Industry Insights: Intercom workflows and control continue to evolve

How do you see the move towards IP and automation continuing to change or impact studio audio?

“The need for remote work in times of social distancing will leave its mark. Remote production workflows are now more accepted than ever before, so to effectively deploy them we need more and better tools to ensure that non-technical, creative people can do their job from home. To ensure efficiency for these teams, the aforementioned intuitive UI and signaling, as well as more automated signal processing and remote controllable solutions will be absolutely crucial,” said Konrad.

“New transport protocols that are in the gestation process right now will eventually be brought into the workflow. Standard protocols that exist today for control are fast enough, but they will only continue to become more efficient,” Rosenblum noted.

“We have seen a trend in recent years towards simplified production workflows, and this has accelerated considerably during the last 12 months as the pandemic has exacerbated the move of technology into the cloud. Automation has been an important part of the story, whether something as relatively simple as Automix as a feature in our consoles or the need for the Audio Mix Engine to slave to the Vision Switcher to the extent that audio production is entirely hands-off. We believe that this trend is likely to continue and that we will see growth in areas such as AI-driven workflows where the production tools are driven by predictive algorithms rather than manual operators,” said Dyster.

“IP can be helpful with remote access, but it may not solve every issue. Often the need for reliable intercom communications over IP can conflict with networks that have many users teleconferencing and streaming at the same time,” said Rosen.

How do you see control interfaces for intercoms and audio changing?

“User Interfaces will not be reduced to just intercoms in the future. There is a need for generic HIDs doing more than just comms. Once again, our SmartPanel concept hits the spot. Our 2300 Series, for example, provides intercom and video signal routing via the MediorNet Control App at the same time. Also, with the upcoming control system-agnostic Control Panel App and Audio Monitoring App for the 1200 Series, our new panel will become a prime example of a truly multifunctional user interface,” Kolls said.

“They are going to basically stay the same, but their efficiency will be increased by magnitudes once all parts are brought together into one pipeline,” Rosenblum said, reiterating his earlier point.

“Intercom users need simplicity to accommodate the need for expedient on-the-fly setup for Remote Integration (REMI), as well as varying levels of skill—from the seasoned engineer to the creative team member who may be overwhelmed by new technology. Our Telos Infinity Dashboard, for example, displays the entire Intercom system as a single page view without the clutter of multiple tabs and embedded menus, so the operator can navigate quickly, and within minutes take control to create or manage a working IP Intercom. Intercom control interfaces also need to go beyond simple configuration to more robust service and management of all hardware and software elements within the system—including software and firmware updates—and network performance monitoring,” said Dyster.

“Additionally, as it becomes increasingly viable to build Intercom using software components such as virtual panels—like those found in Telos Infinity VIP—instead of physical, some users will expect to have the same tactile interface provided by a hardware panel. This will see a rise in the use of third-party control devices such as the Elgato Stream Deck, which you can use to control VIP, as well as integration with overarching orchestration systems, which use general-purpose button panels for multi-system control,” Dyster added.

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“More features are always coming but presenting them in an easily useable form is paramount. Often intercom users are not engineers and can be overwhelmed if the device has many layers of operation and control,” Rosen said.

What other trends should we be looking for in the year ahead?

“With the changes brought about by the pandemic, manufacturers will have to focus on users who are less technically versed. Making IP setups more accessible with simple plug-and-play concepts and proper connection management services is something that will benefit everyone. In the future, if we do this right, it won’t make a difference whether teams are on-site or working remotely from the other side of the world,” Konrad noted.

“We anticipate more inter-brand collaboration to create integrated cloud and remote production systems that give best-of-breed choice but with the advantage of native interoperability,” said Dyster.

“As more and more devices become wireless, the more consideration and planning needs to go into design. All RF devices, and even electronics that are not made to transmit like a display wall, can add to an overall RF noise floor that can degrade the performance of all RF systems. Taking a more holistic approach and looking at all systems in a facility can improve overall RF performance for all,” Rosen said.

Participants

Karsten Konrad, Riedel Communications
Rom Rosenblum, Clear-Com
Martin Dyster, Telos Alliance
Gary Rosen, Pliant Technologies
Felix Kolls, Riedel Communications