Kingston Inmedia, a leading supplier of satellite-centric broadband applications, are contracted by Services Sound & Vision Corporation (SSVC) to handle all the technical facilities and engineering support for British Forces Broadcasting Services (BFBS), and transmit to military bases throughout the world, with all programme streams assembled in studios at Gerrards Cross. The content travels from SSVC's Central Technical Area to Kingston's Master Control Room for uplinking to satellites from earth stations situated a few hundred yards away.
Broadcast engineer Dave Gill told us: "SSVC had asked us to investigate alternatives to the analogue copper links between the two areas. We had been looking at A to D converters and proprietary multiplexers, and someone who works for us, and who does FOH sound mixing, suggested we look at Soundweb. We needed a fibre solution - initially for fibre tie-lines, as we were experiencing problems with the copper multicore, for example with lightning strikes. We found this option on the BSS website and took it from there." A pair of fibre interface units are used to replace a standard Cat 5 Soundweb network cable. Each fibre cable will transfer eight channels of digital audio plus control data.
With approval from SSVC, Kingston Inmedia placed an initial order for four pairs of 9088LLs (line) and 9088DD (digital) with LMC Audio - and are now investigating ways in which Soundweb can further streamline their operation. "Since we’ve installed Soundweb," says Gill, "we have already found a lot more potential for its use."
Gill has configured the new system as 16 x 16 matrices, using Soundweb Designer V1.22 in SSVC's Central Technical Area (32 analogue inputs to 32 digital outputs/32 digital inputs back to 32 analogue outputs). "As limiting and processing are used in each of the output chains we are now looking at using the Soundweb’s limiters - and also its stereo to mono conversion." The company has now extended its order to a further two pairs of 9088LL/DDs (including back-up) and are running 12 of the BSS 9014 fibre interfaces.
(Ruth Rossington)
