Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

2024 Paris Olympics: NBC Sports Has a Huge Audio Agenda

03/01/2024

2024 Paris Olympics: NBC Sports Has a Huge Audio Agenda 5.1.4 everywhere, plus 32 new booths for Stamford to manage new events By Dan Daley, Audio Editor

Wednesday, January 3, 2024 - 11:50 am

Print This Story | Subscribe

Story Highlights

NBC Sports will broadcast the highest number of hours ever for a Summer Olympics from Paris next year: an estimated 243.5 hours of programming, according to Karl Malone, senior director, audio engineering, NBC Sports and Olympics. That compares with 217.5 hours from the 2012 London Olympics, 207.5 hours from the 2016 Rio Di Janeiro Games, and 203.5 hours from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

For all of those hours, all events will be produced in 5.1.4 immersive audio.

NBC Sports and Olympics' Karl Malone: The challenges of Games past always have a way of pushing us to newer technologies and workflows.

Paris 2024 is being characterized as a Network Daytime Takeover : events will be shown live nationwide 9 a.m.-6 p.m. ET/PT with largely postproduced primetime highlight telecasts in two batches, 8-11 p.m. and 11:35 p.m.-1:30 a.m. The broadcasts, which will run from July 26 (starting with rugby, handball, and soccer events) to Aug. 11, will be punctuated by behind-the-scenes docu-style productions produced by NBC Sports. The Games will comprise a total of 329 events (10 fewer than Tokyo) and will feature one new entry, breakdancing (officially referred to as breaking ) with relative newcomers skateboarding, surfing (from Tahiti, in French Polynesia), and sport climbing again on the schedule and baseball/softball and karate dropped from programming.

Signature NBC Dolby Atmos Mix for Primetime As at Tokyo 2020, the 5.1.4 immersive audio will be produced by host Olympic Broadcast Services (OBS), under the direction and design of Audio Manager Nuno Duarte. This will aid NBC not only in capturing its own .4 channels, using NBC-specific height microphones, but also in using OBS's height mics. This allows access to eight total channels of overhead information, enabling creation of a signature NBC Dolby Atmos mix for the 17 nights of Primetime.

NBC trucks onsite in Paris will mix a 5.1 production but will pass the extra eight channels of height information untouched to NBC's primetime-immersive audio-control room in Stamford, CT, where NBC Sports Group Senior A1/Audio Design Engineer Michael DiCrescenzo and his team will mix all the venues passing through it to a 5.1.4-immersive output.

The Plant Is Ready for Remote The control rooms for primetime and daytime audio and production will be in NBC's fully IP plant - a 1080P/HDR, 5.1.4 facility - which will be operating 24/7 with 2,000 personnel onsite. Malone notes that Stamford has increased functionality over the past two years, with a full IP infrastructure installed and new IP-based production-, audio-, and submix-audio-control rooms.

Ready for Paris, NBC Olympics Dante standup kits

We have had an incredibly busy year there, bringing golf production back to be remotely mixed and submixed, as well adding remote Big 10 college productions, he says, adding that NBC pioneered remote-integration production models at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. There has been so much to gain in the quality of the audio production by bringing these sports home. Having familiar and precise acoustic spaces to mix in, as well as having the support of a building full of engineering teams, has enabled us to dial in these productions very quickly and provide a great listening experience for the viewer. Paris will again be building [that] experience, along with the recent proliferation of high-bandwidth, low-latency video-codec technologies to support two remote network studios in downtown Paris.

Complex Announce Management Among the new systems being fabricated for the coverage are approximately 32 announce booths that will be set up in NBC/Stamford's Off-Tube Factory, where teams of NBC announcers and analysts will provide commentary for many of the newer events, such as fencing, handball, judo, and badminton. Up to 80 Dante commentary boxes, tied into a huge comms network, will connect the booths to their respective NBC venue reporters in Paris, as well as to producers and statisticians anywhere in the NBC global network.

NBC Olympics booth kit

It's an entirely new design, says Malone, emphasizing the use of Dante connectivity. We used to be plugging in XLRs, and now we're plugging in Cat 5 [cabling for] Dante audio. These systems also have a main backup switch and have UPSs in all cases as well for redundancy against potential power issues. They have a lot of overall redundancy so that, if there was any disaster, like losing a truck, we'd still be able to get the commentators' mixed feeds out of the venue and back to Stanford via the raw internet.

The compound will receive all the Dante signals, he continues. We'll be able to hand off MADI to the truck, or, if there's no truck, we'll be able to hand it off to one of the TOC units from venue engineering. Because it's Dante and not analog, we're doing away with the [Telex/RTS] IFB-325 boxes, and now PLs are all Dante, four channels of PL instead of the traditional sort with two channels on the 325 boxes. Similarly, the older IFB 4030 [2-channel IFB beltpack] is now a [Studio Technologies] 381 IFB [on-air beltpack]. They all take single Ethernet cable. We've built 10 of these systems, and all should last long into the future.

Malone emphasizes the streamlined nature of the connectivity between event sites and the IBC; in many cases, it's a single Ethernet cable and a backup. Everything is expected to be wrapped up for shipping this month.

Paris is the icing on the g teau after the challenges of Tokyo and Beijing. The challenges of Games past always have a way of pushing us to newer technologies and w
LINK: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2024/01/03/2024-paris-olympics-nbc-sports-...
See more stories from svg

Most recent headlines

06/10/2025

France Tlvisions Wins Prestigious 2025 EBU Technology & Innovation Award in Groundbreaking Collaboration with Dalet

France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...

04/09/2025

Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Dalet Win Prestigious 2025 NAB Show Project of the Year Award

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...

16/06/2025

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Carmen Emmi, the Writer-Director of Plainclothes

By Bailey Pennick One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festi...

16/06/2025

Spotify's Brian Berner on Creativity, Connection, and What's Next for Advertisers at Cannes Lions

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is officially underway for...

16/06/2025

Francophone Content on Spotify Continues to Thrive Around the World

On Spotify, francophone content continues to cross borders at an unprecedented rate. In 2024 alone, more than 123 million listeners worldwide streamed audio con...

16/06/2025

Tegna Announces Major Expansion of Local News Programming

TYSONS, Va. Tegna Inc. is embarking on a notable expansion of their already substantial local news programming by launching live and on-demand, local newscasts ...

16/06/2025

Netflix Expands Programmatic Ad Sales with Yahoo DSP

Netflix has announced that it is expanding its global programmatic ad offerings by partnering with Yahoo DSP. This will enable brands to buy Netflix advertising...

16/06/2025

Sub51 & Soundtrax announce Drop Pad 3

Instrument now boasts full NKS support Sub51 and Soundtrax have just announced the launch of an updated and improved version of their innovative sample-base...

16/06/2025

Roku, Amazon Team Up to Dominate CTV Ad Market

NEW YORK In a landmark agreement to overtake the burgeoning connected TV (CTV) advertising market, Amazon Ads and Roku today announced a new integration that gi...

16/06/2025

EdgeBeam Wireless Names Conrad Clemson CEO

ATLANTA, BALTIMORE, CINCINNATI and IRVING, Texas The four major broadcast groups behind the ATSC 3.0-based EdgeBeam Wireless datacasting joint venture today nam...

16/06/2025

Amazon MGM Studios to Deploy Avid Tools on AWS

BURLINGTON, Mass. Avid today announced an extended agreement with Amazon MGM Studios to integrate Avid's Media Composer and Avid NEXIS on Amazon Web Service...

16/06/2025

Maxon Epic Sale Drops June 16

Maxon, maker of powerful, approachable software for creators working in 2D and 3D design, motion graphics, visual effects, gaming and more, today announced the ...

16/06/2025

Alfalite launches Skypix a new ceiling-mounted Led panel...

Alfalite, the only European manufacturer of LED displays, announces the launch of SKYPIX RGBW & IM, a new series of ceiling-mounted LED panels designed specifi...

16/06/2025

ALM/Busy Circuits launch Pip Filter & LFO

Two new compact 4HP modules introduced ALM/Busy Circuits have just announced the launch of two new Eurorack modules, the Pip Filter and Pip LFO, both of whi...

16/06/2025

VEON Announces USD 35 Million Share Buyback

16 Jun 2025 VEON Announces USD 35 Million Share Buyback Announcement marks the third phase of USD 100 million share buyback program Dubai, June 16, 2025: VEON...

16/06/2025

Summer Sale: Big Discounts on Ivory II Pianos - Now Through June 30th!

Save 40% or More on All Ivory II Collections!From now through June 30th, enjoy huge savings on all Ivory II Piano Collections. Our biggest discounts ever are be...

16/06/2025

Behind The Broadcast Booth, Ep. 3: Golf. My Future. My Game. Founder and CEO Craig Kirby Talks Advocacy in Sports and More

Behind The Broadcast Booth, Ep. 3: Golf. My Future. My Game. Founder and CEO Cra...

16/06/2025

The REMI Revolution Is Here: How Remote Production Technology in Esports Pioneers a New Age of Broadcast

The REMI Revolution Is Here: How Remote Production Technology in Esports Pioneer...

16/06/2025

From Super Bowl to Indy 500, New Orleans Artist Frenchy' Captures Energy of Sports Production on Canvas

From Super Bowl to Indy 500, New Orleans Artist Frenchy' Captures Energy of...

16/06/2025

NFL Films Enhances Post Studio With Dolby Atmos Audio

NFL Films Enhances Post Studio With Dolby Atmos Audio Forty-three channels of audio enable the facility to migrate to immersive By Dan Daley, Audio Editor Mo...

16/06/2025

SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Storj's David Colantuoni on Expanding Cloud-Based Storage to Live Sports Production

SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Storj's David Colantuoni on Expanding Cloud-Based...

16/06/2025

Grass Valley 4K Cameras Head to Greece for View Master Events' New OB Truck

Grass Valley 4K Cameras Head to Greece for View Master Events' New OB Truck By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director Monday, June 16, 2025 - 2:33 pm Pri...

16/06/2025

WWF and Sky Kids launch Wear it Wild with Ready Eddie Go!

Monday 16 June 2025 Families and children are invited to dress up, have fun and raise money to protect nature WWF UK and Sky Kids are teaming up to launch Wea...

16/06/2025

The Rohde & Schwarz R&S M3AR radio family reaches 10,000 unit milestone, demonstrating commitment to innovation and quality

The Rohde & Schwarz R&S M3AR radio family reaches 10,000 unit milestone, demonst...

16/06/2025

FOX Advertising Launches Enhanced Brand Storytelling Program with Strategic Investment in The Lighthouse

FOX Advertising Launches Enhanced Brand Storytelling Program with Strategic Inve...

16/06/2025

Run With Ray in Cork, Waterford, Kilkenny, Drogheda and Dublin as The Ray D'Arcy Show hits the road

Run with Ray is back! RT Radio 1's The Ray D'Arcy Show hits the road th...

15/06/2025

Music Production for Women free in-person workshops

July 2025 in Dublin, Berlin, Amsterdam & London Photo: Thea Martre Music Production for Women (MPW) have announced that they will be running a series of fo...

15/06/2025

Jason's Piano & API Drums instruments from Sulcata Sound

Composer/producer launches free virtual instruments Sulcata Sound is the latest venture of Jason Graves, a two-time British Academy Award-winnning composer,...

14/06/2025

Pluto TV Adds All Womens Sports Network's FAST Channel

NEW YORK Pluto TV and the All Womens Sports Network have launched a free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) AWSN channel in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and the Nor...

14/06/2025

Scripps Inks Multiyear Agreement for WNBA Games on Ion

NEW YORK and CINCINNATI E.W. Scripps has announced a new, multiyear agreement with the WNBA that will continue Ions regular-season coverage of the league on Fri...

14/06/2025

NAB Highlights Hidden Importance of Spectrum in Major Sports Broadcasting

WASHINGTON The National Association of Broadcasters highlighted the hidden importance of spectrum in the production of major sporting events and described wha...

14/06/2025

1.0 Sunset, BPS and NextGen Broadcast's Potential Dominate ATSC Meeting

WASHINGTON Sunsetting ATSC 1.0, expanding business opportunities for NextGen Broadcast and increasing international adoption of the ATSC 3.0 standard were top o...

14/06/2025

Samba TV and Acxiom Announce Massive 40-market Global Expansion

SAN FRANCISCO Samba TV and Acxiom have announced that they will dramatically expand their longstanding relationship....

14/06/2025

MPW announce free in-person workshops

July 2025 in Dublin, Berlin, Amsterdam & London Photo: Thea Martre Music Production for Women (MPW) have announced that they will be running a series of fo...

14/06/2025

San Francisco State University's School of Cinema Uses Blackmagic Design

San Francisco State University's School of Cinema Uses Blackmagic Design Brie Clayton June 13, 2025 0 Comments More than 40 Blackmagic Design came...

14/06/2025

Boris FX Mocha Pro Adds New AI Tools To Tackle VFX Tasks Fast

Boris FX Mocha Pro Adds New AI Tools To Tackle VFX Tasks Fast Jessie Electa Petrov June 13, 2025 0 Comments The 2025.5 release helps artists work more...

14/06/2025

AJA Debuts DRM2-Plus Mini-Converter Frame at InfoComm 2025

AJA Debuts DRM2-Plus Mini-Converter Frame at InfoComm 2025 Brie Clayton June 13, 2025 0 Comments Next-gen frame addresses diverse rackmount needs wit...

13/06/2025

Prime Minister: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at a Leader Who Champions Kindness

(L-R) Lindsay Utz, Michelle Walshe, and The Right Honourable Dame Jacinda Ardern attend the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Prime Minister at Eccles T...

13/06/2025

Materialists' Director Celine Song Reveals the Inspirations Behind the Film's Soundtrack

Photo credit: Atsushi Nishijima If you're a true lover of rom-coms, chances...

13/06/2025

Pure Drama and Fierce Rivalries set to dominate the world's most iconic sporting event

Pure Drama and Fierce Rivalries set to dominate the world's most iconic spor...

13/06/2025

Press Release: NFVF Opens Call for Public Film Screenings on GBV Awareness as South Africa Confronts Ongoing Femicide Crisis

Johannesburg, 12 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an a...

13/06/2025

Central Texas Storm Knocks out KTXS Tower, Severely Damages Building

ABILENE. Texas A severe storm knocked down the tower and severely damaged the news studio and main facility of Sinclair-owned KTXS here on Sunday, June 8....

13/06/2025

Berklee's Music Business/Management Department Recognized by the Music Biz Association

Berklee's Music Business/Management Department Recognized by the Music Biz A...

13/06/2025

ATSC Honors Aldo Cugnini, Clarence Hau

WASHINGTON The ATSC, the Broadcast Standards Association, honored veteran technologist Aldo Cugnini and Clarence Hau, Senior Vice President of Standards, Policy...

13/06/2025

ESPN Doubles Down on Immersive Fan Experience for UFL Championship

(Editor's note: The 2025 UFL Championship Game between the D.C. Defenders and Michigan Panthers kicks off Saturday, June 14, at 8 p.m. Eastern. The game wil...

13/06/2025

Soulyft Audio release Chime

New iPad/iPhone synth App announced Following on from last year's release of Gradient Synth - which reached #6 on the App Store's Paid Music charts ...

13/06/2025

HBO Max Plans July Launches in 12 New Markets

LONDON Warner Bros. Discovery has announced that HBO Max will launch direct-to-consumer in multiple new countries this July as the streamer becomes available in...

13/06/2025

Verbit Launches Speaker Identification for Live ASR Broadcast Captions

AI voice transcription and captioning platform Verbit has added a new feature to its Captivate ASR solution the ability to identify specific features in automat...

13/06/2025

FCC's Anna Gomez Meets with TV Networks, Studio Execs and Unions

WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission member Anna Gomez has wrapped up two weeks in California visiting broadcasters, television studio executives, enter...