In broadcast facilities, a central apparatus room (CAR, pronounced "C-A-R"), central machine room, or central equipment room (CER), or central technical area (CTA), or rack room is where shared equipment common to all technical areas is located. Some broadcast

Broadcast

Broadcast or Broadcasting may refer to:* Broadcasting, the transmission of audio and video signals* Broadcast, an individual television program or radio program* Broadcast , an English electronic music band...

 facilities have several of these rooms. It should be air-conditioned, however low-noise specifications such as acoustical treatments

Soundproofing

Soundproofing is any means of reducing the sound pressure with respect to a specified sound source and receptor. There are several basic approaches to reducing sound: increasing the distance between source and receiver, using noise barriers to reflect or absorb the energy of the sound waves, using...

 are optional. Equipment is connected either directly with an attached foldout monitor, keyboard and mouse or remotely via KVM switch

KVM switch

A KVM switch is a hardware device that allows a user to control multiple computers from a single keyboard, video monitor and mouse. Although multiple computers are connected to the KVM, typically a smaller number of computers can be controlled at any given time...

, ssh

Secure Shell

Secure Shell is a network protocol for secure data communication, remote shell services or command execution and other secure network services between two networked computers that it connects via a secure channel over an insecure network: a server and a client...

, VNC, or remote desktop

Remote Desktop

Remote Desktop may refer to:* Remote desktop software** Apple Remote Desktop** Remote Desktop Services** Remote Desktop Protocol* Desktop sharing...

.

Gear

These rooms contain broadcast and broadcast IT

Information technology

Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...

 mission critical

Mission Critical

Mission critical refers to any factor of a system whose failure will result in the failure of business operations. That is, it is critical to the organization's 'mission'....

 gear necessary to broadcast and television

Television

Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...

 operations. CARs usually house Audio router

Audio router

- Inputs and Outputs :The number of inputs and outputs varies dramatically. The way routers are described is normally number of inputs by number of outputs e.g. 2x1, 256x256.- Signals :...

s, video router

Video router

A Video router or Matrix are used for transporting video signals from sources or inputs to output destinations.- Inputs and outputs :...

s, video server

Video server

A video server is a computer based device dedicated to delivering video.Unlike personal computers, being multi-application devices, a video server is designed for one purpose; provisioning video, often for broadcasters. A professional grade video server records, stores, and playout of multiple...

s, compressors and multiplexers that utilize broadcast automation

Broadcast automation

Broadcast automation incorporates the use of broadcast programming technology to automate broadcasting operations. Used either at a broadcast network, radio station or a television station, it can run a facility in the absence of a human operator...

 systems with broadcast programming applications to playout

Playout

In broadcasting, playout is a term for the transmission of radio or TV channels from the broadcaster into broadcast networks that delivers the content to the audience...

 television program

Television program

A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...

s.

They contain broadcast and monitoring equipment, through which all the operations are monitored by the Transmission Engineer, with out disturbing the Studio Recordings. CER usually houses audio and video router

Video router

A Video router or Matrix are used for transporting video signals from sources or inputs to output destinations.- Inputs and outputs :...

s, video server

Video server

A video server is a computer based device dedicated to delivering video.Unlike personal computers, being multi-application devices, a video server is designed for one purpose; provisioning video, often for broadcasters. A professional grade video server records, stores, and playout of multiple...

s, compressors and multiplexers, Analog Transmission System, UP Link, Digital Processing Synchronizer, Video Patch Panels, and Audio Patch Panels, including video monitors etc.
.

Common equipment

• 19-inch rack
  19-inch rack
  A 19-inch rack is a standardized frame or enclosure for mounting multiple equipment modules. Each module has a front panel that is wide, including edges or ears that protrude on each side which allow the module to be fastened to the rack frame with screws.-Overview and history:Equipment designed...
  
  s
• Antenna tracking system
  Antenna tracking system
  An antenna tracking system tracks a primary antenna to follow a moving signal source, such as a communication satellite. A secondary antenna has a greater beam width than the primary antenna and receives the same tracking signal from the satellite...
  
  
• Audio router
  Audio router
  - Inputs and Outputs :The number of inputs and outputs varies dramatically. The way routers are described is normally number of inputs by number of outputs e.g. 2x1, 256x256.- Signals :...
  
  
• Broadcast delay
  Broadcast delay
  In radio and television, broadcast delay refers to the practice of intentionally delaying broadcast of live material. A short delay is often used to prevent profanity, bloopers, violence, or other undesirable material from making it to air, including more mundane problems such as technical...
  
  
• Camera control unit
  Camera control unit
  - Description :The Camera Control Unit is typically part of a live television broadcast "chain". It is responsible for powering the professional video camera, handling signals sent over the camera cable to and from the camera, and can be used control various camera parameters such as iris...
  
   (CCU)
• Conditional access system
• Character generator
  Character generator
  A character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
  
   Subtitling systems
• Distribution frame
  Distribution frame
  In telecommunications, a distribution frame is a passive device which terminates cables, allowing arbitrary interconnections to be made.For example, the Main Distribution Frame located at a telephone central office terminates the cables leading to subscribers on the one hand, and cables leading to...
  
  
• Encoder
  Encoder
  An encoder is a device, circuit, transducer, software program, algorithm or person that converts information from one format or code to another, for the purposes of standardization, speed, secrecy, security, or saving space by shrinking size.-Media:...
  
  
• Fiber optic transceiver
  Transceiver
  A transceiver is a device comprising both a transmitter and a receiver which are combined and share common circuitry or a single housing. When no circuitry is common between transmit and receive functions, the device is a transmitter-receiver. The term originated in the early 1920s...
  
  
• Frame synchronizers

• GPS receivers
• High-power amplifier
• Integrated receiver/decoder
  Integrated receiver/decoder
  An integrated receiver/decoder is an electronic device used to pick-up a radio-frequency signal and convert digital information transmitted in it.-Consumer IRDs:...
  
   (IRD)
• IF
  Intermediate frequency
  In communications and electronic engineering, an intermediate frequency is a frequency to which a carrier frequency is shifted as an intermediate step in transmission or reception. The intermediate frequency is created by mixing the carrier signal with a local oscillator signal in a process called...
  
   Distribution.
• Media storage
• Multiplexer
  Multiplexer
  In electronics, a multiplexer is a device that selects one of several analog or digital input signals and forwards the selected input into a single line. A multiplexer of 2n inputs has n select lines, which are used to select which input line to send to the output...
  
  * Signal scrambler
• Network switch
  Network switch
  A network switch or switching hub is a computer networking device that connects network segments.The term commonly refers to a multi-port network bridge that processes and routes data at the data link layer of the OSI model...
  
  
• Audio
  Sound
  Sound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.-Propagation of...
  
   monitoring tools
• Radio frequency
  Radio frequency
  Radio frequency is a rate of oscillation in the range of about 3 kHz to 300 GHz, which corresponds to the frequency of radio waves, and the alternating currents which carry radio signals...
  
   devices
• Router
• Serial digital interface
  Serial Digital Interface
  Serial digital interface is a family of video interfaces standardized by SMPTE. For example, ITU-R BT.656 and SMPTE 259M define digital video interfaces used for broadcast-grade video...
  
   (SDI) audio de-embedder

• Talkback (recording)
  Talkback (recording)
  In sound recording, talkback refers to the intercom system used in recording studios and production control rooms in television studios to enable personnel to communicate with people in the recording area or booth...
  
  
• Transport stream analyzer
• Video router
  Video router
  A Video router or Matrix are used for transporting video signals from sources or inputs to output destinations.- Inputs and outputs :...
  
  
• Video server
  Video server
  A video server is a computer based device dedicated to delivering video.Unlike personal computers, being multi-application devices, a video server is designed for one purpose; provisioning video, often for broadcasters. A professional grade video server records, stores, and playout of multiple...
  
  
• video
  Video
  Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
  
   monitoring tools
• Video monitor
  Video monitor
  A video monitor also called a broadcast monitor, broadcast reference monitor or just reference monitor, is a display device similar to a television set, used to monitor the output of a video-generating device, such as playout from a video server, IRD, video camera, VCR, or DVD player. It may or...
  
  
• Waveform monitor
  Waveform monitor
  A waveform monitor is a special type of oscilloscope used in television production applications. It is typically used to measure and display the level, or voltage, of a video signal with respect to time....
  
  

See also

• Broadcast engineering
  Broadcast engineering
  Broadcast engineering is the field of electrical engineering, and now to some extent computer engineering and information technology, which deals with radio and television broadcasting...
  
  
• Data center
  Data center
  A data center is a facility used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunications and storage systems...
  
  
• Master control room (MCR)
• Network operations center
  Network Operations Center
  A network operations center is one or more locations from which control is exercised over a computer, television broadcast, or telecommunications network....
  
   (NOC)
• Production control room (PCR)
• Server room
  Server room
  A server room is a room that houses mainly computer servers. In information technology circles, the term is generally used for smaller arrangements of servers; larger groups of servers are housed in data centers...
  
  
• Server farm
  Server farm
  A server farm or server cluster is a collection of computer servers usually maintained by an enterprise to accomplish server needs far beyond the capability of one machine. Server farms often have backup servers, which can take over the function of primary servers in the event of a primary server...
  
  
• Transmission control room
  Transmission control room
  Transmission control room or 'transmission suite', or 'Tx room', or "presentation" is a room at broadcast facilities and television stations around the world. Compared to a Master Control Room, it's usually smaller in size and is a scaled down version of centralcasting...
  
  (TCR)