Austin PBS Expands Facility-Wide Production Communications with Clear-Com

Austin PBS has recently upgraded its facility-wide communications infrastructure, deploying Clear-Com's Eclipse HX, FreeSpeak II beltpacks, and V-Series panels to support productions across its three studios and offices. The project was designed and implemented in collaboration with Key Code Media, Austin PBS's trusted systems integrator, who helped ensure the new facility had solutions tailored to the station's unique workflow needs.

For Chris Ostertag, chief technology officer at Austin PBS, the upgrade is the culmination of 12 years of hands-on experience in post-production, sound design, and engineering. "When I started here, I built shared storage from scratch and realized there was more stability and reliability to gain on the engineering side," Ostertag says. "This system allows us to scale rapidly for any type of production, from small documentary crews to large events with over 100 staff."

Katherine Heard, manager of engineering and IT at Austin PBS, brings decades of experience in AV and broadcast engineering. A University of Texas alumna, she worked alongside professors and technical teams before joining PBS. Heard emphasizes the flexibility and reliability of their Clear-Com solutions: "With FreeSpeak II beltpacks, an Eclipse core, and the ability to utilize bone-conduction audio, our team can move across studios, offices, and events while staying connected. Even our Zoom communications are integrated directly through Clear-Com panels."

Key Code Media played a critical role in realizing this project, working alongside Austin PBS's engineering team to navigate supply chain challenges, infrastructure setbacks, and installation hurdles. "Key Code Media didn't just deliver specs; they stood side by side with us every step of the way," says Ostertag. "Without them, this facility would not be what it is today."

The Clear-Com system combines a digital matrix infrastructure with wireless and operator panels to deliver steady communication across every department, the company says. The system includes a central Eclipse frame, extensive FreeSpeak II wireless coverage with 35 beltpacks and 15 transceivers, and a suite of V-Series panels for fixed operator stations. This integrated approach lets staff stay connected anywhere in the venue, helping them to manage every production.

The facility-wide system supports roaming across multiple studios and offices with different programming for each studio and partyline, layered, scalable communications for teams of three up to 100 people, hybrid headset and bone-conduction audio for production and event staff, integrated Zoom connectivity for distributed workflows.

"PBS isn't a product we're selling, we're here to protect and serve our community," says Heard. "Partnerships like this are critical in helping us deliver on that mission and continue moving forward."

Austin PBS is currently the largest 12G facility in the country that employs 81 full-time staff and 40-50 day-rate production staff, relying on Clear-Com to ensure reliable communications in a fast-paced and rapidly scaling environment.