New surround audio technology enhances sports broadcasts
Jan 11, 2008 8:17 AM
Squarehead Technology has developed a unique audio technology that could open the door to a new way for audio mixers to zero in on players, fans and coaches from a distance. If all goes well, the company’s AudioScope system could make its debut next month in a boxing ring on HBO Sports.
Bexel, the Los Angeles equipment rental house, has secured U.S. rights to the technology.
HBO Sports is considering employing the system during a boxing match in February. The AudioScope system hangs directly over the ring in a circle a little more than 6ft in diameter with 300 microphones on the perimeter.
A small camera outputs a video signal of the area covered by the microphones to a control unit, which allows the operator to move a cursor around the image and zero in on the subject of interest.
The system allows the operator to do spatial filtering and extract the audio from any location, similar to the way a zoom lens on a camera is used. The operator simply zooms in and captures the audio. Output is 5.1 surround sound for HDTV.
All the event’s audio is stored in a hard drive system and the operator can later select audio playback from any location. The system is said to provide outstanding performance compared to shotgun microphones.
HBO Sports currently uses a Sennheiser microphone hanging above the ring along with corner mics on fish poles and lavaliere mics on trainers and, occasionally, the referee.
The system costs more than $200,000 to purchase, potentially limiting its widespread use.
This eBook provides both new and veteran shooters an in-depth understanding of the technology that lies between the camera lens and the recording medium and how to maximize a camera's performance.
File-based technologies have replaced video tape methods for a majority of production and broadcast operations. The worlds of AV and IT are coalescing to create new methods and workflows for media
Video compression, editing and displays is an in-depth tutorial on MPEG compression technology, editing MPEG content and evaluating color video monitors written by long-time video expert, trainer and writer Steve Mullen, Ph. D.
2012 will be the year of mobile DTV. That’s the view of Erik Moreno, who along with Salil Dalvi, senior VP for Mobile Platform Development at NBC Universal, is co-general manager of the Mobile Content Venture.
Hear snippets of podcast interviews done throughout 2011 with Pat McDonough of The Nielsen Company, Glen Friedman of Ideas & Solutions!, Danny Wilson of Pixelmetrix and Greg Herman of Watch TV. Pictured is Danny Wilson, Pixelmetrix.
