News studio S4 at the London Television Centre (TVC) is a news service in its own class. From here the BBC produces and transmits news, 24 hours a day, from across the world. T+M implements the highly complex installation using proven DHD technology

Richard Sambrook, Director of BBC News, described his sphere of responsibility as follows: "BBC News is the largest broadcast news operation in the world with more than 2,000 journalists and 48 newsgathering bureaux, 41 of which are overseas." Now he has one site less, since the refurbishment by T+M in record time of national BBC News & Sports channel’s "Five Live" flagship Studio S4. At the heart of the technically complex installation are two fibre optic networked redundant DHD RM4200 Routing & Mixing Systems.

The project management challenge for Thum+Mahr’s engineers was significant! It included the replacement of, in record time and within a tight budget, a 40 channel Calrec mixing console with external Outside Source router, as well as a complete Trilogy Studio T/B System. A workflow analysis was first carried out by Thum+Mahr to form the basis for the system design. The requirement that stood out was the need to achieve a uniform user interface throughout, with an identical ‘look and feel’ for all the operator positions. All operational procedures should be identical, and the work surfaces should be free of unnecessary knob and button clutter.

The solution developed mutually between Thum+Mahr and the BBC was based on an integrated DHD RM 4200 Routing & Mixing System. This used two DHD DSP frames connected with MADI Fibre and standard ethernet to form a functional unit. Each part system has its own DSP processors, and represents a matrix with a capacity of 192 mono channels and 6 MADI interfaces. The mixer core provides the basis for a maximum of 48 summing busses and 30 n-1 busses. Integrated with this is a 32-fader control surface with direct control of the essential parameters in the channel path, and a central control section. The layout of the channel strips and the central control section is arranged in split configuration, and exactly mirrors the workflow of the Studio Manager.

A large talk back matrix for 40 x 40 users forms an integral part of the DHD mixing system. The operating system in Cubicle S4 comes with 5 independent user stations with T/B, monitor and access functionality for 2 Studio Managers, Studio Director, Producer und Editor as well as for 3 presenters and up to 6 guests!