SSL desks assist Fujian TVs HD transition
Published: ASIA
CHINA: Fujian TV, a part of the Fujian Radio, Film and TV Group in China, has acquired two 40-fader, 96-DSP channel Solid State Logic C100 HDS consoles to assist in the HD production of three highly popular variety television shows. The purchase follows the broadcaster’s recent move into a new production facility as part of its transition towards HD and an all-digital workflow.
Fujian TV (FJTV) is the biggest television station in East China's Fujian Province, delivering nearly 140 hours of programming each week over two channels to 30 million viewers. The consoles are being used for the live-to-air production of Happy Choir, a nationwide chorus competition based on a UK BBC television format named Last Choir Standing, a male versus female game show named Friends Like These, and an educational quiz called This Time Tomorrow.
One C100 desk is being used to service the broadcaster’s 800 sq-m studio, named Studio 800, while the second is in operation within the larger, 1,000 sq-m Studio 1000.
‘The decision was made to build an entirely new production facility to meet the demands of HD broadcasting and our expanded production schedule, so we purchased new equipment for most of our studios,’ explained Mr Huangwei, FJTV’s audio section chief.
‘The console is the perfect choice to handle the type of programs we produce, which feature a live studio audience, fast-paced lighting, computer-driven backdrops and many camera cuts to accelerate the action. The C100 HDS is extremely powerful and agile, while its compact form fits well into our new live studios’.
According to Mr Huangwei, live feeds of each television show are captured into a Pro Tools LE DAW. He continued: ‘The C100 provides plenty of buses. We use it for the broadcast sound of each show and we are using the buses to control different groups of loudspeakers for the audience, including a centre line array, subwoofer and front fill. We wanted to have the very best equipment available for our productions. The C100 HDS is an integral part of our expansion.’
Alongside broadcasting to its core audience, FJTV supplies programming via satellite to the entire Chinese mainland plus Hong Kong and Taiwan.