURATUS are necessary. FFS worked
intensively to develop a configuration to suit a fixed pre-programmed
setup scheme suitable for all recordings. This makes perfect sense
for a voice dubbing studio running thousands of loops where speed
and seamless interchange between control rooms are vital. The
learning curve for freelancers is low and the administration overhead
is reduced almost to zero.
A showpiece
Visitors to the new FFS Berlin premises are immediately struck by the
high quality of everything in this facility. In fact, it is rather surprising
that this trend has no yet gained more traction in the versioning
industry. In any event, this installation sets the agenda for the entire
industry, finally getting away from the quaint charm of DIY solutions
and archaic decor, onwards into the digital age!
“Even choosing the right microphone pre-amplifier is indeed a science
— or a matter of faith. We were very strongly opposed to analogue gain
adjustment and are very happy with the NEXUS 32-bit microphone
converters”, says Lars Lächel. “We also see a lot of potential in this
plant for future development. If, for example, a transition to 96 kHz
sampling rates is needed, we can easily convert our system. My
personal hobby-horse is that I would love to replace the last remaining
analogue devices, our mics, with digital ones, which I would like to
connect to NEXUS via AES42. This would already be possible with our
NEXUS today.
Read more on www.stagetec.com/stages
17

18
For Many Stages
New Stage-Management and Alert System for the Prinzregententheater
Both a theatre and an academy – the Prinzregententheater (Prince Regent Theatre) plays a dual role among Munich playhouses.
When planning the renewal of the stage-management and evacuation systems, a solution which would provide maximum security
for both departments was required. Today, a bespoke intercom and alert system operates behind the scenes
Erected in 1901 and modelled after the Bayreuth Festival Theatre,
the Prinzregententheater in Munich is a typical example of the
theatre architecture of its time. The Big House with its 1,200 seat
auditorium, the foyer and hallways and the adjoining Garden Hall
are richly furnished with decorative elements in the art nouveau and
classical styles. The entire building has been lovingly renovated and
is in excellent condition. Today, it houses Germany's largest theatre
academy, serves as a concert hall and is used for touring shows,
readings, and events.
While there was a perfect synergy between the theatre and the academy,
the intercom and stage-management systems were showing their age.
Originating in the 90’s the existing stage-management system was not by
any stretch of the imagination designed to access all the performance
venues and function rooms and in particular, the evacuation system
did not meet modern safety requirements. So in 2010, the theatre
management decided to modernise the complex comprehensively,
with the principle aim of improving evacuation in case of fire. The
project was supported by the State Building Authorities.
Mixed Double
The new solution is based on an unusual mix of products from two
MEDIAGROUP members. An EN 54-16 compliant PANTURA system
produced at the MEDIAGROUP headquarters in Buttenheim acts as
the evacuation system while a number of components from the oratis
range of DELEC intercom products ensure reliable communication.
In order to keep the cable runs comparatively short, four decentralised
equipment centres were designated so that any point in the total
area of 14,500 square meters is within easy reach of a centre. The
centres are interconnected in a ring topology by fibre-optic lines.
This infrastructure is available to both the alert system and the
announcement system and also provides for a targeted approach
to announcements in individual fire zones. The stage-management
system also benefits from the comprehensive cabling because all
parts of the building are now accessible, thus allowing for cueing and
announcements in every corner.
A PANTURA system with a control panel is installed in each of the four
centres with twelve 250-W digital amplifiers and four relay matrices,
each addressing 32 speaker loops. A fire service subscriber unit has
replaced the old central fire-alarm control system. Although the user
interface is the same as the old unit that the firemen are familiar with,
this one is based on state-of-the-art technology.
Making Space for Cabling
Core drilling required for networking the device centres and
connecting the fire zones began in August 2010. Around 200 holes,
each 15 cm in diameter, now house the incoming and outgoing
cables of the 262 speaker loops and the optical ring. Fire-resistant
E30 copper cabling with an outer sheath which turns to glass
when exposed to heat was used for all outgoing cabling from the
device centres. About 60 km of cable was run to connect the 730
speakers, 400 of which are reserved exclusively for safety-related
announcements.
“When installing the device centres and the loudspeakers, we faced
a number of challenges,” says Andreas Kosian, head of the technical
services department: “The drilling could take place only between
five and nine in the morning. Then classes and rehearsals began. We
had trouble meeting the strict requirements imposed by the historic
building authorities regarding speaker placement, and the heavyweight
batteries needed for the UPS systems exceeded the maximum
permissible floor-load. So, creative solutions were needed!”
oratis for Stage Managers
The Prinzregententheater now has a stage-management system,
based on an oratis intercom system, which provides a total of 17 call

The Bavarian Theatre Academy
lies at the heart of the
Prinzregententheater in Munich.
It provides up to 250 students
every year with nine courses
every year. For performances,
the academy relies on the
main auditorium, the academy
theatre, five studio theatres, and
the Gartensaal hall.
Technical support of the
academy was improved
considerably as a result of the
modernisation. The picture
shows one of the new portable
stage-Management desks on the
opera studio stage.
loops plus one group-call loop. Even the academy rehearsal rooms
are included in the call scheme since they are sometimes used as
dressing rooms. In fact, the ability to access and service all parts of
the building was one of the core requirements of the new system.
Therefore, instead of using a single main console, the management
opted for a very flexible and, above all, distributed solution. An
extensively specified console on the main stage, four smaller consoles
in the academy theatre, the academy and opera studios, and one
backup desk by the main stage, form the stage-management system
pool. However, this pool offers more flexibility than is immediately
apparent. Ten interface ports where the small stage-management
consoles can be connected are distributed throughout the premises.
When a connection is established, the console detects the physical
location of the interface port automatically and retrieves the
respective configuration file from the oratis core. Similarly, the large
console can be used on the left or right side of the main stage.
Announcements are made using 16 oratis digital subscriber units and
a number of PANTURA subscriber units built into the compact desks
and at various other places on the premises.
“All of the stage-management consoles are custom-made. Before the
actual installation, we were able to confirm the perfect dimensions
using mock-ups,” explains project manager Kosian.
A Cue Light Bus
With a total of five stages on the premises, the Prinzregententheater
requires sophisticated and independent cue lights. This was achieved
by using a LON bus system, which is normally used in building
automation. In an area as big as this theatre, cue lights must be
associated with a specific sender to prevent artists being called to the
wrong stage. The solution is a five way cue light which enables the
caller to be identified uniquely using colour codes and numbers. Since
some of the cable runs are extremely long, additional power supplies
were installed in critical places in order to prevent voltage drops.
“Despite our complex requirements, the solution is very user-friendly
– actually, our stage managers can perform the console configuration
themselves for the current show with ease,” says Andreas Kosian.
Apart from the 252 fixed cue lights, the theatre also uses four wireless
cue light systems which can be positioned anywhere on stage.
A Successful Result
After just 13 months the Prinzregententheater put their new intercom
and stage-management systems into operation. For a project of such
magnitude with many custom solutions this is an unusually short
period of time. “Continuous cooperation with all parties involved
is the key to such a smooth construction process,” says Andreas
Kosian. “From the very beginning, we involved all external and internal
stakeholders including the German Technical Inspectorate (TÜV), the
Historic Building Authorities, and the Federal Agency for Industrial
Health and Safety as well as the theatre management into the planning
process and coordinated each and every step with them. This was the
only way we could proceed quickly during on-going operations and
achieve a result everybody is happy with.”
Read more on www.stagetec.com/stages
see also:
BTR, issue 1/2012, www.btr-friedrich.de
The Project
The tender for modernising the Prinzregententheater and the
Academy Theatre included renewing the intercom system and
providing six new stage-management consoles. Particular emphasis
was placed on compliance with current standards (in particular,
EN-54-16), on a seamless link between the various parts of the
building and conformity with the extensive requirements imposed
by the Historic Building Authorities. In addition, all construction
works had to be carried out during the academic term. This was
because the theatre was closed for summer holidays for just two or
three weeks in 2010 and 2011. The MEDIAGROUP won the tender
with a distributed concept tailored precisely to the requirements.
The construction was completed successfully and on time on the
14th of September 2011.
19

20
Good Things Come In Threes
Hubei TV Wuhan Invests in New HDTV OB Fleet with Flexible Audio Networking
The 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing triggered a nationwide surge in innovation which still persists on the Chinese
broadcast landscape. OB1 is one of a fleet of three brand-new HD vehicles which entered service recently with Chinese regional
broadcaster HBTV. CRESCENDO, AURATUS and NEXUS support this trio with state-of-the-art audio technology
Professional monitoring conditions and controlled room acoustics are
essential for demanding HDTV productions with surround sound. While
this is relatively easy to achieve in a fixed control room, OB vehicles
present more of a challenge. On the other hand, when a broadcaster
is converting all of its production facilities for surround sound, the OB
vehicles are often converted first. This is true for Hubei TV (HBTV),
a large regional broadcasting service based in Wuhan, capital of the
Hubei province in Central China. HBTV approached the task with great
attention to detail and now owns one of China’s first audio OB trucks
featuring a fully ITU-compliant 5.1-enabled monitoring system!
Prominent in the Region
The broadcast landscape in China, the most populous country in the
world, differs significantly from the scene in Europe and North America.
Apart from CCTV, China’s central TV broadcasting service based in
Beijing, there are also more than a hundred local stations in all major
cities and conurbations all over the country. Hubei TV in Wuhan is one
of the largest of them, with more than 2,000 employees in the
technical production area alone. In total, HBTV runs nine free-to-air
Wuhan: A Metropolis
The Hubei province in
Central China is a twohour
flight away from
Beijing. About 8 million
people — as many as
there are in Greater
London — live in the
Wuhan area, Hubei’s capital, so it is a real metropolis. Wuhan lies on
the Yangtze, the longest river in Asia. It is one of the major industrial
channels, three pay TV channels and one HDTV channel.
The broadcaster operates three large TV studios of between 400 and
800 m 2 , all of which have digital audio consoles, as well as a number
of smaller control rooms and media facilities with audio workstations.
For larger audio productions HBTV also has a 300 m 2 studio on the
site featuring a DAW and a workstation controller. However, those
fixed production facilities have not yet been converted to HDTV
and surround sound. Hubei TV opted to implement these modern
technologies on their technically ambitious OB trucks first.
Audio Only
HBTV’s new HD fleet includes two combined audio/video vehicles and
the OB1, an audio-only truck designed around a large CRESCENDO
console. From the outset, the truck was designed to be the best audio
vehicle of its kind in China. It was completed in summer 2011. While
the monitoring conditions are obviously limited by space constraints
in the other two vehicles, for OB1 every effort was made to create a
first-class, no-compromise monitoring environment in the considerably
larger 5.1 capable control room. Chen Qinan, Vice General Manager of
towns in China, with heavy industries and several vehicle
manufacturers. In 2007 — the year before the Summer Olympics in
Beijing — Wuhan
attracted international
attention as the
venue for the 5th
FIFA Women’s World
Cup.

system integrator Guanhua, who were commissioned to construct the
vehicle, not only designed the audio system for OB1 but also created a
sophisticated acoustic environment in the monitoring compartment. It
includes a complex wall structure as well as a number of custom-made
diffusers. Also, the expanding section is constructed in such a way as
to minimise the acoustically unfavourable, yet unavoidable, gaps and
hollows. As a result, the OB1 is one of the first vehicles in China to
fulfil the acoustic requirements for a 5.1 capable monitoring room as
specified in ITU-R BS.775. This setup enables even the most ambitious
productions to be realised in surround. This type of production is
increasing in importance in China and especially for OB1. The vehicle
is ideal for use in combination with the A/V vehicles of the fleet for
covering sports events, live shows and major cultural events.
Moreover, as part of the redundancy strategy for major events, OB1
can also be used as a fallback unit for the sound department of other
vehicles. Also, as mentioned earlier, since HBTV’s local TV studios
are not yet ready for HD, the trucks will also be used as stationary
control rooms for many local productions with the highest quality
requirements.
Integral Failure Prevention
In addition to the main control room, the OB1 also includes a smaller
multipurpose room equipped with a small digital console and a
dedicated stereo monitoring system. The two racks, located on the left
and the right of the console respectively, house not only the DAW and
remote-controlled effects units but also a NEXUS STAR router, which
serves as a network hub and hosts the CRESCENDO mixer cards. This
made it easy to give the multipurpose room access to all the audio
paths available on the NEXUS system thus turning it into a fallback
control room. Since the two rooms can be separated from each other
acoustically, by a sophisticated arrangement of doors, the smaller
console can also be used for a different parallel project independently
of the CRESCENDO in the main control room.
Planned Well in Advance
Lu Yong, senior sound engineer of HBTV’s TV department, first
became aware of SALZBRENNER STAGETEC MEDIAGROUP products
when he visited a seminar organised by the Stagetec office in Beijing
in 2005. While HBTV’s technical requirements at the time would not
have justified immediate investments in large digital audio systems,
Lu Yong was very impressed by the flexible networking capabilities
of STAGETEC systems, for example at sports events where many
distributed Base Devices are employed.
The era when you could cover a football match with just a single
microphone was soon over in China. The Summer Olympics in Beijing
in 2008, together with the introduction of HDTV, were the driving force
and inspiration for major technology investments by many TV stations
even if they were not directly involved in broadcasting this global
sporting event. While TV sound had been typically mono until then,
the upcoming HDTV technology required stereo and 5.1 audio. It soon
became apparent that analogue systems would not be able to meet
these new demands, if only in terms of the increased number of audio
channels.
In 2010, plans for introducing HD technology at HBTV began to take
shape. The broadcaster opted to construct three HD-enabled vehicles
that would meet the highest requirements in terms of networking and
redundancy. The audio department conducted extensive research into
other TV producers experiences with major manufacturers products.
Here, STAGETEC scored with the excellent routing and networking
capabilities of the NEXUS system, meeting HBTV’s requirements
particularly well.
The System Designers
Very early in the planning stage for the OB1, HBTV contacted Chen
Qinan, Vice General Manager of the Guanhua system integrators
in Beijing (standing). In China, Qinan is the person of choice when
it comes to projects like this. He had co-operated very closely with
Lu Yong, HBTV’s senior audio engineer (by the console) on previous
projects.
Single Sourcing
Several Chinese TV stations have invested in modern, advanced HD
vehicles in recent years. However, the various OB trucks in a fleet
have often been designed and constructed independently of each
other at different times. This regularly led to the use of different
technical systems — for example, audio routers and mixing consoles
from different vendors. In planning their new HD fleet HBTV followed
a completely different approach, impacting very positively on the
connectivity, flexibility, and compatibility of the audio systems on the
three trucks. Both the CRESCENDO and AURATUS consoles installed
and the NEXUS audio networks are fully compatible and can be
combined in various configurations — either as part of redundancy
setups on major live productions or configurations with totally free
routing of all signal sources across all the vehicles. This results
in many tangible benefits. For example, two mobile Base Devices
are part of the fleet and can be used on any of the OB vehicles as
required. The HBTV project was the perfect scenario to fully exploit all
the advantages of networked and integrated audio systems.
Mutual Fallback Systems
One key criterion was a consistent failure-prevention strategy for
all three vehicles. A flexible audio network proved to be the perfect
answer to meeting the redundancy requirement. In the case of a
failure of one truck, another one could easily take over on the network.
Senior sound engineer Lu Yong says: “The audio network provided by
the NEXUS is extremely open and flexible so that all audio signals are
available at each location wherever they are needed on the system.
With the previous technology this would have been almost impossible
to achieve.”
The HBTV decision makers were impressed not only by the
networking features and the highly flexible synchronisation options
but also by the extremely high quality of the NEXUS microphone
inputs, the signal-processing functions and the entire signal path.
This was verified carefully by the executive system integrators
21

using professional measuring instruments during a later phase of
construction. So there are sound technological reasons for the fact
that the implementation of CRESCENDO, AURATUS, and NEXUS on
the three new HBTV vehicles was added to the impressive track record
of the SALZBRENNER STAGETEC MEDIAGROUP in China. The Chinese
MEDIAGROUP branch led by Zeng Dong has installed more than three
dozen mixing-console systems in the last two years.
Growing with the Business
In addition to the OB1 audio truck with its large CRESCENDO
control room, HBTV now also has the OB2 with 16 cameras and a
CRESCENDO and OB3 with eight cameras and an AURATUS on board.
Each of the three vehicles includes an expanding side section to
increase the interior space and the audio mixers are installed in line
with the direction of travel. The OB1 and OB2 trucks were designed
and constructed by Guanhua system providers from Beijing while
Jolly Sound from Wuhan were commissioned to build OB3. In terms
of technical design and practical implementation all three OB trucks
are of excellent quality. Many elegant space-saving solutions were
found, for example, a flip-up producer desk under which two NEXUS
Base Devices can be hidden. The CRESCENDO in OB1 features 40
faders, although the console frame provides space for two additional
fader modules, allowing for future expansion up to 56. Similarly, the
CRESCENDO in OB2, which was equipped with 24 faders initially, can
also be expanded with two additional fader modules.
Mobile Units for All
The sound control room in OB3 is home to an AURATUS console
configured with the maximum of 24 faders. At first, the engineers at
Wuhan slightly underestimated the capabilities of this very compact
console. Lu Yong says: “Initially, we used the AURATUS only for simple
routing jobs with no signal processing. However, it soon became
obvious that the integrated signal processing meets the highest
demands, so that even complex problems can be overcome.”
All three OB trucks are equipped with Dolby E® encoding integrated
into the NEXUS. The Dolby DP570D multichannel-audio tool is
provided for reference monitoring. The NEXUS also distributes signals
from the vehicles’ intercom systems, which include both wired and
wireless components.
The three vehicles of the HBTV fleet share two mobile NEXUS Base
Devices. These are connected over redundant 200 meter long
fibre-optic camera cables. The Base Devices are used, for example,
as stage boxes at large events. Each Base Device has 24 MIC/line
combo inputs, 16 line outputs and four AES3 digital I/Os. For smaller
operations in the vicinity of the vehicles, or direct audio connections
between two vehicles, more analogue and digital audio channels are
available via local patch bays and multicore cabling.
The compact AURATUS console’s potential (here in HBTV’s OB3)
is often underestimated initially.
Raising the Tone
Hubei TV’s new HD vehicles are the result of meticulous planning
which betrays great attention to detail. And with all its numerous
nuances, the big picture shows an exemplary degree of flexibility
and resiliency. Not least because of their great scalability and
interconnectivity capabilities, STAGETEC systems became part of a
landmark on the broadcast landscape, namely one of the first mobile
surround control rooms in China.
And the story doesn’t end here. At the beginning of the year, Hubei TV
placed another order which will convert the broadcaster’s three large
studios including their control rooms, to the latest HD technology.
Two more CRESCENDOs and an AURATUS will serve there in future,
supporting crystal clear surround sound throughout the Hubei region.
An expansion possibility for two 8-fader panels in both
CRESCENDO-based vehicles is definitely on the cards.
Read more on www.stagetec.com/stages
22

New Stars in the Northern Sky
The new BBC offices at MediaCityUK on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal in Salford near Manchester opened in May 2011.
Including a large audio network with a total of 7600 inputs and outputs, this new NEXUS installation is one of the largest STAGETEC
broadcast networks
The BBC’s new creative hub in the north of England is part of the
BBC’s commitment to better serve audiences across the UK. BBC
North is the home of BBC Children’s, BBC Radio 5 live and BBC Sport
as well as BBC Radio Manchester and North West Tonight and other
key local and regional programming. Departments from the BBC’s
original offices in central Manchester producing drama, comedy
and entertainment as well as Religion & Ethics have also moved to
MediaCityUK and six out of ten of the BBC Future Media products
are also based on-site alongside part of the BBC’s Research &
Development division. With the arrival of BBC Breakfast in April 2012
– the first network news programme ever to be made and broadcast
outside London – there will be 2,300 staff based in the BBC’s three
buildings.
These buildings named Dock House, Quay House, and Bridge House
are equipped with NEXUS for audio networking, routing, and interbuilding
connections. There is scope for future expansion with
additional NEXUS components thanks to proactive network planning.
Everything to anywhere
Each of the networks is based on a NEXUS STAR with a high level of
redundancy and a total of 21 NEXUS Base Devices are connected to
these STARs. This NEXUS installation has very little in common with
a conventional star topology network with a central apparatus room
Chris Collings, Managing Director of STAGETEC’s
U.K. distributor Aspen Media, about the installation
in the north of England:
“The resilience, audio quality and scalability
were key to the choice of NEXUS for this flagship
development. However, I understand that the
simplicity of the installation, that the system
worked out of the box and required the minimum
of commissioning effort were a significant bonus.”
Aspen Media was selected by the BBC for the supply of the
MediaCityUK audio router after a competitive tendering process.
at its heart. Only the STARs are installed centrally, while the Base
Devices are distributed throughout the buildings. Many kilometres of
fibre-optic cable link all components and provide access to all sources
and destinations from anywhere on each network. This network
architecture provides additional reliability because every locally
installed Base Device operates independently and will not be affected
by any central component failure or a connection being broken.
Always in the background
The STARs are cross-connected via MADI thus keeping the two
NEXUS networks separate from each other. The design engineers
opted for this architecture after intensive consultations with Aspen
Media, STAGETEC’s UK distributor. On the one hand, this solution
makes it possible to avoid any undesirable interaction between the
STARs while on the other it enables each network to be updated or
expanded independently of the other.
Each of the two networks also has logic functions programmed which
alert the staff by outputting an error message if there is a problem.
This ensures that, even on a busy day in the central apparatus room,
the failure of even a minor component does not go unnoticed.
For control of all switching operations in the broadcast centre the BBC
are using an in-house solution, BNCS, which switches crosspoints of
both NEXUS networks via Ethernet interfaces. The team in the central
apparatus room only use the NEXUS’ user interface in exceptional
circumstances.
Long Established
STAGETEC technology is already in use in many BBC installations. Two
CANTUS digital mixing consoles were the first to arrive in London.
Several NEXUS installations, which were used primarily to replace
copper multicores, and five AURUS consoles for outside broadcasting
followed. Two AURUS consoles are employed in the Broadcast Centre
at Pacific Quay in Glasgow. Now, with a new NEXUS system, Salford
joins them to become the public broadcaster’s third production centre
to rely on audio technology from Berlin.
Read more on www.stagetec.com/stages
23

•
•
An Excellent International Partner:
SALZBRENNER STAGETEC MEDIAGROUP
New York
Los Altos
Northridge
Branches
Distributors:
Athens, Greece
Aylesbury, Great Britain
Bratislava, Slovakia
Helsinki, Finland
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Johannesburg, South Africa
Kuwait-City, Kuwait
•
•
• • •
• •
•
••
•
• •
•
• •
•
For example, at the 43rd Burghausen International Jazz Week
Since 1970, this renowned festival has attracted the greatest jazz
stars to visit the Bavarian countryside. MEDIAGROUP systems are
used for mixing the main-stage shows for the eighth year in a row: An
AURUS for the FOH engineer and a CRESCENDO for the monitor mix
are integrated into a large NEXUS audio network that also connects
to the CANTUS consoles in the OB trucks of the Bayerischer Rundfunk
broadcaster.
SALZBRENNER STAGETEC
VERTRIEB PROFESSIONELLER AUDIOTECHNIK GmbH
Industriegebiet See
D-96155 Buttenheim/Deutschland
Phone +49 9545 440 0
Fax +49 9545 440 333
sales@stagetec.com
Beijing, China
Phone +8610-87 73 21 98
Fax +8610-87 76 62 59
china@stagetec.com.cn
Berlin, Germany
Phone +49 30 639902-24
Fax +49 30 639902-25
berlin@stagetec.com
Brussels, Belgium
Phone +32 2 300 07 80
Fax +32 2 363 00 64
brussels@stagetec.com
Helsinki
Stockholm
Oslo
Brussels
Aylesbury
Paris
Rio de Mouro
Madrid
Löffingen
Rome
Sao Paulo
Chemnitz, Germany
Phone +49 371 918 653-50
Fax +49 371 918 653-59
chemnitz@stagetec.com
Cyberjaya, Malaysia
Phone +60 3 8318 2820
Fax +60 3 8318 8820
malaysia@stagetec.com
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Phone +852 2452 2502
hk@stagetec.com.cn
Los Altos, USA
Phone +1 888 782 4391
Fax +1 888 782 4391
usa@stagetec.com
Madrid, Spain
Mumbai, India
New Delhi, India
Northridge, USA
Oslo, Norway
Paris, France
Rio de Mouro, Portugal
•
•
Berlin
Moscow
Warsaw
Chemnitz
Bratislava
Vienna
Buttenheim
Athens
•
Kuwait City
Löffingen, Germany
Phone +49 7654 9104-0
Fax +49 7654 9104-91
loeffingen@stagetec.com
Moscow, Russia
Phone +7 495 621 3777
Fax +7 495 624 9497
moscow@stagetec.com
New York, USA
Phone +1 347-799-2092
Fax +1 888 782 4391
usa@stagetec.com
Sao Paulo, Brasil
Phone +55 11 346 701 32
Fax +55 11 346 701 32
brazil@stagetec.com
Seoul, Korea
Stockholm, Sweden
Sydney, Australia
Taipei, Taiwan
Tokyo, Japan
Warsaw, Poland
For more information about offices and distributors as well as a full list of all references please go to www.stagetec.com
•
•
Tokyo
Seoul
Beijing
Taipei
Hong Kong
New Delhi
Mumbai
Ho Chi Minh City
Cyberjaya
Sydney
Victoria
Johannesburg
•
•
•
•
•
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•
Sydney, Australia
Phone +61 419 607 644
australia@stagetec.com
Rome, Italy
Phone +39 06 35403552
Fax +39 06 35347459
rome@stagetec.com
Vienna, Austria
Phone +43 1 74040-270
Fax +43 1 74040-274
wien@stagetec.com
•

SYSTEM INTEGRATION
GERMAN PRECISION IN AUDIO ENGINEERING
Philharmonie - Gdansk
Your Success Is All That Matters Worldwide Projects
Going the extra mile to achieve just that is part of our
time-tested standard package. Ever since its inception,
some 45 years ago, SALZBRENNER STAGETEC
MEDIAGROUP has been a leading system integrator,
with offices all over the world and projects the entire
industry talks about.
With in-house R&D, manufacturing, project planning
and general contractor expertise, we have all bases
covered: digital mixing consoles; audio networks;
video and media systems; conference and intercom
solutions and theatre engineering.
Based on the feedback we get, we like to think of
our solutions as innovative, intelligent and practical.
But what really counts is how satisfied you and your
team are.
QNCC National Convention Center - Qatar
Olympic Stadium - Beijing Al Watan Radio - Kuwait
‟�CCTV - Beijing
‟�BMW World - Munich
‟�Congress and Convention Center - Tashkent
‟�Bolshoi Theatre - Moscow
‟�Sejoung Culture Center - Seoul
‟�NCC National Convention Center - Hanoi
‟�tpc ag, OB VAN HD XL2 + HD 4 - Zurich
‟�Mercedes-Benz Arena - Stuttgart
‟�New National Theatre - Tokyo
‟�Guthrie Theatre - Minneapolis
‟�Eurovision Song Contest - Dusseldorf
‟�Antena 3 - Madrid
�Olympic Stadium - Athens
�Radio Vatikan - Vatican city
and many more...
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SALZBRENNER STAGETEC MEDIAGROUP
sales@stagetec.com
www.stagetec.com