EXHIBITOR SEMINARS
Saturday, March 22
13:30 - 14:30 h Rm P CLYDE BROADCAST
ES-1 Synergy: Integrated Broadcast Center
Presenter: Philip Collins
Synergy combines the functionality of a state-of-the-art hard-disc playout system with that of a digital broadcast mixer, suitable for a wide variety of applications. Synergy makes use of converging technology and represents two years of active research to identify important functions and present these in an elegant and ergonomic manner. At the heart of Synergy is a very powerful processing engine, based around three state-of-the-art SHARC Digital Signal Processing devices. As such, this represents a huge amount of processing power, which the communications architecture supports, and furthers enhances the 'integrated' concept.
14:30 - 15:30 h Rm P DK AUDIO A/S
ES-2 Surround Sound Metering
Presenter: René Moerch
As the industry faces the challenge of mixing increasingly in surround sound, the audio engineers need to get a grip of monitoring surround sound signals as these are much more complex than in stereo recordings. It is important that not only the level distribution is monitored, but also phase-relations etc.
An MSD600M will be used to demonstrate the practical use of a surround sound meter to improve standards of mixing.
The presentation will cover the following topics: Level-meters, Loudness incl. Leq(m), SMPTE vs. AES standards, Phase-correlation meters, Goniometers and the Jelly-Fish surround meters.
15:30 – 16:30 h Rm P YAMAHA CORPORATION
ES-3 mLAN: Audio and MIDI over FireWire
Presenters: Mike Overlin, John Strawn
This presentation will cover FireWire for the audio and music industries, the basic components of FireWire, the technical fundamentals of mLan, and available products. FireWire, also known as IEEE-1394, is an advanced serial bus offering high-speed asynchronous and isochronous data transfer. As such it is ideally suited for real-time multimedia applications, and has been widely adopted, especially for consumer video applications. Yamaha has helped establish a protocol known as mLan for carrying audio samples and MIDI data over FireWire.
We will discuss how products from companies such as Yamaha, PreSonus, Apogee, Korg, and Otari can work together seamlessly over mLAN.
17:00 - 18:00 h Rm P DPA MICROPHONES A/S
ES-4 Miniature Microphones and Speech Intelligibility
Presenters: Eddy B. Brixen, Craig Parrish, Steffen Leth Moller
Miniature microphones are widely used in TV production. A microphone may be placed on the persons' chest when used for ENG. In drama production the microphone is often placed beneath clothing or in other hidden places. The sound therefore suffers from a lack of speech intelligibility. Many field mixers do not have the right filtering facilities hence the sound has to be treated later - if time is available.
These issues have been studied and the result is DPA 4071. The 4071 is acoustically pre-equalized, offering a 5dB presence boost to improve speech intelligibility and definition.
17:00 - 18:00 h Rm L GENELEC OY
ES-5 Genelec ‘Laminar Spiral Enclosure’ (LSETM) Technology
Presenter: Christophe Anet
Genelec, a leader in active studio monitoring, presents a technical insight into their groundbreaking LSETM Series Subwoofers. A brief company introduction and product range tour precedes an in depth review of the principles of the Laminar Spiral Enclosure design. Special attention is given to the acoustical aspects in particular how turbulence has been reduced in the vent to yield a lower overall system distortion. Integrated into the cabinet is a proprietary 6.1 Active Bass Manager, the features of which are presented so that the delegates gain a complete understanding of how to accurately monitor mono, stereo, matrix, 5.1 and 6.1 surround sound mixes.
Sunday, March 23
10:30 - 11:30 h Rm P D.A.V.I.D. GmbH
ES-6 DigaSystem Implements the Idea of Convergence in Newsroom Environment and Joint AV Content Management
Presenter: Armin Woods
DigaSystem, the well introduced tool for radio broadcast and audio applications, is setting sail to transfer its competence to the video/TV world. Seeing the needs in modern media content management, regarding the worldwide move towards intermedial integration of audio, text and video content, D.A.V.I.D. is extending the DigaSystem Framework for TV applications for ingest, low/high resolution browsing and editing, format conversion and exchange. Due to the fact, that convergence is far more noticeable in production than in Delivery/PlayOut and D.A.V.I.D. is operating together with a strong group partner, D.A.V.I.D. can already show highly interesting applications in use at various prestigious customer sites.
10:30 - 11:30 h Rm L APT-AUDIO PROCESSING
ES-7 Quality Audio Coding - How to Preserve Audio Quality, Specifically Related to DAB and Digital Networks
Presenter: Patrick McGrath
With the on-going promotion and deployment of DAB networks, broadcasters have to ensure that the investment reflects the feature set of digital radio. One specific concern is audio quality and how to ensure that DAB improves upon existing Analogue services. A major impact on audio quality in DAB services is multiple MPEG passes. APT will suggest a few simple rules to maintain audio quality.
APT will also highlight the apt-X(tm) 4:1 compression algorithm. Where apt-X(tm) should be used in the audio chain, how it can be implemented and focus on a number of existing third part companies which offer apt-X(tm) in their product portfolio.
12:00 - 13:00 h Rm P JUTEL OY
ES-8 Challenges & Solutions for Enterprise-wide Radio Integration
Presenter: Jorma Kivelä
Digital Audio in radio broadcasting started as a replacement of analog devices. Systems were easy to install and configure. Typical issues to be handled in installation projects were for example device noise, heat, wiring, signal levels and clock distribution. It was easy to adopt existing system design and maintenance culture, as no major changes were needed.
Today the digital systems in broadcasting companies support not only the digital production and broadcasting of the material but also planning and scheduling, media asset management as well as different reporting tasks. Just as the companies have got their digital islands ready to operate, they need to be integrated into enterprise-level systems. This move requires new approaches to system specification, integration of various systems, system level interfaces, workflow and system maintenance procedures. Not to mention the increasing demand on high-level user rights management.
12:00 - 13:00 h Rm L APT-AUDIO PROCESSING
ES-9 WorldNet Skylink - 5.1 via TCP/IP for Remote Director’s Approvals
Presenter: Noel McKenna
The 5.1 TCP/IP WorldNet Skylink is the result of collaborative works between APT - Audio Processing Technology and the audio experts at George Lucas's SkyWalker Ranch. The WorldNet SkyLink can stream 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 multi-channel surround sound with SMPTE Time code at 16, 20 or 24 bit word resolution. The WorldNet SkyLink has been designed for Film Director's to remotely approve on-going 5.1 mix work undertaken at a production facility, with particular attention paid on security and encryption of the content. The WorldNet SkyLink can deliver content in real time or Store n` Forward depending on the data rates available.
13:30 - 14:30 h Rm P IDT/J&C INTERSONIC AG
ES-10 FFT Processing procedure for Voice, Audio and On Air Signal processing
Presenters: Marc Straehl / Peter Joss
Product: DVP, DEP, VVP
Today’s On Air processing is reviewed in its entire aspects from the moment of audio signal generation up to the last signal treatment before the transmitter feed to an FM or AM transmitter. Compared with today’s band orientated processing methods FFT is allowing for a more detailed audio processing method. Thus dividing audio processing into steps like voice processing, audio processing and limiting (0dBr MPX power management). This sequence of signal treatments leads to a much improved audio performance especially towards the compulsory MPX power recommendations of Norm ERC-5405. Further this method will help to avoiding subjective level changes between the energy content of compressed music and the commentator’s voice.
13:30 - 16:30 h Rm L SUPER AUDIO CD
ES-11 Super Audio CD Production Explained
Chair: Bob Charlton, Scribe PR
Presenters:
Erdo Groot, Polyhymnia International, Ronald Prent, Galaxy Studios, Andreas Neubronner, Tritonus Musikproduction, Crispin Murray, Metropolis Mastering, Philips Engineer – to be confirmed, David Walstra, Sony Europe, Bastiaan Kuijt, Sony Europe
Once the decision to make a Super Audio CD is made - how to continue? The goal is to give clear insight into the production chain that leads to the release of a Super Audio CD.
Making the audio:
Engineers from the field will approach the path to a (surround) master from three different angles:
* Pure DSD
* Multitrack for SACD
* Bridging Hi Res PCM to SACD
Delivering the masters:
A brief tutorial on the steps from mix to masters for production, including practical issues on the way, will be followed by the story of the mastering of a milestone Super Audio CD production.
14:30 - 15:30 h Rm P AETA/J&C INTERSONIC
ES-12 Low Delay Transfer of Audio Signals throughout Telecom Systems
Presenters: Marc Straehl / Peter Joss
Product: Hifiscoop 5AS, Scoopy
Compared to the internationally standardized MPEG based audio signal transfer by means of applying Layer II, III or AAC there are straight forward ways of covering the needs for Radio Broadcasting requirements based on the 4SB algorithms which is covering a bandwidth of up to 15 or 20kHz within a transfer time of <10ms from point to point. This saving additional circuits as n-1 and at the same time bringing back live aspects in On Air applications to the benefit of reporters, journalists, round table discussions and many more applications.
17:00 - 18:00 h Rm L SOUNDFIELD LTD
ES-13 Surround Sound Recording Techniques
Presenter: Pieter Schillebeeckx
The speaker will give an overview of the technology behind SoundField microphone systems and compare these to other stereo and surround sound recording methods. Special attention will be paid to the flexibility and benefits of single point source 3-dimensional sound capture.
The seminar will be an overview interlaced with 5.1 surround sound demonstrations. Aspects covered will range from the physical details of the SoundField tetrahedral capsule array, the operation of the control units and an explanation of B-Format, the underlying core principle on which SoundField technology is based.
17:00 - 18:00 h Rm P ALCONS AUDIO
ES-14 An Introduction to Evolutionary Audio Solutions
Presenters: Tom Back, Philip de Haan
Alcons Audio, the newly established Amsterdam based company will introduce themselves. In this presentation the company’s vision and their strive for natural sound reproduction at low as well as high sound pressure levels will be described. Alcons’ proprietary high-power professional ribbon technology for loudspeakers will be highlighted.
Part of the presentation is an “interactive demonstration” where visitors bringing their favorite CD, can get acquainted with Alcons’ pro ribbon technology. A relaxed, but very informative way of finishing the day. Don’t forget to bring your own CD!
Monday, March 24
10:30 - 11:30 h Rm P DOLBY
ES-15 A New Approach to Solving Broadcast Loudness Problems: The Dolby LM100 Broadcast Loudness Meter
Presenter: John Couling
Inconsistent loudness is a significant problem in broadcast sound, causing viewer annoyance and complaints. Recent studies have shown that channel-to-channel and program-to-program level discrepancies can be as much as 18dB or 20dB.This session will discuss how broadcasters and program makers can start to solve these problems using the new Dolby LM100 Broadcast Loudness Meter. A novel technique will be introduced that enables rapid and accurate assessments of program loudness to be made using the new ‘Dialogue Intelligence’ feature of the LM100 meter.
10:30 - 11:30 h Rm L DURAN AUDIO
ES-16 Practical Application of New Digital Directivity Control Concepts
Presenter: Evert Start
In addition to the 'Digital Directivity Control' (DDC) technology, implemented in the well-known Axys Intellivox loudspeaker columns, Duran Audio introduces a new and even more powerful directivity concept: 'Digital Directivity Synthesis (DDS).
Using DDS, the radiation pattern of a loudspeaker array can be 'molded' into any shape to match any desired sound distribution. The dedicated 'Digital Directivity Analysis' (DDA) software enables easy simulation, optimization, and analysis of complex directivity patterns.
In practice, DDS has already proven to be a useful and even essential tool for the improvement of the sound (re)production in large, acoustically difficult spaces. The flexibility of the DDC and DDS concepts will be illustrated by practical design examples.
12:00 - 13:00 h Rm L TELOS SYSTEMS
ES-17 Technology of Advanced Audio Coding
Telos Systems will be discussing developments in the technology of Spectral Band Replication (SBR) and Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), especially as they pertain to codecs. MPEG2-AAC and SBR make a perfect match. AAC is the newest audio coding method selected by MPEG, and became an international standard in April 1997. It is a fully state-of-the-art audio compression tool kit outperforming any earlier approach. Combining AAC with SBR results in a superset of AAC technology - trade name ‘aacPlus’ - greatly increasing the efficiency of AAC. This presentation will give you an overview of the subject.
12:00 - 13:00 h Rm P WEISS ENGINEERING LTD
ES-18 Digital Audio Products including Digital EQ, A/D, DeEsser/Compressor, ‘Pinguin Audio Meter’
Presenter: Daniel Weiss
In the first part the newly introduced Weiss ADC2 A/D Converter will be described in detail. In addition the EQ1-DYN dynamic EQ and the DS1-MK2 DeEsser / Compressor will be presented.
The second part of the demo shows some new options of the software based "Pinguin Audio Meter": loudness measuring for CD and DVD mastering as well as for broadcasters. New analyzing methods (IRT) and scales like the three of the American mastering expert Bob Katz (Digital Domain, Chesky) as well as the new international loudness standard proposal by Germany's IRT will be presented with audible examples.
13:30 - 15:30 h Rm L DVD-AUDIO
ES-19 DVD-AUDIO: Exploring the Format
Presenters: Craig Anderson, Warner; John Bamford, Pioneer; Bob Michaels, 5.1 Entertainment; David Fraser, Dolby; Stanley Lipshitz, University of Waterloo; Johannes Muller, Mediarte; Bob Stuart, Meridian, and Mark Waldrep, AIX Records
A practical and jargon-busting introduction to all aspects of this exciting new format. Topics covered will include a technical overview of the format; the audio coding; copy protection and watermarking; title production, mastering and authoring; production tools; and a summary of the current status of hardware, software, distribution and marketing.
If you are considering any aspect of DVD-Audio disc or player creation then this seminar will be the perfect place to learn more.
There will be presentations by a number of leading experts from the US, UK, Germany and Canada and the seminar will include illustrative demonstrations of the audio and video features of DVD-Audio.
13:30 - 14:30 h Rm P AMPCO
ES-20 Bass Creator for Active Noise Control
Presenter: Peter van der Geer, Ampco/Flashlight Projects
Noise pollution caused by music is an increasing problem in the modern western world. Sound insulation is a very expensive solution and often the results are not satisfying. Modern acoustical DSP techniques can offer a more cost-effective way of solving this problem. In this seminar the principle is explained, the way it is applied and in which circumstances it can be used. A live demonstration of the equipment will be given.
14:30 - 15:30 h Rm P AMPCO
ES-21 Loudspeakers for Sound Masking - Explore The Nature of Noise in Open Plan, and Learn Guidelines for Developing an Integrated Design Solution
Presenters: Morgan Sousa, Armstrong Building Products, Peter van der Geer, Ampco/Flashlight Projects
70 % of office space is currently being designed as Open Plan Office, despite research showing that noise can reduce worker productivity. In the USA it is common practice to use sound masking in office spaces. In Europe this principle and its application is hardly known. This seminar will focus on the application of Sound Masking in offices. The concept of improving speech privacy by introducing noise will be explained. The advantage of using flat panel loudspeakers instead of conventional loudspeakers, the effect on building costs and the improvement of worker productivity will be discussed.
15:30 - 16:30 h Rm P AKG ACOUSTICS GmbH
ES-22 WMS 4000 – The Visionary Wireless Microphone System
Presenter: Mario Siokola
The WMS 4000 rings in a new era of wireless technology. The WMS 4000 is one of the most advanced and innovative wireless systems for professional use available today. It offers an inspiring combination of sophisticated engineering, exceptional flexibility, surprising versatility, and maximum ease of use. The application range of the WMS 4000 is almost unlimited, from fixed installations or mobile systems in architecturally difficult environments to motion picture and broadcast work. In large-scale projects including worship center sound systems, theatrical productions, or stadium concerts, the WMS 4000 shows off its professional qualities.
17:00 - 18:00 h Rm P EARTHWORKS
ES-23 The World Beyond 20kHz- Earthworks Model of Human Hearing
Presenter: Eric Blackmer
Earthworks proposes that the old 20Hz to 20kHz model of human hearing does not explain what humans in fact can hear. That is only the range we can hear as tones. We suggest that time domain information is an important aspect of humans hearing and that human resolution in time is orders of magnitude finer than our ability to hear tones. We will show that audio tools with fast clean time domain response and flat extended frequency response allow you to capture and reproduce sonic events with a remarkable degree of realism. We will demonstrate the wonders of time accurate playback with our new Sigma 6.3 reference monitors.
Tuesday, March 25
10:30 - 11:30 h Rm L SADiE UK
ES-24 Mastering for Super Audio CD
Presenters: Geoff Calver, Jim Gross
To meet the growing demand for more sophisticated production tools to create masters for the Super Audio CD (SACD) format, SADiE has introduced the new DSD8 editor. DSD8 is capable of the full editing and mastering of DSD program material and incorporates full authoring facilities for the SACD format to produce both Scarlet-Book cutting masters for SACD and Red-Book masters for CD. DST compression tools, necessary for the production of multi-channel SACD masters, are fully integrated and up to eight channels of DSD material may be handled simultaneously. Today, we will explore the techniques involved in successful mastering for SACD.
12:00 - 13:00 h Rm L MAYAH COMMUNICATIONS
ES-25 Audio Distribution in LAN/WAN with PROXIMA
Presenters: Joerg Rimkus, Uwe Flatter
The PROXIMA product family has been developed for applications in the field of “In-House Streaming”. It differs dramatically from existing streaming solutions, because the quality levels cover an extreme range. Supported are Layer 2, 3, AAC+SBR, mp3PRO, linear audio, apt-X and others. With the selectable audio coding algorithms it is possible to cover completely different requirements and applications in the broadcasting house simultaneously. The streaming server can send different formats simultaneously to more than 1000 destinations, e.g. for pre-listening, automation and for archiving.
PROXIMA consists of a 19“, 2U-high streaming server and audio gateway codec solution ‘CENTAURI’, as well as the remotely controllable ethernet audio converter modules ‘Ganymed’. The complete system can replace or expand existing audio routing systems.
Tickets for the Exhibitor Seminars are free-of-charge
and may be obtained from the Exhibitor’s stands.
