
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 ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
20/04/2026
At the 2026 NAB Show, Sony is showcasing a broad slate of innovations across liv...
20/04/2026
At the 2026 NAB Show, Canon is doubling down on its commitment to live sports pr...
20/04/2026
Fujifilm is sharpening its focus on core broadcast production with a new wave of...
20/04/2026
This upcoming summer in North America is going to be a busy one. The 2026 FIFA M...
20/04/2026
Glookast (Booth W1661) announced a series of product updates at NAB Show 2026, c...
20/04/2026
Matrox Video and Amagi announced a collaboration to integrate the Matrox ORIGIN ...
20/04/2026
Riedel Communications (Booth C4908) announced that the Asociaci n del F tbol Arg...
20/04/2026
Ikegami (Booth C3819) announced the VFE-P07D monocular OLED viewfinder at NAB Sh...
20/04/2026
International Association of MediaTech (IAMT), formerly known as IABM, announced...
20/04/2026
Harmonic (Booth W2831) announced that DIRECTV is updating its US direct-to-home (DTH) video platform using Harmonic's VOS Media Software.
The deployment is...
20/04/2026
Wasabi Technologies announced that it has acquired the Lyve Cloud business from Seagate Technology. As part of the agreement, Seagate received equity in Wasabi ...
20/04/2026
EVS (Booth N1841) has launched Choreon, a robotics controller for media producti...
20/04/2026
The NAB Show is in full swing, and the SVG and SVG Europe editorial teams are chasing down the hottest stories from all over the Las Vegas Convention Center. He...
20/04/2026
Skyline Communications announced the availability of its DataMiner xOps platform...
20/04/2026
Studio Network Solutions (Booth N1129) introduced a set of new products at NAB S...
20/04/2026
Dell Technologies is showcasing its Dell AI Data Platform with NVIDIA at NAB Sho...
20/04/2026
Blackmagic Design has announced Fairlight Live, a software-based live audio mixer with SMPTE 2110 support and spatial audio mixing. A public beta is available n...
20/04/2026
At the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Imagine Communications VP of Sales, Sports an...
20/04/2026
At the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas, LiveU Senior Director of Sales, Sports Philli...
20/04/2026
A song that perfectly captures a moment is magic. But when you uncover the story behind it, who made it, what inspired it, and the meaning woven into the lyrics...
20/04/2026
Ultra-compact 32-bit recorder set for launch
Deity Microphones will soon be launching a new 32-bit six-track recorder that's been designed with producti...
20/04/2026
Uncoming lightweight shotgun mic announced
Production-sound experts Lectrosonics have recently announced the upcoming launch of a new lightweight shotgun mi...
20/04/2026
New 20-minute documentary explores iconic preamp
In 2025, Focusrite commissioned a new short-form documentary with filmmaker Chris Mayes-Wright - the direct...
20/04/2026
Turn quick sketches into real drum grooves
Sampleson have been experimenting with assitive production tools recently, and their latest creation aims to make...
20/04/2026
Rohde & Schwarz rolls out its full ARDRONIS counter UAS suite in a demonstration...
20/04/2026
L3Harris delivers integrated communications, navigation and C4ISR capabilities that empower the U.S. Coast Guard to protect Americas maritime interests and resp...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
CueScript and Lighting Design Group Expand Customer Opportunities
Through New Partnership
Find both companies at 2026 NAB Show in CueScript Booth # C 4720
...
20/04/2026
[Sydney, NSW, 20 April 2026] - Layercake, the company behind the intelligent media orchestration platform Streamcake, today announced the formalisation of its i...
20/04/2026
Deployment spans FOX Sports' REMI infrastructure, IP production for a major global soccer event, and its Jewel Events production systems
Appear, a global l...
20/04/2026
Pro Sound Effects Launches the Industry's First and Only Native Sound Effect...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
Blackmagic Design Announces Blackmagic Camera for iOS 3.3 Update
Brie Clayton April 20, 2026
0 Comments
New update adds camera control and monitoring ...
20/04/2026
Maxon Announces Free Tools and Mobile Expansion of ZBrush and Cinema 4D
Brie Clayton April 20, 2026
0 Comments
Cinema 4D brings professional 3D workfl...
20/04/2026
Vizrt AI Keyer kills the green screen and creates virtual scenes in any environm...
20/04/2026
Register now - Market & Audience Department Ask Me Anything (AMA) Session 11 February 2026
Screen Australia Head of Market & Audience Rakel Tansley
Talking to...