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EMX APPLICATIONS
The EMX console is most often used in an on-air studio to control the
audio going to a transmitter, feeding a syndication network, and/or
streaming to the internet. In almost all cases, the PGM 1 bus is going to
the air chain and thus would be your “air signal.” PGM 2 can
simultaneously be used to create a different console mix for a syndication
feed, to feed a recorder or a mic skimmer, or to go to a jack panel for a
temporary connection to a camera or other recorder.
When the console is used in an air studio, and there is no talk studio
associated with the console, the Studio monitor controls can be
“repurposed” for other uses. One typical use is to control the monitor
source feeding the guest headphones in the control room to allow the
board operator to change their monitoring source without affecting the
guest headphone audio. In this case the studio monitor output would feed
the guest headphones (either through their Talent Stations or a
headphone amp) and the studio output would be set to a fixed level (the
Studio level control would be inactive). The studio monitor controls would
then be used to select the monitor source for the guest headphones to
allow the board operator to freely switch between control room monitor
sources without affecting the audio going to the guest headphones. This
also gives the board operator the ability to talk into the guest headphones
using the STU TB (studio talkback)
button.
Figure 4-19 TS-4H Talent Station
The Studio output could alternately be used to connect the console to a
newsroom or to a sports bullpen that goes live to air when there is no
associated talk studio. The microphones in that room would be set as
“studio mics” so they mute the studio monitor output when on. In this
application, the board operator can also talk back to the talent in the
newsroom or sports studio. If studio monitor speakers are not required,
then the studio output could be used to feed a headphone amp.
Network Origination
Flagship stations for sports teams often need to have a second output
from their main air signal to function as a regional sports network feed.
This output is typically identical to their broadcast signal except it does not
have local commercial spots and liners. It may also require adding special
signal tones or other logic.
Creating this secondary network is easily done by using PGM 1 as your
main broadcast output and PGM 2 as your network feed. As long as the
media server channels are setup to consolidate local spots and station
liners on particular channels, then those faders can be unassigned from
PGM 2, whereas the national spots playback fader(s) and the game liners
and the play-by-play remote inputs would be assigned to both PGM buses.
Production Usage
In a production studio, PGM 1 is typically the main record signal for an
in-room PC running Pro Tools
®
, Audition
®
, or other digital editing system.
If the Wheatstone WNIP audio drivers are installed on that PC, and that PC
is connected to the Mix Engine’s Ethernet switch, no analog or digital audio
connection is required since the audio would connect via Ethernet for both
recording and playback.
Voice Tracking
Using the EMX to do voice tracking is easily done in a production room
where the mic channel would be assigned to both PGM 1 and PGM 2. No
other inputs on the console would be assigned to PGM 1, which connects
to the recorder. The channel (or channels) with track playback are
assigned only to PGM 2. The talent then monitors PGM 2 to hear both the
playback track(s) and their mic.
When voice tracking is done on an on-air console, PGM 2 and PGM 3 are
typically used to accomplish the same functionality as in a Production room
since PGM 1 is feeding air. It’s recommended that the talent mic be
assigned to a second fader—only assigned to PGM 2 and PGM 3. No other
channels should be assigned to PGM 2, which is the voice tracking feed to
the recorder. The playback audio channel(s) are assigned to PGM 3. The
talent would then monitor PGM 3 to hear track playback and their mic. If
they need to go live to air while voice tracking, they would use the normal
mic channel which remains assigned to the PGM 1 air feed.
Callers and Remotes
Basic caller and remote channel operation was covered in the Caller/
Remote Operation section on page 49. This section will present specific
settings for accomplishing tasks like simply answering the station hot line
on the caller channel to take a song request or give the caller the bad
news they are not the contest winner; to record the caller for later
broadcast because they are the contest winner; and, in the case of a talk
Summary of Contents for EMX
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