Broadcast audio level in FCP

[Stephane Kinda]

Hello everybody,
i have to deliver a program to a Tv Channel here in France; they asked me to maintain the audio level at -18db.
My question is: in FCP do i have to pull down the audio mix down level to the one they ask or the master level in the audio mixing tool?
I need your help!
Thanks


PS:Sorry for my english

[Brian Drysdale]

Are you sure they're not referring to having the reference tone at -18db?

[Gary Nattrass]

In europe the reference for 1khz line up tone is always -18dbfs with max peak programme audio being -10dbfs.

NOTE that the FCP meters are not calibrated for broadcast digital levels so what is -18dbfs on broadcast digital will show as -12db on the FCP meters!

So if you put bars and 1khz line up tone on your timeline (effects/video generators/bars and tone) it will show -12db on the FCP meters but will show -18dbfs on a broadcast digital full scale meter!

This can cause problems so line up tone on FCP meters is -12db with a max broadcast level of -4db which equates to -18dbfs and -10dbfs on broadcast meters.

What format are your delivering on as if it is on tape or an external machine with full scale meters you should be able to see that when you put up -12db tone in FCP it shows 18dbfs on the machine!

If you are delivering on file format then just follow the FCP meters with -12db for line up tone and max programme level of -4db, note also though that the response of the FCP meters is more sensitive than full broadcast meters so if you peak to around -6db it will be more safe and allow a margin of headroom.

If you are doing more broadcast in the future you should really have some accurate full scale meters that will allow you to mix and master to the correct levels as a programme will be rejected if the correct levels are not followed.