New V4.0 Software Provides 5.1 Input Channels For Studer Vista(tm) Digital Audio Mixing Consoles

September 18, 2007

Source: Studer

NORTHRIDGE, California - September 2007 -- The advent of HD video in OB trucks and TV production studios has defined surround sound as the standard to accompany the brilliant high-definition picture. However, handling the six audio channels per source on six separate faders can
quickly consume valuable console real estate.

Studer has pioneered multichannel audio systems on digital consoles with its surround management, and the Vista Series has now been provided with a new and unique way of handling 5.1 input sources on a single fader.

This unique approach to managing surround input channels, developed by listening to experienced broadcasters, results in a new type of input channel that does not simply consist of mono and/or stereo channels, but is a totally new type of channel on its own.

With the Studer 5.1 input channel, the engineer is now able to have Input, EQ, Dynamics and Panning sections totally designed for premixed 5.1 input sources. The main goal is that operators can adjust the most important parameters directly via touch on the Vistonics(tm) screen without the need to 'spill' single mono or stereo channels to additional faders, where other important sources
would be hidden and become unavailable. This is realized by introducing completely new parameters to 'balance' the 5.1 signal using the Vistonics encoders.

This way, engineers can maintain the perfect arrangement of 'one fader for one source' on their mixing console, and keep a good overview while fast access to every single source parameter is provided.

Furthermore, the new software provides unequalled width control over the whole surround image, which is considered impossible with the standard approaches offered by other manufacturers. This allows the 'depth' between the front and rear signals to be varied from zero up to 200 percent!

In addition to the 5.1 input channels, Studer has also introduced 5.1 Group and Master channels. Now even more faders can be saved, since a complete surround group or a surround master only uses up one single fader. This gives more space for more input sources in channel-hungry
productions, for example.

To complete the new functionality, a new surround panning module is also available for stereo channels.

Since there are still a significant number of stereo sources used in a typical surround production, engineers also need to bring these into the 5.1 format. Studer has implemented a way to also pan such signals into a surround mix, providing the possibility to 'wrap' any
and every stereo channel to a surround sound image. This is accomplished using technology that is proprietary to the Harman Pro Group.

Further surround sound management is catered for by the optional Dolby E decoder card, and integral multicast downmixing.

To provide processing power for these channel-intense surround productions, Studer's new SCore Live processing platform is ideally suited, and, with an integrated and external controllable routing matrix of 1700x1700 inputs and outputs, is a future-proof solution.

The 5.1 input channels will be available for all SCore Live based Vista consoles.

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