ITV expands its Pharos Audio Server System
ITV has chosen an expanded Pharos Audio Server system as the core of new voiceover recording facilities
ITV has chosen an expanded Pharos Audio Server system as the core of new voiceover recording facilities at the Southern Transmission Centre on London's South Bank. The new resource enables voiceover presenters to create audio interstitials for the ITV1 network and regions, as well as for ITV2 and the new ITV3, all played out under the control of the transmission automation system. Building on a single Pharos Audio Server system supplied in 2002, the new installation consists of three Pharos Audio Servers integrated to a Pharos Mediator database-driven media manager.
Mike Reardon, System Support Manager for the Southern Transmision Centre, explains:
"Our first Pharos Audio Server, installed in 2002, replaced a PC-based audio recorder which served ITV1 Network and ITV2. The Pharos three-server system has a total of 12 audio ports which are routed to the individual regional destinations served by the STC. In addition, files destined for the Northern Regions are automatically sent by FTP to the ITV Northern Transmission Centre in Leeds, for playout from there. Similarly, voiceovers recorded for HTV Wales in Cardiff, on their stand-alone Pharos system, are automatically FTP'd to London for playout.
"As the three servers are mirrored, each of the three voiceover booths is able to record items for any region. The items are then automatically copied between servers. Two of the booths are fully operational and the third is under construction. Operators in each booth have access to their Make list, and fingertip control of everything they need for fast recording and audition. Each voiceover is recorded in stereo as a 48 kHz 16 bit BWAV file, including metadata.
"The Pharos Record Workstation is very easy to use, an essential requirement when a typical session may require over 100 announcements spread across all services.The presentation suites all have the ability to preview their recorded announcements via the Pharos Direct Playback Workstation. The software is modular and highly logical, enabling us to maintain and configure the system ourselves. Technical reliability has been very good; the original system worked straight out of the box."
Pharos Audio Server delivers many advantages to production and playout operations. Recordings can be made without having to trace, load, label, back-up or archive individual tapes, cartridges and discs. Stored content can be accessed rapidly using the Mediator database, giving all the benefits of a massive library without risk of items being lost in transit from shelves of individually-archived storage media, Pharos Audio Server can also be configured to provide levels of redundancy not normally associated with traditional magnetic media. BWAV files can be copied directly on to the audio server and then logged in the Pharos database. Files can be copied from server to server automatically or manually, allowing configuration for full one- to-one redundancy.
Pharos Mediator can automatically access, supervise and move content while simultaneously managing the processing applied to the outgoing signals. Any form of audio/video source can be handled, including graphic stills, short animated files, audio clips and feature-length television programmes. Based in Reading, England, Pharos Communications (www.pharos.tv) specialises in software architecture for broadcast process control. Since its formation in 1997, the company has developed a wide range of systems for digital asset management, programme archiving, router and device control, and playout to air.
Accompanying image shows one of the three voiceover booths at ITV's Southern Transmission Centre linked to the Pharos Audio Server system. A higher resolution image is available on request.
Published on 30 Nov 2004