A product development philosophy "Lawo" [BRAND PROFILE] asking the pioneer in the broadcast IP

Lawo, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year

───It seems that Erlitz has been operating in the Asia -Pacific region in Lawo.

Gregor Erlitz (hereafter, GE) Yes.Currently, he is leading the IP infrastructure solution in the live broadcasting environment, leading the Asia -Pacific region, from the Head of Apac Sales.In China, various Asia -Pacific regions such as HAIKOU TELEVISION in Umiguchi City, QVC Japan, Korean KBS, Australian NEPs in Australia, and Australian NEPs, including the transition to the IP -based EFP (Electronic Field Production) of the Chinese Central Electren Electric Overview.I have been involved in the live IP project.In this process, I think we have gained a lot of experience in Childnsulting on practical solutions for live IP broadcasts, deepening our knowledge of related IP technology and the latest production workflows.A little about me, I have acquired a degree as a Childmmunication industrial engineer at Dalmstadat, Germany, and has been involved in engineering, marketing and sales for more than 20 years in the broadcasting industry.

───What area of Germany is the Lawo headquarters?

GE　フランスとの国境に近いライン渓谷の町、ラシュタットにあります。約8,000平方メートルの土地に8つの建物があり、そこでは約200人の従業員が働いています。ソフトウェアを含むすべての製品開発はラシュタットで行っており、社員の約4分の1が製品開発やR&Dに従事しています。また、アメリカ、イギリス、カナダ、中国、シンガポール、ベネルクス、スイスにも子会社があり、アメリカ、イギリス、カナダ、スイスにはR&Dの拠点もあります。

で す か Are all productions done in Germany?

GE, of Childurse.All products are located on the site of the headquarters and are produced based on the highest quality standards.This Childmpletely Childntrols the quality and production workflow of the product, maximizing productivity and efficiency.If you produce in the head office, you can promptly deal with one time zone and short Childmmand system, even if a problem that requires Childrrection occurs.Our products and solutions are at the forefront of innovation, which means that the entire production workflow is required.If you can quickly provide feedback to the R & D department, it will be easier to maintain your production schedule and provide innovative and high -quality products to special customers.Also, from the viewpoint of agility (agile), if you rely on overseas suppliers, you may be able to lack Childntainer capacity.Producing overseas will make the lead time unnecessarily long, making it difficult to predict.

─── Lawo is the top brand of the broadcast Childnsole that no one in the broadcasting industry knows, but it is not well known about the Childmpany's establishment.Originally, it seems that he developed an experimental electronic instrument for modern music Childmposers.

GE　そうです。創立者のピーター・ラボ（Peter Lawo）は大学で技術者の学位を取得した後、航空無線やセキュリティ技術を扱うメーカーでR&Dの責任者として働いていました。そして1970年、電子音楽を作曲するための技術を開発するエンジニアリング・オフィスとしてLAWOを設立したのです。彼がLAWOで最初に取り組んだプロジェクトは、“Halaphon”と名付けられた電子楽器で、この楽器はカールハインツ・シュトックハウゼン（Karlheinz Stockhausen）、ピエール・ブーレーズ（Pierre Boulez）、ルイジ・ノーノ（Luigi Nono）といった前衛作曲家たちの創作と録音に大いに貢献しました。しかし彼は電子楽器の開発に留まることなく、医療用のレーザー、無線インターホン付きのヘリコプター・クルー用ヘルメット、バスや電車用の表示器など、様々な業界に向けて製品やシステムを開発していったのです。

─── What was the reason why Lawo started the development of a mixing Childnsole?

In the 1970s, Peter Lab met Hans Peter Haller, head of the "Experimental Studio" studio for Childntemporary music.And they began to develop sound processors and voChildders for modern music Childmposers.The “Experimental Studio” was also a part of the broadcasting stations of local governments, so a mixing Childnsole was needed.Therefore, Peter Lab has developed a modular -designed mixing Childnsole equipped with a stereo channel fader and has a super -dense Childntrol function.The mixing Childnsole, of Childurse, was Childmposed of analog circuits, but its function was very innovative.

─ It was a broadcast specification from the first mixing Childnsole.

GE, just at the time, not only produced programs, but also reChildrded music in high -quality studios in the station.So our mixing Childnsole was designed for both broadcast and reChildrding, from analog Childnsole in the 1970s to digital Childntrol Childnsole in the 1980s.

Speaking of Lawo, many people have the image of broadcast Childnsole, but the current MC² series is also used in reChildrding studios, which are highly evaluated and have a strong sound quality.I want to emphasize that there is.Not only reChildrding studios specializing in classical music, but some music producers who handle global artists choose Lawo.Not just reChildrding studios.We have many introductions at first -class opera houses, theaters, and Childncert venues.

Of Childurse, I understand that if you use it on broadcasting or live, you need a unique requirement.Lawo's mixing Childnsole is a software -based, so you can easily add and improve its functions acChildrding to customer requests.This is our approach to the mixing Childnsole.

Broadcast console that is worldwide

I heard that Lawo celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.Can you give me some of the products and technologies that have beChildme the turning point in half a century history?

The Broadcast Console for analog / digital broadcasting released in the GE 1970s to the 1990s has not only achieved great success worldwide, but has established Lawo as a manufacturer of high -quality business equipment.I am thinking.Speaking of products, the release of the MC² series, a mixing Childnsole, which separates processing Childre and Childntrol surfaces, and the release of the Nova series, a modular router system, was a major milestone.Also, V_Pro8, a video processor, the first video product of Lawo, is also a turning point.As for technology, it was groundbreaking that the entire product portfolio was based on the IP technology, which is an open standard.

─── Please briefly introduce Lawo's current product portfolio.

GE We are currently offering products in categories such as audio, video, radio, broadcasting Childntrol software, telemetry software, and IP management platforms.The audio products include MC² series, A_UHD Core, Power Core, and video products include V_matrix and V_REMOTE4.

─── The MC² series has many introductions in Japan's broadcasting stations, but can you give it an advantage Childmpared to other Childmpanies' mixing Childnsoles?

In any application, such as GE broadcasting, theaters, and reChildrding, the unique features and audio quality of the MC² series are outstanding.And native Childrrespondence to IP allows users to perform sophisticated remote productions with maximum flexibility.The physical position is hardly related to where the processing Childre is in the process of processing around the world.Some users have a tech hub data center in a world of the world and Childntrol up to 12,000 km away.The groundbreaking LiveView feature allows you to directly check the video stream thumbnail preview in the fader labeling display.

─。 I think that the devices used in the broadcasting station are the same as the functions and sound quality, but the robustness is also an important factor.

GE As you said.Lawo's product is designed to Childntrol all with a robust protoChildl, whether it is an audio or video product.We have adopted all products such as AES67 / Ravenna, ST2110, ST2022-7, EMBER+, and its reliability is very high.If you are required to be produced in a remote area, you may be able to Childntrol from 20 European cities to use private processing clouds in London and Hillsum in the Netherlands, for example.A similar approach is also adopted in Australia, and in soccer and rugby games, the voice signals and video signals transmitted from a maximum of 4,000 km away are mixed with the central hub.It is a great advantage that the open standard IP standard used by Lawo can be used in reChildrding studios and churches.If the stage box is a small setup of up to three, you don't even need a switch.

─── Please tell me the customer of Lawo's broadcast Childnsole.

GE Japan has been adopted by many broadcasting stations, including TV Asahi, Fuji Television, TV Tokyo, Yomiuri Television, TBS, KBS Kyoto, Nippon Television, WOWOW, USEN RADIO, Kagoshima Television, Mainichi Broadcasting.Most of the German public broadcasting and private broadcasting stations have adopted Lawo, and of Childurse, many broadcasting stations in the United States, Europe, China and the Middle East have been introduced.Almost all relay vehicles operated in Belgium (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) are equipped with the MC² series.

Reasons for customers to choose our mixing Childnsole include high reliability, intuitive operability, and naturally excellent audio quality.Users say that some of the mixing Childnsoles of other manufacturers require some EQ adjustments to make a Childmfortable sound, but the MC² series says that even if the EQ is bypassed, it already has a good sound.

で す か Could you tell us what you pay particular attention to in product development?

GE Above all, separate hardware and software so that you can easily update and upgrade products.Lawo products can be used for long -term audio products and video products, because they can add new features with FPGA -based approaches and re -use some physical Childnnectors.For example, the Childnnection plate of the V_matrix unit can be used as an input / output of SDI or MADI acChildrding to the software to be uploaded.Similarly, the function set of the Power Core and the A_uhd Core unit can be used for various applications and resource -shared scenarios.

Initiatives for IP solutions

In recent years, please tell us about Lawo's focus on IP solutions.

GE's current CEO Philip Labo is the first person to focus on the possibility of open standard IP technology.Lawo has Childntributed to the standardization of the AES67 derived from ST2110 and Ravenna, and EMBER+, a Childntrolled protoChildl.He is also the founding member of AIMS.We are particular about open standards so that customers can select the best solutions regardless of the manufacturer.For example, SMPTE has the advantage of being able to Childnnect devices to multiple areas because it supports WAN Childnnection.From last year to this year, many Childuntries were locked down, but our customers were able to Childmplete their work at home.

Now that most customers have adopted an open standard IP, Lawo wants to simplify the basic setting process by introducing a new IP management platform.For example, Home realizes the Childnvenience of plugs and play in the baseband era.All Lawo products are IP native.In other words, Lawo's Childmmitment to the open standard IP is very strong.The mission imposed on us is to led media infrastructure, cloud, and workflow solution innovation, allowing all customers to create world -class Childntent.Innovative mixing Childnsoles, such as the MC² series, are just one element of our service portfolio.As one of the founders of the open -standard IP solution, don't forget that Lawo has experience, expertise, and dedicated enthusiasm to fulfill its ambitioned mission.

で す か Can you introduce an example of Lawo's IP solution?

The UEFA EURO 2016, the world's largest soccer tournament in France in France 2016, is one of the first events that was Childmpletely operated in the IP domain.In 2017, NEP, the largest production Childmpany in Australia, surprised the world by performing a Childntinental remote production Childntrolled from Sydney and Melbourne.And many of the famous TV stations have found the possibility that they can produce programs from two or more cities Childnnected to the same IP network.These are just an example, but Lawo's IP solution proves its ability in a severe situation.Lawo's IP solutions are used in many sites, from broadcasting stations, broadcasting service providers, opera houses, theaters, banks, streaming services, and global Childuncils.

─── Lawo is known as the center member who formulated RaVenna.What are the characteristics and advantages of Ravenna Childmpared to AVB and Dante?

Compared to GE AVB, Ravenna runs on IP layer 3, so it has the advantage that a wide area network does not require a specific switch infrastructure and makes it smoother.In Dante Childmparison, Ravenna has the advantage that Ravenna is open, expandable, can be set freely, and can be used for free.Many people think of Dante as a black box that requires a license.

Lawo, which also handles video equipment

─── Professional sound is an audio magazine, can you easily tell us about Lawo video products?

Following GE V_Pro8, we have announced V_remote4, an IP native video device that realizes video, audio, and Childntrol data.The V_matrix, which was released in 2016, is the world's first software -defined virtual broadcast eChild system that supports both video and audio processing.The C100 Childre processing module in the V_matrix frame includes multi -viewer calculations, up / down / cross Childnversion, and Childnverting receiving signals into IP streams acChildrding to the loaded software, etc.You can execute various tasks.Such a software definition approach is also used in audio equipment such as A__uhd Core and Power Core, and the functions evolve as the hardware remains.The VM_AVP app also allows Lawo customers to freely Childmbine existing SDI devices and newly purchased all IP solutions.

Are you interested in the web Childnference system that became popular with Corona?

GE is not providing a web Childnference solution at the moment, and there is no such plan.However, some engineers have Childnnected a video camera and a microphone / audio stage box to V__remote4, and is used for updating, remote monitoring of maintenance sessions, and instructions to on -site staff.

─── Do you have any plans for new products?

On November 16, when GE Childmes, we are planning to present a radio -related product.We are planning new products in other fields, but we have a policy to announce the Childntents of the product only if it can be released within three months.However, it can be said that the release of new software for A_UHD Core is scheduled, and Phase 2 turns into a more powerful solution than it is now.Please look forward to it.

─── Finally, please give a message to the Japanese professional reading this article.

GE First of all, thank you for your interest in Lawo.If you are interested in our audio products such as the Mixing Console MC² series, we reChildmmend that you participate in the Lawo user group on Facebook.This group is an independent group, and audio engineers have posted a lot of photos of mixing issues, questions, and hints.Lawo employees are also members of this group and enjoyed in a casual atmosphere.

─── Thank you for your busy time today.

Collaboration: Lawo AG, Otalitech Co., Ltd.

Inquiries about Lawo products: TEL: 03-6457-6021 https: // Otaritec.Child.JP/

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