As Europe’s second oldest radio broadcaster (after the BBC), Czech Radio (Český rozhlas – ČRo) was established in 1923 and is the largest public radio broadcaster in the Czech Republic. It offers four national services, 14 regional stations, channels covering classical and jazz music, sports, children’s and youth radio services, and external multi-language broadcasts. With previous experiences of DiGiCo SD12 consoles, Czech Radio’s team recently expanded its fleet of OBs, with a Quantum338 serving the a van for the station’s key location in Prague.
‘The Quantum 338 will allow Czech Radio to mix up to 128 channels of audio with enormous processing capabilities and unprecedented flexibility thanks to its universal DMI slots and two Dante DMI modules,’ says Petr Šťásek from Pro Music, which supplied the console. ‘Additionally, the advanced processing capabilities of the console and its superior flexibility, all featured in a compact format, was something that we knew would give them an edge in their busiest location in the capital city.’
The console is complemented by three DiGiCo SD-Rack stage boxes equipped with 32-bit John Stadius AD/DA converters and Optocore connectivity up to a distance of 250m.
‘The calibre of broadcasts done at Czech Radio meant system reliability was our number one priority. The entire technology of the OB van is powered from the grid through a power backup supply, which allows up to 30 minutes of full operation even in the case of a blackout,’ explains Jaromír Nikl, the chief of radio broadcasts at Czech Radio.
The Czech Radio team wanted to ensure that, with their latest Quantum 338 upgrade, they would have a highly reliable system that would facilitate their needs for many years to come.
‘After their great experience with the SD12, they wanted a future-proof system that will allow their sound engineers to achieve complete creative freedom and produce great content within a technically demanding and highly pressured outside broadcasting environment,’ explains Šťásek.
Following its installation, the new system has transformed itself into a workhorse for Czech Radio’s main OB van for its Prague location, offering excellent audio quality and bringing ultimate flexibility to the team’s workflow.
‘The team is very pleased with its Quantum338 upgrade,’ concludes Nikl. ‘The recording technology with a capacity of 128 tracks based on a modern Dante network protocol ensures reliable real-time transmission with minimal latency and unprecedented flexibility, which is crucial for a sought-after radio broadcaster such as Czech Radio. In a few years we will be celebrating our centenary, so being able to invest in future-proof, high quality technology that allows us to achieve greater power and connectivity is the best way we can celebrate this significant milestone.’
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