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Analog Studio Crosstalk

Analog Studio Crosstalk

Owned by Mj Mohns
Last updated: Dec 12, 2024
4 min read

 

This guide covers the following studios:

  • GBY-A/B

  • EAU-A/B

  • WAU-A/B

  • LAX-A/B

Overview

Four of our Bureaus have analog mixing consoles that have their main audio output connected to our IP audio network, and receive a feed back from our network. These two way feeds allow crosstalk with our analog studios, however manual configuration is needed by the remote operator.

Throughout this guide “Host Studio” will refer to the studio who’s audio output is on the air or being recorded. “Remote Studio” will refer to the studio who’s audio is being transmitted to the Host (and is receiving backfeed audio from the Host Studio).

Audio Routing

The analog mixing consoles in the studios listed above all have two audio output busses, Program (PGM) and Audition (AUD). When that studio is assigned on a Livewire console (All broadcast and most production studios), that Host Studio will be getting the audio of the PGM bus in the Remote Studio. Any faders ON and up, and assigned to the PGM bus, will be heard by the Host Studio. Each analog studio console in turn has a fader dedicated to backfeed. It is a different fader in each studio, detailed in the table below.

Host Studio Process

The operator in the Host Studio should:

  1. Assign the Remote Studio’s source to a fader

    1. Source naming on all of WPR’s Livewire consoles (Fusion, Qor/iQ, Quasar, Altus) will follow the format BUREAU-STUDIO-BUS.

 

 

For example: LAX-A-PGM, EAU-B-PGM, etc

  1. Ensure the Remote Studio’s fader is assigned to PGM-1

  2. Turn it ON and fade it up (when audio is needed)

  3. Ensure the Remote Studio operator knows they are responsible for their faders being on/up

  4. Test audio and backfeed before airtime (whenever Possible)

 

 

The host console will generate backfeed audio that includes everything assigned to the Host Studio’s PGM-1 (excluding the Remote Studio’s audio; also known as a “mix-minus”)
image-20241206-234424.png

 

 

IMPORTANT: Unassign any Remote Studio sources when crosstalk is finished!

Automatically generated backfeed is awesome when you need to talk to someone in another studio, and very not awesome when you don’t. Specifically, backfeed being routed to one studio will prevent it for all other studios. For example, you just had a pitcher in VLS-A for All Things Considered, hosted out of VLS-NEWS. Another pitcher is about to use VLS-A to pitch for Drivetime Classics, hosted out of MKE-A. If you don’t unassign VLS-A-Pgm1 from the VLS-NEWS console, MKE-A won’t generate backfeed when they assign it.
For this same reason, do NOT store Remote Studio sources in show profiles.

Remote Studio Process

The operator in the Remote Studio should:

  1. Ensure any faders going on-air during crosstalk (mics, PC) are:

    1. Assigned to PGM

    2. Turned ON and faded up

  2. Ensure the backfeed fader is:

    1. assigned to AUD

    2. Turned ON and faded up

  3. Ensure their headphones are assigned to both PGM and AUD.

 

Each fader on our analog consoles has assignment buttons for the PGM and AUD busses, when the button is on/lit, that fader’s audio is included in that bus. There are similar buttons for headphones and monitor speakers (Control Room) on the left side of the console, these control whether that bus is included in the headphone/monitor mix.

Each fader also has switch for source A/B, backfeed faders on the table specify which source, e.g. 5B 9A, etc.
image-20241206-235250.png

Backfeed Faders

While we are not able to control or automate any settings on the analog consoles from outside the studio, we are able to automate the audio that routes to them. The backfeed fader for each studio (see list below) will have the correct backfeed for whichever Host Studio* has assigned that studio as an audio source.

*Note that multiple Host Studios cannot assign the same Remote Studio simultaneously, as only the first studio to assign will generate backfeed.

 

Analog Studio

Backfeed Fader

GBY-A

9-A

GBY-B

6-A

EAU-A

9-A

EAU-B

8-A

LAX-A

2-B

LAX-B

3-A

WAU-A

8-B

WAU-B

7-B

 

Troubleshooting

If audio or backfeed is not routing and being heard as-expected. These are preliminary steps to take before contacting Radio Engineering.

  • Un-assign & Reassign Sources (Host Studio)

    • this will clear any erroneous routing and re-pull information from the source profile stored in the console’s mix engine.

  • Check for Conflicts

    • Pathfinder has a panel showing who is generating backfeed for whom throughout our audio network. This is the fastest way to identify if another studio is preempting the source you are trying to use.

  • Contact Engineering

    • The issue may be settings or problems within console mix engines or other equipment in the audio network. If the above steps do not resolve the issue, contact engineering (best method is the #radio-engineering Slack channel). Describe the issue, and the steps you’ve taken so far. Be sure to specify whether the issue is happening on or off the air.

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