PHOENIX AUDIOCODECS AND OTHER AEQ EQUIPMENT AT LONDON 2012 05-07-2012
Javier Polo, Head of EBU Sports Operations Group, reveals that the EBU will use this equipment to broadcast the event.
Mr. Polo has written an Application Note and a User Report explaining hot EBU is going to use AEQ equipment and the Phoenix Studio audio-codecs in particular, broadcasting the London 2012 Olympic Games. Among others, the following aspects are highlighted by Mr. Polo:
“Broadcast operations at large international events such as the Olympic Games always present challenges of scale. One of them is the distribution of thousands of audio circuits from different sources (commentary, International Sound, PA, etc.) to all of the Rights Holding Broadcasters.
The audio signals are generated by the Host broadcasting organisation at the Rights Holding Broadcasters commentary positions at the different venues and through the AEQ commentary system. All circuits from every venue are sent to the IBC (International Broadcasting Centre), specifically named as CSC (Commentary Switching Centre) through AEQ BC 2000D routers. This is what is called Contribution.
Once all the circuits from the venues have been collected, they are sorted at Concentration. After that they go through an AEQ TITAN Router of 5000x5000 audio circuits and that handles the circuit switching. It ensures that each circuit reaches its respective destinations according to the Host Broadcasting Organisations planning. This switching is in most cases fixed, and following extensive and very rigorous planning, but can also be dynamic with circuits shared by several users at different times.
In our case (EBU, European Broadcasting Union), it works a little bit different: the EBU switching centre at the IBC receives a high-capacity direct link from the main router in the Host Broadcaster Commentary Switching Centre. EBU distributes the circuits through their own AEQ TITAN matrix to each associate or member broadcaster. These audio circuits are sent through dedicated equipment to the countries of destination using several different link types, like E1, IP or ISDN.
To transmit or distribute the audio circuits by IP and ISDN, it is necessary to use an audio-codec with the most demanding requirements for high quality, low delay audio and reliability of transmission, including automatic communication recovery in the event of a temporary transmission line failure. The AEQ Phoenix Studio audio-codec is ideal for this application.
In the London Olympic Games, peer-to-peer links will be used. The audio circuits can be accomplished with either high quality 15KHz AEQ-LD+ algorithm or traditional 7,5 KHz G.722.The audio circuit transmission path will be digital from the commentators microphone inputs up to the broadcasters audio mixing console or the viewers TV receiver.
Both Host and EBU Broadcasters have been using AEQ equipment for decades. The Phoenix Audiocodec, in addition to the AEQ’s new digital commentary equipment, automated and integrated, represents a quantum leap with regards to the audio and communications quality and system reliability when broadcasting the worlds greatest sport events”
Download a copy of the User report by Mr. Polo of EBU Sports Operations here!
