In less than 48 hours, the Digital Production Buzz will start broadcasting from the floor of the 2010 NAB Show. (Currently, I’m surrounded in boxes, cables, and packing crates as we get our gear packed up and loaded it. You wouldn’t think we’d need this much stuff!)
We will be originating eight one-hour Special Reports every night, starting Saturday and close to 40 five-minute News Briefs starting Monday.
(I’ll have more on our gear and booth setup on Saturday after we get everything assembled and hooked up.)
But there are a couple of pieces of new technology that we are working with that have me very excited.
First, our final signal path – out to the streaming server – is now fully digital using fiber-optic TOSlink cable. What I just learned is that every Mac has a built-in fiber-optic port (both in and out) on it – you plug in via the headset or microphone adapter.
This is very cool! So the audio out of our mixing console goes into an Aphex Compellor then out as an AES/EBU digital signal to a TOSlink converter from Hosa, then into the Mac. We are premiering the new sound on tonight’s show — then using it for all our NAB News Briefs.
Second, thru an arrangement with Vericorder, we are using their new iPhone app that turns an iPhone into a professional grade audio and video portable recording device. We split our reporters into two teams, half are using Marantz digital recorders, and the other half are working with iPhones. Getting the media into our network from the iPhone is a bit tricky and I’ll report more on that after we work out the system on Sunday.
Still, there’s nothing like working with new gear under live broadcast conditions to see if it lives up to its promise. I’ll have more for you later during NAB.
For all the latest NAB coverage, visit: www.nabshowbuzz.com.
To post the Digital Production Buzz to your website, visit: www.digitalproductionbuzz.com/syndicate.
To learn more about the Aphex Compeller, visit: www.aphex.com.
To learn more about Vericorder, visit: www.vericorder.com.
Thanks!
Larry
