Bel Digital Audio has started shipping a new 16-channel 2RU audio monitor/de-embedder, with the first seven going to Gearhouse Broadcast for use in flyaway systems, and a further three to a US-based sports broadcaster, writes David Fox. “It can monitor audio of any flavour, whether embedded in an SDI video stream of Dolby E,” said Sales Manager, Barry Revels (pictured). “We keep all the main functions on knobs and buttons. It’s not driven through a menu. It’s designed so you never need to look at the instruction manual.” The BM-A2-16SHD uses 16 individual high resolution LED bargraph meters rather than OLED screens, for added reliability, and provides audio monitoring of 3G-, HD- and SD-SDI video signals with loopthrough. A second version, the BM-A2-E16SHD also offers Dolby E and Dolby Digital decoding, and “is the first of its type to decode Dolby Digital Plus,” he said. The £5,495 unit has a comprehensive range of inputs and outputs, including two SDI inputs alongside eight AES audio pairs and eight analogue inputs.
The two-way monitor speakers on the front panel can be sourced from any available channel and additional audible monitoring is provided via a headphone socket. Gearhouse Broadcast also recently purchased 52 Bel Digital Audio 3G HD compatible BM-A1-2SHD audio monitors/de-embedders, using them for the HD coverage of the 2012 Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne. It provided the technical facilities as Host Broadcaster for Channel 7, including TV coverage from seven courts plus the World Feed and Channel 7’s unilateral facilities. Gearhouse also provided unilateral facilities to ESPN and the Tennis Channel and facilities to tennis Australia for delivery to various platforms. The 1RU Bel units were used together with Gearhouse’s existing stock of 2RU Bel boxes to provide all the audio monitoring in the facility. The BM-A1-2SHD was bought because of its compact size, simple setup and self-explanatory front panel. www.beldigital.com
