Harrison MPC
Motion Picture Console: Harrison's film re-recording console, a Hollywood standard
Description
Technical
Specifications
Inputs / Outputs
| Total inputs | 384 |
|---|
Processing
| Mix buses | 64 |
|---|---|
| Aux sends | 16 |
| DSP engine | Plateforme DSP Xrange 64-bit (Linux) sur MPC4-D et MPC5 ; digital.engine introduit en 1998 en retrofit |
| Architecture | Surface de contrôle séparée des racks de traitement ; les racks vont en machine room. Les générations MPC/MPC2 sont analogiques à commande numérique ; MPC3-D, MPC4-D et MPC5 basculent en tout-numérique via la plateforme DSP Xrange (à vérifier au cas par cas selon la génération). |
| Channels | Jusqu'à 384 canaux de traitement sur MPC4-D ; chaque canal dispose de 2 entrées, 8 bandes d'EQ, gate et compresseur. |
Surface
| Motorized faders | No |
|---|---|
| Touchscreen | Yes |
Recording
| Onboard recording | No |
|---|
Networking
| Networking & protocols | MADI / AES/EBU |
|---|---|
| Redundant PSU | No |
| Redundant networking | No |
Other
| Faders | Châssis extensible, configuration multi-opérateurs possible. Installation Universal Dub Room 4 : plus de 30 pieds de long, décrite comme ayant 'plus de faders que n'importe quelle console au monde'. |
|---|---|
| Buses | 64 bus principaux + 16 aux (configuration typique) ; extensible à 96/152 bus selon la configuration. |
| Automation | Automation totale ; faders motorisés ; joysticks motorisés pour panoramique surround ; moteur d'automation IKIS à partir de MPC3-D ; première grande console film entièrement automatisée. |
| Panning | Panning 16-wide ; joysticks tactiles motorisés ; Object++ 3D et Dolby Atmos sur MPC5. |
| Routing | Xrouter 2240 MADI (routing MADI I/O) ; conversion de fréquence d'échantillonnage sur toutes les E/S AES/EBU. |
| Displays | Afficheurs TFT waveform (PreView) au-dessus de chaque tranche sur MPC4-D. |
| Knobs | 7 boutons dual-concentric par tranche (MPC4-D). |
Software
- Harrison MPC Channel StripPlugin port of the MPC5 DSP (EQ, dynamics, Xtools) with dedicated layouts for Avid S6, S3, Dock, D-Command and D-Control surfaces, aimed at film post-production.Download
- Xrange DSP / Xtools64-bit Linux DSP platform underpinning the MPC4-D and MPC5, including the Xrange plug-ins (dialog cleanup, de-noising, de-essing, phone sim, LFE enhancement).
Accessories
I/O card
- Xrouter 2240
MADI I/O router used with the MPC4/MPC4-D, with sample-rate conversion on every AES/EBU input and output.
Surface / module
- Trion control surface
Customisable control surface introduced in 2005, used on the MPC5 with touch-sensitive knobs and motorized joysticks.
Other
- Joysticks motorisés surround
Motorized touch-sensitive joysticks for surround panning and Object++ 3D (Dolby Atmos on MPC5).
Editorial & artists
Our take
History & design
The Harrison Motion Picture Console (MPC) is a film and broadcast re-recording console built around a remote control surface separated from the processing racks, full automation (motorized faders and joysticks), a multi-operator workflow (dialogue, FX, music) and MADI routing (Xrouter 2240) alongside AES/EBU I/O with sample-rate conversion.
The first MPC was installed on 14 February 1992 at Sony Pictures, Culver City. The line then evolved: MPC2 (2001), MPC3-D (IKIS engine, all-digital), MPC4-D (Xrange 64-bit Linux DSP, per-strip TFT waveform PreView, 384 channels, over 30 feet long at Universal), then MPC5 (Trion surface, Dolby Atmos). The line was considered for a Technical Achievement Academy Award.
Every channel provides 2 inputs, 8 bands of EQ, gate and compressor, with a look-ahead limiter on every main bus. Integrated Xrange plug-ins cover dialog cleanup, de-noising, de-essing, phone simulation and LFE enhancement.
- Jeff Taylor — Chef ingénieur Sony Pictures Culver City, co-concepteur de la MPC
- Dave Harrison — Fondateur d'Harrison (1975), à l'origine de la philosophie in-line et de la commande numérique héritée de la SeriesTen
Notable users
- Sony Pictures Post Production Services
Première installation MPC le 14 février 1992 à Culver City ; 13 MPC installées au fil des ans ; sections 32 faders encore actives dans les théâtres Burt Lancaster, Kim Novak et William Holden. Films : Spider-Man, Bad Boys, Ghostbusters, Jumanji, Venom, Uncharted, Bullet Train, Gran Turismo, The Woman King.
- Universal Studios - Dub Room 4 (Alfred Hitchcock Theater)
MPC4-D 384 canaux, plus de 30 pieds de long, décrite comme ayant 'more faders than any single console in the world'.
- Paul Massey
Ingénieur re-recording multi-récompensé (Bohemian Rhapsody), utilisateur quasi exclusif du hardware MPC depuis ~15 ans à la date de la source.
Links
- Manufacturer Harrison Audio - Our History harrisonaudio.com
- Archive Wikipedia - Harrison Audio en.wikipedia.org
- Press article Vintage King - The History Of Harrison Consoles vintageking.com
- Press article Mix Online - Sony Pictures Posts with Harrison mixonline.com
- Archive History of Recording - Harrison MPC4-D historyofrecording.com
- Archive Resurface - Harrison MPC (fiche technique) resurface.audio
- Press article SonicScoop - Harrison Debuts MPC5 Film Console sonicscoop.com
- Press article SSL - Paul Massey relies on MPC console solidstatelogic.com
Related consoles
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Documents are archived locally for preservation. Source credited. Takedown requests: [email protected]