Controlling Audio Mixers in Video Post-Production

Abstract

The concept of the Edit Suite Audio Mixer, or ESAM, was first introduced in 1983. Its purpose was to allow audio to be edited simultaneously with, and in the same way as, video. Although it fulfilled its desired role at the Olympic Games in the winter of 1984, the controlling protocol was a hasty adaptation of the editor's existing video switcher control protocol. Since then, Graham-Patten Systems, with cooperation from editing system and audio console manufacturers, has developed the ESAM Serial II protocol, designed specifically for controlling audio mixers in the video post-production environment. Because of its eminent suitability for editing and its ease of implementation, the protocol has become widely established.