SDI

There’s a tendency in broadcast to talk about technology in terms of what’s replacing it. Dolby E is overdue for that conversation in some quarters. And yet, if you’re working in contribution, live event production, or linear broadcast distribution, Dolby E is still very much present. Understanding what it is, why it exists, and what it’s carrying in its metadata is not optional knowledge for anyone doing serious audio engineering in broadcast. ...

Every year I go to a trade show and hear the same thing: SDI is dead, IP is the future, and anyone still running coax is holding back progress. I’ve been hearing this for the better part of a decade now. And yet, when I’m on-site at a major live event - wiring up comms systems, routing audio under pressure, troubleshooting at midnight before a show goes on air - SDI is still there, doing exactly what it’s always done. Quietly and reliably. ...