311 West 43rd Street, Suite #1100, New York NY 10036. Tel: 212.586.1033 Toll Free: 800.883.1033

Customer Art Rochester using the Sonosax SX-ST8D

DON'T MISS THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY!!!!

For over 60 years, the AES Convention has been the largest gathering of audio professionals and enthusiasts on the globe, attracting delegates from over 100 countries worldwide.

The pro audio exhibition, technical sessions, exhibitor and application seminars are but a few of the assets that visitors and participants benefit from.

UFVA Conference

Professional Sound's own sales rep, Justin Marinoff attends UFVA Conference at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, CO. August 12th - 16th, 2008.  Founded in 1947 as the University Film Producers Association, the UFVA has developed into an organization of almost 800 professionals and institutions involved in the production and study of film, video, and other media arts. The PSS booth consisted of wireless, boom mics, mixers, and recorders for colleges and universities across the country.  Also, shown in picture is Professional Sound's own customer from Colorado Springs, Wes Cavalier, showing off his produced/written Location Sound for Video DVD.

Taught by Professional Sound Services, our workshops cover the tools, techniques, and procedures used in the professional sound business. Students gain an appreciation of the aesthetic aspects of sound recording, learn tricks for creating an audio design and explore how to manipulate room tone, dialogue, and effects tracks for a realistic sound presence. Pre-production planning, boom and wireless microphone operation, microphone planting, tape-deck signal setup, and other techniques are also addressed. In addition, students are introduced to the latest DAT and analog systems, inter-format recording for music videos and commercial production, time code and other management tools for post production.

Call us today 212.586.1033
to find out more about PSS's unlimited sound
knowledge they can share with you!

NYC Production is 'BOOMING'

Item of the month

Rich's Recommendations & Product Highlights

Lectrosonics SM Series SMa, SMDa, SMQa

Super-Miniature Digital Hybrid Wireless
UHF Belt Pack Transmitters

The SM Series family brings Digital Hybrid Wireless technology to miniature transmitters in several different configurations for essentially any wireless microphone application with a lavaliere microphone. The tiny size of the single battery SMa model makes concealment easy, yet with a full 100 mW output, it does not sacrifice performance. The dual battery SMDa model doubles the battery life of the SMa with the same feature set. The SMQa offers 250 mW RF output power to extend operating range and the unique RM provides hands-free remote control for all three models. Switching power supplies throughout the design allow long battery life with NiMH batteries.

Setup and control is simplified with membrane switches and an LCD interface. Multiple functions are clearly marked on the panel, with on-screen prompts on the LCD as reminders when another switch must be held or the selection is locked out. The innovative servo bias input on the standard 5-pin connector provides a programmable, regulated voltage to accommodate a wide variety of electret microphones. Two bicolor LEDs make adjusting input levels for proper modulation easy and accurate.

The splash-proof housing is machined out of a single block of aluminum, which is then plated with a superhard, non-corrosive coating. The SM Series transmitters are equally at home in theatre, television and film where temperature and environmental extremes require superior performance under the most demanding conditions.

SR
Dual-Channel Slot Mount ENG Receiver
 

The SR consists of two separate receivers built into a single, ultra compact housing with adapters for video camera wireless receiver slots and stand-alone use.

Digital Hybrid Wireless technology provides superb, compandor-free audio quality and compatibility with other wireless systems. The RF performance is extremely stable over a very wide temperature range, making the receiver perfectly suited to the rough environmental conditions found in field production.

The front panel features a menu-driven LCD interface and four membrane switches used toview and alter settings. The main LCD window simultaneously displays the pilot tone indicator, diversity activity, RF level, audio level and transmitter battery status for both receivers.

A built-in spectrum analyzer scans across the tuning range of the receiver to locate RF signals in the vicinity to simplify finding clear operating frequencies.

Several different panel adapters are available to configure the receiver for use with popular camera slots and for stand-alone use. The adapters are retained by two screws through the side panel of the housing, making them easy to install.

Zaxcom Receives Primetime Emmy Engineering Award

The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences presented Zaxcom President Glenn Sanders and Chief Engineer Howard Stark with a 2008 Primetime Emmy Engineering Award at the Engineering Awards ceremony on Aug. 23, 2008 at the Renaissance Hotel in Los Angeles. The award recognizes Zaxcom's accomplishments in designing the Deva on-location audio recorder/mixer.

"It is an absolute honor to receive an Emmy Award from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences," said Sanders. "The Academy's recognition further highlights Zaxcom's engineering strengths, as well as our commitment to developing premium-quality recording and mixing systems that anticipate - and exceed - the real world needs of television audio professionals."

According to the Academy for Television Arts and Sciences, the Primetime Emmy Engineering Awards recognize developments in engineering that are either so extensive an improvement on existing methods or so innovative in nature that they materially affect the transmission, recording, or reception of television.

Customer, Art Rochester and Sound Crew recording the Tony Scott Dodge Ram Commercial

Providing general administrative support (filing, faxing, phones, etc.).

Conducting research for various marketing projects and special events.

Volunteers, Be at the front and center of an international film festival! Volunteer for IFP’s INDEPENDENT FILM WEEK while we celebrate our 30TH Anniversary September 14th to 19th, 2008. To Register go to http://www.independentfilmweek.com/volunteer.html Questions? Contact Rema Sayge - Manager, Hospitality at volunteer@ifp.org. Register now!! Departments are filling up quickly! We are looking for eager enthusiastic and reliable people like YOU! Must be 18 years or older to volunteer.

The Sky is NOT Falling
by Lectrosonics
 

The Federal Communication Commission has voted unanimously to ban the use of low-power transmitters operating in the 700MHz band after the transition to Digital on February 17, 2009.

Recently, the FCC auctioned portions of the RF spectrum which may in turn have a potential effect on the operation of wireless microphones in certain frequency bands. There are actually two issues at stake with the existing and proposed legislation regarding the RF spectrum.

They are:

1. Auctioning of the "700MHz band" (698-806MHz). As of February 17 2009, this portion of RF spectrum will be available to be used by the companies that won the auctions, and will no longer be available to Part 74 users.

At the same time, analog TV stations will shut down and only DTV stations will be in operation. Because the 700MHz band will no longer be available to TV broadcasters, the few that are left will have to move to a lower range.

Thus, our blocks 27, 28 & 29 will have new (as of yet unknown) transmissions operating, while our blocks 21-26 may have a few new DTV channels when compared to today, depending on the local market.

2. There is effort on the part of consumer products manufacturers and content service providers to allow the "white spaces" (remaining unused spectrum between existing TV transmissions) to be used by unlicensed, low power fixed and mobile devices. A decision has not been made on this issue by the FCC; however, it does appear that some additional spectrum may be lost.

These new devices will be required by the FCC to employ "Spectrum Sensing" technology that will determine what, if any, other users may be present in the RF spectrum, including TV transmissions and wireless microphone systems, among others.

As of the most recent testing, the prototype "white space" devices have failed the laboratory and field testing in terms of sensing existing RF carriers.

What This Means:

1. At least initially, there will be fewer TV stations in operation overall. This is because today, many stations are running redundant NTSC (analog) and DTV broadcasts. After February, 2009, they will only run their DTV broadcasts. Not only this, but DTV allows for multiple program channels to be embedded within a single DTV broadcast carrier. There is little financial incentive to add transmission channels at this time.

Please note the tables in the sidebar at right showing some examples of major metro markets and the available white space spectrum now and after February, 2009.

2. Lectrosonics makes high-powered systems, from 50mW to 250mW, with the standard units at 100mW. Thus, we already have a major advantage over systems with low-powered transmitters. Also, most of our transmitters have isolated outputs, thus using higher power, as we do, is not the problem (intermodulation products) as it is with competitor's units that are not isolated. Bottom line: our systems will operate very well even with a fair amount of broad-band noise.

However, it will not be legal for us (or any manufacturer) to make and sell transmitters above 698MHz following February 17, 2009. In November of 2007, we announced to our dealers that we would cease stocking any transmitters in blocks 27, 28 and 29. However, these blocks will be available only on a special-order, non-returnable basis through the end of 2008. In addition, we have added three blocks at the low end of the spectrum (blocks 470, 19 and 20) so that spectrum lost at the high range can be compensated for on the low end. In addition, we will be adding products in the 944-952MHz range, including Venue, IFB, SM Series, UCR401 and SR.

Conclusions:

1. The sky is not falling (remember Y2K?). Wireless mics in the UHF band will not be rendered useless within the next few years. Existing and foreseeable-future wireless mics, particularly those made by Lectrosonics, will be fully operational for years to come. Yes, there may be some challenges but mostly it will be about learning and adapting to the new RF spectrum.

2. Although the FCC requires the 700MHz band to be "vacated" as of February 2009, it is unrealistic to expect that all users of low-powered devices (wireless mics) will stop using their current systems. It is very likely that most wireless mic users in this range will continue to operate illegaly for some time. Licensed, legal, part 74 users such as broadcast stations will have to cease operation in the 700 MHz band. Manufacturers of part 74 devices will have to cease manufacturing, importing, or even shipping units that operate in the 700 MHz band. Commercial development of this band will begin in the large metro areras first, then work its way out to the further reaches of the country, the same way that cellular coverage did in the 1990s.

Lectrosonics, will, as required by the FCC, cease manufacturing and selling blocks 27, 28 and 29 for the US market at the end of 2008.

No one currently knows what will happen in the 470 to 700 MHz range. If and when the consumer "white space devices" hit the market, the UHF band will be similar in terms of congestion to the way the 2.4 GHz band already is today. In other words, it will be workable with proper planning, good system components and good system design.

NAGRAS, DIGITAL AUDIO, WIRELESS MICS, WALKIE TALKIES, Q SYSTEMS, MICROPHONES, SPEAKERS, PLAYBACK SYSTEMS, SOUNDCARTS, SIGNAL PROCESSING, FISHPOLES & BOOMS, INFRARED TRANSLATION SYSTEMS, MIXERS, TIMECODE SLATES, CELLULAR PHONES and now VIDEO EQUIPMENT AND LIGHTING!
 

PSS SERVICE DEPARTMENT

Do you have equipment that just sits in the corner of your room that is collecting dust due to the fact that it's broken? Say no more, here at Professional Sound Services not only do we rent and sell  equipment but we also repair equipment. Plus, if you bring any of your equipment to Professional Sound Services and you need to rent that same item while it's in Service we will give you a 50% discount on that item. We fix anything from Transmitters, Receivers, Mixers, Recorders, Microphones, Wires and etc...at incredible rates. Let our highly trained Service Technicians help you out by fixing your equipment at a very low rate!