Hamdon Sound Studios & ABC TV Perth have both recently upgraded their Audio Post Facilities. Hamdon has chosen Fairlight, while the ABC has chosen DSP.

ABC TV has completed the construction of it's state of the art Perth studio, which boasts the world's first Postation 2, a complete post-production suite from DSP Media, and sound equipment from JBL.

Kim Lord, Director of Operations at the ABC in Perth, said that the Postation's intergration of editor, non-linear video and VCS mixing facilities was a key feature which drew the broadcaster to the system. "With Postation 2 you are not aware that you are operating a number of different processors, you always have the feeling that you are operating one complete system," Lord explained.

ABC-TV's Postation 2 is comprised of four integrated processors: a powerful Digital Editing Processor (DEP); a Virtual Control Surface (VCS) for digital mixing; a complete MP-1 Surround Sound Monitoring system; and a powerful digital Non-Linear Video (NLV). Built in touch screen SGI monitors extend the system's work surface and allow for surround panning directly from the central interface.

Kim Lord, Director of Operations and Martin Roth, Operating Engineer for ABC-TV spent over 18 months researching and testing various workstations on the market. "We looked at equipment from DSP Media, Fairlight, and ProTools, we visited facilities and discussed their operation with studio owners, prior to deciding on DSP. Initially, I was told by the owner of one of the largest facilities in the country, whom I respect immensely, that DSP Media quite simply, sounded the best," said Lord.

New monitoring equipment for DSP suite included JBL LSR 32, 28P and 25P Studio Monitor Speakers, a JBL LSR 12P Studio Subwoofer, two Crown Reference 2 Studio Amplifiers and a DK Audio Master Surround Display. The LSR 32 systems are set up in left, centre, right configuration, with a centre powered subwoofer. Portable near-field 28P's can be moved in when need.

Projects to be posted in the new suite include a new ABC series, "Radio Pictures", Lucky Ocean's "The Planet" and the children serie's "WildKat".

Since the sale of the system to the ABC, ten more Postation 2's have been sold worldwide. Perth's Hamdon Sound Studios, have chosen the Fairlight FAME mixing console for its new studio. Doug Hampton, Managing Engineer, describes his facility this way: "We currently have two studios.

The original studio in West Perth is centered around a 16 output MFX3plus, while our new studio, in Northbridge, features the 32-fader FAME system. Both of these facilities service our full range of clients from Perth, and increasingly from interstate and overseas".

According to Hampton, "The FAME had a demanding initiation on a series of television shows called "Animal X", produced locally by Storyteller Productions for Discovery Channel International. "The work on this project relied heavily on the processing power of the embedded MFX3plus and the automation facilities of the FAME surface to cope with the different versions required for international and domestic distribution", said Hampton.

Hamdon Sound Studios does everything from simple voice-overs, to ADR for film and television, to full audio sweetening of commercials, documentaries and television series. It's great to see Australian designed & built DAWS competing against other international companies and winning major contracts.

Doug Hampton, Managing Editor and Tim Halligan, Operating Engineer