New Zealand broadcaster TV3 has installed 10 Jünger Audio Level Magic processors in its final program chain to help balance audio levels across its Freeview terrestrial and satellite transmission platforms. TV3 reaches nearly 100 percent of New Zealand’s terrestrial viewers along with many digital viewers via the Sky Network. Audience enjoyment was a key factor in TV3’s decision to invest in Level Magic. The broadcaster wanted to ensure that when switching from one channel to another viewers would not by irritated by obvious and dramatic difference in audio loudness.
“We wanted an audio processor product that would normalize our program volume across the channels without adding the effects of dynamics processing. Now that most broadcasters in New Zealand run multichannel operations, viewers have become acutely aware of the audio differences between each network and their channels. However, the situation is improving because most New Zealand broadcasters have addressed the issue by using audio level processing. This has made the viewer’s channel surfing aural experience much more enjoyable,” said Roger Randle, TV3 engineering manager.
The modular nature of the Level Magic was one of the key reasons why TV3 decided to invest in Jünger Audio’s solution. “Because it is modular, we can mix and match formats such as AES or SDI, SD or HD, two-channel stereo or 5.1 discreet, as we need to. And when we want to add Dolby and/or metadata to the system, we can do that, too,” Randle said.
Jünger Audio’s Level Magic is an adaptive-level control algorithm designed to adjust the level from any source at any time, with no pumping, breathing or distortion. It is based on a simultaneous combination of an AGC, a transient processor for fast changes and a “look-ahead” peak limiter for continuous unattended control of any program material, regardless of its original source. Level Magic is offered in numerous configurations compatible with any common I/O as well as SDI, HD/SDI and Dolby 5.1 and its related metadata. North American broadcast clients include FOX Sports Network, Discovery Channel, New England Digital, ABC Network (NY), WWE, CBSC (Canada), Classic Radio (NY) and KPIX (San Francisco).
Jünger Audio will demonstrate Level Magic at the upcoming NAB Show in Booth N4937.