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A lOOK AT MOBILE TV GROUP'S TRUCK FOR LIVE 4K UHD BROADCAST OF MASTERS TOURNAMENT

2016 was host to the 80th edition of the Masters Golf Tournament in the US and TSL Products are very proud to have been a key audio supplier to OB unit provider Mobile TV Group (MTVG). With several MPA1-Mix-MADI audio monitors installed in its brand new 39 FLEX 4K mobile unit, the new MTVG truck was used by CBS Sports Network to deliver the first-ever live 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) broadcast in the United States during the Tournament. The event was broadcast live daily on DirectTV directly from Amen Corner (holes 11, 12 and 13) at Augusta National Golf Club.

MTVG is no stranger to breakthrough technological advances. The company was the first to convert its fleet to all-HD, the first to build a 4K truck, the first to adopt super slo-mo cameras, and now the first to deliver the first-ever live 4K UHD broadcast in the United States.

“When you are tasked with the production of such a signature event, every step of the process has to be planned carefully and every piece of gear has to be thoroughly evaluated,” says Peter Wehner Director of Engineering at Mobile TV Group. “From the camera operators to the audio engineers, everyone needs to be working in harmony yet independently, with each individual being in total control of the technology they are responsible for.”

For the new 39 FLEX HD truck, MTVG decided to install an MPA1-Mix-MADI audio monitor from TSL Products that is specifically designed for fast-paced OB and live-to-air production environments.

The MPA1-Mix-MADI units give Wehner and his team the ability to run 64 audio channels on a single coax. This represents a dramatic improvement over the older analog multichannel monitoring systems that typically required an input for each audio channel being monitored. Most importantly, the channels are digitally labeled so operators don’t have to guess what’s is on each channel as they scroll through.

“The MPA1 is providing us with a smooth transition path from the conventional, analog way of doing things to MADI, and our audio operators love it. Not everybody makes the change to new technology easily, but the MPA1 was able to bridge that gap with an interface that everybody is accustomed to. It’s really intuitive and truly easy to set up. Gone are the days of white tape and sharpies to label every channel!” says Wehner.

The MPA1’s programmable presets enable MTVG staff to access and monitor select groups of channels quickly, which is particularly important when planning the monitoring setup for different parts of a live production.

“One of the great things about the MPA1-Mix-MADI is that we can take a unit and put it in an existing truck where there is an analog audio structure already in place and make a full transition to MADI transition in a matter of minutes. So far we have only installed it in 39 FLEX, but I can see us equipping several of our older trucks with this technology,” comments Wehner.”

“As the trucks we build become more and more sophisticated, it is really important for everyone to be able to pay attention to their core job instead of trying to chase down what they need in the replay room or production area. Using the MPA1 is helping us smooth the entire process. The audio operators can come in to the truck, and sit down at their replay station and take care of their own world without having to rely on anybody else.”