RTR's experienced team, headed by MD Pete Webber, has worked with Endemol's production team since its first series, supplying all the technical television facilities for the show's live broadcast across nine platforms. Using Trantec's S6000 for the first time, it proved invaluable as an intuitive wideband system, says Webber. Webber collaborated with the Trantec team to specify the 16-channel S6000 system, which was used in conjunction with numerous channels of Trantec IEM's and other radio systems.
The S6000's miniature transmitter scored highly with both star presenter Davina McCall and the contestants for its aesthetic value. The transmitter is very compact, lightweight and above all for this type of show, frugal on battery power. The transmitters can be worn for long periods without becoming obtrusive and using only one standard AA battery cell, will run for eight hours and at least doubling that period using the new Lithium cells, unlike more bulky alternatives.
The show's engineers enjoyed the easy programming and constant monitoring of all the contestants radio microphones with the help of the S6000 on-board computer. The Spectrum Analyser function and its intuitive frequency scanning software proved helpful when selecting a frequency plan for the busy Elstree team. The number of shows running simultaneously at Elstree, all of which employ RF equipment, means that the venue has the potential to be an RF headache without frequency planning equipment such as the S6000. On-site engineers found that changing channels could really not be easier.
RTR's MD, Peter Webber, enthused: "The S6000 gives us a low weight small profile transmitter with the added bonus of a PC based programmability and extended battery life that makes this the ideal system for our reality shows."
(Lee Baldock)
