Xpression FM Outside Broadcast Equipment Manual

By Ronald Liong

Introduction to Guide This guide is designed to aid in the learning of outside broadcast equipment and how to set them up. This should be used as part of Event Training. Note that this manual does not cover the administrative side of doing an outside broadcast – just the equipment. Workflow When setting up an outside broadcast, there may be various ways, with various setups, depending on the situation, needs, and available resources. As our existing equipment is quite heavy and bulky, you may have to consider the logistics as well. For the sake of this manual, we will be covering as many different possible situations as possible. This manual will start from the mixing desk, then the input, and finally, the outputs. It is best if you start with the mixing desk, but the order in which you go about setting up an OB thereafter is up to you. Content Desk/Mixer (Alice) Inputs

Microphone Another Mixing Desk Prefading CD Player MiniDisc Player Computer/Portable Music Player

Outputs Monitor Headphones

Webcast Speakers Checklist

DESK/MIXER – aka ALICE

The mixer is a smaller version of the desk you would see in the studio. You can plug in two microphones, a dual CD player, a laptop, and/or a minidisc player. You can also output to a monitor headphone, to an OB laptop, and/or to a speaker (via an amplifier).

1. Plug in the mains (this is on the top right of the mixer). 2. Plug in the inputs and outputs…

INPUTS – the source of the audio.

You may have a range of possible inputs during an outside broadcast, including:-

• Microphones • Another mixing desk • CD Players • MiniDisc Players (for idents) • Computers/Portable music players

Microphones You can connect two microphones simultaneously using the XLR connection (see picture).

The microphone cables will be connected to “MIC 1” and/or “MIC 2” on Alice. Note that “MIC 1” is controlled by the switch, not a fader (i.e.: you cannot fade the sound from the microphone in. However, you can turn the mic on much faster.). Another Mixing Desk If you are taking an audio feed from another desk, you maybe given an XLR connection (similar to a microphone). If so, connect the cable as if it were a microphone.

However, be wary of the levels. Also, if the feed provides some ambient crowd noises, you may want to plug into Mic 2, so you can control the levels via the fader.

Prefading To prefade, press the “CUE” buttons (yellow square buttons above the switches and faders).

When prefading, adjust the Sensitivity dial on the top, and aim to keep the levels on the monitor between 5 and 6 for voices, and 4 to 5 for music..

Remember to press the “CUE” button again before bringing the mic live – this mixer does not automatically take inputs off prefade. If an input is still on “CUE”, the sound from that input does NOT go out the speakers or webcast! One other minor thing: LEAVE THE PAN IN THE MIDDLE, UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!

CD Player Xpression has a Numark Dual CD player for OB use.

The power and audio connections are on the back (see photos).

Connect the CD Player to the port labelled “LINE1&LINE 2”. On the mixer, Line 1 is for the Left CD Player, and Line 2 is for the Right CD Player. In other words, you can control the CD players independently, even though they are connected via one cable.

MiniDisc Player You may want to use a minidisc player to play Xpression Idents on Minidiscs. The MiniDisc Player has its own power plug. For the audio, connect using the RCA cables. Ensure that you are connecting to the LINE (ANALOG) OUT!

Also note that you have to push the connectors all the way in Connect the cable to LINE 3 on Alice.

LAPTOP/PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYER via 3.5mm mini-jack If you want to play songs from a laptop or MP3 Player with normal 3.5mm headphone jacks, you can use the included cable. Be sure to test the levels (you may have to increase the volume on the laptop or MP3 Player to the maximum.) Note the following:

- Have you checked the content of the tracks on your computer/MP3 player for explicit language?

- Will the system sounds be played out? - Are you connecting a mobile phone to the system? If so, DON’T. This will

cause interference!

OUTPUT – where your sound goes to. When doing an outside broadcast, you may have any of the following outputs:-

• Headphones (for Prefading and monitoring) • Webcast (Online Streaming, for the Studio) • Speakers

HEADPHONES The headphone port is on the back, next to the mains port.

Headphone levels can be adjusted on the right side of the desk.

WEBCAST – Online Streaming For a “LIVE” Outside Broadcast where you want to put the outside broadcast on air, you will need to set up a webcast. The purpose of the webcast is so that you can stream the output from Alice online. With this online stream, you can get the studio to play this stream and mass-broadcast this webstream on Xpression FM.

Alive – OB Laptop You will need to connect a cable from “Stereo Out – EG Computer” to the “LINE IN” input on the soundcard (comes in the case with the OB laptop)

Then, connect the soundcard to the OB Laptop via USB.

Alice OB Laptop

Webcast Streaming over the Internet

Windows Media

Player in the Studio

LIVE broadcast

on Xpression

FM

OB Laptop – Webcast Streaming Over the Internet You need an Internet connection for the OB laptop. It is strongly suggested that you use ETHERNET rather than Wi-Fi for bandwidth, quality and reliability.

Log in to “Broadcast” and Run the two programmes on the Desktop labelled “Run Me First”, followed by “Run Me Second”.

(It is important that you run the programmes in the specified order. Otherwise, the stream will not work).

If everything is working fine, you should see a screen like the following…

The next step is to find the IP address for the OB laptop. Go to Start>Run, type “cmd”, then in the command window, type “ipconfig”. Note down the “IP Address” (normally 144.173.162.xxx) – this forms part of the web address that the Studio needs to connect to for the webcast feed. In the studio (either in Control 2 or the Newsroom computer), open Windows Media Player, click “File>Open URL”, and type the IP address, followed by “:8000”. For example…

http://144.173.162.58:8000

Click OK. Windows Media Player should be connecting to the webcast. Note that as this is done online and encoded, there is a delay (between 5 and 20 seconds, depending on various factors). To get around this problem… FOR EVERYONE – Keep in constant contact via Skype Chat or Facebook Chat. FOR OB PRESENTERS Count down from 10 into your microphone, then add 1 to 3 seconds of silence after that before you start speaking. If it is possible, monitor the on-air output via FM. FOR PRODUCERS IN THE STUDIO If you are doing a broadcast, monitor the PC output on Prefade, and listen out for your OB presenters – they should be counting down before they start speaking. ALTERNATIVELY: If the studio wants to keep the on-air output in the background as a bed, cue by phones (i.e.: phone the studio when you are about to go on air).

Speakers To connect from Alice to the Speakers, you will need to use an amplifier.

Plug the “PA OUT” Cable into the port labelled “TO P.A. AMPLIFIER” on Alice.

Connect the other end into the Amplifier input (located on the front of the unit).

Note that at this point, before the amplifier is turned on, the gain and volume should be at the minimum – this is to avoid blowing/damaging the speaker and/or amplifier.

Alice   Ampli)ier   Speakers  

To connect the speakers, plug in the speaker leads to the “LOUDSPEAER OUTPUTS” on the back of the amplifier (the A/B Output does not matter much).

Plug the other ends into the speakers (again, the left/right connection does not matter much, as long as one cable is connected to each speaker.)

Be sure to turn the connector in a clockwise direction until it clicks in. To remove/detach the cable, pull the grey ring towards the blue part of the connector and turn the ring anti-clockwise (keeping the ring pulled).

The amplifier power mains plug is situated at the back of the unit.

Items Checklist – items can be removed from the list if not required Mixer { } Alice (with cables for mics, laptop, MiniDisc Player and amp in box) Inputs (relevant cables are in the Alice case unless otherwise stated) [ ] Microphone x2 [ ] XLR Cable (optional – to extend mic cables) [ ] CD Player (cable included inside CD Player case) [ ] Laptop/MP3 Player [ ] MiniDisc Player Output [ ] Amplifier [ ] Amp Power Lead [ ] 2x Speakers [ ] 2x Speaker Cables [ ] 2x Speaker Stand [ ] OB Laptop (with Power, Soundcard, USB and audio cable) [ ] Ethernet Cable [ ] Headphones for monitoring Power [ ] Power Reel/Extension Cord Miscellaneous [ ] Duct Tape