Commissions
Over the years we have been commissioned by many companies and system integrators to design and manufacture bespoke products. Some of these are described here.
This company has a large stock of professional sound and lighting equipment that can be hired for events, conferences or production. They are especially active in the Theatre industry, and provide reliable, state of the art equipment solutions.
Over time, BCD Audio have produced equipment for them, badged as SSS ( stage sound services)
MADI-48 – 2014
This 1U unit packaged MIDI and MADI units in a rugged 1U box, and added 2:1 dual redundancy to the setup. This redundancy is important so that two playout systems can be used in the Theatre show, and easily switched over should one playout system cause trouble.
Two M-audio MIDI units and Digico USB to MADI boxes are located in the case, and wired via a BCD Audio designed 2:1 coax switcher for the redundant switching.
KVM LAN (netsynx)– 2015
This 1U unit packaged a lindy KVM unit a Netgear network switch and a BCD Audio designed wordclock distribution module. The KVM is switched on the front panel, and can be linked to the MADI-48 to complete the A/B switching.
VIDEO FADER – 2017
This 1U unit contains two PAL video channels that are faded by incoming DMX512 from the lighting desk. The BCD designed circuit used a processor reading the DMX data stream and BCD thumbwheel switches to decide on channel code. A front panel switch flips the fade direction for flexibility and test. The PAL video signal section is faded from the lighting desk via DMX while the Video sync area is preserved.
MADI-96 – 2018
This 1U unit was similar to the MADI-48, except the MADI units were replaced by 96KHz versions. MADI in 96KHz mode reduces the channel count from 64 to 32 channels; the data rate of 125Mb/s remains the same. Roland USB MIDI units were used inside as these were smaller than the M-Audio units used before.
Loudsoft in Denmark is the company fronted by Peter Larsen.
Peter Larsen has been working in the loudspeaker industry since 1974. He started his career with SEAS, was Chief Engineer for Vifa 1979-1987 and for Dynaudio 1987-1990. Until 1993 he worked with JBL in USA.
From 1993 Peter Larsen has worked as an independent consultant for leading loudspeaker factories all over the world.
Peter Larsen is still very active as a consultant in all kinds of loudspeaker and headphone projects, which helps him to understand the practical problems and find the best software and test solutions to address them. In this way the customers are the most valuable resource by requesting new special features and thereby inspiring further interesting solutions.
Loudsoft FHW1 – 2011
Peter Larsen had been experimenting with a PC sound card, mic and power amplifier with a view to constructing a unit capable of doing production testing of Loudspeakers, with Bob Harris ( ex BBC, KEF and DERA).
They had the expertise to design Windows based software based on the absolute science behind loudspeakers. The FHW1 was the practical implementation of this work, and included all of the electronics needed for the system.
The 1U box communicates to the PC with a stereo USB codec, as if it was a sound-card.
The PC sends a carefully tailored sweep signal to the FHW1, which is passed via an amplifier to the Loudspeaker on test. The remote switched microphone amplifier returns the acoustic signal, along with the measured signal current taken by the Loudspeaker. From these signals, the dynamic impedance of the Loudspeaker can be measured.
Loudsoft FHW2 – 2015
Following good results and customer requirements over time, an enhanced unit was designed in tandem with enhanced software capabilities. BCD Audio’s experience with Digital Audio and FPGAs meant that the unit could communicate to the PC on fast USB2, and not be constrained by transferring signals at audio rates. The Embedded DSP processor from BCD meant that a discreet DSP was not required. During a test sweep, the unit saves the results in DRAM, and transfers them at fast speed.
The unit has three remote switch microphone channels, a Loudspeaker and Headphone measuring capability, SPDIF and Line output on XLR.
Loudsoft FHW3 – 2017
Minor modifications and a rethink to the Loudspeaker impedance measurement resulted in the FHW3. Basically, FHW2 could measure an internal and external loudspeaker current against 0.1R. FHW3 measured the internal loudspeaker current against 0.1R and 75R. The 75R mode was much more sensitive at Loudspeaker resonances and together represented what the industry needed to measure.
Radio Lollipop believes in the healing power of play – providing smiles and laughter to children at a time when they need it most.
Radio Lollipop gives young patients a voice and a choice during their stay. While they can´t say “no” to taking their medicine or receiving treatment, they can request their favourite songs, win prizes and hear their own voices on the radio. Those activities give youngsters a haven of normality in the hospital day which in other respects is strange, different and often scary.
Radio Lollipop exists in ten UK hospitals, and is also present in the USA and New Zealand.
My first involvement with Radio Lollipop was at my time at Birmingham University when I first met David Mason ( from BBC Pebble Mill ) and Hedley Finn ( Radio Lollipop). The university included a medical school, and the Hospital for Sick Children was just down the road. During my final year at University I got involved with setting up the station, and we used an Alice 828S and a DA switching gadgety gizmo box designed by me.
Overtime, that hand crafted gizmo box became the Lollipop Tardis, and BCD Audio have supplied them ever since.
The first units used Eurocards from our Amplifier system range, packaged into a 2U box.
By 2019 this solution was looking increasingly tired as the only place the Eurocards were being used was here! A 1U single circuit board solution was created and shipped to Radio Lollipop. This retained the features but repackaged in a way that was economical again.
Past Covid, BCD Audio will help and support Radio Lollipop into the future.
