Accuracy is Everything: Closed Captioning and the FCC’s New Rules September 2^nd 2014 - 08:28 PM

Real-time closed captioning gives viewers who need it instantaneous access to live news, sports and entertainment broadcasts. For viewers to see captions within two to three seconds of the words being spoken on air, the process has historically relied on operators trained to write at speeds of over 225 words per…

Understanding Compression Technology: Motion Estimation Part 2 September 1^st 2014 - 09:52 AM

Part 1 of this article covered multiple aspects of compression technology: macroblocks, DCT, quantization, and lossless compression. Part 2 will focus on motion estimation for P- and B-frames—after a review of lossless data compacting. Part 3 (next month) will detail the critical role of Predicted frames and Difference frames in maintaining image q…

Choosing the Best Headphones for Monitoring Audio Productions August 25^th 2014 - 09:00 AM

Headphones continue to be an important tool for accurate audio monitoring.

5.1 The Easy Way August 21^st 2014 - 03:37 PM

The Sennheiser Esfera microphone provides 5.1 surround sound from just two channels, making complicated surround microphone installations a thing of the past. The system consists of a high-quality stereo microphone, and uses Sennheiser’s RF condenser technology. An associated 19 in rack-mount processing unit converts the stereo signal into a complete 5.1 signal – any…

Taking graphics to the next level August 13^th 2014 - 10:51 AM

As graphics’ technology gets better, it becomes more difficult to tell the difference between real and software-generated imagery.

Studio Monitors Reflect the Changing Conditions of Audio Recording August 11^th 2014 - 08:33 PM

The manufacturing of high-end monitor systems is a complex and highly competitive field. Image courtesy simplyspeakers.com

Breaking the Old Habits of Breaking News July 28^th 2014 - 07:48 PM

The new normal for producing stories outside of the newsroom walls. Over the past few years, advancements in technology and Internet connectivity have impacted nearly every facet of our lives—from how we gather and store information to how we communicate with others. And the news industry is no exception. I…

Production servers – speed is of the essence July 24^th 2014 - 04:07 PM

Most people with memories of analogue tape-based broadcast programme-making will acknowledge the tremendous efficiencies brought about by the advent of production servers, especially within the fields of news, sport and special events.

A Video Tinkerer Solves a Perplexing Audio Problem July 23^rd 2014 - 11:55 AM

The short history of video is full of working videographers who solve major problems in their craft and go on to build companies to share their inventions with others in the industry. Ross Lowell of Lowel Lighting and Anton Wilson of Anton-Bauer are two well-known examples working image-makers turned inventors. …

How a 25-Year-Old Engineer Changed the History of Microphones July 10^th 2014 - 01:41 PM

What best selling pro audio product is used in virtually every broadcast station on the planet and daily by the President of the United States? Answer: the unidirectional dynamic microphone.