At the recently conducted ‘Sennheiser for Broadcast Hands-On Training Day’, held in Dubai, Sennheiser presented some of the region’s leading broadcasters with a detailed overview of its latest audio solutions for TV, radio and OB applications.
In a session conducted by Sennheiser COO for the Professional Audio Division, Peter Claussen, Middle East broadcasters were given a first look at some of the innovative products currently being developed by the company’s Professional Division. In line with the company’s commitment to customer-centric innovation, Claussen offered attendees the opportunity to share their feedback and opinions on the types of audio solutions and advancements they would like to see in the future.
Commenting on the event, Ryan Burr, Head of Technical Sales & Application Engineering, Professional Audio at Sennheiser Middle East said, “Across demographics in the Middle East, the appetite for high-quality content is growing, placing broadcasters under increasing pressure. With turnaround times for the creation and distribution of compelling content constantly shrinking, it is imperative that they have the right expertise and solutions. As a trusted advisor and technology partner to some of the region’s leading television and radio broadcasters, Sennheiser is committed to advancing the industry from both knowledges as well as a technical standpoint.”
At the event, it emerged that the shrinking of the spectrum allocated for the Programme Making and Special Events (PMSE) industry remains a key concern for regional broadcasters. The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) of the UAE, who participated at the hands-on training day, was quick to address these concerns by outlining how its radio frequency (RF) spectrum authorisation policy is ensuring the smooth operation of broadcast systems, and safeguarding equipment investments for broadcasters. Particularly well received was the Authority’s demonstration of the interactive National Frequency Plan that is now available on its website.
Having recently conducted its largest set of product launches for Middle East Broadcasters at CABSAT 2019, Sennheiser used its Hands-On Training Day to provide attendees with detailed overviews and demonstrations of the recent additions. These were grouped into three categories, catering to the specific requirements of each segment of the industry:
Sennheiser’s model TV studio control room featured it’s Digital 9000, Digital 6000, 3000/5000 Series and EW-500 G4 microphone systems running through a mixing console and onto a pair of Neumann KH-310 studio monitors. Attendees were presented with several tests and demonstrations highlighting the capabilities of each system. This was followed by an in-depth tutorial on the Wireless Systems Manager, Sennheiser’s professional software solution for remotely monitoring and coordinating the frequencies of wireless microphones and monitors.
To simulate the set up for radio broadcasts, Sennheiser presented a comprehensive line up of Neumann microphones, including the BCM-104 and BCM-705 radio studio mics. These were fed into a mixing console and onto headphones and headsets from Sennheiser’s professional range, including the HD-26 and the new HD 300 PRO.
For its outside broadcast setup, Sennheiser used an ENG camera with the EK-6042 true diversity two channel receiver plugged into its receiver slot. The EK-6042 was then synchronised with several different transmitter/mic combos including the MKH-8060 and 8070 shotgun ranges and the SKP-500 G4 plug-on transmitter mic. This allowed the broadcasters to test both the range and quality of transmitted audio for these solutions. Attendees were also offered the ability to try out products from Sennheiser’s Audio for Video range such as the compact and versatile Memory Mic.
Each of these live stations was specifically designed to encourage attendees to gain a better understanding of the operation and capabilities of the systems through practical hands-on demos with the various equipment sets. “Given the calibre of the attendees, we were keen for them to experience the live stations with complete freedom. There were high levels of enthusiasm as they explored the features and capabilities of our solutions, especially when these exceeded their expectations,” said Burr.
