Christian Broadcasting Network Doubles UP on Calrec Artemis Audio Consoles

Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) is in the final stages of installing another 48-fader Calrec Artemis Beam audio mixing console with Bluefin 2 high-density signal processing (HDSP) in its Virginia Beach studios. This is the second Artemis console this year for CBN, whose flagship domestic show, “The 700 Club,” has approximately one million daily viewers. In a typical week, the new Artemis will handle six live international programs, as well as green-screen shoots and special projects.

Once the new Artemis console is fully operational, it will be linked to CBN’s existing Artemis console in another studio via Calrec’s Hydra2 audio routing system. Having a second Artemis console gives CBN the ability to share any resource across its network. I/O that is attached to either system will be available to either system, and the plug-and-play nature of the I/O makes it easy to add I/O boxes as needed when doing remote broadcasts. Also, because the masters, groups, auxiliary, and multitracks are always available whether the operator chooses to use them or not, bringing an extra group online is straightforward and can be done instantly without reconfiguring any other part of the system.

“Being able to fully share resources will save us money because we won’t have to rent extra consoles or I/O to make a large show fit within the console. And we’ve already had lower maintenance costs than we did with our non-Calrec consoles,” says Philip Peters, director of audio services for CBN. “From an operating standpoint, Calrec is so easy to learn and use that we can ramp up for shows much more quickly, and it takes much less time to configure the console for a given show.”
Peters said Artemis also enables flexibility on track sends on a single channel (i.e. “split send”), which was a much-needed feature at CBN.

Artemis consoles rely on Bluefin2, the next generation of Calrec’s HDSP, which gives the Artemis Beam 340 channel processing paths, with up to 128 program busses, 64 IFB/track outputs, and 32 auxiliaries. Artemis also features a second compressor/limiter in each channel, more than 70 minutes of assignable delay, and three independent APFL systems for multiple operator use. Artemis’ integrated router means all I/O functions can be performed by Hydra2, using high-capacity 8192² crosspoint routers and a variety of I/O units. Like all Calrec consoles, the Artemis is designed so that facilities do not share resources, making each one continuously available to the operator.

“The control room where this Artemis is headed is in many ways our ‘pickup’ control room, where the nature of shows changes constantly,” Peters says. “The amount of power available in such a small form is astounding. Between that, the 12 fader layers, and full recall, we are well-covered for any show that will come our way.”

CBN’s newest Artemis console is in the final stages of setup and will be online by the end of October 2011.

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