Studio Equipment: Function and Operation

The lights are hung on a set of poles which is called a Grid. The Grid linking the lights together, running cables through various metal poles which have sockets on the sides in which the lights are plugged into. Each socket is numbered and can be easily controled. The Grid is connected to a dimmer pack which can be used to control the brightness of each of the connected lights from either inside the studio or from the vision control room.

Each of the lights can be easily replaced at any time with a variety of different filters and intensities. Two different kinds of lights are Cool lights, which are efficient and used to light a wide area of the studio, and Tungstun lights, which are more heavy duty and provide a more focused beam of light.

Another aspect of the studio is the Curtain track which is used to provide a clear background to the studio. The curtain is completely black to stop and interfearance any bright colours may have on the studio cameras.

The Studio Terminal Outlet Box or STOB is used to connect the various bits of equipment to the control room insted of having to lead many cables through different rooms and so on.

There is also usually a floor moniter in the studio to show the Floor manager what is being broadcast out. This can also be used to show the audience or any talent VT inserts that may be in the show.

Another import piece of equipment is the On-Air light which displays that the studio is broadcasting. There is usually one situated outside the control room and the studio.

There are also numorous microphones suspended from the light Grid at different points in the studio to pick up any sound which isn't usually picked up by any boom or clip on mics that might be used.

Finally on the studio floor there will be the Cameras themselves. In the case of the college studio these are Song Z-5's mounted on a PED.

In the control room there are also a few other pieces of equipment such as the Sound Desk which uses 12 channels to regulate the sound from the mics and any external media sources such as DvD players, a TV moniter to display what is being broad cast, a lighting desk used to adjust the lighting around the studio and a vision mixing panel which is used to switch which camera or media source is being broadcast and to provide various fades and wipes within these transactions/cuts.