The completion of Phase Two of the infrastructure at MediaCityUK in Salford Quays, means that the new broadcast centre is able to support a large flow of programming. Spread over a 200-acre site, MediaCityUK hosts production companies to handle content creation and innovation, and is also being used by the BBC.

Completed in September 2010, Phase One saw systems integrator TSL commission radio and television studios and the central facilities to support them. TSL was contracted for the second phase to enhance and expand the original facilities and provide increased flexibility and functionality for the multiple broadcasters and styles of programmes being recorded and distributed. In particular, Studio HQ3 is now equipped to handle technically complicated, multi-format/distribution programmes, such as sports.

The number of incoming HD circuits is now 34 and an existing postproduction area now offers ten edit suites – eight of them capable of using either Avid or Final Cut Pro – under the control of a replay supervisor to orchestrate the workflow.

The project also included a dynamic connection between the centre and the BBC Digital Media Initiative (DMI), which makes content available on desktops anywhere, and forms part of the main portal for all BBC media entering and leaving the studio complex. Control and configuration of all operations in the studio complex is under the control of Virtual Studio Manager from LSB.

‘This was a particularly challenging project for us, not just because it implements some very advanced technology and workflows, but because we had to make it all happen in a broadcast centre that was already on air,’ says TSL CTO, Julian Knight. ‘Despite changing our plans regularly to work around studio and post production bookings, we handed over our part of the project ahead of the 15 July deadline.’

The project has also seen the Salzbrenner Stagetec MediaGroup provide a large Nexus audio network for the BBC’s leased facilities in the complex through its UK distributor, Aspen Media. The BBC has three buildings and a shared studio block where more than 2,300 BBC employees will be located from 2012 on.

The Nexus will link studio and production areas in the building with external lines for connection to transmitters and other sites such as London’s Broadcasting House and TV Centre, and various outside broadcast venues – as well as the audio router and communication system of the facilities. The order was placed following a competitive tender against the BBC’s framework contract holders.

At the heart of the system are two Stagetec Nexus Star routers, which are connected to 21 Nexus Base Devices spread around all three buildings. The system has an overall capacity of about 7,600 I/O channels with a mix of analogue, AES and Madi ports controlled and configured by the broadcaster’s own control system, Colledia Control. Madi connections are used for networking the Star routers, the Base Devices in studios and production rooms and the mixing and intercom system.

‘Nexus is highly resilient in that in addition to the redundancy installed in each Star, the Base Devices are self-contained routers that can provide local routing independent of the central routers,’ explaind Aspen Media MD, Chris Collings.

More: www.tsl.co.uk
More: www.aspen-media.com
More: www.stagetec.com