TBS chooses mc²90 and mc²56.
Lawo equipment installed in Tokyo Broadcasting System’s new OB truck.
Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) is one of Japan’s four most important broadcast companies, three of which are already using Lawo products successfully. Lawo is therefore understandably proud that TBS – the fourth large network in Japan – has now also opted for Lawo mixing consoles. Ordered in mid-January, TBS will install one mc²90 and one mc²56 in their new HD OB truck.
It is quite normal in Japan for complex and extensive remote TV productions to employ two OB trucks. This is because local regulations don’t permit the large dimensions of typical European vehicles. One OB truck is dedicated to video output, the other handles audio production. The new TBS truck is, by Japanese standards, extremely large, and provides sufficient space for two Lawo consoles.
The mc²90 console installed in the audio OB truck has 40 faders in a 16-8-16 frame, and provides 320 DSP channels. It includes a control system and router, using Lawo’s new MKII router technology on a compact HD Core card, and therefore offers full redundancy for the router and control processor. The particularly modular control surface of the mc²90 allows for a narrow central control section, which is important when available space in the truck is very limited. This modification is achieved by a reduction in the number of operating elements, without compromising full functionality. Five DALLIS frames in the new TBS truck are connected via optical fibre, allowing distances of up to 15 km between the truck and its stage boxes.
For the OB truck’s second mixing console, employed as a fully networked backup and sub-mixer, TBS ordered an mc²56 with 32 faders in a 16-16 frame. One example of its use is to produce the stereo mix, whereas the mc²90 handles the surround sound output. This methodology follows the example of other OB trucks in Japan, such as Fuji TV and NHK, which both carry out productions with trucks equipped with an mc²90 and an mc²66.
The new TBS truck, built by Otaritec as the main contractor, is already scheduled for its first programme production in October 2009. And, notably in Japan, the demands on an OB truck are particularly high; large sports events there are held in high esteem, so productions must be right first time, and the end product must be of the highest quality.
Lawo products have proved themselves in top sporting events over the last few years, including the 2006 Soccer World Championship, the European Soccer Championship and the 2008 Olympic Games – often in difficult conditions – a clear reason for TBS to put their faith in Lawo. During the decision-making process, it was the OB truck crew that particularly favoured Lawo: reliability, sound quality and flexibility have established Lawo as a world standard for HDTV OB trucks.
About Tokyo Broadcasting System
Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) was founded in May 1951 as Radio Tokyo. In April 1955, the company entered TV production with an analogue broadcast of the JOKR-TV programme on Channel 6. The company name was changed in 1960 to Tokyo Broadcasting System. Today TBS heads a 28-company news network (JNN), as well as 34 radio stations. The head office and studio are in Tokyo. In addition, TBS owns the Midoriyama Studio in Yokohama, and has further facilities in Osaka and Nagoya.
