Sony digital Pro-Audio loud and clear for channel 38 switch over

DWX Digital Wireless from Sony Professional

 

Ahead of the planned switch over to channel 38 for radio microphones in July 2012, Sony will be demonstrating its full range of compatible Digital Wireless solutions at the Broadcast and Video Europe show (BVE). Despite the government publishing guidance on the changes in 2009, many dealers and broadcasters are still to act in preparation for the reallocation of the channel 69 section of spectrum, which is now less than 18 months away.

Currently sound technicians in the Programme Making and Special Events (PMSE) sector use channel 69 to operate wireless equipment. However this area of the spectrum is being cleared to enable mobile broadband services across Europe. Channel 38 has been assigned by Ofcom to replace channel 69 for such users in the UK.

The new operating frequency will mean that existing equipment may need replacing. Until recently the UK government was providing a compensation scheme to subsidise the cost of buying replacement equipment, this has now closed. However, Sony customers will still be able to take advantage of the PrimeSupport Plus modification package until the end of March 2011.

The PrimeSupport Plus modification package enables customers to purchase specific DWX digital products safe in the knowledge that they will receive the necessary modifications to operate in the new frequency band from July 2012 onwards.

The Sony Pro-Audio range has now been extended to offer the new frequency range and can be used across the full variety of field and studio broadcast situations. The changeover is also a great opportunity for broadcasters looking to move away from analogue to digital solutions. With the necessity to purchase new equipment for the change in operating spectrum, customers should be exploring digital audio solutions.

Bill Drummond, Sony Audio Product Manager explained what advantages the move to digital can bring: “There are distinct advantages to digital wireless audio, a superior sound quality can be delivered and the channel capacity in an 8MHz band is increased by up to 60% from 10 channels of wireless in the old analogue systems to 16 with the new DWX digital system. Transmitters can be remotely controlled from either receivers or PC control software, enabling remote changes to transmitter parameters and more flexible power management. In addition to this the use of encryption technology will increase levels of security on audio transmissions.”