DTV Audio Group Loudness Management Seminar Set for April 11 in Las Vegas

The DTV Audio Group, in association with the Sports Video Group, invites you to attend the 2010 Loudness Management Seminar to be held from 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 PM on April 11, 2010 at the Alexis Park Hotel and Casino on East Harmon in Las Vegas.

All members of the Digital Television Audio Community are invited to attend this free of charge event that is sponsored by Calrec, Dale Pro Audio, Day Sequerra/DTS, Dolby Laboratories, and Linear Acoustic.

To register please click here.

Digital television audio loudness continues to be a troublesome problem for large and small networks, local stations, cable and satellite operators and other Multichannel Video Program Distributors (MVPD’s).  The vast improvement in audio capability of the ATSC AC-3 audio system over analog TV has brought with it an increase dynamic range and metadata controlled level scaling.  This transition created a culture change in audio loudness management that at first, many broadcasters were ill equipped and unprepared to adapt to.

Unfortunately, this situation continues to result in consistent audio challenges for the broadcaster, advertiser, programmer and MVPD. Ineffective DTV loudness management to date has lead to widespread viewer complaints and the looming threat of legislative and regulatory action to control the problem.

Ahead of these issues, with an initiative starting in April of 2007 and against this backdrop, the Advanced Television System’s Committee (ATSC) released Recommended Practice A/85: Techniques for Establishing and Maintaining Audio Loudness for Digital Television. The complete document is available here.

Created by ATSC S6-3, a group of industry experts with real-world experience in DTV audio, this paper focuses directly on loudness management recommendations for the broadcaster, operator, content creator and MVPDs.

The DTV Audio Group has invited members of S6-3 to discuss the key aspects of this document with broadcast engineering and operations managers as well as DTV technologists to discuss unique, workable applications of good loudness practice.

12:15-1:00
Registration Opens

1:00-1:30
Welcome/Overview Presentations
Roger Charlesworth, President Charlesworth Media; DTV Audio Group, Executive Director welcomes attendees and introduces two important presentations that will lay the foundation for the afternoon sessions:

-From Analog to Digital: Background on DTV Loudness and Impact on Government and Industry, presented by Tom Holman, University of Southern California, Professor of Film Sound

–Working it Out Together: Summary of the S6-3 Subcommittee Process, presented by Pat Waddell, Manager, Standards and Regulatory, Harmonic Inc, Chairman ATSC TSG/S6

1:30-2:30
Where is it Going Wrong? Identifying Real-World Loudness Problems
A review of the steps along the DTV distribution chain where improper loudness management practices occur and a discussion of the situations and potential causes for error.
Moderator: Roger Charlesworth
Panelists: Jeff Birch, CBS Television Stations, Vice President of Engineering
Matt Braatz, NBC Universal, Senior Vice President, Broadcast Operations
Dave Higgins, Comcast Media Center Vice President Quality Assurance
Doc Goldstein, NBC Universal, Vice President Sound Engineering,
Burke Moody, Association of Independent Creative Editors, Executive Director

2:30-4:30
UNDERSTANDING AND IMPLEMENTING ATSC A/85
The 66 page A/85 rigorously explores every aspect of loudness management and unequivocally defines best practice in a wide range of areas and applications.  This panel of industry experts, instrumental in crafting this comprehensive document and led by NBC Universal’s Jim Starzynski, will guide us through its key sections.
Moderator: Jim Starzynski, NBC Universal, Principal Engineer

Part One
Measurement: Steve Lyman, Dolby Labs Senior Staff Engineer, Technology, Strategy
Monitoring: Tom Holman, University of Southern California Professor of Film Sound
Metadata: Greg Coppa, CBS, Director of Advanced Technology & Engineering,

Break

Part Two
Loudness Recommendation for Program Exchange: Sean Richardson, Starz Entertainment, Senior Manager Post Production/Principal Audio Engineer
Program to Interstitial Loudness: Jim Starzynski, NBC Universal, Principal Engineer
The Quick Reference Guides: Richard Friedel, Fox Networks, Executive Vice President, Operations and Engineering
AC-3 Reversible Dynamic Range Control: Hen Hunold, Dolby Laboratories, Broadcast Applications Engineer
Modern, Conventional Dynamic Range Control: Tim Carroll, Linear Acoustic, President

4:30-5:15
Putting it into Practice; Implementing Practical Solutions Based on ATSC A/85:
Operations and engineering managers will discuss the practical solutions they are implementing in their faculties today which take advantage of A85 intended to ensure loudness quality and consistency and improve viewer satisfaction.
Moderator:
Roger Charlesworth
Panelists:
Jim DiMattia, Verizon Communications, Distinguished Member of Technical Staff
Mike Englehaupt, , KPIX/KBCW San Francisco, Director of Engineering
Ivan Larsen, Time Warner Cable, Regional Technical Service Manager
Steven Silva, , Fox Networks, Director of Training Procedures, Engineering
Jim Starzynski, NBC Universal, Principal Engineer
Robin Thomas, ABC, Group Director, Engineering

5:15-5:30
Getting It Out There: DTV Audio Group, Loudness Management On-Line Training Initiative
Tom Sahara, DTV Audio Group, Chairman and Turner Sports, Senior Director Remote Operations and Information Technology