DPA’s Portuguese distributor
Avantgarde has supplied a
5100 mobile surround microphone and ten
4017 shotgun mics with Rycote weather protection systems to Radio e Televisao de Portugal (RTP), to be used at the Dragon Stadium in Porto, on the UEFA Champions League Porto vs Chelsea football match.
The match was broadcast internationally in 5.1 and HD, with the DPA 5100 providing the basic 5.1 image, suspended 2m beneath one of the roof galleries above the main camera position. Ten 4017 shotguns were used to capture the action around the field, with three positioned evenly along the left and right sides of the pitch, and two each at either end.
“RTP is very happy with the 5100,” says Paulo Ferreira from Avantgarde. “Being plug and play, it is very forgiving regarding its placement. It sounded really amazing where it was positioned – and I can testify to that! When the match started the sound engineer just opened the faders and we were transported right onto the pitch. The sound levels and frequencies really sounded right.”
The 4017s were used to convey the sound of the ball as it moved across the pitch, with the engineer following the ball with the faders connected to the 4017 inputs. As well as being very happy with the sound the 4017s produced, RTP was also very happy that the Rycote weatherproof systems included with the mics meant they were fully operational, even after the torrential rain they had been exposed to on the day of the match.