broadcast limiter setting...

[kkfaudio]

Hello all...

I'd like to demonstrate to some clients what the broadcast chain will do to my mixes once broadcast.

I'll start by saying that I'm happy with the results I'm getting, and for the most part, my clients trust me to do as I see fit. However, it's hard to explain to them why a more compressed mix can sometimes end up quieter than a more dynamic mix. I learned the hard way years ago, and I understand what's happening, but I kind of want to "prove it" to the clients.

I realize that every broadcaster is different, and every show, but I don't expect the station will tweak settings - or do they?

So, if someone in the know could describe a typical broadcast chain with attack/release/threshold settings for playing back a D-Beta, 0dB VU = -20dBFS, with peaks @ -10dBFS I (and hopefully others) would be very appreciative.

Thanks!

[New Hope Media]

I've set up broadcast limiters for Optus cable TV in Australia but generally I had the unusual situation of being able to select the hardware and do the set up myself as senior audio director.
That's not something typical so I chose not to use a typical broadcast limiter and initially ran with TC M5000s and later the TC Maximiser when it was released.

Typically broadcasters have tended to use the Orban Optimod for analogue terrestrial broadcast and now digital broadcasting.
Here's the URL http://www.orban.com/products/television/ you can download documentation from their FTP server and look at the general setups and specs.

I personally don't like what they do to mixes which is why I convinced our engineering department not to go that way. Mind you the $20,000.00AU price tag back in the late 1990s was also a factor that helped my argument when I could put four stereo channels on one M5000 with different setups for each to cater for the type of program content the channel contained.

I haven't actually answered your question but looking at the Optimod will probably help you.

Regards
Stephen Hope
New Hope Media

[kkfaudio]

Thanks Stephen...

There are a few things to wade through, hopefully I'll find something...

Anyone else?

[FajitaTone]

Here at Discovery Channel Latin America we use the Orban Opti-Mod, but we have auditioned The Aphex 2020 MkII, and the TCElectronic DB-8. All can be set to not really do anything except keep levels legal, or set to smash the crap out of your content. Most of the "Factory" Presets are set on "STUN", but you can tweak all of them to get maximum dynamic content with minimal artifacts. The Aphex has the best "leveler" to me and my ears, but it also has a "sound" to it.

Aphex and TC Electronic will loan you units to audition. Or at least the loaned them to us.


Good luck in your search.

[mampam]

If you will remember that for broadcast you have a dynamic range of 11dbm you'll be OK. In other words if a sound is below -10db it will for all practical purposes not be heard by the local listener...one db above 0dbm the positive peak limiter cuts in since a broadcast signal is only allowed 100% positive and 125% negative peaks at the transmitter output. Hope this helps (I'm so bad at giving away my 40years of hard earned lessons), but I'm tired of lousy audio in broadcast.

[kkfaudio]

Thanks to everyone so far...

It sounds like I really need to talk to the tech guys at the stations I'm concerned with, but past dealings with them have haven't been particuarily useful...

Years ago I learned the hard way as well, and now I don't really have issues with my show - but it's hard to prove to clients when they keep asking for "louder" mixes, so they broadcast louder, that sometimes it can be detrimental.

In this specific case, I'm looking into issues for a video house, whose mix from another audio house got rejected recently for overs. When I look/listen to the levels, I understand why it's rejected, but the mixer's say it's fine. I know they're trying to push the levels because of low levels last season, but I think they've gone too far, and it's going to end up going the other way...

Hence, my asking for some guidelines... I know I can show the effects of what we're talking about, but without using the broadcaster's settings, I'm only showing "potentials", not "likelys".

Ah well... I guess they'll find out when the series actually starts to broadcast, and all the episodes are in the can.

Thanks again,

Kevin