WILLEMSTAD, Curaçao — One of Broadcast Depot’s customers, TeleCuraçao, is dedicated to the TV business in Curaçao. They recently entered the radio business a few months ago. They wanted a core system to be able to manage all of the audio sources between the TV studio sets, master control, the radio on-air studio, production and the news departments. Our solution for them was based on Axia Audio IP Livewire technology.
I traveled with my coworker, Pedro Villabona, who was in charge of the entire video side of the project. We installed some cool video gear from Vaddio, including high-definition robotic cameras and an HD switcher to manage the local radio video feed as some programs will be done at the radio studio and broadcast to the TV station. I was in charge the Axia audio setup.
Broadcast Depot’s Pedro Villabona (left) and Antonio Calderón take a break from the beach in Curaçao to stand in front of the new equipment they installed for TeleCuraçao.
SIMPLE WIRING
We were able to connect both the radio and TV networks with all of the rooms with just five Cat-5 network cables and two Cat-6 network cables. These seven cables connected all of the analog and digital nodes (each one with eight in/out sources) and PowerStation console engines that we installed in the entire facility.
In each studio we used the Axia PowerStation with an Element console and auxiliary PowerStation for redundancy. We used 1-rackunit analog, digital and GPIO nodes all around the facilities.
We used StudioHUB adapters with all combinations of RJ-45, XLR, quarter-inch, RCA and mini connectors to connect all the physical input and output sources at each PowerStation, auxilary PowerStation and node. In comparison to the traditional analog setup including DB-25 connectors, this was a smooth installation.
I set up every source into the Axia Livewire network using a small netbook connected directly to the main PowerStation, using a built-in 100 Mbps Ethernet switch port.
Without a predesigned layout for the entire system, setup would have been quite difficult to do on the fly and a waste of time. However, with a well-thought out network plan, Axia has all the available options you can imagine to configure and set up the system to meet user needs and to work exactly the way you want. Enacting the network plan was easy.
It took me around 4.5 hours to do the entire system setup, including testing and configuration. Today, TeleCuraçao is able to route every possible audio source on the network to any Element console or any other location along the network.
For example, the audio from the TV news anchor’s lavalier microphone can be used anywhere on the system, and the audio is available instantaneously.
Integration with telephone hybrids can’t be managed in a better way with the seamless addition of a Telos hybrid to the system. With the modular option for the Element console and the Telos hybrid, the performance and operation of the system is ideal. The same thing is true with the automation software, audio editor systems or streaming feeds that are directly connected to the network via Ethernet — without having expensive soundcards.
The maintenance is simple, easy, and a system upgrade can be done at any location with access to the network. Expansion within a Livewire network is practically unlimited.
A few weeks after installation, the customer presented some issues with the configuration and problems adding some sources. I was able to fix the problem and reconfigure the system right from my office in Miami via the Internet. It was really fantastic.
Based on my experience, Axia Audio provides a real, common sense solution for radio stations.
Antonio Calderón is an audio engineer with Broadcast Depot in Miami.
For information, contact Clark Novak at Axia Audio in Ohio at telephone: +1-216-241-7225, or visit www.axiaaudio.com.
