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Production Standards, Equipment, and Facility Design

10-5

Chapter

10.1

Audio Production System Standards

Donald C. McCroskey

Jerry C. Whitaker, editor

10.1.1 Introduction

Standardization usually starts within a company as a way to reduce costs associated with parts
stocking, design drawings, training, and retraining of personnel. The next level might be a coop-
erative agreement between firms making similar equipment to use standardized dimensions,
parts, and components. Competition, trade secrets, and the NIH factor (not invented here) often
generate an atmosphere that prevents such an understanding. Enter the professional engineering
society, which promises a forum for discussion between users and engineers while down playing
the commercial and business aspects.

10.1.2 The History of Modern Standards

In 1836, the U. S. Congress authorized the Office of Weights and Measures (OWM) for the pri-
mary purpose of ensuring uniformity in custom house dealings. The Treasury Department was
charged with its operation. As advancements in science and technology fueled the industrial rev-
olution, it was apparent that standardization of hardware and test methods was necessary to pro-
mote commercial development and to compete successfully with the rest of the world. The
industrial revolution in the 1830s introduced the need for interchangeable parts and hardware.
Economical manufacture of transportation equipment, tools, weapons, and other machinery were
possible only with mechanical standardization.

By the late 1800's professional organizations of mechanical, electrical, chemical, and other

engineers were founded with this aim in mind. The Institute of Electrical Engineers developed
standards between 1890 and 1910 based on the practices of the major electrical manufacturers of
the time. Such activities were not within the purview of the OWM, so there was no government
involvement during this period. It took the pressures of war production in 1918 to cause the for-
mation of the American Engineering Standards Committee (AESC) to coordinate the activities

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Source: Standard Handbook of Audio and Radio Engineering

10-6 Audio Production Standards, Equipment, and System Design

of various industry and engineering societies. This group became the American Standards Asso-
ciation (ASA) in 1928.

Parallel developments would occur worldwide. The International Bureau of Weights and

Measures was founded in 1875, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in 1904,
and the International Federation of Standardizing Bodies (ISA) in 1926. Following World War II
(1946) this group was reorganized as the International Standards Organization (ISO) comprised
of the ASA and the standardizing bodies of 25 other countries. Present participation is approxi-
mately 55 countries and 145 technical committees. The stated mission of the ISO is to facilitate
the internationalization and unification of industrial standards.

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) was founded in 1865 for the purpose of

coordinating and interfacing telegraphic communications worldwide. Today, its member coun-
tries develop regulations and voluntary recommendations, and provide coordination of telecom-
munications development. A sub-group, the International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR)
(which no longer exists under this name), is concerned with certain transmission standards and
the compatible use of the frequency spectrum, including geostationary satellite orbit assign-
ments. Standardized transmission formats to allow interchange of communications over national
boundaries are the purview of this committee. Because these standards involve international trea-
ties, negotiations are channeled through the U. S. State Department.

10.1.2a

American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

ANSI coordinates policies to promote procedures, guidelines, and the consistency of standards
development. Due process procedures ensure that participation is open to all persons who are
materially affected by the activities without domination by a particular group. Written proce-
dures are available to ensure that consistent methods are used for standards developments and
appeals. Today, there are more than 1000 members who support the U.S. voluntary standardiza-
tion system as members of the ANSI federation. This support keeps the Institute financially
sound and the system free of government control.

The functions of ANSI include: (1) serving as a clearinghouse on standards development and

supplying standards-related publications and information, and (2) the following business devel-
opment issues:

•

Provides national and international standards information necessary to market products
worldwide.

•

Offers American National Standards that assist companies in reducing operating and purchas-
ing costs, thereby assuring product quality and safety.

•

Offers an opportunity to voice opinion through representation on numerous technical advi-
sory groups, councils, and boards.

•

Furnishes national and international recognition of standards for credibility and force in
domestic commerce and world trade.

•

Provides a path to influence and comment on the development of standards in the interna-
tional arena.

Prospective standards must be submitted by an ANSI accredited standards developer. There are
three methods which may be used:

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Audio Production System Standards

Audio Production System Standards 10-7

•

Accredited organization method. This approach is most often used by associations and
societies having an interest in developing standards. Participation is open to all interested par-
ties as well as members of the association or society. The standards developer must fashion its
own operating procedures, which must meet the general requirements of the ANSI proce-
dures.

•

Accredited standards committee method. Standing committees of directly and materially
affected interests develop documents and establish consensus in support of the document.
This method is most often used when a standard affects a broad range of diverse interests or
where multiple associations or societies with similar interests exist. These committees are
administered by a secretariat, an organization that assumes the responsibility for providing
compliance with the pertinent operating procedures. The committee can develop its own
operating procedures consistent with ANSI requirements, or it can adopt standard ANSI pro-
cedures.

•

Accredited canvass method. This approach is used by smaller trade association or societies
that have documented current industry practices and desire that these standards be recognized
nationally. Generally, these developers are responsible for less than five standards. The devel-
oper identifies those who are directly and materially affected by the activity in question and
conducts a letter ballot canvass of those interests to determine consensus. Developers must
use standard ANSI procedures.

Note that all methods must fulfill the basic requirements of public review, voting, consideration,
and disposition of all views and objections, and an appeals mechanism.

The introduction of new technologies or changes in the direction of industry groups or engi-

neering societies may require a mediating body to assign responsibility for a developing standard
to the proper group. The Joint Committee for Intersociety Coordination (JCIC) operates under
ANSI to fulfill this need.

10.1.2b

Professional Society Engineering Committees

The engineering groups that collate and coordinate activities that are eventually presented to
standardization bodies encourage participation from all concerned parties. Meetings are often
scheduled in connection with technical conferences to promote greater participation. Other nec-
essary meetings are usually scheduled in geographical locations of the greatest activity in the
field. There are no charges or dues to be a member or to attend the meetings. An interest in these
activities can still be served by reading the reports from these groups in the appropriate profes-
sional journals. These wheels may seem to grind exceedingly slowly at times, but the adoption of
standards that may have to endure for 50 years or more should not be taken lightly.

Advanced Television Systems Committee

The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) is an international, non-profit organiza-
tion developing voluntary standards for digital television. The ATSC has over 200 member orga-
nizations representing the broadcast, broadcast equipment, motion picture, consumer electronics,
computer, cable, satellite, and semiconductor industries. The following is a partial list of ATSC
Standards and technical activities. Additional information is available at www.atsc.org.

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Audio Production System Standards

10-8 Audio Production Standards, Equipment, and System Design

Electronics Industries Alliance

Many of the early standards relating to radio and television broadcasting were developed by
equipment manufacturers under the banner of the Radio Manufacturers Association (RMA),
later the RETMA (add Electronics and Television), then the Electronics Industries Association
(EIA), and now the Electronic Industries Alliance (www.eia.org).

The EIA is a national trade organization made up of a number of product divisions. Some of

the best known EIA standards activities are in the areas of data communications, instrumenta-
tion, broadcast transmitters, video transmission, video cameras, test charts, video monitors, and
RF interference.

With the proliferation and expansion of electronics, the EIA is now divided into many sectors

and groups. Of particular interest to the broadcaster are the Consumer Electronics Association
(CEA), Electronic Components, Assemblies, Equipment, & Supplies Association (ECA), and
Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA). For a comprehensive, searchable listing of all
electronic international standards visit http://global.ihs.com/.

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers

The IEEE has many branches (professional groups) that serve the standardization needs of the
electrical, electronic, and computer industries. Presently available standards relate to definitions,
measurement techniques, and test methods. The Institute of Radio Engineers (long since joined
the IEEE) was responsible for measurement standards and techniques in televisions early years.
The Standards Coordinating Committees publish books and documents covering definitions of
electric and electronics terms, graphic symbols and reference designations for engineering draw-
ings, and letter symbols for measurement units. Anyone concerned with power wiring and distri-
bution should be interested in the National Electrical Safety Code books. Nearly all of these
documents are available from IEEE (www.ieee.org) or ANSI.

Society of Motion Picture and Televisions Engineers

Organizations such as the SMPTE (www.smpte.org), composed primarily of users of equipment
and processes, are able to accomplish what is nearly impossible in the manufacturing commu-
nity. Namely, to provide a forum where users and manufacturers can distill the best of current
technology to promote basic interchangeability in hardware and software. A chronology of the
development of this engineering society provides insights as to how such organizations adapt to
the needs of advancing technologies.

Around 1915 it became obvious that the rapidly expanding motion picture industry must stan-

dardize basic dimensions and tolerances of film stocks and transport mechanisms. After two
unsuccessful attempts to form industry based standardizing committees, the Society of Motion
Picture Engineers was formed. The founding goals were to standardize the nomenclature, equip-
ment, and processes of the industry; to promote research and development in the industry's sci-
ence and technology; and to remain independent of, while cooperating with, its business
partners. It is this independent quality of a professional society that makes it possible to mediate
strongly held opinions of business competitors.

By the late 1940's it was apparent that the future of motion pictures and television would

involve sharing technology, techniques, and the market for visual education and entertainment.
SMPE became SMPTE. In comparatively recent times the Society has been assigned more
responsibility for television standards. The recording and reproduction of television signals has

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Audio Production System Standards