Looking for a Remote Working Solution?

Global events have accelerated thinking and broadcasters are looking at remote working and virtualization to protect their businesses.

At Calrec, we’ve been working remotely with customers for years to help create live broadcasts both safely and reliably. Remote Production is all about reducing onsite staff at a venue and keeping as much of the production team at the Production Centre as possible.

Remote working, or virtualization, has seen broadcasters find ways to work with staff unable to travel, finding ways to produce programs with key operators working from their homes. This distributed Production Team model has used Calrec’s remote and virtual products to stay on-air by connecting to hardware from remote locations, using portable hardware in remote locations, and making integrated use of station automation systems.

A range of remote workflows

As more and more manufacturers and broadcasters adapt to virtualized working environments and embrace flexible workflows, many live programmes are now being mixed remotely or using virtualized surfaces.

Calrec customers can use its Calrec Assist web GUI to virtualize operations which allows users to mix directly from their laptops.

It is compatible with a range of Calrec products and is helping broadcasters streamline workflows, improve cost efficiency, and expand variety of coverage – safely.

What is Assist?

Calrec Assist is a browser-based interface application that creates a virtual console environment, ideally suited to remote working. Calrec Assist runs in a web browser and gives comprehensive control for:

  • Calrec’s RP1 remote production core
  • VP2 Virtual production engine
  • Type R IP core
  • Apollo
  • Artemis

To meet broadcasters’ evolving requirements, Calrec has created a virtual Assist demo with Type R which can be accessed remotely, wherever you are in the world.

The demo showcases Calrec’s Assist remote capabilities to protect broadcasters and ensure great innovation and agility despite these difficult times.

Benefits of Calrec Assist Web UI App include:

  1. Seamless Automation Integration: Supplements panel hardware.
  2. Interactive, Real-Time Control: Provides virtualisation of Calrec consoles.
  3. Working at a Distance: Virtual control over IP and proprietary infrastructures and remote working solutions.
  4. Facilitates At-Home Production: Provides support for at-home setup and operation.
  5. Peace of Mind: Provides back up to hardware surface panels.
  6. Multiple Operators: Allows live technical support for operators.

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6 Benefits of using Assist for Remote Working

1. Interactive, Real-Time Control

1. Interactive, Real-Time Control

Assist is a virtual online desk running on a laptop. The user can easily configure their laptop or PC to emulate any desks they want to work on by importing different desk packages. It allows the user access to a host of parameters, including set up of shows, memories, fader layouts, patching, bus setup, labelling, input and output levels on virtual fader beds, as well as control of input channel parameters including mic gains, routing to outputs and much more. All this on their choice of device, with no physical console surface attached. If users need access to different pages of the Assist application in parallel, more pages can be opened in tabs, or simply dragging them out as a new window. It provides full, interactive and real time control of an entire console from a single screen.

2. Working at a Distance

2. Working at a Distance

In unprecedented times, broadcasters should be able to fall back on trusted technologies to ensure they can work in a safe environment. Calrec Assist can provide the ability to tap into a broadcast network and stay on-air from a remote, secure and safe location. This helps broadcasters make the most out of their investment, providing more flexible options to stay on air in times when they might not be able to travel to the studio. Calrec have solutions for virtual control over IP and proprietary infrastructures, as well as remote working.

3. Seamless Automation Integration

3. Seamless Automation Integration

Calrec Assist’s feature set provides an interface to set up an entire system. In conjunction with the Calrec Serial Control Protocol (CSCP), it allows third-party automation systems to seamlessly integrate into a Calrec infrastructure. This enables stations access to many of the benefits of a Calrec console, but without a physical control surface. Assist software can be accessed from multiple locations via a web-browser giving instant control to both engineering and production level functionality. Small physical fader packs can be easily added for additional functionality, or users can download Calrec’s Fader Assist app from the IOS store.

4. Facilitates At-Home Production

4. Facilitates At-Home Production

Calrec’s Assist can plug into a remote production/at home network at both the venue and at the studio to allow users to set up complete shows without a console. As it can be accessed from multiple locations via the web, and different access levels can be granted to different users, remote operators can be given control functions, or an engineer can dig in to fine tune any setup as needed. It’s entirely up to you.

5. Peace of Mind

5. Peace of Mind

Assist links up with Calrec’s Apollo, Artemis and Type R consoles in a natural and simple way to provide additional security and resilience, as well as offline editing capabilities to enable freelance operators to set up memories prior to arriving on site. Assist gives broadcast engineers the ability take remote control of a console to provide secure back up in the event of any on-site issues.

6. Multiple Operators

6. Multiple Operators

Whatever your requirements, Calrec Assist enables the user to utilise technical support and expertise as well as effective team working. Calrec Assist allows you to assign different tasks to multiple operators whether that’s to distribute the workload or provide technical support to operators.