IBC 2010: Wohler Enhances AMP2-16V Monitor, Intros Three New Subtitling Cards

Wohler Technologies has announced several new enhancements to its AMP2-16V Series modular audio/video processing monitor. Incorporating dual 4.3-inch OLED displays, the AMP2-16V is the industry’s first 16-channel audio/video monitor to feature concurrent loudness monitoring and control together with complete mixing and routing capabilities, along with the ability to re-embed audio into an SDI signal. The latest enhancements make the AMP2-16V more configurable and easier to use, with new features for defining and managing channel clusters and presets, managing multiple input and output formats, and accessing the system’s loudness control and other audio fine-tuning features.

“We’ve often compared the AMP2-16V’s versatility to that of a Swiss Army Knife, and that comparison has never been more apt. In advanced configurations, the system is so much more than a monitor — it can embed audio from any of its inputs into an SDI signal for broadcast, quickly adjust the level of something gone wrong in one channel, or control the loudness of an entire program,” says Kim Templeman-Holmes, Wohler EVP of global sales and marketing. “There’s no need to buy a mixing console, video monitor, level meters, loudness control unit, audio router, SDI audio embedder, and Dolby monitor, when you can get just one AMP2-16V with your choice of I/O and options that can be upgraded at any time.”

The AMP2-16V offers simultaneous monitoring of 16 channels from 3G/HD/SD-SDI, AES, analog, or optical inputs with dedicated video monitoring, loudness metering and control, audio routing and mix controls, and Dolby Zoom functions. Engineers may easily switch between formats and view any mix of inputs on a single screen with audio metering for each, and can now quickly toggle between video and metering, or video and data screens. Also, the system now includes support for one or more TOSLINK (SPDIF) optical channel pair inputs to enable in-studio monitoring of signals exactly as they are received through customers’ audio equipment.

The latest version of the AMP2-16V expands to up to 32 complete user-definable system presets, and setup menus that can be locked to prevent unauthorized or accidental setup changes. A new hotkey lets operators instantly select from multiple channel clusters carrying different audio programs. Another new hotkey enables a quick comparison of a Dolby 5.1 audio feed with a stereo downmix of the feed on an external surround sound system, to ensure that the 5.1 feed remains compatible for stereo viewers. Engineers can fine-tune audio delay in 1 mS increments to adjust lip-sync for each channel.

The AMP2-16V’s mixing and routing features essentially create a complete mix environment for each installed output-capable module, providing full trim, pan, and bus routing per channel, as well as the option to meter output levels on the main screen in addition to input levels. Channels may be metered, rearranged, and output in any order, or even mixed, panned, trimmed, and output for live events.

Wohler Introduces Three New Versions of HDCC-200A Subtitling Card

At its IBC 2010 press conference Wohler Technologies Inc. introduced three new subtitling cards within the company’s HDCC-200A-OP47 product range, allowing users to handle transmission and monitoring of World System Teletext (WST) and OP47-based subtitles. Based on Wohler’s FULL HDCC-200A card, each of the three new XCODE, DUALMON, and LOGGER cards provides broadcasters with the specific functionality their applications require at a competitive price point.

The XCODE is a dual-channel WST/OP-47 subtitle inserter that encodes subtitle streams onto two separate SD/HD-SDI video signals. The card can also bridge subtitles from one channel to the other, transcoding the subtitle data from WST (SD) to OP-47 (HD) or vice-versa as required. XCODE also supports encoding and decoding for as many as four GPI inputs, to perform tasks such as remote cueing or switching. Wohler’s new DUALMON card provides dual-channel WST and OP-47 subtitle monitoring, and generates burned-in subtitle display on two dedicated SDI outputs. The LOGGER is a dual-channel data extractor that outputs full WST/OP-47 subtitle data from SD/HD-SDI video signals to serial and/or Ethernet ports for logging, external monitoring, and regeneration of subtitle files. The combined functionality of XCODE, DUALMON, and LOGGER can be found in one device: the FULL HDCC-200A.

Once in the HD-VANC, data may be either recorded on a variety of HD storage devices or distributed via a facility’s digital video distribution network. As well as being able to convert VBI-based WST to HD-VANC data, the card will also convert GPI data for subsequent insertion into HD-VANC. The card is also able to convert the HD-VANC data back to WST and GPI data onto the SD-SDI output stream.

“Our popular HDCC-200A subtitling card offers uniquely robust functionality in handling subtitles, and we’ve designed these three new cards to give broadcasters even more flexibility in leveraging HDCC-200A functionality within their operations,” says Renaud Desportes, technical director, Wohler EMEA. “With the XCODE, DUALMON, and LOGGER cards, Wohler customers are equipped with tools that meet their specific needs now and can be adapted later to provide the full capabilities of the FULL HDCC-200A card.”

Each card fits into well-known modular chassis, including those of Ross Video, Evertz, and IRT, to enable tight integration and, in turn, further reduce power requirements.

Sky’s New Harlequin 1 Broadcasting Complex to Include More Than 200 Wohler Audio/Video Processing Monitors

British Sky Broadcasting (Sky), the U.K.’s largest pay TV provider, is installing more than 200 Wohler AMP1 and AMP2 audio/video processing monitors in its new production facility, currently nearing completion in West London. Led by the AMP2-16V-3G 16-channel audio/video processing monitor, the Wohler systems will provide integration of audio monitoring and processing for production studios, post-production facilities, and a broadcast center housed within the new complex, code-named Harlequin 1.

Wohler’s AMP2-16V-3G will deliver dedicated video monitoring, loudness metering and control, audio mixing and routing, SDI audio embedding, and instantaneous Dolby bit stream analysis (Dolby Zoom), all within a single system. Within the broadcast center, Sky is installing 33 AMP2-16V-3G units, as well as three AMP1-16-3G systems. The post-production facility will feature another 65 AMP2-16V-3G units as well as 42 AMP1A-Plus two-channel audio monitors, 31 AMP1-16-3G units, and three of Wohler’s new AMP1-S8-3G multi-format audio monitors. Another 33 AMP2-16V-3G monitors will be installed in the production studio, along with three AMP1A-Plus units.

“Sky runs a very thorough and meticulous engineering department, with high standards for everything from usability down to audio fidelity. Nothing was specified without proper evaluation. When matched against its competition, the AMP2-16V was the clear winner. The system is highly versatile and robust, with many critical functions such as monitoring, loudness control, and audio mixing and routing contained in a single box,” says Templeman-Holmes. “Sky could order just the cards they needed for specific functions within each department, safe in the knowledge they could always re-configure or upgrade, which adds up to a more cost-effective solution. Also, our willingness to work closely with them and tailor the software to their needs was critical.”

Wohler Introduces Presto Multiview Source Selector

Wohler Technologies has released Presto, a new multiview source selector that makes 16 audio/video channels readily available for monitoring and straightforward switching via integrated OLED pushbuttons. Presto offers a cost-effective, one-stop monitoring solution for 16 different audio/video channels with multiple formats.

Presto is a compact 1RU solution with 16 OLED screens, each of which serves as a switching button that displays an SDI stream from any source. The system supports universal inputs, including all SDI formats. To switch channels to an output for routing or monitoring on a larger device, operators simply press the button displaying the appropriate stream, meaning they no longer have to blindly select sources.

“After hearing from our customers about their challenges migrating to server-based playout and centralization, it was clear that they needed an easy way to make sense of the many video streams moving around their facilities,” says Jeff McNall, director of product development at Wohler. “With Presto, we’ve provided the ideal solution. Among other products on the market, none matches Presto in ease of use, range of inputs supported, and the large number of screens that we pack into a single rack unit.”

Wohler Enhances AMP2-16V Modular Audio/Video Processing Monitor With Linear Acoustic Audio Upmixing Technology

Wohler has announced that its new AMP2-16V modular audio/video processing monitor is now available with new audio upmixing capabilities. The integration of UPMAX mixing technology from Linear Acoustic enables the AMP2-16V to seamlessly convert stereo signals into surround-sound audio, giving broadcasters the ability to provide consistently high-quality audio outputs for their surround-sound viewers.

The new upmixing capability is the second collaboration between Wohler and Linear Acoustic, joining an integration of the AMP2-16V with Linear Acoustic loudness control technology that was launched earlier this year. With UPMAX, the AMP2-16V converts a stereo signal into a 5.1 channel surround audio field, making it ideal for programs such as live, multi-venue sports events for which surround miking is not possible at every location. The AMP2-16V detects a stereo signal and upmixes the audio to surround.

“The number of viewers with sophisticated home theaters and surround-sound capabilities is growing rapidly, and they expect their investment to deliver the ultimate viewing and listening experience. Yet, most broadcasters are still working with a large amount of stereo content, meaning that viewers might experience an unacceptable degradation in sound quality when the broadcast switches from native surround audio to stereo audio,” says Templeman-Holmes. “With the addition of Linear Acoustic UPMAX technology, the AMP2-16V becomes Wohler’s first audio monitor to combine upmixing with loudness control, giving viewers pristine surround audio regardless of what content they’re viewing.”

Wohler’s AMP2-16V features dual 4.3-inch OLED displays that support dedicated video monitoring, loudness metering and control, audio mixing and routing, and Dolby Zoom functions. The AMP2-16V feautures robust metering and monitoring features, as well as modular I/O options including 3G/HD/SD-SDI, AES, and analog