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CSP MOBILE PRODUCTIONS EXPANDS WITH YAMAHA PM1D DIGITAL MIXING CONSOLE —Unit 6 Audio/Video Truck Contains Digital Recording and Editing Suite, 5.1 Mixing Capabilities— BUENA PARK, CA (April 23, 2001)—CSP Mobile Productions of Portland, ME, has the unique distinction of being able to trace its roots directly back to the pioneer days of broadcasting, when, in 1925, William Henry Rines started an in-house radio station to promote his Congress Square Hotel. Seventy-five years later, this venture (known as Maine Radio and Television Company, LLC) retains the original family ownership, and since 1989, has been a powerhouse in television broadcasting and mobile recording/video services.
CSP operates three mobile units: Units 4 and 5 are 40-ft. tractor trailers containing complete video facilities; Unit 6, the latest addition to the fleet, is a 28-ft. straight trailer containing a high-tech digital recording and editing suite, 5.1 mixing capabilities and a 96-input Yamaha PM1D large-format digital audio mixing system as its focal point. All three trucks were designed by CSP engineers and built by Maine craftsmen. With an ever-expanding client roster that includes professional and college sports, entertainment and major corporations, CSP has achieved a reputation of technical service and excellence, while, according to its company literature, maintaining the hallmarks of "the New England tradition of craftsmanship, innovation and thrift." "We expanded into mobile trucks as an effort to provide a cost-effective, 'one-stop shop' for our clients," explains Len Chase, vice president and operations manager. "We tend to be very active during the summer pay-per-view season, and we always brought in another vendor's recording truck, which can get expensive—so, we built our own. It's a way of bringing the studio right to the gig. With Unit 6, we designed a truck with a combination of the latest technology—the PM1D, the 5.1 surround—and a 'big truck' feel. Plus, all three trucks are set up in design to work with each other."
Lance Vardis, audio engineer who handled much of the design for Unit 6, elaborates, "If you take a cross section of what is available in audio remote trucks today, they're all very good. However, many are large tractor trailers, so size and expense are considerations. On the other end of the spectrum, many of the smaller, 'straight-trailer' trucks only offer analog, and nothing like 5.1. With Unit 6, we're able to record at a show, bring the truck back to Portland and review the pictures and sound, which is like re-living the event. Being able to remix in the same environment where you tracked the show makes it very easy to get back into the proper frame of mind." In order to keep a reign on costs, a digital mixing console was not in the original plans for Unit 6. "We started by looking at our analog options," explains Nat Thompson, CSP president. "Lance saw an article on the introduction of the PM1D at the Audio Engineering Society convention. Since our other trucks contain Yamaha PM3500 and PM3000 consoles, we were already familiar with the 'PM Series' layout and quality. Lance and I agreed that it answered all our concerns in the areas of features, size and economics." Vardis elaborates, "I've used the Yamaha 02R and 03D mixing consoles on studio recording projects for years, and knew the benefits of using digital boards. For instance, the Recall function would allow us to save scenes, soundchecks or even entire shows. The ergonomics—the control surface—was a big deciding factor. It's much more user-friendly than other digital consoles. Since everything is discretely in front of you, there's no need to page. Even the channel strip labels are recallable. In March, we recorded an 80-track Easter pay-per-view event for Contemporary Christian artist Carman, tracking on a Yamaha PM4000 and ten Tascam DA-78 recorders. Right after that, the PM1D was installed in Unit 6, so I did the final mix on it. Going from the 4K to the 1D was a very smooth transition," he adds. Configurable in both 48- and 96-channel versions with 48 mix busses, 24 matrices and 12 DCAs, the Yamaha PM1D system utilizes top-quality 28-bit A/D and 27-bit D/A conversion. Dual inputs on each channel provide 96 inputs for the 48-channel system (192 inputs on the 96-channel version). If additional channels are required, adding a second digital engine (DSP1DEX) can expand the PM1D system to 384 inputs on 192 channels with 96 mix busses, 48 matrices and 24 DCAs. With a control surface at slightly over half the weight of comparable analog consoles, the compact configuration provides easy transport and positioning. Features include: total recall, undo, off-line programmability, central control, graphic parameter readout and an advanced user interface. Up to 990 scene memories can be stored. In the event of a control surface disconnect or power failure, the system will continue to pass audio. Console-to-stage audio and control signals are carried via one 68-pin cable and two Ethernet cables. Head amp gain trim settings are recallable and may be controlled via remote control. In situations where multiple control surfaces are used which share I/O (e.g., monitors, FOH and remote truck), the main DSP1D mix and processing engine may be configured with a simple switch to select which surface will control head amp gain. Other channel features include a powerful virtual channel, four-band fully parametric EQ, compressor and noise gate on every channel, user-definable number of aux sends, effects processors and graphic EQs. In addition to the PM1D, Unit 6 features 48 channels of 24-bit Tascam DA-78, 48 tracks of hard disk recording/editing capability and Macintosh G4 editing front end with MOTU 2408 digital/ analog interface. Five Genelec 1031 self-powered cabinets and a Genelec 1096 sub provide 5.1 surround monitoring and mixing capability. Dynamics and effects processing includes a variety of gear from T.C. Electronic, Drawmer, Eventide, Yamaha and Lexicon. Unit 6 also contains two 42-in. Fujitsu plasma video monitors, a Whirlwind 56-channel transformer-isolated splitter, an Equi=Tech Balanced Power system and a complement of microphones from Sennheisser, Shure and Audix. Having 5.1 mixing capability was another goal in the design of this truck," Thompson explains. "Surround can really enhance any broadcast, particularly music, and more producers are realizing that. We know that we plan on mixing for DVD sometime in the future, so we take that into consideration when we mike a room and instruments. In addition, we're fully prepared to mix for DVD-A and DVD-V, since we do so much interfacing with picture." Future projects include video and audio for the Springfield (MA) Symphony and Chorus production of Mozart's The Magic Flute for PBS, a concert date with Carly Simon, an HDTV broadcast for folk-rock artist Everlast and the annual HipHop Awards. CSP is also looking into the possibility of expanding their high-end quality webcasting. "We believe Unit 6 will take CSP to the next level," concludes Chase. "After all, great broadcasts begin with great audio product." For more information, write CSP Mobile Productions LLC,
1 Delta Drive Westbrook, ME 04092; telephone (207) 375-6052; e-mail
go@cspmobile.com; or visit www.cspmobile.com.
For more information on the PM1D, write Yamaha Corporation
of America, Pro Audio & Combo Division, Commercial Audio, P.O. Box
6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail info@yamaha.com;
or visit www.yamaha.com/proaudio.
© 2001 Yamaha
Corporation of America |
