I've been doing broadcast engineering about 5+ decades still at it. Thing you say were true back then as now. We always used someone who knew our trucks to do site survey for parking and power. High schools are always the worst they have no I/O area and cracking a door when it's 15 outside....... I built something like your press box several years for use with a half-pint 6 cam production van. It is a necessity. We used decent quality PC HDMI 22" monitors for talent with SDI to HDMI adapters. Fiber is the best way to go. I had 12 Ch. SM-ST on 250ft reels usually enough. I also have SESCOM audio over fiber units to extend everything from analog ICM, IFB. Just use throw down mic preamp for headsets. What is nice about the fiber snake you can run clock signals and other data along with audio to truck no interference, I now use it also to send VISCA over LAN for my robotic POV cams. Keep up the good work.
Great video. Very clever idea to remote the ABMs. One thing I did with a similar stagebox build was got a single higher rated 12V power supply, and split the output to run all our little devices. Just total up the power requirements for all the FiDos, Lynx & Thor boxes, and put one 12V power supply in. It's a little larger than any of the single units, but way lighter than all those power bricks & A/C splitter cables. I figure I saved a few *pounds* all said and done from our stage box. The ABMs take a bit more power, so you'll need something beefy of you include them in the common 12V power, but those fiber boxes take like nothing.
Hi! Thank you and thanks for sharing! I actually had did this as well for the first variation of the remote press box on the other unit. I ended up going back to power bricks and I can't particularly remember why. I think it had to do with space and form factor of the supply?... I'll have to ask Dan, he'll recall - that was another one of his projects haha. Anyways, thanks for watching!
Great Video! Good seeing someone sharing some of their insights. For anyone considering the build: There are very cheap BMD-SDI fiber converters available that I know will work well with standard SDI-SFP (Pathalogical Pattern Compliant) modules. Standard SDI SFP modules are far cheaper than manufacturer-specific ones. This is also useful as you can create a CWDM multiplex system with the appropriate SFPs, reducing the number of fibers to 1 or 2. For things that for some reason you don't want to toss into such a passive multiplex unit, I would consider using BiDi SFPs so that you can further reduce the number of fibers required. With fewer fibers, professional connectors like OpticalCON or MIL-83526 connectors with extended beam become a viable option and make your system much more robust. If you use LC connectors without proper protection and cleaning procedures you will run into problems one day down the road. However, you can also consider SDI over Ethernet over fiber with SMPTE 2110 converters instead of direct SDI over fiber. AJA has converters that will also solve your synchronization problem (IPT-10G2-SDI). Switches with 40G uplinks / 10G ports and 40G QSFP + modules are very affordable these days, e.g. Mikrotik CRS326-24S + 2Q + RM (not yet tested). In addition, it offers the option of using a redundant fiber cable. And I guess you can throw any halfway decent SFP + in the AJA units. I am not familiar with Ross products, but I am wondering if there is no way to receive and send audio through Dante? Those ABM units seem quiet expensive to me for their feature set. And last but not least: RS485 over Ethernet for camera control would probably be a more efficient and versatile solution.
The benefits of the ABMs are that they proprietary with the Graphite and allow a streamlined interface from the device to the RAVE audio engine. The Graphite does also support Dante as a windows sound card, so that is always an option too!
I'll chime in here with my recommendations for OpticalCON connectors for a way more robust fiber path. I built some very similar cases with our flyaway kit (basically a smaller version of your truck in two 6RU cases, plus a 2RU stagebox on 1 duplex fiber), and I used OpticalCON panel connectors instead of those LC only type. The OpticalCON connectors cost more, but you can still use them just like this with LC, but you can also use OpticalCON cables for way better protection. We carry OpticalCON cables as our primary, but have some cheap LC cables stashed in the kit for backup.
Other camera systems like the Blackmagic Design has video and talkback in one unit: The talkback/IFB is incorporated in SDI channels 15 and 16 (these are unused digital audio channels).
Was so optimistic- single multi strand tactical fiber optic cable snake... Literally every word in that sentence multiplies the initial cost. Very educational and the way to do it for sure-. Wondering the overall concept of fiber for E.F.P. and if it actially improves and helps our work.
The rs485 to fiber converter most likely uses 2 different Lightwaves , one for transmit and one for receive. That is how fiber to the home Internet works. You can get sip fiber modules to run ethernet on a single fiber.
@@scwfan08 Tragically, we did have a fiber reel get yanked while going up a lift... It didn't survive. I'm having it repaired now, but lesson definitely learned. Mind the cable while the lift is going up.
Hey Ryan! Great stuff! I would love to hear your strategies when troubleshooting. Everyone I’ve talked to seems to handle it a little bit differently. Thanks!
Why do you use the built in audio system in the Ross vision switcher? Normally would see seperate audio consoles round here for ease of use for the OP and compatibility with other systems and cost.
Hi! The RAVE audio engine is pretty sufficient for what we typically need for with the level of productions we use the unit on. They've also recently added EQ graphs and pre fader processing. We also use an Ultrix, so it's really synergistic with embedded audio routing. Also a huge advantage is the native control from the Graphite, such as opening and closing faders/recalling scenes via custom controls. For a controller, we use a combination of a touch screen monitor and the X Touch midi controller!
@@BroadcastBuddyTV Fair enough! I just know a few A1s that would turn their noses up at such a system if they came across one! Anyway, thanks for the video, just binged your whole channel!
![Broadcasting High School Football (Behind the Scenes) [Broadcast Engineering]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/AFQJzNZSvtk/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks for sharing. I'm really enjoying this.
I've been doing broadcast engineering about 5+ decades still at it. Thing you say were true back then as now. We always used someone who knew our trucks to do site survey for parking and power. High schools are always the worst they have no I/O area and cracking a door when it's 15 outside....... I built something like your press box several years for use with a half-pint 6 cam production van. It is a necessity. We used decent quality PC HDMI 22" monitors for talent with SDI to HDMI adapters. Fiber is the best way to go. I had 12 Ch. SM-ST on 250ft reels usually enough. I also have SESCOM audio over fiber units to extend everything from analog ICM, IFB. Just use throw down mic preamp for headsets. What is nice about the fiber snake you can run clock signals and other data along with audio to truck no interference, I now use it also to send VISCA over LAN for my robotic POV cams. Keep up the good work.
Thanks guys, really interesting stuff.
Great video.
Very clever idea to remote the ABMs.
One thing I did with a similar stagebox build was got a single higher rated 12V power supply, and split the output to run all our little devices. Just total up the power requirements for all the FiDos, Lynx & Thor boxes, and put one 12V power supply in. It's a little larger than any of the single units, but way lighter than all those power bricks & A/C splitter cables. I figure I saved a few *pounds* all said and done from our stage box.
The ABMs take a bit more power, so you'll need something beefy of you include them in the common 12V power, but those fiber boxes take like nothing.
Hi!
Thank you and thanks for sharing! I actually had did this as well for the first variation of the remote press box on the other unit. I ended up going back to power bricks and I can't particularly remember why. I think it had to do with space and form factor of the supply?... I'll have to ask Dan, he'll recall - that was another one of his projects haha.
Anyways, thanks for watching!
you sir are indeed an artisan engineer
Great Video! Good seeing someone sharing some of their insights.
For anyone considering the build:
There are very cheap BMD-SDI fiber converters available that I know will work well with standard SDI-SFP (Pathalogical Pattern Compliant) modules.
Standard SDI SFP modules are far cheaper than manufacturer-specific ones.
This is also useful as you can create a CWDM multiplex system with the appropriate SFPs, reducing the number of fibers to 1 or 2.
For things that for some reason you don't want to toss into such a passive multiplex unit, I would consider using BiDi SFPs so that you can further reduce the number of fibers required. With fewer fibers, professional connectors like OpticalCON or MIL-83526 connectors with extended beam become a viable option and make your system much more robust. If you use LC connectors without proper protection and cleaning procedures you will run into problems one day down the road.
However, you can also consider SDI over Ethernet over fiber with SMPTE 2110 converters instead of direct SDI over fiber. AJA has converters that will also solve your synchronization problem (IPT-10G2-SDI). Switches with 40G uplinks / 10G ports and 40G QSFP + modules are very affordable these days, e.g. Mikrotik CRS326-24S + 2Q + RM (not yet tested). In addition, it offers the option of using a redundant fiber cable. And I guess you can throw any halfway decent SFP + in the AJA units.
I am not familiar with Ross products, but I am wondering if there is no way to receive and send audio through Dante? Those ABM units seem quiet expensive to me for their feature set.
And last but not least: RS485 over Ethernet for camera control would probably be a more efficient and versatile solution.
Excellent tips! Thanks for sharing with the community!
The benefits of the ABMs are that they proprietary with the Graphite and allow a streamlined interface from the device to the RAVE audio engine. The Graphite does also support Dante as a windows sound card, so that is always an option too!
I'll chime in here with my recommendations for OpticalCON connectors for a way more robust fiber path. I built some very similar cases with our flyaway kit (basically a smaller version of your truck in two 6RU cases, plus a 2RU stagebox on 1 duplex fiber), and I used OpticalCON panel connectors instead of those LC only type. The OpticalCON connectors cost more, but you can still use them just like this with LC, but you can also use OpticalCON cables for way better protection. We carry OpticalCON cables as our primary, but have some cheap LC cables stashed in the kit for backup.
Other camera systems like the Blackmagic Design has video and talkback in one unit: The talkback/IFB is incorporated in SDI channels 15 and 16 (these are unused digital audio channels).
A podcast would be great!
Awesome Broadcast Buddy! I was dreaming up something similar and you just gave me some great thoughts!!
Great video. What do use to protect your LC connectors on that snake?
Was so optimistic- single multi strand tactical fiber optic cable snake... Literally every word in that sentence multiplies the initial cost. Very educational and the way to do it for sure-. Wondering the overall concept of fiber for E.F.P. and if it actially improves and helps our work.
The rs485 to fiber converter most likely uses 2 different Lightwaves , one for transmit and one for receive. That is how fiber to the home Internet works. You can get sip fiber modules to run ethernet on a single fiber.
That is technically called WDM (Wave Division Multiplexing).
I think you should have some method of securing the fibre, in case for some reason the very delicate fibres got yanked...they’d be snapped.
Yah we normally secure fiber to a railing with rope and/or gaffers tape. We definitely don't want broken fiber for such a critical piece of equipment.
In my defense, there is a good extra 30 ft of slack in the fiber snake there haha. Also, I absolutely tie it off at the window! 😅
Actually the fiber is more robust than you think
@@scwfan08 Tragically, we did have a fiber reel get yanked while going up a lift... It didn't survive. I'm having it repaired now, but lesson definitely learned. Mind the cable while the lift is going up.
Hey Ryan! Great stuff! I would love to hear your strategies when troubleshooting. Everyone I’ve talked to seems to handle it a little bit differently. Thanks!
I definitely have a method! I'm writing this down for a future video idea :)
I would like to know how can I build a remote press box just for audio and video ???
What network switch was put in the small rack? I like the size of it
What fiber cable to you use at the end when demoing between the OB and the press booth?
It's a tatical 6 stand LC single mode cable. 500ft. If you want the exact SKU I'd have to dig for it :)
For the I/O Panel build specifically, where do you prefer to purchase the panel and the connectors?
How many people would need on your team to make this livestream possible? Camera men, director, tech, graphic etc?
Why do you use the built in audio system in the Ross vision switcher? Normally would see seperate audio consoles round here for ease of use for the OP and compatibility with other systems and cost.
Hi! The RAVE audio engine is pretty sufficient for what we typically need for with the level of productions we use the unit on. They've also recently added EQ graphs and pre fader processing. We also use an Ultrix, so it's really synergistic with embedded audio routing. Also a huge advantage is the native control from the Graphite, such as opening and closing faders/recalling scenes via custom controls.
For a controller, we use a combination of a touch screen monitor and the X Touch midi controller!
@@BroadcastBuddyTV Fair enough! I just know a few A1s that would turn their noses up at such a system if they came across one! Anyway, thanks for the video, just binged your whole channel!
Love you're videos! But, the offbeat jump edit in the porn bed always drives me nuts. :)
Pre Face
interesting but the shitty autofocus cam is a hell. guys, you make video, why can't you care of that detail?
Kill the music. If someone is interested enough to watch a video like this, they don’t need music to keep them interested