Since founding in 1880, Emerson College has always emphasized providing the highest quality, most up to date training for students; a tradition they’ve expanded their capacity to honor with the recent purchase of two Sound Devices Pix 240 Production Video Recorders, a 788T Twelve-Track Recorder and a CL-8 Mixing Control Surface from Talamas Broadcast Equipment.
Working with Talamas to update their A/V technology was a natural choice. ”I’ve enjoyed working with Talamas for years,” says Paul Beck, Manager of Operations/Administration at Emerson. “Their people have always been supportive and helpful. I can’t speak well enough about them.”
In May 2012, Talamas provided the technology for Emerson’s needs based on the challenges the college wanted to meet with them, explains Talamas Video Rentals Technician, Mike Duca. “They wanted to record 8 channels of audio, discreetly, without having to tether to the camera, record 4:2:2 10bit quality S-Log footage at a high bit rate out of a Sony PMW-F3 and be able to jam time code between all of the devices.”
The Sound Devices gear Talamas suggested met those needs with flying colors. “The 788T allows you to record 8 inputs and mix-down 4 separate tracks of audio to a hard drive and a compact flash card. The CL-8 controller allows you to ride the levels for all 8 channels without changing the preamp levels. The Pix 240 can record Apple pro res 220Mb/s at 10bit or DNX HD 220Mb/s at 10bit, and both codecs are 4:2:2 color space. Also, the 788T and Pix 240 have Ambient crystals to hold time code, so either device can be used as the master, but I suggested using the 788T to jam the Pix, the F3 and a TS 3 slate, so the editor can sync audio and video up later extremely easily.”
“The Pix 240s record Hi DEF video in a file format that can easily be used in Final Cut Pro or Avid programs,” Beck adds, explaining that the Sound Devices gear will be used by students studying television, media or digital media production and working in the field and in the classroom on virtually any kind of media production.
Emerson’s decision to purchase the Pix 240s – which Talamas were the first to offer in the market – was also based on Talamas’ attempts to educate potential clients in the use of the equipment. Increasingly, the company has ramped up their efforts to do so, says Christine Talamas, by hosting a series of instructive seminars covering the use of various products, which included a February 2012 event featuring an appearance by a product developer from Sound Devices.
Those efforts didn’t end with the sale of the gear. When instructors in the Department of Television, Radio and Film Production requested additional training on the Pix 240s and how best to use them in conjunction with their compliment of Sony F3s, Duca headed to Emerson’s Paramount Sound Stage to offer an in-depth training session.
“I went over the Pix 240 from front to back, highlighting features provided by the product’s 2.0 firmware upgrade.” For example, he says; “Calibrating the LCD, using false colors to judge exposure, as well as various signal flow options like the ability to record embedded audio from the camera’s SDi stream and using the Pix 240’s XLR inputs to record more discreet channels of audio.” Additionally, he covered the workflow for jamming the devices together using the 788T as his master, jamming the Pix 240 and then the Denecke Ts-3.
Beyond the benefits the practical, real life, demo offered instructors and, by extension, their students, Duca believes it provided him with an opportunity to better understand Emerson’s needs, which, ultimately, will allow Talamas offer better service going forward. “We want all of our clients to get the most out of any product we supply. We want them to ask questions and we want to answer them. Getting to know your client means that you can anticipate their needs and not only meet them, but exceed them. That level of care is what sets Talamas apart.”
That ethic is as integral to Talamas’ business model as constant innovation is to Emerson’s efforts to respond swiftly to changes in the fields of communication and the arts by employing cutting-edge technology. The result is that Emerson’s students will possess the kind of real world experience that’s is an absolute must for their success. In fact, Emerson intends to ask Talamas to provide additional training, “And more gear, Beck puts in. “It’s been exciting making the leap into the all digital recording world and now that we have the two Pix 240s we’re probably going to get a bunch more.”
