PRODUCTS
Calrec's award-winning Bluefin High Density Signal Processing (HDSP) is a revolution in the provision of DSP for large format broadcast sound mixing consoles. It is revolutionary because, for the first time it is possible to have all the DSP for the entire console on a single card.
This represents only 10% of the space currently required by comparable systems, from any manufacturer, using alternative technologies. Calrec has achieved this by utilising recent improvements in chip size and speed in an innovative way.
The advantages of Bluefin are considerable: in addition to the space saving, it more than doubles the number of available channels and at the same time, more than halves the per channel cost. This allows our customers to handle the large numbers of 5.1 surround-sound signals that are often required to produce High Definition programmes, without the extra expense that this would otherwise entail.
The single card design leads to even greater reliability and has allowed us to expand the I/O capability of the system to deal with the extra signals that 5.1 requires. Bluefin also reduces the power consumption and heat produced, which further benefits our customers.
In addition to DSP, Bluefin incorporates greatly increased audio delay facilities, which are more often required for HD production, especially when using both SD and HD equipment.
Bluefin is also available as a simple upgrade for any existing Alpha & Sigma consoles, thus minimising the cost and disruption of moving to HD production for our customers.
"Quite simply Bluefin doubles the processing power of the largest Calrec Alpha console at no extra cost, and more than doubles the power of smaller versions," says Sales Director John Gluck.
"The Bluefin technology project has been in development for a number of years and elements of the technology have been used in the Alpha console since its launch in 1999. It is a proprietary architecture which has been conceived and developed entirely within Calrec and as such has been a major undertaking.
"The reality of HD programming is that it will continue to create more demand for 5.1 content. We already see our customers needing more and more signal paths to create 5.1 channels yet HD programming with 5.1 audio is only just taking off. This technology meets production needs for HD production and live to air delivery far into the future."
Bluefin processing provides benefits beyond size and functionality. Calrec Alpha products have an unrivalled history of reliability and Bluefin further enhances this.
- Click here to listen to Calrec's Podcast on Bluefin
