Press release
27.05.2010 - Holte
The Eurovision Song Contest – a technical report from the buzz at Telenor Arena, a few days before showtime – share the moment!
On our way to interview Mr. Jonas Næsby, Sennheiser Nordic’s RF expert, we meet Mr. Gaute Nistov, head of sound at NRK, who shows us an extraordinary impressive venue, including the stage area at Telenor Arena, before we end up backstage. By now we have familiarized ourselves with expressions like backup, assurance, redundancy – keywords pinpointing the complete technical setup at Telenor Arena during the Eurovision Song Contest 2010.
The planning phase
When the show takes place, Saturday May 29 2010, RF expert Jonas Næsby has already spent some 4 weeks in Norway, preparing for the Eurovision Song Contest. During this time, there have been many, many rehearsals with the artists. (Jonas knows all the songs by heart!)
Planning the scope of the huge equipment package from Sennheiser for the Eurovision Song Contest started as early as November 2009. Although it seemed probable already early in the process that Sennheiser, again this year, would be appointed equipment supplier of wireless equipment, a number of issues still had to be clarified. Accordingly, the planning started out with measurements and calculations. Then planning for the equipment itself started, including frequency planning and proceedings involving NPT (Post- and teletilsynet in Norway), (The Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Commission.)
One of EBU’s (European Broadcasting Union) rules for the Eurovision Contest is: A maximum of 6 persons can perform on stage, whether consisting of one soloist and five background singers, or dancers, or, for that matter of 6 singers – or any combination thereof – but each team counts a maximum of 6 persons, who may use headset microphones or handheld microphones.
Previously, this has been done using 12 wireless headset microphones and 12 wireless handheld microphones, doing two rotations, and having six spare sets of each type.
This time, however, there were completely different requirements for flexibility, security, backup and speed during the production. To cope with this, several additional wireless microphones were needed. This is simply the largest wireless system ever used during the Eurovision Song Contest. Close to 100 channels!
“In this large setup, we actually do not use the frequency band normally being used in Norway, that is 800–820 MHz. This is partly because this frequency range is most prone to be subject to noise and interference from equipment being used by LET and ENG teams. In the end, NPT gave us permission to use more or less whatever frequencies suitable for our purpose. These frequencies will certainly not disturb other users. If anything, other users could more likely disturb our setup.”
Jonas Næsby continues: “We are able to scan and measure, and eventually spot these TV teams anyway. But we cannot risk this kind of disturbances. One week prior to the finales we have been in touch with more than ten TV teams, during the finales there will be many, many more.”
Sennheiser delivers the complete wireless equipment solution, including wireless communication equipment. They also see to it that everything is working as planned. The engineers for the show, however, are from NRK (broadcast) and AVAB CAC (PA).
Tests in advance at Sennheiser
– How did you test the equipment, prior to sending it to Telenor Arena?
“As this is a completely new system, all equipment components were put on a ‘burn in’, and each transmitter, receiver, antenna, etc., was tested for proper function. The equipment was then running for about a week”, says Jonas.
“We are using the newest receiver generation, with a switching bandwidth of 184 MHz. On previous arrangements like this, several types of hardware (receivers) have been used. Now it is only one type, but we are tuning them differently.
We use the new 2000 series in ear monitoring system, with diversity beltpack receivers.”
– Is the large number of wireless systems in itself a challenge to the quality and performance of the equipment?
“Yes, among other reasons because of digital TV signals, which may be a disturbance source. We solve this by carrying out accurate calculations beforehand.”
The wireless systems from Sennheiser at Telenor Arena
–What is the arrangement of these close to one hundred wireless systems?
There are 64 wireless microphones and 26 in ear monitoring systems. In addition to the in ear monitoring systems used by the artists, we supply a number of systems to the monitor sound engineers, for camera crew communication and also for the various countries’ delegations.”
The handheld transmitters are 32 units from Sennheiser’s top series SKM 5200, using Neumann microphone capsule KK 105, plus 24 beltpack transmitters SK 5212, with a selection of headset microphones for the artists. The handheld transmitters are all silver, except for the black ones used by the program hosts. Artists using headset microphones will have their personal unit, primarily for hygienic considerations. Sennheiser will also bring close to 250 earphones and 100 additional receivers, for in ear monitoring, and for communication purposes for camera crew, stage managers, etc.
– What about the antenna systems?
“We run 80 meters of antenna cables to antennas on each side of the stage, to three antenna systems. One of these systems is there, solely for added security. It is very, very unlikely that it should happen, but if a failure occurs on one antenna system, there will still be two operating systems. When doing a show of this magnitude, with such a large population of TV viewers, you simply do not take the chance of failures to occur. In practice we have two of everything – OB vans, monitor mixing consoles, etc.”
Artists and sound engineers – production team in full harmony
One particular reason for the large number of wireless microphones is the long distance from the main stage to the backstage area, and that there is a thirty – 30 – second gap only, between each change of scene.
Before the artists are entering the stage, they go via a separate backstage room, for in ear monitoring rehearsals. During rehearsals earlier, they have had in ear monitoring instructions and practice; for some of the artists this is the first time they are using this kind of equipment. Earphones and receivers are fitted, and the artists will have their monitor mix adjusted. This whole setup is NRK’s concept, and this is the first time it’s been done like this during the Eurovision Song Contest.
“Simply brilliant!” says Jonas: “Artists and sound technicians alike are very pleased. With this setup, the artists will sing their first line here, not on the main stage. By doing so, the artists gain a much better control of their own monitor mix – prior to entering the main stage. Consequently, they can focus maximally on their own performance, singing, choreography, light settings, camera, etc. The monitor mix is more or less done, before the artists start their performance on stage. The set monitor mix is then being transferred to the monitor mixing console on stage.”
In the course of the show, the backstage area will form a kind of queuing system, with 3–4 countries in line, the next country first in line, followed by the next country, and so on. Only 30 seconds pass, from one country leaves the stage, until the next country enters it!
A fantastic team from NRK and AVAB CAC
Top quality wireless equipment is an essential, but not sufficient precaution for a spotless arrangement. The physical handling of all the wireless transmitters, the logistics so to speak, is an adequately huge challenge. Getting them accurately out on the stage – and getting them back again. In this respect, Jonas can’t praise the technical crew from NRK and AVAB CAC enough.
The rehearsals have been fantastic
“We have an in ear monitoring coverage which is fabulous – I have never experienced anything like this before. The sound engineers well as artists are very pleased about this.”
– Are there other aspects from the preparations you would like to mention?
“The fact that there is no video wall this time has been beneficial for us, avoiding noise problems from this classic noise source.
– What about electric supply to the whole venue?
“There are a number of generators outside Telenor Arena, which during the course of the production period will consume some 300 000 liters of diesel ... This, however, is more or less standard for this kind of event.”
– Other aspects worth mentioning?
“Some artists have their own molded earplugs, but this does not represent any problem at all, and there are no requirements for specific colours etc. for the microphones. Everybody is using identical equipment. This is part of EBU rules; all artists are using the same type of equipment.
Except for minor adjustments, there have hardly been any big surprises at all. There have, however, been a few adjustments because of digital TV and digital multiplexers. The planning did work! The measurements we made were reliable.”
Finally, RF expert Jonas Næsby is showing us a black box in the huge receiver rack. The box has the exotic name Heimdall. Jonas explains:
“This is a summing amplifier, allowing us to listen in on every single receiver, without having to connect the headphones to each receiver. Heimdall is connected to all headphone outputs on the receivers, allowing the sound engineer to monitor the selected receiver.”
Om Sennheiser
Sennheiser Group, med huvudkontor i Wedemark nära Hannover i Tyskland, är en av världens ledande tillverkare av mikrofoner, hörlurar och system för trådlös överföring. Det familjeägda företaget, som bildades 1945, redovisade en försäljning på över €385 miljoner under 2008. Sennheiser har nära 2 100 anställda över hela världen, varav ungefär 55 % arbetar i Tyskland. Sennheiser har fabriker i Tyskland, Irland och USA och representeras av dotterbolag i Frankrike, Storbritannien, Belgien, Nederländerna, Tyskland, Danmark (Norden), Ryssland, Hong Kong, Indien, Singapore, Japan, Kina, Kanada, Mexico och USA, samt i många andra länder av långvariga affärspartners. Georg Neumann GmbH, Berlin (studiomikrofoner, studiomonitorer) och joint venture-förtaget Sennheiser Communications A/S (headsets till PC, kontor och callcenter) är också en del av Sennheiser Group.
För senaste nytt och information om Sennheiser kan du gå in på vår webbsida www.sennheisernordic.com, eller kontakta oss på:
Sennheiser Nordic A/S Denmark
Skovlytoften 33 • DK-2840 Holte
Phone: +45 70 26 66 33 • Fax: +45 70 26 67 11
e-mail: sennheiser@sennheisernordic.com
www.sennheisernordic.com