[ATTACH=CONFIG]195033.vB5-legacyid=2715[/ATTACH]New York, NY – December 2011… NBC’s Access Hollywood and Access Hollywood LIVE are two iconic weekday television entertainment news programs covering many of the biggest music, TV, and film industry events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. For those interested in the ‘latest and greatest’ of the entertainment business, these shows are, without question, the shows to watch. With much of the production taking place at New York’s famed Rockefeller Center; it’s difficult to imagine a busier, more hectic environment than the heart of Manhattan. So when it comes to wireless microphone performance, there are many issues to consider. That’s why Lectrosonics wireless technology plays an integral role in the shows’ audio production.
Frank Duca, a metropolitan New York area location and studio audio professional, has been in the ‘trenches’ for the better part of the past seventeen years. During this time, he’s worked on the Olympics, Super Bowl games, NBC’s Saturday Night Live (SNL), the recent Royal wedding coverage in London, and a myriad of additional projects with his own company, Hollywood East Productions. Duca has worked with the Access Hollywood brand since 1996 and was invited to assist in the success of Access Hollywood LIVE when it debuted in September of 2010. He routinely uses Lectrosonics’ SR and SR/5P receivers with UM400a and SMQv Super Miniature transmitters. For Access Hollywood LIVE, Duca uses Lectrosonics UCR411a receivers, UM400a transmitters, a UMC200D rack with an antenna splitter, as well as the company’s T4 IFB transmitters and SMQv Super Miniature transmitters (in IFB mode) with R1a IFB receivers. All of this equipment utilizes Lectrosonics’ acclaimed Digital Hybrid Wireless® technology.
Duca discussed the challenges of working in a crowded RF environment, “For our live show on location, I require a minimum of 7 talent and 3 IFB discrete transmitters feeding about 10 R1a receiver units with a short list of available frequencies to choose from. The show changes on a dime and there is very little time for setup—and even less for RF issues, since we are live. The Lectrosonics gear fits well in my roll around, 12-space mobile mix station. The equipment sounds great, and is very easy to configure. Because of RF congestion in this area, I find the RF spectrum analyzer built into each receiver to be a very valuable asset.”
“I’m equally impressed with my Lectrosonics SR and SR/5P receivers,” Duca continued. “The SR receivers are light, so I can easily carry more units. I also enjoy using the SR/5P as my camera hop, since it never weighs down the camera. In situations when I need to switch over from a hard line multi cable feeding my cameraman to the SR unit, I like to use a custom 5-pin to 7-pin cable. This connects from the SR unit 5-pin male connector directly into my quick release camera 7-pin end and eliminates my having to disconnect the XLR input connections on the camera. One switch and I’m transmitting wireless to my cameraman.”
Location sound work tends to be really hard on equipment, as the gear routinely gets dropped, bumped, and more. “Many times over the years,” Duca reports, “our units have been knocked around and have hit the ground. I’ve always found Lectrosonics equipment able to withstand a great deal of abuse. Equally important, the company’s customer and technical support groups are excellent. In the event a unit is in need of repair, Lectrosonics’ technicians are very knowledgeable and responsive.”
As he prepared for another day on location, Duca offered these parting thoughts. “At a time when cutting costs—and cutting corners—is so common, it’s reassuring to know that Lectrosonics continues to build great gear that withstands real world use. I expect to see more great products from this company that enable audio professionals like me to run the equipment for years. This is where the real return on investment comes from. I always need to stay aware of new products and technology available to my industry. While I look at other equipment, in the end, I ultimately find myself choosing Lectrosonics.”
To learn more about Frank Duca, visit his company online at [url]www.hollywoodeastvideo.com[/url].
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About Lectrosonics
Well respected within the film, broadcast, and theatre technical communities since 1971, Lectrosonics wireless microphone systems and audio processing products are used daily in mission-critical applications by audio engineers familiar with the company’s dedication to quality, customer service, and innovation. Lectrosonics is a US manufacturer based in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Visit the company online at [url]www.lectrosonics.com[/url].
