9:10-9:30 AM
Coffee with Orban/CRL
9:15-9:25 AM
Technology Presentation: Orban/CRL 8585 Digital Loudness Controller
Presenter: Bob Orban, Founder, Orban
Robert Orban will premiere a newly developed software model of the 1981 Jones & Torick CBS Loudness Meter on a rogue's gallery of loud commercials and program elements and will demonstrate how the new third-generation version of the CBS Loudness Controller knocks them down to size. He will compare the Jones & Torick meter with the ITU BS.1770 meter on this material.
9:30-9:35 AM
Welcome—Frank Wells, Editor, Pro Sound News
9:35-10:20AM
Leveling the Playing Field—Jim Starzynski, Principal Audio Architect of the Advanced Engineering group, NBC Universal
As Principal Audio Architect of the NBC Universal Advanced Engineering group, Jim Starzynski has overseen the rebuilding of the infrastructure of the 30 Rock production center and at WNBC, and participated in standards and recommended practice development. Jim will bring us up to date on the deliberations in the ATSC tech subgroup on DTV loudness, with specific information on the new ITU loudness measurement standard, metadata management at both network and station levels, monitoring levels and the monitoring environment and dynamic range control for DTV.
10:20-10:30 AM
Case Study: Loudness in the Real World
FOX Entertainment Group's Senior VP and Principal Engineer, Jim DeFilippis, shares an analysis of real-world loudness testing data.
10:30-10:45 AM
Case Study: Implementing 5.1 Automatic Level Control—Robert Seidel CBS Television Networks
CBS has co-developed an ITU BS1770 compliant level controller for automated level management. VP Engineering and Advanced Technology, Bob Seidel, describes the hardware and its application.
10:45-10:55 AM
Technology Presentation: Dolby Labs—Dolby Media Meter software analysis tool for HDTV Audio
Presenter: Steve Venezia, Manager DTV Broadcast Support, Dolby Labs
10:55-11:45AM
Loudness Managed: A Case Study
Presented by Dolby Labs
To manage and maintain consistent levels for over a quarter million ad inserts daily, both digital and analog in origin, across 2400 inserters, Time Warner’s regional operation center developed a file-based approach that includes the Dolby DP600 Program Optimizer. The approach developed for the Time Warner distribution center for the Midwest and Texas provides a practical blueprint for quality control and dial norm set up, built on simple steps that have dramatically improved consistency for the viewer. The process is scalable, and thus relevant to all distribution stages, from program creation, to network, to the local station.
Presenters: Ivan Larsen, Engineer, Time Warner
Jeffrey Riedmiller, Broadcast Product Manager, Dolby Labs
11:45-11:55 AM
Technology presentation: Linear Acoustic—Non-Destructive Automatic Loudness Management
Presenter: Tim Carroll, Founder and President, Linear Acoustic
Tim Carroll discusses new technology for non-destructive automatic control of loudness through existing ATSC audio side chain metadata. Tim will further explore the strategies and trade-offs of automatic loudness management schemes.
11:55 AM-12:40 PM
Taming DTV Loudness and Consistency Issues—A Discussion of Strategies to Improve the Listener Experience
The greatly increased dynamic range, format flexibility, and additional level contouring metadata options of ATSC audio have so far created significant inconsistencies between different program elements and to an even greater degree between different broadcast outlets. With a growing consensus for addressing these issues and new loudness management technology in the pipeline, our panel, representing some of the brightest minds applying their energies to the process, will discuss the current path toward industry standardization
Moderator: Roger Charlesworth, Consultant, Charlesworth Media
Panelists: Jim Starzynski, Principal Audio Architect of the Advanced Engineering group, NBC
Robert Seidel, VP Engineering and Advanced Technology CBS
Jim DeFilippis, Senior VP and Principal Engineer, FOX Entertainment Group
Bruce Jacobs, Technologist, Twin Cities Public Television
Ken Hunold, Broadcast Applications Engineer, Dolby Labs
Tim Carroll, Founder and President, Linear Acoustic
12:40-12:50 PM
Technology Presentation: Loud Technologies/Mackie Designs HRmk2 next-generation studio loudspeaker
Presenter: Matt Redmon, Product Manager
12:50-1:20 PM
Networking Lunch Break (boxed lunches provided)
1:20-1:30 PM
Technology Presentation: Harman—Challenges in Delivering Surround Sound for HDTV
HDTV audio means the management of not only multi-channel signals on the airwaves, but also the distribution, decoding, mixing and reproduction of multi-channel audio in the production environment.
Presenters: Dave Neal, Director of Marketing Communications, Soundcraft/Studer Group and Peter Chaikin, Director of Recording and Broadcast, JBLProfessional discuss challenges and solutions.
1:30-2:20 PM
DTV Audio in a File-Based World
As we transition to file-based production and distribution of media content we need to develop audio analysis and manipulation strategies that reflect this fundamental change in the way in which audio element flow through our facilities and are no longer accessible with conventional tools. Our panelists will discuss practical strategies as well as potential conflicts in ownership and accountability that will affect a wide range of file based audio workflows
Moderator: Sean Richardson, Post Production Manager/Audio Engineer, Starz-Encore
Panelists: Jeff Reidmiller, Broadcast Product Manager, Dolby Labs
Ivan Larsen, Engineer, Time Warner
Hank Frecon, VP Sales and Strategy, Agnostic Media
Chris Seeger, New Technology Analyst, SNL, NBC Universal
Jim Kutzner, Chief Engineer, PBS
Clyde Smith, Senior VP Global Broadcast Technology and Standards, Turner Broadcasting
2:20-2:30 PM
Technology Presentation: RTW—Solutions for monitoring and measuring multi-channel audio loudness and levels.
Presenter: Mike Kahsnitz, CTO, RTW
2:30-2:50 PM
5.1 On Your Shoulder: Single System EFP Camera Miking For Surround—Frank Serafine, Sound Designer/Remote Recordist
Audio-for-Video and Post Production specialist Frank Serafine explores his uses of his Holophone H4 SuperMINI mic for a variety of projects, including a history of audio from the perspective of an audio engineer (including Les Paul, Rupert Neve and George Martin captured in HD video and surround). Frank will demonstrate his setup, play examples, and discuss ongoing projects.
2:50-3:00 PM
Technology Presentation: Holophone—New Tools for Multi-Channel Audio Capture.
Presenter: Jonathon Godfrey, CEO
3:00-3:15 PM
DTV Audio and the Local Station—5.1 on A Shoestring—Roger Charlesworth
In planning for HDTV Audio, local affiliates are technically and financially resourced challenged. With little control over what comes from upstream how do stations provide for a consistent viewer experience and what are practical strategies for 5.1 compatible local production? Roger Charlesworth reviews some strategic guidelines for loudness, metadata, and center-channel compatibility, and takes us through a simple checklist for 5.1 compatible local news and informational production that sensibly integrates legacy resources and takes advantage of workflow evolution to reduce operating and equipment costs.
3:20-3:30 PM
Technology Presentation: byerdynamic Headzone XT broadcast virtual 5.1 environment monitoring system
Presenter: Evan Scott, Applications Specialist
3:30-3:55 PM
Why 5.1?—Tomlinson Holman
While 5.1 has been widely embraced as the preferred release format for high quality HDTV sports and entertainment programing, the broadcast industry lags behind Hollywood in accepting 5.1 as the default format for DTV audio. Noted audio technologist, inventor, and film sound pioneer Tomlinson Holman takes us back a step to review the historical background and highlights the fundamental advantages of the 5.1 format for television sound. Tom will focus on the importance of a center-channel anchored sound field in maximizing intelligibility and providing a consistent viewer experience for all types of program content and will explain how downward compatibility can be exploited to standardize production formats.
Presenter: Tomlinson Holman
3:55-4:40 PM
Bringing it Home—Realizing HDTV Audio’s Potential in Real Time Production
Whether on a local or a network level the majority of true 5.1 material comes in from the outside sources; entertainment specials and sports programs are fed from far away remote trucks and episodic television audio is created in comfortable Hollywood mixing stages. How do both networks and local affiliates make the transition to creating home grown live content that is format compatible to what comes from outside? Our panelists are taking the experience creating marquee sports and entertainment programming in the field and taking it inside to transform how everyday news and informational programming is produced in 5.1 compatible formats.
Moderator: Roger Charlesworth, Consultant, Charlesworth Media
Panelists: Steve Stahl, Audio Supervisor, CNN
John McKenna, Chief Engineer,YES Network
Mark Metzler, Engineering Operations Supervisor, KTVU/Fox2 (Oakland-San Francisco-San Jose)
David Hough, Audio Director, Austin City Limits
Jeff Birch, Vice President of CBS Stations Group Engineering, CBS
Michael Englehaupt, Director of Engineering, KPIX-TV/KBCW-TV
4:40-4:50 PM
Technology Presentation: Solid State Logic—Integrated MADI Routing for broadcast console systems
Presenter: Niall Feldman, Director of Product Marketing, Solid State Logic
4:50-6:00 PM
Golden Audio: Live Music Broadcasting Lessons From The Grammys
Presented by The Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing
The Grammys went all 5.1 this year for their 50th annual broadcast, with no independent two-channel or mono mixes. The entire show is mixed live, with no post production or remixing, and the network approach to live music production is largely defined by the continually refined Grammy broadcast team’s procedures and practices. On this auspicious birthday, our panel will recap the history of Grammy broadcast audio, the evolution of multi-channel production, the implementation of the surround production infrastructure, real-time quality control and the realities of broadcasting one of the biggest live productions on the planet.
Introduction: Maureen Droney, Executive Director of The Recording Academy Producers and Engineers Wing
Moderator: Hank Neuberger, Supervisor of Broadcast Audio and Advisor to the Recording Academy
Panelists: Leslie Ann Jones, Director of Music & Scoring, Skywalker Sound; Recording Academy Television Committee member
Michael Abbott, Grammy Awards Audio Coordinator
Rocky Graham, Director of Technical Marketing, Dolby Labs
Robert Seidel, VP Engineering and Advanced Technology CBS
