In Broadcast - December 2014 - 34

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

WWW.INBROADCAST.COM | ISSUE 38 - DECEMBER 2014

N E W S

InSTUDIO

Intercom Systems And Talkbacks

One often overlooked area that is vital for efficient and effective broadcast
production co-ordination is the communications system...

By David Kirk
Contributing Editor

I

34

ntercoms and talkbacks are
two elements of programme
production every broadcast takes
for granted until something goes
wrong. If number 1 cameraman falls
out of his tree, a calm and quick
word from the director ensure
numbers 2 and 3 cameramen take
over. What must never fail is the
comms system itself. Lose that and
the product team collapses into
a leaderless troupe of individuals
waiting for their lifeline to be
reconnected.
Comms is a product category
production studios and mobile
production crews need to take very
seriously. Quite a lot has happened
in intercoms and talkbacks since
I last surveyed the subject for
InBroadcast 12 months ago.

Audio Ltd's CX2-S is a twin
channel, true diversity receiver
that fits into most professional
Sony slot-in cameras. It has two
diversity receivers which can be
linked to separate transmitters
via a seven-pin binder connector
allowing one or both channels to be
fed from the receiver head. Intended
for ENG crews and documentary
makers, the CX2-S has 80 MHz
switching bandwidth. Up to 10
different frequency tables can be
preset. Within each table, individual
frequencies can be manually
selected using the OLED menu
displays. It is also equipped with
a digitally controlled tracking ﬁlter
that automatically tracks the chosen
frequency table.
Axon has enhanced its Cerebrum

monitoring and
control software
Cerebrum
to
perform
RTS intercom
control. The
integration of
the RTS protocol
is claimed to
allow easier
set up and a
better graphical
interface for Broadcast Bionics Phonebox 4 call management system
controlling and
monitoring the intercom systems.
connection of a two-wire party line
Amongst the first users is ITN
with call signalling and four-wire
News channel.
audio over LAN, WAN or IP. ClearCom and RTS TW compatible,
Broadcast Bionics Phonebox
the LINQ-4W2 can be connected
4 call management system
with devices such as the analogue
incorporates social media tools
ports of any matrix intercom system,
including the ability to listen to an
analogue telephone circuits, twoaccount with all audience interaction
way radio gateways and audio
consoles. A maximum of six
delivered into one place. The
presenter can hear the voice of
LINQ IP interfaces can be linked
guests, artists and commentators
together in any two-wire or fourautomatically discovered by Smart
wire combination. LINQ uses the
Queues linked to the playout system
Opus open-source audio codec.
or deﬁned by location.
Bitrate, bandwidth, and delay can
Quick Queues provides fact
be changed quickly with introducing
connection to breaking events,
and discontinuity in the audio. As a
trending topics and news stories.
low audio latency communication
Social mixer allows the presenter
link, LINQ can be used for intercom
to curate, ﬁlter, search and analyse
conversation, networked music
messages, collaborating between
performances and for audio signals
hosts, producers and screening
transport between different facilities.
staff. Social Transmitter delivers
Channels from any of the six devices
content across mobile, web and
in the network can be linked to
visualisation platforms.
create common virtual party lines.
A web-based interface is used
Clear-Com's LINQ broadcast
to conﬁgure, control and monitor
communication interfaces allow
devices within a linked group.

CTP Talkback24 is a 24-square matrix
four-wire talkback system

Audio Ltd's CX2-S diversity receiver

CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

Gemini & Messenger Intercom...
Class leading audio quality with IP connectivity
*
*
*
*
*

Full access distributed matrix architecture
Scalable from 8 to many hundreds of ports
Ultra resilient redundant ring system
Industry standard IP connectivity
Wide choice of traditional & touch-screen panels

+44 (0)1264 384045
broadcastsales@trilogycomms.com

For more information on Intercoms or Master Reference Generators...www.trilogycomms.com

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dir/?first=Phillip&last=Izzard&search=Go https://twitter.com/inbroadcast http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpzEatLsHdE&feature=youtube_gdata_player https://www.facebook.com/InBroadcast http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/inbroadcast/id468652679?mt=8 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.branded.inbroadcast&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5icmFuZGVkLmluYnJvYWRjYXN0Il0. http://WWW.INBROADCAST.COM http://www.bionics.co.uk/broadcastsoftware/phonebox.aspx http://www.audioltd.com/ http://www.ctpsystems.co.uk/tb24.html http://www.ctpsystems.co.uk/tb24.html http://www.trilogycomms.com/ http://www.trilogycomms.com/

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