MT2000: The Audio Guru's Ultimate Multi-Tool

For years, end-to-end system testing of digital audio in broadcast chains involved large, clunky, pieces of equipment. Bring multichannel and coded audio into the picture, and this became even more complicated. Devices such as the Dolby® DM100 made this a bit simpler, but are now obsolete.

The Linear Acoustic® MT2000™ Multichannel Bitstream Analyzer fills this void, meeting the need for an updated device capable of analyzing audio in multiple formats, carried via multiple interfaces.

Tech Support, This is Ted

On This Week in Radio Tech, Ted Alexander joins Chris Tobin and me, Kirk Harnack. Ted got started in radio way too early - like as a baby! He’s hosted popular shows on-air, plus engineered some pretty big iron. And you may have talked with Ted when calling for Tech Support from Telos! See if Ted tells a Support story about you!

Secrets of Streaming Audio

For several years now, streaming audio has been an increasingly popular, non-traditional format for audio content. While many broadcasters stream their stations online, many in the streaming audio world do not hail from a traditional broadcast background and aren’t affiliated with terrestrial radio.

So what does that mean for streamers? Is there anything they need to pay more attention to so as to ensure the best possible audio stream? Turns out that can be a tough question to answer. And it may depend on the content. Z/IPStream designer Ioan Rus says his first question for streamers is always, “What are you trying to do?”

Vintage Tech: Heath BC-1A AM tuner

The debate about high-quality AM signals vs. adjacent channel interference and occupied bandwidth has been going on longer than most of us have been alive. One of the sticking points was always the issue of 'who goes first?' Station engineers were reluctant to spend the time, money and energy to perfect their signal, only to have it trashed by receivers with misaligned 5 Khz IF stages and a 3-inch speaker. Receiver manufacturers, on the other hand, didn't want to build high-fidelity AM radios when most of the stations sounded like crap anyway.

Andy Laird: Shipwrecked!

Andy Laird’s resume includes a BA in Physics and a career of reaching positions of higher responsibility in television and radio engineering. What’s not on his resume are things like sailing the Drake Passage, getting shipwrecked on a small island, and being a champion weight lifter. Chris Tarr and Chris Tobin join me talking with Andy Laird on TWiRT.

Stay CALM and Listen in Comfort

When Daystar Television needed to ensure compliance with the CALM Act, they considered a number of options. Following an extensive search, Daystar found a product that not only resolved any CALM Act compliance concerns, but also provided consistent audio levels across the board, resulting in a better experience for viewers.

Will Net Neutrality Kill MPLS?

Net Neutrality proposes that all Internet packets are treated equally - no buying a so-called “fast lane” where delivery is virtually guaranteed. Broadcasters and other real-time data users depend on the MPLS protocol and pay extra for packet reliability - but is that really over the “Public Internet.” We’re talking about it with Bob Holowenko on TWiRT.

Telos Alliance Leads the Way on AES67

When the Audio Engineering Society published the AES67 standard for Audio over IP in September 2013, it symbolized the culmination of years of development work by people across the broadcast industry. But for Telos, it symbolized not just an industry standard, but the realization of the vision of our founder, Steve Church. As such, we were proud to have been involved since the project’s inception, and have seen it through to fruition.

Always Remember... Don't Panic!

When using a 'panic dial' mode in the Telos Zephyr XStream, most noticeably with the 10baseT version, occasionally - if the 'panic dial' mode is asserted and quickly dropped - even though the first line is dropped, the XStream will keep trying to connect the second ISDN line, and that line will stay connected until someone or something intervenes. It's only happened a few times, but it can result in some expensive ISDN bills if it does.

Take no chances! Look over this HOT TIP from the Zephyr XStream user manual and implement the recommended 'safety net' suggestions.

NRSC, Let's Do This Less Often

Every year AM stations in the US must measure their transmission for spectral purity. Many AM stations say they can’t afford this. Mark Persons presents a few ideas on NRSC measurements. Plus he and Chris Tobin discuss sleuthing some really difficult interference problems.