Audio embedders and de-embedders are probably the most important part of the audio/video bridge within the church technology relationship. It’s used for church transmission nearly universally no matter the budget of your church. Even if you just use a single HDMI cable, you are accidentally using multi-channel embedded audio. A regular old HDMI cable can hold 8 channels of high-quality audio synchronized with the video signal though I do not recommend it for professional applications.
Practical Applications of Embedding Multiple Audio Channels:
Embedding multiple audio channels with video can be highly beneficial in your church. One practical use of embedding multiple audio channels is for multi-site or multicampus churches or events. When a church holds events across different locations, embedding multiple audio channels allows for seamless video and audio transmission without the need for separate audio equipment at each location.
Another practical use of embedding multiple audio channels is for providing separate audio channels for musicians’ notes and click tracks. This can be especially helpful for worship teams who rely on these tracks to keep time and stay on key. With embedded audio channels, musicians can hear their parts more clearly and perform more confidently. You can have videos with multi-channel attributes that are played from a computer to be used for FOH and Monitor applications. The click tracks and guides can be sent to the musicians, while the primary audio can be sent to FOH simultaneously.
Embedding multiple audio channels from FOH can also provide greater control for video editing later. By embedding multiple audio channels with video, you can avoid the need to sync audio separately during editing and you can mix specific important inputs like the “pastor channel” where you don’t really want to use the FOH EQ from the main channels. This allows for more efficient video editing and better control over the final product that gets posted online. In summary, embedding multiple audio channels with video can offer numerous practical benefits for churches, from multisite events to improving the coordination and quality of worship within the service.
Sending Audio from Your Audio Mixer to Audio Embedders:
Depending on your multi-channel application you need to choose audio that makes the most sense for your use. Usually, it’s the main FOH board that will send audio to the audio embedders. You can select the channels that you want to embed with the video feed. If you want to set up multichannel for multi-site churches, you probably want to have a pastor channel, a main left, and right channel, and maybe even a translation channel if your church utilizes one. This gives you greater control over the audio for your church’s room and speakers. The next problem is how you want to get the audio to the embedders from the audio board.
Direct outputs, mains, and aux mixes are all viable options for sending audio to the audio embedders, depending on the specifics of your audio setup. Direct outputs can be used to send individual audio channels to the audio embedders but they cannot be combined with each other. This is a good option if you want to embed specific channels of audio with the video, such as the pastor's microphone or specialty music tracks. Mains and aux/matrix mixes, on the other hand, allow you to send multiple audio channels to the audio embedders at once while only utilizing one or two channels. This is useful if you want to embed a mix of audio channels with the video, such as the overall mix of the worship service from FOH or even just a collection of ancillary channels that are seldom used.
Current Video Transmission Standards:
Now that we have it embedded, it does beg the question of how it gets from point A to point B. We can do that through SDI which I prefer because it’s inexpensive, easier to maintain, and easy to terminate without specialty equipment. SDI supports cable lengths of up to 300-450 ft, making it a reliable choice for local transmission. The next one is fiber cable which is incredibly effective if being used between buildings if there isn’t a possibility to add a distribution amplifier. It also supports cable lengths of over 20 miles, making it a better choice for long-distance transmission.
Both SDI and fiber support the transmission of up to 16 audio channels along with at least one video channel, which is particularly helpful for keeping audio and video synced across those long distances. To use these standards effectively, you can send audio from your audio board using direct outputs, mains, or aux mixes into the audio embedders. Then, you can send the video feed from the program switcher into that embedder and it travels to, or back to the video router which we detail in another post. Once it goes to where it needs to go, you must then de-embed audio from the video cable using a de-embedder and route them into either another audio mixer, a TV, or other equipment as needed.
De-Embedding Audio from the Video Cable:
Once you have embedded the audio, at some point you will have the obvious step of de-embedding. To do this, you'll need a quality de-embedder, which extracts the audio signals from the video cable. It’s the same thing as embedding but in reverse.
Once the audio signals have been de-embedded, you can route them into another audio mixer or other devices, such as a TV or sound system. This allows you to control and manipulate the audio signal independently of the video signal, giving you greater flexibility in creating your final mix. There are various types of de-embedders available, each with its own set of features and capabilities. Some de-embedders support multiple (3-16) audio channels, while others are designed to work with specific types of video signals. It's important to choose a de-embedder that's compatible with your specific video and audio equipment to ensure expectations are met.
A Comparison of AES/EBU and Dante Embedding vs Analog Embedding:
Now that we have a general understanding of what the purpose is of audio embedding and de-embedding, we actually have to do it. The process is generally the same depending on the type of equipment you use. Again, SDI versions are the most economical and but if you need to get it all to a fiber line, you can buy a cheap SDI to fiber converter for a few hundred dollars. The primary difference between all the options other than price is the audio format of embedding. Since we are talking specifically to churches here, I’ll stick with the cheapest reliable options.
As I have stated in another post, reducing the number of analog to digital conversions is essential to reduce the overall noise floor present in your environment. For this reason, I prefer to utilize digital embedding because there’s no audio fidelity loss. The best solution is with a Dante embedder/de-embedder. Dante embedding is becoming increasingly popular in churches due to its ability to transmit multiple channels of audio with low latency and high reliability. It’s also really easy to choose which channels go where once you set it up and actually log in. The other popular digital audio embedding is AES/EBU embedders. This method provides the same high-quality audio and is compatible with many digital audio boards natively. They also usually have the option of being switched to analog because AES/EBU was designed to work off of existing balanced XLR cables.
This means you can take part in a (slightly noisier) audio embedding and de-embedding if you use a cheaper analog board. This is great news for churches that don’t have the budget to justify a full audio conversion just so they can utilize embedders. Analog embedding is simpler and less expensive than digital alternatives but agin it does not provide the same level of audio quality.
Equipment Options:
Embedders:
De-embedders:
Combo Units:
Conclusion (TLDR):
Embedder = I give audio
De-embedder = I take audio.
SDI and fiber cable can easily support at least 16 audio channels with video.
Sending audio to audio embedders requires choosing the channels to embed and using direct outputs, mains, or aux mixes.
Regardless of budget, if you have video, you will probably need one.
This can be reliably set up for worship broadcast between rooms.
Make sure your embed/de-embedder is compatible with your existing system.
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