Custom Consoles Commemorates Quarter-Century of Innovation
data-src=https://creativecow.net/wp-content/uploads/avatars/263018/5fa08c562aaf4-bpthumb.jpg data-srcset=https://creativecow.net/wp-content/uploads/avatars/263018/5fa08c561c0e7-bpfull.jpg 2x class=lazyload avatar avatar-80 photo height=80 width=80 />
Brie Clayton February 19, 2021
0 Comments
Custom Consoles (www.customconsoles.co.uk) commemorates its 25th anniversary this year as an internationally active producer of broadcast control room desks and studio furniture. Founded in 1996 by its present Managing Director Neil Reed and Business Director Graham Buchanan, the company operates as an independent business with full development and manufacturing facilities at its Leighton Buzzard headquarters.
Our aim right from the start was to offer robust, operator-friendly and attractively styled alternatives to tailor-made technical furniture, reducing costs and accelerating delivery times, says Neil Reed. We knew from our own background in systems integration that control desks must be robust enough to last at least the lifetime of the studio suite itself, typically five to seven years before the next major upgrade. In practice, many of our desks have been in service far longer than that. Key design factors include easy access for equipment installation, good ergonomics for users working long shifts and efficient ventilation.
Custom Consoles' first standard design was the System One graphics desk and side-table, Graham Buchanan details. That was followed in 2000 by the motorised height-adjustable System Two. In 2004 we introduced M-Desk which allowed the desktop height to be adjusted using a telescopic crank handle. Module-R, which followed in 2005, has proved to be the most successful development in our history. It gives customers the freedom to specify complete furniture configurations from a nominally standard range of desk and pod components. In 2006 we added the Media Wall range of video and loudspeaker display mounts, again modular to match any size and scale, for control rooms, presentation suites and studio backdrops.
Custom Consoles continued to expand its product range, including the SteelBase heavy-duty desk which was developed to meet the demand for ultra-robust furniture in environments such as the oil and gas industry. Desks from this and the equally robust but more compact SteelBase Lite series are being used in many locations, notably at CERN in Switzerland.
2013 saw the introduction of the EditOne flat-pack post-production suite desk, followed in 2015 by the free-standing single-column Media-Post monitor support, adds Sales Manager Gary Fuller. In 2017 we added the EditOne-Radio desk which is designed for use in radio interview suites, presentation studios and voiceover booths. In project terms, one of our largest in recent years was a commission from Broadcast Center Europe to provide over 50 desks for one of Europe's most active broadcast media centres - RTL City in Luxembourg. BCE made a careful study of the available furniture products before selecting Module-R and EditOne desks. They were keen to source all their desks from a single supplier to keep the task of equipment installation and wiring as consistent as possible. It was also a logical decision in terms of efficiency, future maintenance and unified visual styling. Samples were sent for evaluation and we also provided constructive ideas based on the high degree of design flexibility made possible by combining elements within the Module-R product range.
2020 saw the introduction of the Operator Safety Screen. Most technical control rooms and edit suites are well air-conditioned but Covid-19 raised health and safety concerns to a significantly higher level. The Operator Safety Screen fits all Custom Consoles desks and those manufactured by other furniture companies. Customers to date include Al Jazeera, Amazon Prime, BBC Studioworks, BETV, CJP, Dega, Farnborough College, Gravity Media, IMG, Input Media, ITN, ITV, One Ten Productions, QVC, Racing UK, Solenis, STV, STV North and TimeLine.
Custom Consoles innovation continues, most recently with an ergonomic upgrade and new colour style for the EditOne workstation which was announced in January 2021.
data-src=https://gcs.creativecow.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/19170858/custom_consoles2.jpg alt= class=lazyload wp-image-2404218/>
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
16/07/2026
33 leading exhibitors are taking part in the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland Pavilions and linked locations across IBC2026 (Amsterdam RAI, 11 14 September)...
16/07/2026
Hitomi Broadcast will introduce Spectra, a new HDR colour verification solution measured in picture, not using VPID, at IBC2026 (Hall 10, Stand A40). Expanding ...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Zixi, a leader in live video delivery and workflow orchestration, and Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) today announced a strategic new integration to deliver ...
16/07/2026
Blackmagic Design Cameras Capture Immersive Flight for New Cirrus App
Brie Clayton July 15, 2026
0 Comments
Leader in Personal Aviation taps URSA Cin...
16/07/2026
XenData Announces LTO Archive Appliances with both File and S3 Object Storage In...
16/07/2026
Together the semi-finals had a combined reach of 1.98 million unique individuals...
15/07/2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a big deal for DAZN, which has distribution rights in three markets: Italy, Spain, and Japan. Each requires a different editorial app...
15/07/2026
As sports-media organizations manage rapidly growing content libraries and incre...
15/07/2026
HBS director of digital Johannes Franken talks SVG Europe through the operation built to serve FIFA World Cup 2026 rights holders remotely from Stratford, east ...
15/07/2026
IBC has unveiled the conference program for IBC2026, with this year's event ...
15/07/2026
Software-defined wideband RF platform supports 96-kHz monitoring, streamlined fr...
15/07/2026
New AI-powered module enables broadcasters and content owners to extract dialogu...
15/07/2026
Weeklong gathering at EBU headquarters will test new IPMX capabilities and expand certified product ecosystem...
15/07/2026
Force Tech has announced the appointment of Bryan Adams, CTS, as Vice President of Integration. Adams will oversee AV and broadcast integration project delivery...
15/07/2026
USA Sports has announced an exclusive English-language agreement with the Bundes...
15/07/2026
ITV Sport's FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage has been produced from one of the m...
15/07/2026
Program will provide professional camera kits, training, and technical support to participating local newsrooms...
15/07/2026
San Francisco church becomes first U.S. deployment of the 2 M/E production switcher...
15/07/2026
Former ESPN and NFL Network executive to advise startup league on media, distribution, technology, and fan engagement...
15/07/2026
The Houston-based RSN is the live-game home of the Astros and Rockets...
15/07/2026
Launched alongside new FreqSoft installer
Designed to bridge the gap between hardware and software, Freqport's FreqInOut FO1 unit provides a simple way ...
15/07/2026
Save up to 55% on software until 23 July 2026
Expressive E have just launched their Summer Offer sale, with discounts of up to 55% now applied across their ...
15/07/2026
Real-time stem-separation tool updated
zplane have recently released a new and improved version of their real-time stem-separation plug-in which they say ma...
15/07/2026
A new benchmark in bass enhancement
Described as a new benchmark in bass enhancement , Baby Audio's latest release has been designed to augment the lo...
15/07/2026
DMC Production's AR 1 and AR 2 units reverse the conventional OB workflow, keeping all production-critical processing at the venue while operators work remo...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
GigaCloud, a leading Ukrainian cloud service provider, and Cubbit, the first geo-distributed cloud storage enabler, today announced a new Business Alliance Part...
15/07/2026
SMPTE, the global society for media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has announced the launch of the SMPTE 110th Anniversary Campaign, a fundraising...
15/07/2026
Studio Technologies, a leading manufacturer of high-quality audio, video, and fiber-optic solutions, unveils the new StudioComm Model 762 Stereo Level Control, ...
15/07/2026
COW Jobs: Producer, Virtual Events - Hybrid, Full Time, Salaried
Brie Clayton July 15, 2026
0 Comments
Producer, Virtual Events (Hybrid | Full-time | ...
15/07/2026
Brazilian media organization builds nationwide CDN with Broadpeak's high-performance software for low-latency streaming and new content distribution service...
15/07/2026
DHD announces a new utility designed to increase the efficiency of its audio mixing systems during initial installation and subsequent configuration.
Anyone w...
15/07/2026
BCNEXXT Brings Next-Generation Vipe to IBC2026, Breaking the 1:1 Channel-to-Server Ratio New innovations liberate broadcasters from legacy playout infrastructur...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
General-purpose robots and autonomous machines are moving from research labs to ...
15/07/2026
Wednesday 15 July 2026
Screeners and press pack now available: Gomorrah: The Or...
15/07/2026
Trinity's Treasures features Ruth Negga, Eleanor McEvoy, and David Norris, a...
15/07/2026
Join geographer Dr Susan Hegarty, Engineer Tim Joyce and Architect Orla Murphy a...
Custom Consoles Commemorates Quarter-Century of Innovation 
