Pixelogic, a global provider of media and post-production services, has implemented a Dante network infrastructure and Focusrite’s RedNet range of Dante-networked audio converters and interfaces to keep up with the diversity of media content and the rapid pace of its workflows.
Pixelogic provides a variety of technology solutions to the entertainment industry, offering services for localization (dubbing and subtitling), DVD/Blu-ray authoring and digital distribution for major Hollywood studios, digital content platforms, and dozens of independent media studios – and this integrated business model, reflecting the rapidly shifting media landscape, has made adaptability the name of the game. At its Burbank and Culver City facilities, its two main locations in the U.S., and their London location, Pixelogic is deploying an array of RedNet systems, creating a versatile, fast, efficient and effective workflow for a range of media production needs.
“RedNet has made a huge difference for us, which is why we wanted it from the very beginning,” says Doug Higgins, VP of Worldwide Audio Services at Pixelogic, which launched in January 2017. “RedNet is powerful, but it’s also flexible, which is what we need given the range of services that we can provide.”
Each of the RedNet units plays an important role in creating a complete networked-audio ecosystem, and Higgins says it’s difficult to choose one as more critical than another. But he points to the Red 4Pre as “the Swiss Army knife” of the signal chain.
“We use it to connect directly to Pro Tools through DigiLink, and it’s able to connect us to any Dante devices, as well as work across all connection protocols,” he explains. Additionally, the RedNet AM2 has become the master of Pixelogic’s many headphone cues. “Its simple scalability means it can be used for any type of session,” he says. And the RedNet D64R has become the primary way Pixelogic interfaces MADI inputs with immersive audio workflows. “It’s become the way we integrate new immersive formats like Atmos with other sources,” he says. “Each RedNet device also plays a key part in building what we call our hybrid studios, too, where we bring in digital cinema content and can combine completely immersive formats with HDR and other next-generation format content.”
Localization – the language versioning of content for other regions – is one of Pixelogic’s main services, and RedNet is there. “Localization can be complex, and RedNet keeps the workflow streamlined, allowing us to move content sources around easily and reliably,” he says. RedNet also has an economic benefit. “RedNet makes us more efficient, by reducing turnaround time, which in turn saves us money while reducing the time to delivery,” says Higgins. “By being able to move all of our audio over IP or over low-voltage Cat-6 cabling, connectivity is immediate and simplified. RedNet has become a core part of how we work.”
Focusrite gear setup for Pixelogic:
— RedNet A16R 16-channel analog I/O interface
— RedNet D64R 64-channel MADI bridge
— RedNet HD32R 32-channel HD Dante network bridge
— RedNet D16R 16-channel AES3 I/O
— RedNet A8R eight-channel analog I/O interface
— RedNet X2P 2×2 Dante audio interface
— RedNet AM2 stereo audio monitoring unit
— Red 4Pre 58-In / 64-Out Thunderbolt 2 and Pro Tools | HD compatible audio interface
