Featured Product : DSF-2 Digital Broadcast System

SoundField's DSF-2 was the "official' surround sound microphone for live 5.1 surround HD broadcasting during the World Cup soccer championship. For event consultancy Video Sound Services, the choice of this system represented the latest stage in a 20-year familiarity with the company's products.

The 2006 FIFA World Cup was, to say the least, not without its fair share of controversy. But while debate still rages about the merits (or otherwise) of some onpitch action, there seems to be no doubt that the standard of the audiovisual relay to the global television audience was higher than ever before. Some of the credit for this can be placed firmly at the door of Video Sound Services (VSS), which already had experience of working on the cornerstone football championship in 2002. Four years later, the UK-based company was again contacted by HBS - the body that oversees all World Cup-related broadcasting issues - to provide audio consultancy for the event. This time, however, the technological barrier had been raised decisively, with Robert Edwards, sound director of VSS, recalling that HBS elected to make it "the first world event planned and delivered in 1080i high definition, with 16:9 pictures and live 5.l audio for every match."

In making preparations for the full surround treatment, Edwards and team had a pretty free hand in specifying microphone locations and equipment: "We were able to specify the entire live production process, specifying microphone positions and types for every one of the 12 stadia, [and design] a high quality production process which ensured that each game sounded the same to the viewers and listeners."

With extensive experience of SoundField equipment and, in particular, having utilised a number of its fixtures successfully during coverage of the 2002 World Cup, VSS returned to the supplier with an exacting set of demands. The chosen 5.1 microphones needed to be positioned high up in the stadium roofs, 250m from any power sources and up to 500m from the OB trucks - but that wasn't all: "We also wanted to take the SoundField B-Format signals, embed them digitally with the HD streams, send them maybe 2,000km, de-embed them remotely in a mixing suite in Munich and adjust the pick-up characteristics. Oh, and by the way, can we also have analogue available at the stadium for radio use?"

The SoundField DSF-2 Broadcast Microphone System - launched internationally at IBC - turned out to be the answer. The system enables the output of digital audio simultaneously in mono, stereo and surround sound from a single microphone. Like previous SoundField systems, the DSF-2 is based on its multicapsule microphone and an associated processor, while the resulting proprietary "B-Format' signal can be further decoded into mono, stereo, stereo M/S or surround sound in formats including 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1.

Stereo and surround
Since the majority of the World Cup TV audience was still likely to be taking in the action in stereo or mono, this kind of versatility was an essential requirement. Ultimately, the DFS-2 was installed in each of the 12 host venues to provide the basis of the global 5.1 feed, which was augmented by microphones attached to cameras, sited around the pitch, and positioned by dugouts and action areas. Digital stereo outputs from the DSF-2 controllers - generally sited in the commentary control room at each venue - were sent to the OB trucks on site as the main ambient microphone source of the SD Stereo mix.

Meanwhile, the digital surround outputs were transmitted to the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) in Munich. At that point, the B-Format signals were de-embedded and passed into SoundField SP451 processors, four of which were provided for the tournament. Lawo mc_66 mixing consoles were utilised to add additional elements, including ball-kicks, and to produce the final 5.l mixes.

As ever, the World Cup progressed at a fairly relentless rate, particularly in its early stages, and broadcasting operations needed to be fully up-to-speed from day one. Accordingly, HBS and VSS held a series of meetings in France and Germany to brief participating broadcasters during the run-up period. The surround aspect of proceedings was also rigorously rehearsed, with VSS and SoundField undertaking a series of "field tests' during transmission of the last Premiership season on Sky Sports. These culminated in the DSF-2's live debut at the final game of the 2005/06 season, between Manchester United and Charlton Athletic.

"By the time the SoundField systems hit the World Cup, both HBS and VSS had a very clear idea of how it would all integrate and work," confirms Pieter Schillebeeckx, head of Research and Development at SoundField. "We were, of course, on permanent standby for the duration of the World Cup in the event of a technical failure - thankfully, we weren't called upon."

Indeed, both companies report very positive feedback for the system's performance. Registering praise for the DSF-2's "ease of installation and reliability", Schillebeeckx also notes with satisfaction that, despite testing meteorological conditions throughout the tournament - perhaps best summarised as a heat wave interspersed with protracted bouts of heavy rain - the microphones experienced no condensation-related problems.

"After the 64 games there was nothing but praise from the world's broadcasters who took the 5.1 feed," adds Edwards. "We were delighted with the sound and the robustness of the signals delivered to us in Munich. [It was] a world class tool for a world class event."

For SoundField, however, the best proof of the system's positive impact is surely provided by a subsequent surge in sales. According to Schillebeeckx, major OB truck companies including Visions, CTV and Telegenic have all taken on SoundField equipment in the wake of the World Cup.

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Reproduced from TVB Europe, Europe's television technology business magazine, CMP United Business Media - www.tvbeurope.com