Riedel emerges as winner at Presidential debates

Entrusted with the communications of all Presidential debates since 1988, Laurence Estrin of Best Audio chose Riedel Communications’ all digital Artist S fibre based network for intercom applications and the primary transport of audio.
“The Artist nodes and fibre were at the heart of the communication matrix,” said Estrin. “With all the audio and communications riding on Riedel’s fibre backbone, we experienced an exceptionally flexible structure from which to operate”
Reliability was crucial as the events were aired live nationally and internationally on all the major networks and cable news outlets - they could sway the outcome of one of the bitterest battles for the White House in recent history.
The first debate alone reached in excess of 80 million viewers. With no room for error, Estrin worked with equipment vendor On Stage Audio and their senior engineer for the debates, Kelly Epperson, as well as David Brand – general manager of Riedel Communications in the US.
The system centred on Riedel’s Artist S and its dual redundant fibre topology. The feature, unique to Riedel’s Artist intercoms, ensured continuity regardless of a signal interruption on any cable. Estrin also had the fibres run in a diverse path configuration to further guarantee the signal integrity.
Artist S is a powerful matrix platform for intercom and the routing of analogue and digital audio. The system consists of a fibre based network backbone providing a decentralized infrastructure for live audio and talkback applications. Matrix sizes range from 8 X 8 up to 512 X 512 with stand-alone versions available for 24 and 32 intercom ports per mainframe.
Hot-swappable modular construction adds to the system’s reliability as does its redundant power supplies. Ease of operation is achieved with intuitive configuration software, logic functions, ability to connect directly to other AES equipment without sample rate converters, error management including GPI alarms, pop-up windows, and TCP/IP data routing between frames.
Control panels are connected to the matrix frames entirely digitally using either 75 ohm coax cable or CAT5 computer cable. four-wire ports can be analogue or AES/EBU.
For more information on Reidel visit www.reidel.net
(SP)