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Broadcast at -18dB?
I just submitted a digiBeta to BBC and other european broadcasters with the audio peaking at -18dB, not the regular -12dB.
Shall I re-send it??It would be a real mess and it would be obvious we delivered it wrong, which the production company wouldn’t like at all… I guess the audio level is normalized once in the station to balance all the contents: am I wrong?
I assume peaking at -18dB leaves enough S/N ratio not to worry for the noise.
Any reassuring reply would be much appreciated!!Thanks,
G -
9 Replies
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If you did not deliver to the proper specs required by the broadcaster, it will be rejected in the Quality Control process. What the actual setting should be depends on the broadcaster. Every broadcaster has a Technical Specifications document and in that document it clearly spells out everything you need to know about delivering a show.
https://library.creativecow.net/articles/biscardi_walter/specs.php
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author.
Credits include multiple Emmy, Telly, Aurora and Peabody Awards.
Owner, Biscardi Creative Media featuring HD Post
Biscardi Creative MediaCreative Cow Forum Host:
Apple Final Cut Pro, Apple Motion, Apple Color, AJA Kona, Business & Marketing, Maxx Digital. -
[Guillem Ventura] “I guess the audio level is normalized once in the station to balance all the contents: am I wrong? “
Hi
They wouldn’t normally touch it unless it’s destination is an edit suite to re-edit it.
If its finally mastered its expected to be correctly mixed.
For the BBC, bars/tone at -18dBFS, loud dialogue at around -12dBFS, and maximum level at no more than -10dBFS on FCP-type digital meters, but that might actually be going up a bit more on a properly specified PPM metering system. -
So you think the content will be aired at a lower level than the rest of the programs?
Because I am not over the volume (not exceeding -10dB) but way under it – then the tape wouldn’t be rejected but either displayed propperly… The confusion came since the bars at the tape were at -18dB so we mistook it for the peak level…
Please let me know it you think it won’t be aired propperly, i should call the broadcasters but i tell you it’d be a mess… -
[Guillem Ventura] “So you think the content will be aired at a lower level than the rest of the programs? “
If your audio levels are not correct, it won’t air at all. This is why they have set standards so the audio matches all the rest of their programming.
[Guillem Ventura] “Because I am not over the volume (not exceeding -10dB) but way under it – then the tape wouldn’t be rejected but either displayed propperly… The confusion came since the bars at the tape were at -18dB so we mistook it for the peak level… “
That’s a BIG issue. If you truly peaked at -18 then your show will most likely be rejected.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author.
Credits include multiple Emmy, Telly, Aurora and Peabody Awards.
Owner, Biscardi Creative Media featuring HD Post
Biscardi Creative MediaCreative Cow Forum Host:
Apple Final Cut Pro, Apple Motion, Apple Color, AJA Kona, Business & Marketing, Maxx Digital. -
As a former QC tech, I would most likely flag the low peaking audio as an issue. I suppose while not technically wrong as the audio does not peak about -10, I would make a note in the report that the audio peaks were low and should be looked at.
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Thanks guys…
[Matt Doe] “I would make a note in the report that the audio peaks were low and should be looked at.”
Does it mean it would be corrected?
It’s “just” about increasing its volume +6dB…
If the tape was rejected it’d be a real mess!
-Guillem @ Blur Producciones, Madrid.
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I would recommend in the report that it be corrected, either by adjusting and laying back a new mix, or making a clone and adjusting the audio on the playback deck.
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Having been down this road (having had audio 6dB lower than it should have been…thank you Mr. Mixer), I know that they will flag it, reject it, and send it back for you to fix. Well, that is what Discovery did. It isn’t their job to fix your mistakes…adjust the audio. They’ll flag it, tell you about it, and send it back for you to fix.
At one point I had delivered two texted copies of the show (well, I always do…master and protection master) and the Master tape had a small digital hit on it…but the protection master didn’t. I thought that they’d simply take the tapes into their machine room and insert edit to fix that hit. Nope…flagged and sent back.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
well
in Europe we use for broadcast/analog signals DINScaled PPMmeter’s where 0dB = +6dBu integration 10Ms Release 2S
in Europe for lineup
-18dBFS (meters on Digi)
peaks
-9dBFSanalog -9dBm = -18dBFS
BBC has it’s own PPM where -18dBFS = -9dBm =4 on BBC PPM’s.
which is line upgreet
Maurice
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