Broadcast  Systems Integration

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Knowledge Base

Practical knowledge, technical tips, equipment reviews and lessons learned from more than 30 years working in broadcast and post-production.

Tips & Tricks

The little things we've learned over the years that can make a big difference on site.

Broadcast equipment racks and legacy video technology in a restoration facility

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The TS100 is light and powerful, with a digital display letting you know what temperature the iron is at. You can set the device for three preset temperatures and it can go up to 400Β°C, and can be powered from a USBC cable.

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Broadcast equipment racks and legacy video technology in a restoration facility

πšƒπš˜πš˜ π™·πš˜πš 𝚝𝚘 π™·πšŠπš—πšπš•πšŽ

Recently, we were on site and needed to make up some D-Sub 9 pin cables for remote control of some BlackMagic Hyperdeck disk recorders. Unfortunately we were prohibited from soldering on site. So I purchased a crimp tool and pins from Canford Audio Limited. 

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Broadcast equipment racks and legacy video technology in a restoration facility

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Looking at three different ways to wire an XLR, some for speed, and some for prestige

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Broadcast equipment racks and legacy video technology in a restoration facility

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If you have a smartphone, you can test whether a fuse is broken or not. Simply touch one end of the fuse and put the other end on the screen. If the screen still reacts the fuse is in tact, and if you dont get a signal the fuse is broken.

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Broadcast equipment racks and legacy video technology in a restoration facility

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A quick reminder that when installing equipment in to broadcast racks, π™°π™»πš†π™°πšˆπš‚ screw in the π™±π™Ύπšƒπšƒπ™Ύπ™Ό rack bolts first. The weight of the kit will cause it to cantilever backwards pushing the rack ears flat to the rack strip.

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π™½πš˜πšπš‘πš’πš—πš πšžπš™ πš–πš’ πšœπš•πšŽπšŽπšŸπšŽ - πšŒπšŠπš‹πš•πš’πš—πš πšπš›πš’πšŒπš”

For all of those who terminate audio cables, the use of hellerman sleeving, [otherwise known as symol sleeving] is a must to ensure the screen is protected. Normally, I would use a pair of snips to cut 25mm lengths of sleeving, but here is a trick that a wireman showed me over 15 years ago. And I thought I would share.

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Here's a little trick to check if you re getting a Video Sync Reference ( Black & burst ) signal. As it is an analogue signal, rather than a digital on the voltage of the signal varies with time between 0V and 1V from sync tip to the highest video signal. This appears as an oscillating signal if you look closely on an oscilloscope.

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Technical Articles

Technical articles covering the technology, standards and practical engineering we've encountered throughout our work in broadcast and post-production.

Balanced and unbalanced audio cables with 1/4 inch jack plugs

𝙹𝙰𝙲𝙺 𝚘𝚏 πšŠπš•πš• πšπš›πšŠπšπšŽπšœοΌŽοΌŽοΌŽοΌŽ

not all 1/4" jacks are made equal

 GPO connectors are similar to the standard ΒΌ" jack we're all familiar with, but there are some surprisingly important differences. 

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Balanced and unbalanced audio cables with 1/4 inch jack plugs

What's the difference between balanced and unbalanced audio, and why does it matter?

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STAR QUAD professional microphone cable for broadcast audio

If you look at this picture of the CAT6 cable with its four twisted pairs, you will notice that they have different twists, with the blue pair wound much tighter than say the brown pair. In fact they all have different twists rates [ how many twists per metre ]

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STAR QUAD professional microphone cable for broadcast audio

Why does Star Quad cable reject interference so effectively, and when should you use it?

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19 inch rackstrip for broadcast equipment rack installation

" ​An article for junior and non-technical staff, who might be perplexed when they first come into contact with rackstrip, trying to install equipment in a rack"

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Which is the right wiring standard for you, well it depends on where you live essentially

T568A and T568B CAT6 wiring standards and RJ45 termination READ

Choosing the right type of cable for your next network project, and more importantly making sure they are installed and tested to comply with the standard

CAT6 network cabling article with cable testing results and technical information READ

Product Reviews

Some insight to some of the products we have encountered during recent projects

Broadcast equipment racks and legacy video technology in a restoration facility

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I thought I'd review this amazing little camera fibre interface from MultiDyne Video & Fiber Optic Systems.

Having installed mostly SMPTE camera studios, I was invited to install one with these MultiDyne V6 camera fibre converters. Even thought these small units are only 1/3 rack width and 1U high, they are really powerful converters

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Broadcast equipment racks and legacy video technology in a restoration facility

π™΅πš›πš’πšπšŠπš’ π™΅πš›πš˜πš—πš πšπšžπš—πš—πšŽπš›

I just wanted to give a big shout out to Penn Elcom for their new and improved panel designer tool. I tried it a few years ago, and it was a little clunky, but they have completely revamped it, and I absolutely love it . I thought I would try it out and had one manufactured, which turned up yesterday, and it looks fabulous.

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Broadcast equipment racks and legacy video technology in a restoration facility

π™ΌπšŠπš”πš’πš—πš π™½πšŽπš  π™²πš˜πš—πš—πšŽπšŒπšπš’πš˜πš—πšœ

I'm sure you are all familiar with Neutrik XLRs, often the preferred connector for professional audio cables. But here are the Canford Audio Limited XLRs, that we tried for the first time on a new 7.1 studio this month. They arrived in a handy little box of 20, and were in simple to open wrappers, pre-assembled.

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Broadcast equipment racks and legacy video technology in a restoration facility

𝙰 πš…πšŽπš›πš’ π™·πšŠπš—πšπš’ π™΅πš’πš—πš - π™±πšŠπš›πš—πšπš’πš—πš

We’ve recently integrated a number of Barnfind COLOUR units into a new installation. These compact half width boxes are designed to convert a range of signals to fibre, allowing them to be extended over long distances.

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Broadcast equipment racks and legacy video technology in a restoration facility

π™±πš›πšŽπšŠπš”πš’πš—πš 𝙲𝙰𝙳

So on the Canford Audio Limited website I saw a labelling software solution called PATCHCAD 3 PRO Patchbay Design and Labelling Software. It was a modestly priced at Β£65, so thought I'd give it a try. After downloading and having a play with it, I was converted

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