Offering a wide range of practically focused digital media and design courses, Ravensbourne University London spans education from pre-degree and foundation level, to undergraduate and postgraduate, as well as hosting a variety of professional short courses. With the recent addition of a Calrec Brio 36 broadcast console (and Hydra2 network) to its studio facilities, Ravensbourne now enables students to hone their audio mixing skills on a mixing desk used in professional broadcast applications worldwide.

‘Our TV Production lecturing team – who are themselves practicing industry professionals – have vast experience using various Calrec consoles,’ says Ravensbourne Senior Media Services Engineer, Howard Austen.

‘Calrec’s reputation and prevalence in broadcast means we’re able to train and equip our graduates with up to date, demonstrable skills that can be immediately applied within the industry, today and beyond.’

Designed for use in both on-site and remote applications, Calrec’s compact Brio 36 – and smaller Brio 12 – offer power and flexibility to TV production studios and OB Trucks where space is at a premium, and feature much of the functionality found on Calrec’s larger desks.

‘As with many educational facilities, it was a prerequisite to achieve value for money for the University,’ Austen continues. ‘It’s clear that Brio has been designed with flexibility at its heart, and can accommodate a large amount of production scenarios. Empowering the students to practice and apply the skills they’re learning beyond their timetabled sessions is key, and the Hydra2 network will help expand what’s possible in their creative productions.

‘This set-up will enable us to accommodate AoIP, Dante and Madi as we grow the system over time. We can already see how we could use Calrec’s range of stageboxes to enable productions to break out of traditional production spaces, and use any area on any floor of the building.’

‘The modular I/O system, and the relative plug-and-play nature of the Hydra2 network really appealed for what we would like to do now and in the future, making any room with an RJ45 socket into a creative production space. Gone are the days of 50m XLR cable runs. And the ability for the desk to output its UI onto an external monitor will also complement the teaching delivery, and make the learning far more effective, particularly as the Brio packs such a large amount of functionality and configuration into its small footprint.

‘The cherry on top is the lecturing team who teach TV Production have already used the Brio in the field – which means the students will experience workflows and usage as used in industry. Also, support has been always on hand from Anthony Harrison at Calrec or Simon Roome at Synthax, whose knowledge have been invaluable when it’s come to incorporating the Brio and its network into the existing infrastructure.’

‘Ravensbourne University has a long alumni list that includes many of today’s top broadcast professionals, so it’s great that they have chosen to work with Synthax to upgrade to the industry-standard Calrec Brio,’ adds Synthax UK Broadcast Sales Manager, Simon Roome.

More: www.synthax.co.uk