Synergy multi studios packages

1. Digital Radio Studio and Radio Station Packages

2. •This presentation describes digital radio studio and radio station packages from Clyde Broadcast based around our SYNERGY Integrated Digital Broadcast Centres.
•The first few slides provide some background about the make-up of radio programs…..which is why we need the equipment!

3. Radio Programs
•Programs are made-up of a number of ‘events’, some will be LIVE and some will have been pre-recorded
•These events are combined into a Running Order or Program Schedule
JINGLES
ADS
MUSIC
RECORDINGS
DJ CHAT
GUEST INTERVIEWS
PHONE-INS
OUTSIDE BROADCASTS
Program running order
Live ‘events’
Pre- recorded content

4. Content
•In a modern ‘digital’ radio station most of the pre- recorded content is stored on a server or PC
•This is sometimes augmented by content from CD players and SD-type recorder/players
•Content is accessed via PCs which are connected via a ‘broadcast network’
•It is also generally possible to create new content at any network connected PC, and save this to the server
STUDIO 1
STUDIO 2
NEWSROOM
SHEDULING WORKSTATION
SERVER

5. Workflow
Irrespective of the technology involved, or the makes and models of equipment used, the process of making and broadcasting programs will be the same:
ACQUISITION
PRODUCTION
SCHEDULING
BROADCAST

6. ACQUISITION
•This is the process of adding content to the server
•Music will generally be ripped from CDs, be downloaded or transferred from network connected devices
•Ads, Jingles, Trailers, Promos will usually be recorded in- house or will arrive from an external production company
•Adding new music and content from external production companies can be done at an office-based PC, connected to the network (running suitable software) and need not tie-up a studio
•Recordings involving microphones should be made in studios!

7. PRODUCTION
•This is the process of managing the library – the filing system which determines where content gets saved
•It involves adding data and information to each new item – song info, intro and outro markers etc
•It allows new music (and other items) to have Search criteria added – artist and label details, release dates, chart position etc
•It allows conversion between different audio file formats
•Many of these tasks can also be undertaken at an office workstation

8. SCHEDULING
•This is the process of creating program ‘templates’ – sometimes called clock hours, and populating them
•The population process involves importing ad-breaks, ensuring that they will be played at the correct times, and making sure that the ‘music rotation’ rules are followed
•Program schedules can also include instructions to the presenter
•Schedules for both Live and Automated programs can be created
•Reports can be generated for royalty and billing purposes
•These tasks can also be undertaken at an office workstation

9. BROADCAST
•In LIVE broadcasts it is the DJ’s task to follow the program schedule and make sure everything happens at the correct time and in the correct order
•In AUTOMATED broadcasts, when there is no-one in the studio, the software controls the playout, ensuring correct content gets played at the correct times
•Broadcasts take place from On-Air studios
•In more sophisticated studios it is possible to undertake ‘background’ tasks at the same time as broadcasting – obviously making better use of the facility

10. Benefits of scheduling
The use of schedules ensures that:
•Music gets played in-line with the station’s policy, with desired ‘rotation’ of songs
•The DJ does not get to decide which songs get played
•ADs get played when they should, and a record of WHEN they are played is kept for billing purposes
•No ‘unscheduled’ content gets ‘slipped-in’
•Reports for billing (ads) and royalty payments (music) are created automatically
•Automation is simplified

11. How many studios?
•Do you plan to broadcast 24/7?
•Do you plan to include regular news bulletins?
•Do you plan to create some of the news in-house?
•Do you plan to play commercials?
•Do you plan to make some commercials in-house?
•Do you plan to undertake production in-house?
YOU WILL NEED A MINIMUM OF TWO STUDIOS
If the answer to any of these questions is YES,
By undertaking some tasks at office workstations you can reduce the burden on studio time.

12. Tech or Self-Op?
•In Tech-Op arrangements there is a technician in the control room operating equipment, with presenter and guests in a separate ‘Talks Studio’
•In Self-Op arrangements the presenter/DJ operates the equipment with guests in the same room
Self-Op
Tech-Op
Control Room
Talks Studio

13. Tech or Self-Op?
•Music-oriented commercial stations tend to favour the Self-Op style.
•The Tech-Op style was favoured more by state broadcasters, and for programs where there is a high speech content, requiring production guidance from the control room
•Tech-Op broadcasting obviously requires an additional acoustically treated room
•In two studio radio stations it is useful to have one studio equipped for Self-Op and a second (with Talks Studio) as a Tech-Op – also useful for making in-house recordings.

14. Traditional approach
•Ripping Software
•Record and Edit Software
•Production Software
•Scheduling Software
•Automation Software
•PC/Server
•PC Configuration
•Hardware installation
•Software installation
•Software configuration
•Soundcards
•Screen and drivers
•GPIO Cards
•Audio Mixer
•Mixing Processor
•Inter-connection cables
This requires:
+ someone to make this lot work TOGETHER!

15. •Ripping Software
•Record and Edit Software
•Production Software
•Scheduling Software
•Automation Software
•PC/Server
•PC Configuration
•Hardware installation
•Software installation
•Software configuration
•Soundcards
•Screen and drivers
•GPIO Cards
•Audio Mixer
•Mixing Processor
•Inter-connection cables
A SINGLE PLUG AND PLAY PACKAGE CONTAINING ALL OF THE ABOVE, FROM ONE SUPPLIER…………………………
Scrap these separate components!
The SYNERGY approach

16. SYNERGY components
Mixer control surface with 8 freely ASSIGNABLE channel strips and the ability to create and store unlimited user preset configurations. May add a second control surface if more than 8 faders are required.
Master processing unit – the ‘digital’ brains of the system with inputs for sources, monitoring and outputs
Touchscreen, working in conjunction with mixer control surface, mouse and keyboard
Industrial rack-mount PC with 1Tb + 1Tb HDDs and two channel sound-card, providing five playback audio channels into MPU; can be used stand-alone or with a server

17. Benefits of the SYNERGY approach
The audio mixer, the various software applications and the associated IT hardware, including sound and interface cards, together with loudspeaker and headphone amplifiers and guest remote interfaces account for the lion’s share of studio equipment. The SYNERGY approach offers many user benefits:
•A single point of contact for (all) equipment
•A single commercial transaction and delivery logistics
•A single point of contact for supply, installation, training and support
•The ability to jointly access mixer, playout system and server, remotely, for support purposes
•Plug and play operation – the system can be totally pre-configured
•No opportunity to blame other suppliers for any problems!
•Many unique features as a result of the integration between core studio components

18. What else is needed in the studios
Microphones
For presenter and guests (with appropriate mountings)
CD Player (s) For presenter and guests
Telephone Balance Unit(s) With handsets and if required GSM Interfaces – or multi-line systems for sophisticated markets
Loudspeakers
For control room (and possibly Talks Studio) monitoring
Headphones For presenter and guests
Indicators
MIC LIVE and ON AIR

19. Our Synergy Studio Packages
Bronze Core
Silver Core

20. Our Synergy Studio Packages
Bronze Studio

21. Our Synergy Studio Packages
Silver Studio

22. Bronze or Silver?
•The Bronze Packages have single 8-fader control surfaces
•Even though there are only 8 faders (and associated controls) you still have access to ALL of SYNERGY’S inputs, as the mixer is FULLY ASSIGNABLE
•Any fader can have any input connected to it – it is easy to select and ASSIGN using on-screen menus
•The name of the active source appears in the display above the fader
•Different combinations of sources can be saved as individual USER CONFIGURATIONS and easily recalled
•This ensures that each presenter gets the sources they need for their program, in the order they prefer them

23. Bronze or Silver?
•This screen-shot, which is accessed in the On Air studio, shows typically available sources:

24. Bronze or Silver?
•With a Bronze Package, the maximum number of SIMULTANEOUS inputs that you can control at any time is 8 – there are only 8 faders
•As mentioned before, you can easily re-assign different sources at any time
•HOWEVER, if your program requires you to have simultaneous access to more than 8 sources you will need a Silver Package, which has 16 faders
•This is generally required if you have lots of source equipment

25. When a single studio is not enough
•In the ‘old days’ radio studios were either equipped for on-air or production applications.
•With the almost universal uptake of digital editing, using PCs and ‘screen-based’ applications, there is no longer any reason why ALL studios cannot be identically equipped.
•A modern radio studio can therefore double-up as an on-air and a production facility.
•This has many advantages:
•Studio equipment is common – easier to maintain, easier to support and train
•Facilities are FULLY backed-up
•‘Territorial issues’ are removed – anyone can work anywhere
•Sequential programs can come from alternate studios, removing the need for ‘hot-seat’ swaps between programs
We strongly recommend equipping all studios with the similar equipment

26. Two-studio configurations
+
+
+
Two Self-Op Studios (plus additional workstations and CTA)
One Self-Op Studio plus One Tech-Op Control Room/Studio pair
(plus additional workstations and CTA)
Two Tech-Op Control Room Studio pairs (plus additional workstations and CTA)
More about the ‘CTA’ shortly

27. Studio 1 MAIN ON AIR
•For most of the time this is where broadcasts originate
•Broadcasts will combine pre-recorded and live content
•Some broadcasts may be totally automated
JINGLES
ADS
MUSIC
RECORDINGS
DJ CHAT
GUEST INTERVIEWS
PHONE-INS
OUTSIDE BROADCASTS
Program running order
Live ‘events’
Pre- recorded content

28. Studio 2 PRODUCTION/Back-up ON AIR
•This will normally be used to record and edit programs for broadcast at a later date, saved to the server
•It may also be used to go live to air as a back-up and to allow routine maintenance in the other studio

29. SYNERGY Software
•Unlike software from many companies, for which a monthly licence fee is paid, SYNERGY Software is a ONCE ONLY PAYMENT.
•Furthermore, software updates are totally free of charge.
•Systems are supplied with both PRO and ENTERPRISE software, so that customers can decide which suits them best.

30. The Central Technical Area
•In addition to studios and workstations, a Central Technical Area (CTA) is required in multi-studio stations
•This houses shared equipment and provides the inter- connection point between studios, workstations and the outside world
•Typically the CTA equipment rack contains:
•Server(s) and broadcast network components
•Studio to transmitter switcher
•Talkback
•Monitoring
•Patching
•Time reference
•Power conditioning
•Logging

31. STUDIO 1
STUDIO 2
To Transmitter
Main On-Air
•Used for Live and Automated broadcasts
•Depending on sophistication, can be used for background production whilst broadcasting in automation
Production and Back-up On-Air
•Mainly used for production – recording and editing
•Can be used as a back-up On-Air when other studio is out of commission
Studio 1 and Studio 2 can be any combination of Self-Op and Tech-Op; shown here as two Self-Ops
CTA Central Technical Area
The CTA includes a studio switcher which allows selection of which studio feeds the transmitter

32. The simplest of CTAs
•The simplest CTA package from Clyde is basically a change- over switch in a box with connections from each studio and to the transmitter.
•This solution is used in our RS1 Core Package
From Studio 1
From Studio 2
To transmitter

33. The CTA1 Package
•This is used in our RS1 and RS2 Packages.
FM/AM Off-air Receiver
Studio Switcher and Monitor Unit
Audio distribution amplifiers
Internally, network switch/firewall, mains distribution and lightning surge arrestor
On the rear, a simple connector panel for easy connection to studios and transmitter

34. The TSM1 Studio Switcher/Monitor
Transmission Source Selector – choose between Studio 1 or Studio 2, a ‘patchable input’ or external feed
Monitor Source Selector – choose between Studio 1 or Studio 2, a ‘patchable input’, a feed from the off-air receiver and a feed from an optional logger
Monitor Section, following selected monitor source, meters ad headphone/speaker output

35. The TSM1 Studio Switcher/Monitor
Outputs to control ON AIR indicators in selected ‘transmission’ studio
To
Transmitter
From Studios 1 and 2
From Off-Air Receiver and Logger
To
Speakers

36. The CTA3 Package
•This is used in our RS2+ and RS3 Packages.
THE CTA3 Rack contains:
•Mains distribution and lightning surge arrestor
•Off-air receiver
•TSM2 Studio Switcher/Monitor with integral program fail detector and audio distribution
•Audio patching
•Standby audio player (RS3)
•Linux Content Server with optional Logging and GPS Receiver (station-wide time source)
•Broadcast network components – switch and firewall (for remote access)
•UPS and optional Lightning Protection Unit

37. The TSM2 Studio Switcher/Monitor
Transmission Source Selector – choose between Studio 1 or Studio 2, a ‘patchable input’ or external feed
Line-up oscillator (TONE generator)
Monitor Section, following selected monitor source, meters ad headphone/speaker output
ENABLE Button – must be pressed whilst making a transmission source selection
Monitor Source Selector – choose between Studio 1 or Studio 2, a ‘patchable input’, a feed from the off-air receiver and a feed from an optional logger
Easy-access ‘PATCH’ input to transmission and monitor selectors)

38. TSM2 Studio Switching
•TSM2 incorporates a Program Fail Detector which monitors the feed to the transmitter
•Should the level drop below a pre-determined threshold, a ‘START’ command is sent to an external STANDBY audio player (e.g. a CD or SD- card player) and the TSM2 automatically connects this feed to the transmitter
•This ensures that when the station is unattended i.e. in automation, THERE IS NO DEAD AIR!

39. TSM2 Studio Switching
TRANSMISSION
SELECTOR
Studio 1 Output
Studio 2 Output
Re-broadcast feed
PATCH Input
‘Standby’ audio feed
TRANSMISSION SOURCES
Program
Fail
Detecor
‘START’ command to standby audio player
Command to switch to standby audio source
‘STATION Output’ feed to transmitter

40. TSM2 Studio Switching
Transmission Source Selection can be undertaken using buttons on the TSM2 front panel, or, when used in SYNERGY RS Packages, from ‘on-screen’ buttons in the SYNERGY ON AIR screen, using the OFFER/ACCEPT principal
The TSM2 can also be accessed remotely for maintenance/diagnostics and even remote switching

41. TSM2 Audio Distribution
•TSM2 also incorporates audio distribution amplifiers (DAs) which provide isolated feeds from and to studios and a newsroom area
DA
To Studio 2
To Newsroom
To Logger
To Transmission Selector
From Studio 1
DA
To Studio 1
To Newsroom
To Logger
To Transmission Selector
From Studio 2
To Monitor Selector
To Monitor Selector

42. TSM2 Audio Distribution
DA
To Studio 1
To Studio 2
To Newsroom
To Logger
From Re-broadcast Receiver
DA
To Studio 1
To Studio 2
To Newsroom
To Logger
From Off Air Receiver
•By incorporating the DAs within the TSM2 inter-area cabling is considerably reduced, making installation very simple
To Transmission Selector
To Monitor Selector
To Monitor Selector

43. The Clyde LINUX Content Server
•Custom-built 4U rack-mounting
•Featuring the highly robust LINUX operating system
•Separate 2Tb fully mirrored hard-drives for audio files
•Separate 1Tb fully mirrored hard-drives for dBase data and OS
•Main and standby up-rated power supplies
•Optional LOGGING Server software
•Optional GPS Receiver for station-wide time reference
•Optional Audio Router Control Software (ARCS) for multi-studio multi-network systems, with switching commands sent across the broadcast network

44. Our Synergy RS1 Station Package
Bronze Main On Air
Deskmate-based office workstation
CTA1 Package
RS1 has a single SYNERGY Bronze self-op studio and a workstation package equipped with a Clyde Deskmate, ideal for news and general purpose music download, scheduling and reporting purposes. The Deskmate may go to air under emergency conditions; RS1 has the CTA1 package, which includes a studio switcher/monitor, as well as broadcast network components and an off-air receiver and distribution amplifier.

45. Our Synergy RS1+ Station Package
Bronze Main On Air
Yamaha-based Production/back-up on air
CTA1 Package
RS1+ has a single SYNERGY Bronze self-op studio for the main broadcast facility, and a Yamaha digital production studio, which can also go to air under emergency conditions. RS1+ has the CTA1 package, which includes a studio switcher/monitor, as well as broadcast network components and an off-air receiver and distribution amplifier.

46. Our Synergy RS2 Station Package
Bronze Main On Air
Bronze Production/Back-up On Air
CTA1 Package
RS2 has two identically equipped Bronze self-op studios and a CTA1 package; the PCs in each studio are used as back-ups to each other.
Optional office workstations and a Talks Studio package may be added.

47. Our Synergy RS2+ Station Package
Bronze Main On Air
Bronze Production/Back-up On Air
CTA3 Package
RS2+ has a Silver Main On Air (self-op) studio and a Bronze Self-Op Production/Back-Up On Air. A dedicated content sever is included in the CTA3 rack, together with optional standby audio source – the TSM2 studio switcher includes a program fail detector which controls this. Options for office workstations and a Talks studio working into the Silver control room are available.

48. Our Synergy RS3 Station Package
RS3 has two identically equipped Silver self-op studio packages, with a Talks Studio which can work in conjunction with either Silver.
A General Purpose office workstation package is included, and the RS3 features the CTA3 package, which includes the standby audio source, ensuring no dead- airtime in the case of an unattended studio failure.

49. Synergy Core Packages
•Some broadcasters, resellers or system integrators may only want to purchase essential components from Clyde, and procure the remainder, including furniture and cabling etc, locally.
•For this reason we have created SYNERGY CORE Packages:
•Bronze Core
•Silver Core
•RS1 Core
•Check our website for further details or to download product and package brochures www.clydebroadcast.com