NBC at the IBC

So, as usual, I wanted to give you a glimpse inside the IBC to see what we do here.  I always think this will be boring, but there are some of you who always like this post.  I've done a post like this in all my blogs, and the details remain mostly the same, so I'll avoid too much repetition and just show you how we are setup here in London.

(Studio set "B", daytime show)

   

These are two of the sets you see on air.  Above is Studio B, which is used for the daytime show, and below is Studio A (the interview area, not the desk where Bob Costas sits).  I didn't show the Costas desk because I haven't been able to get in there yet when the lights are on.

(Studio set "A", interview nook, primetime, latenight shows)

Both Studios are associated with one of two Control Rooms (that look essentially the same, so I've only shown Control A).  This is where the director, producer, tech manager, and other production people sit.  The director has access to all the cameras (for a live event), or all the playback devices (for recorded events), and calls which source he wants on screen to the technical director, who does the actual switching.

(Control room "A")

The audio portion of the show is mixed in a separate Audio room (there is one for each studio, and Audio B is shown below).  The A1 (audio mixer) is the person responsible for what you hear on air.  This includes mixing the announcer and studio host voices, "nat sound" which is the natural sound captured by microphones at the venue, and music.

(Audio room "B")

The programs from the Control rooms are managed by Transmission (for playback to the US).  Transmission also deals with all the VANDA's (Video and Audio) from each venue.

(Transmission)

The Broadcast Operations Center (BOC) is the traffic management center of the whole operation.  They co-ordinate all the venue check-ins (with Comms for communication, and with Transmission for VANDA's) as well as all the playback to New York.

(Broadcast Operations Centre, BOC)

Of course, in order for all of this to work, the people in every part of the IBC, and at every venue, need to be able to talk to each other, which is done using the ADAM broadcast intercom system that James and I write the software for, and which I help operate here in Comms.

(Comms - this is where I work!)

While I'm here, I'm not writing any code, but simply helping to run the communication system.  This means checking each communication path to every venue daily (there are multiple paths in use, both copper and VOIP, for point-to-point, party-line, and interrupt circuits). 

We also assist all of the keypanel users with the programming and use of their panels, and we eavesdrop on the director in each control room and try to anticpate what he will need, or to quickly start investigating any problems he might have.

Even though I am working midnights, Control A is still busy creating the US primetime show, followed by their latenight show.  They finish up around 4am, and then check-ins usually begin at around 6:30am at the venues for the next day's competitions.

Our Comms team photo will be taken Sunday afternoon before the closing ceremonies, so I'll post that later.