Soccer World Cup: SF can't fight vuvuzela noise
Swiss television has received hundreds of complaints about the vuvuzela noise during the World Cup. The network is trying to filter out the constant hum of the African horns—but has to disappoint viewers.
"Unfortunately, we can't filter out the humming completely," said SF spokesman Marco Meroni on Tuesday at the request of SDA. It might be possible to tone it down a little, but we won't be able to achieve the quality of a Champions League match. At 120 decibels, the roar is simply too loud for that. The problem lies in the fact that the buzzing sound reaches the viewer via two channels: On the one hand via the world signal, which is made available to the whole world by broadcaster HBS, and on the other via the commentators' microphones.
Unfortunately, the commentators' booths are by no means soundproof. The buzzing, as if from a beehive, gets directly into the microphone and onto the transmitter. "We are currently trying to see if we can achieve something with other microphones." An analysis of the sound has also been carried out and it is being examined whether active filters could be used to eliminate the annoying buzzing sound. Swiss Television will implement any findings as quickly as possible, said Meroni. They are doing what they can, but "we probably won't be able to do it."
Unfortunately, the commentators' booths are by no means soundproof. The buzzing, as if from a beehive, gets directly into the microphone and onto the transmitter. "We are currently trying to see if we can achieve something with other microphones." An analysis of the sound has also been carried out and it is being examined whether active filters could be used to eliminate the annoying buzzing sound. Swiss Television will implement any findings as quickly as possible, said Meroni. They are doing what they can, but "we probably won't be able to do it."
