TVNZ Complete Digital Upgrade with Sigma
TVNZ in Wellington, NZ, have completed a total digital upgrade of their Avalon Facilities Studio 8 with the purchase of a 64 fader Sigma 100 digital console.
TVNZ upgraded the vision and production control rooms of Suite 8 in August 2004 and the acquisition of the Sigma completes the refurbishment, providing the broadcaster with a fully digital facility.
To be used live to air five days a week, TVNZ chose Calrec primarily on their reputation as a broadcast desk specialist.
"The Sigma is capable of storing the entire desk set up into a number of memories, which will enable Suite 8 to be switched quickly to control other studio floors," says Avalon Studios’ Sound Team Leader Don Paulin. "Complex programme set ups can be recalled, which saves on manual rigging time and ensures consistency of sound quality. The desk can also mix into Surround Sound formats compatible with developing TV standards.
"The Sigma has a history of reliability, fast restart, intuitive operation, and an easy to follow signal path. Redundancy is also vitally important, and was a major factor in the decision to purchase the console."
Suite 8 is New Zealand’s premier production facility and is regularly used for format shows such as "Cash Battle" and "Dancing with the Stars" where the production team have very specific requirements and expect to move quickly from one recording to the next.
"The studio also handles large specials such as "Test the Nation" and the Elections, and needed to be equipped to meet this need," adds Don.
"TVNZ in Auckland already has Calrec S2 analogue desks in CR3, CR4 and CR1A. A development version of the digital Sigma was demonstrated prior to the purchase for CR1A and had it been available would have been seriously considered against the analogue desk that was purchased."
TVNZ is the biggest provider of local drama, documentary, comedy and entertainment in New Zealand. Over the last two years TV ONE averaged almost 1,000 hours of new local programming and TV2 averaged 800 hours in these genres – ten times as much as any other television channel in New Zealand.
