1. Transforming staff
alongside the technology
We have talked about transformations in the broadcast environment at every big change: black and white to
colour, analogue to digital, SD to HD. But today’s change – from linear audio and video to file-based architectures
– is a real transformation, and it requires careful planning not just for the equipment but for the people.
F
rom the dawn of television you decision. But it does mean that, for risk of bottlenecks and critical points of
could unplug a BNC and plug in broadcast engineers, the 100 or so racks failure are around the IP switches and
a waveform monitor to see what of equipment are largely alien territory. The server drivers, not router ports or VTRs.
the signal was like. If the So the system integrator has to take
automation went down you responsibility for designing a system that
could still put an emergency programme can be supported, incubating the internal
into a VTR to keep the station on air. Yes, resources within the broadcaster to
staff needed training on new equipment, understand what the system can and
but it was always a development on the should do, and provide a common point
familiar. The systems we are building of support to triage faults and get them
today for our customers are largely file- corrected as quickly as possible. The first
based, built on IP infrastructures. To give critical decisions come at the design
one example, we are currently building stage. The choice of equipment has to be
what is effectively a greenfield start-up for led not by performance alone but by how
Sky News Arabia. As well as what we it can be supported. There is no point in
might regard as the traditional HD specifying a mission critical piece of
newsroom and production system this equipment if there is no local support in
involves accepting content from new the territory in which it will be installed.
platforms like Skype video calling, and it Relying on shipping in spares – or an
has to deliver to the internet, tablets and “Success in any integration project expert engineer – from half way around
mobiles as well as broadcast channels. depends on identifying the right people to the world is not acceptable in
support the system once it’s installed and broadcasting.
File based architecture operational,” says Suhail Ahmed, manager
of Technical Services for TSL Middle East in
The only practical way to achieve
Dubai. “When a new station goes to air the
Design decisions
this is through a file-based architecture, operational staff need to be fully equipped
The second and more subtle design
and no-one, I think, could argue with that and fully enthused to make it work.” decisions are around what happens when
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2. a fault does occur. How can problems be understand who is coming, what skills they replaying, or a DA goes dead, but it can be
mitigated? Without the fall-back of putting bring with them, and when it will be most far from obvious when data no longer
a tape into a VTR and patching it on air, advantageous to develop those skills with moves around a complex infrastructure. At
you need to understand where the site-specific knowledge. There is real that point the broadcaster needs a single
redundancy paths lie, and how they will be concern around the lack of new person to turn to, and it is likely that the
implemented should disaster strike. engineering talent coming into the industry. system integrator is the best placed to
The IABM is beginning to tackle this, with triage the fault and bring about a speedy
Systematic transfer of skills introductory courses on the fundamentals resolution. In a support agreement the
It is at this point that the staff of the of broadcast technology for IT engineers, system integrator can manage the
customer organisation starts to become but much more will be needed. While individual SLAs to ensure minimum
involved. Because you are implementing some technology will be based on downtime and maximise performance, as
not just new equipment but new concepts, commodity IT hardware and software, the well as verifying upgrades.
there has to be a systematic transfer of special requirements of television will
skills. Installing the system then planning always be there, making extra demands on Commercial benefit
for two weeks of training is probably not processing. Bringing the brightest and best Am I suggesting this as a way of
going to work. It is only by understanding engineers into broadcasting is going to justifying further fees for the system
the logic of the design that engineers will take years, so for now at least the system integrator? No, I do not see it as a new
be able to work through issues and integrator and customer have to work way of driving profit. There is a commercial
develop a clear idea of where a problem together to develop an effective support benefit, though, in that it helps the SI get
lies. Those engineers will come with structure. It cannot happen overnight, so it even closer to the broadcaster, thereby
different skill sets, so the way in which needs to be in the implementation understanding the real requirements and
knowledge and understanding is passed programme from the beginning. Finally helping focus future investments as the
on will need to be tailored. there is the issue of long term support. In a system evolves. That, I would suggest,
traditional broadcast architecture the end benefits both parties. Ultimately, though,
Lack of engineering talent user would agree an SLA with the key success depends upon identifying the right
As I said earlier, some of these major vendors, specifying the speed of response people to support the system, helping
file-based installations are going into to issues and the replacement of faulty them to buy in to the thinking behind it,
greenfield sites, which means the in-house components. and developing their understanding of it
engineering team will have to be recruited. over time. The goal is that, at the moment
It is important, therefore, that the system When things go wrong of going on air, the broadcast team know
integrator works with the human resources But that implies knowing where the the system and are fully equipped, and
department of the broadcaster to fault lies. It is fairly obvious if a VTR stops fully enthused, to make it work.
Revised code of practice for sound
systems at sports grounds
The British Standards Institution has launched the revised BS7827, a code of practice for audio systems designers
in sports venues.
T
he BS7827 code of practice for Group, and decided to revise that
designing, specifying, maintaining standard, and I was appointed chairman of
and operating emergency sound the revision panel. Our first meeting was in
systems at sports venues, was initially January 2008, and now 3 and a half years
drawn up in the wake of the Hillsborough later, we have published the revised
disaster in 1989, and covers not only standard.” The new revision, BS7827:2011,
stadia, but any venue where sport is was formally concluded at PLASA 2011,
played such as race courses and which provided the perfect setting to put
swimming pools. It is also applicable to forward this new code of practice to the
The Hillsborough disaster was a human
large public facilities such as shopping pro audio industry. At the launch, Steve
crush that occurred on 15 April 1989 at
malls, conference and exhibition centres. commented: “This is a code of practice; a Hillsborough football stadium, resulting in the
Steve Jones, a Consulting Engineer guide as to what to think about when you deaths of 96 people, and 766 being injured, all
specialising in sound and Chairman of the are designing a system right through to fans of Liverpool FC. It remains the deadliest
EPL 100-2 Working Group at BSI, who commissioning a system, and also the part stadium-related disaster in British history and
produced the revised standard, said: “The in the middle, which is the electro-acoustic one of the worst ever international football
origins of this standard are a code of design and the system design and so on. accidents. The official inquiry into the disaster
practice produced by a working group We’re hoping that some of the good work concluded that "the main reason for the
within the Sound Communications that we have put into this standard will go disaster was the failure of police control." The
findings of the report resulted in the elimination
Industries Federation, which I chaired back into EN54 part 32, which is being written at
of standing terraces at all major football stadia
in 1989 after the Hillsborough disaster. It the moment by the European Working in both England and Scotland, as well as the
was then taken into the British Standards Group 3, and that will effectively be a BS7827 code of practice for designing,
and became BS7827 in 1996. Four years performance standard for voice alarm specifying, maintaining and operating
ago we had a meeting of the EPL 100 systems.” emergency sound systems at sports venues.
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