Dante technology made it possible to connect all the sound signals of the NewsOne TV channel: microphones, all sources on the set, external sounds passing through the SDI video matrix and the communication matrix with the Dante card. All settings, routing, and signal monitoring are performed from a single workstation. What’s more, you can even control this entire “orchestra” using a tablet that “sees” all Dante devices in a Wi-Fi network.
At the beginning of 2019, NewsOne, one of Ukraine’s leading news channels, added a Yamaha CL 5 remote control with support for the rapidly gaining popularity Dante audio protocol to its equipment fleet. The Yamaha CL5 remote control was used for the first time for live broadcasting.
Dante technology made it possible to connect all the sound signals of the NewsOne TV channel: microphones, all sources on the set, external sounds passing through the SDI video matrix and the communication matrix with the Dante card. All settings, routing, and signal monitoring are performed from a single workstation. What’s more, you can even control this entire “orchestra” using a tablet that “sees” all Dante devices in a Wi-Fi network.
Objectives.
NewsOne’s technical managers approached system integrator VisionHOUSE with a request for a comprehensive audio solution that would connect audio and video paths plus a communication matrix into a single whole, while eliminating the limitations of old audio consoles in configuring the path and speeding up the setup process.
The main task was to replace 3 audio consoles with limited capabilities with one fully functional console with Dante protocol for simultaneous operation with 72+ monaural sound sources and with the ability to work at distances from 100 m to 10 km if the shooting location is located up to 10 km from the hardware and studio block of the NewsOne TV channel.
Today, more than 400 manufacturers produce about 2000 Dante-based devices. Their number is constantly growing, far outpacing other audio interfaces. The integrator offered several solutions in different budgets and configurations. As a result of negotiations and discussions, NewsOne settled on the VisionHOUSE offer with a Yamaha CL5 remote control. The functions and speed of setup required by the customer are incorporated in the Dante protocol, and its use in the Yamaha CL5 made this remote control attractive from a budgetary point of view.
control of all audio signals on the TV channel from one workstation (+ the ability to control from
a huge bank of effects and sound processing capabilities
rich functionality
reasonable budget
scalability
Solutions
The Yamaha CL5 is designed with the latest technology based on the manufacturer’s vast experience. Sound engineers especially appreciate the CL5’s large effects bank, which is always at hand, its great switching potential, and its high reliability. The remote control allows you to save and load complex presets for each project separately, and the Dan Dugan auto-fader function helps the sound engineer “remember to enter” a guest or presenter’s cue into the program. This is a very useful feature during marathons of many hours: the disadvantages of working with audio are minimized.
The new remote control opens up the possibility of using Shure ULXD4QE Dante radio systems, which do not need to be tied to the standees at all and can be connected to the remote control via Ethernet-Dante network anywhere.
“We can talk about the benefits of this solution for a long time,” comments Vyacheslav Polishchuk, VisionHOUSE project manager. “Reliability, unlimited resources, scalability of the system, transition to the real use of IP in broadcasting… This is a step into the future, in step with modern technologies.”
The solution based on the Dante protocol is offered due to its reliability, low latency for sound transmission and processing (from 150ms to 1msec), rich functionality, and ease of configuration. Dante provides a 100% connection guarantee between any two Dante devices.
As required by the customer, the system provides operation of 72+ sound sources, has direct access to 32 motorized faders, several layers of faders, and can work with sound sources at distances from 100 m to 10 km.
The final agreement was reached at the end of January, and the delivery was made in a short time. In early February, all the equipment was delivered to NewsOne.
A one-day course was enough for experienced NewsOne sound engineers to learn how to work with the Yamaha CL5.
“Thanks to Dante technology, the work of NewsOne engineers has changed for the better,” says Vyacheslav Nepochatykh, chief engineer at NewsOne. “First of all, it gave us speed and convenience: no more soldering audio connectors at night, instead, simple mouse manipulations in the Dante Controller program. Tasks that used to take all night and require soldering and laying dozens of cables can now be completed in 20 minutes without leaving your computer. We can even work remotely.
Secondly, we have more opportunities with less equipment and for less money. We got a network with a huge number of audio channels, eliminated the need for audio distributors and patch panels, gradually got rid of stage boxes, and together with the video matrix connected to the network, we are moving away from using separate embedders and de-embedders.
We also received ample opportunities for equipment redundancy: Dante technology supports hot-swapping hardware with instant restoration of all settings and routing, because information about current switching is stored on each device in the network; and loading a preset in the Dante Controller program takes only a couple of minutes.
Integration with the intercom system deserves special attention. All we needed to do in terms of preparations was to run Ethernet cables to the intercom panels and to the Dante switches. The installation was done in one night by three people. They used more than 30 ports of the service communication matrix via the Dante network, “tying” the inputs and outputs of the Yamaha CL5 console. Most of the night was spent testing the updated audio path. “
“We are grateful to VisionHOUSE for their help in selecting equipment, smart engineering solutions, fast deliveries, and timely resolution of disputes.”
Serhiy Skrypchenko CTO of NewsOne
One night to switch to a new technology
NewsOne is a news channel broadcasting continuously from 07:00 to 24:00. Without dismantling the old equipment, a console and several devices were assembled in test mode for training sound engineers.
In a short time, the system solution with the Yamaha CL5 remote control proved to be a great success during the 24-hour telethon, without a single technical problem and without any errors on the part of the staff.
“It wasn’t easy to switch to the new sound system unnoticed by the audience, given the intensive work schedule, but we managed it in one night,” says Vyacheslav Polishchuk. “NewsOne and VisionHOUSE engineers trained the sound engineers to work with the new Yamaha CL5 console, performed preparatory work for two weeks, and then got rid of many analog devices and hundreds of meters of microphone cables overnight, thus completely eliminating the old audio path. We assembled a new audio path, set up the necessary signal routing in the Dante network, tested the new system, and went on air in the morning.
This was the second installation of a Dante audio console on television in Kyiv. I assume that in Ukraine as well*. The telethon showed that the new remote control passed the test drive perfectly.”
“With the Yamaha CL5 system, we finally got what we’ve been looking for: a reliable, large and convenient sound desk that fully covered all the needs of our sound engineers. During the transition period, it allowed us to fully combine parts of the old analog and new digital paths,” commented Sergey Skripchenko, technical director of NewsOne TV channel. “We are grateful to VisionHOUSE for their assistance in the selection of equipment, competent engineering solutions, fast deliveries, and timely resolution of disputes.”
2019
*The first installation of the SSL T-S300 remote control with Dante technology was carried out at the Inter TV channel’s PTS by VisionHOUSE employees.
