John Vassos: Celebrating a Visionary Broadcast Industrial Designer 

Of all of the legendary inidividuals associated with the broadcast and music industries in the United States, there is probably no one more responsible for the advancements in broadcast industrial design, audio and video consumer good design, and the look and feel of transmission equipment and broadcast facilities in general than John Vassos.

Topics: Broadcast History, john vassos

TWiRT 352 - Streaming Challenges & Solutions with Matt Kellogg

Streaming audio is bringing a whole new lexicon - geo-targeting, geo-fencing, interstitials, pre-rolls, adaptive bit-rates, video, and virtualization. Matt Kellogg - a guy with a solid radio background - joins us from StreamGuys to sort it all out.

Topics: Broadcast Engineering, Streaming Audio, audio, audio quality

Omnia.9sg Gets Major, Free Update that Makes ANY Processor Sound Its Best 

Omnia.9sg just got a major, free software update, v.3.16.52 (available on the Omnia.9sg page in the sidebar). While the 9sg has always been way more than a stereo generator, this software update gives it that much more functionality, including Livewire+ AES67 for total compliance with the standard and a new clipper designed by Hans van Zutphen, along with dozens of other features. Here, we get into the background of what exactly a stereo generator does, and how the processor-agnostic Omnia.9sg can benefit any station with final-stage processing that is your processor's secret weapon. 

Topics: broadcast audio processor

Maximize Your Audience with Omnia.9AM 

My experience with the Omnia.9 for AM began when I was talking to one of the Telos people at a lunch which we were all attending. I mentioned that I had a client (WMEX in Boston) that could really use a nice new processor but I was not sure if they had the budget for such a purchase.

My initial reason for wanting a modern processor, aside from better sound, was power savings. I could see that the processor can have a distinct advantage in power savings because WMEX has a transmitter that uses MDCL, modulation dependent carrier level. With MDCL the higher the audio level, the lower the power output of a transmitter. So, it seemed to me that keeping the audio level as high as possible would reduce both electric costs and stress on the transmitter/antenna system.

Topics: broadcast audio processor

Partner Highlight: Keeping Time with Voceware

The Telos Alliance is proud to list nearly 100 manufacturers of broadcast hardware and software among our Livewire partners, partners whose products integrate with the world’s first and most popular AoIP networking system. Here, we profile one such partner; Voceware, who joined the Livewire program in late 2015.

Voceware is creator of innovative, robust time-keeping software for the broadcast industry whose VClock interfaces seamlessly with Axia via Livewire GPIO. Their beautiful clocks and full suite of completely customizable information systems are used by many leading broadcasters, ensuring presenters never get a time check wrong. All the while, on-air guests are wowed by the custom branding inside and outside the broadcast studio. VClock customers range from small community operations and hospital radio stations to local stations and large national broadcasters.

Topics: Livewire Partners, Telos Alliance Partners, Voceware

Thunderstorm Season (Yes, That's a Thing!)

In the wintertime, humidity levels plummet as temperatures drop and forced air heating systems dry the air out even more. During these months we are extra conscious of electrostatic discharge. Many will make a habit of grounding themselves to a doorknob or rack case before touching any controls in the studio, so as to avoid zapping the electronics with static electricity.

When winter gives way to warmer weather, thunderstorms and line surges present a new threat to our precious technology. Broadcast engineers take steps to protect their mains power inputs with spike suppressors and surge protectors. These devices can help, but can only do so much with the extremely fast transient swings in voltage that are observed during these events. There are also threats that are not so obvious.

Topics: Broadcast Technology, Broadcast Engineering, Telephone Systems

TWiRT 351 - Virtualizing Automation with Dub Irvin

Virtual Machines and Virtualization in general are becoming popular techniques in the IT world.  Now, broadcasters are adopting virtualization for their automation systems.  How does this work, and what are the pros and cons? Dub Irvin from WideOrbit joins us to explain.

Topics: Broadcast Engineering, audio, audio quality

Clipper Systems, Distortion Cancelling, and Too Many Bands!

Present-day audio clipping systems all employ methods to control distortion. Of interest is that each of these use a static method to mask harmonic distortion when clipping is active. Intermodulation (IMD), due to added presence and high frequency spectra, has overtaken the problem that once was dominated by harmonic distortion. Suffice it to say, all clipping methods must employ some form of harmonic distortion control, or they will not operate sufficiently enough to generate competitive sounding on-air audio. Modern content now requires additional processing means to reduce induced IMD.

Dubai DJ Gets in Over his Head for Record-Breaking Broadcast

One of the great things about being a broadcaster is that you occasionally have a chance to be involved in some unique broadcasts. But while some broadcasts are memorable for the events they cover, others are so unique that the broadcasters themselves become the story.

Such was the case recently with the crew at Channel 4 FM in Dubai, when the marketing team thought it might be fun to do a live 5-10 minute broadcast segment from the Ambassador's Lagoon outside the iconic Atlantis the Palm Resort, more or less as a publicity stunt to promote the exotic location. We’re not talking poolside, mind you, but broadcasting from within the pool – an underwater broadcast from a pool that hosts a variety of sea life!

Topics: Broadcast History, Broadcasting, Dubai

Problem-Free Studio Build a Different Experience

It's an all-too-common problem. You buy a product and soon discover its limitations. In the world of broadcast engineering, this can lead to potentially major roadblocks, especially when installing new studio gear.

With a wide range of experience, Dave Wilson, Director at Worldwide Network Services (WWNS) in Nashville, is sometimes recruited for setup of IP networked broadcast studios, and he's run into just that problem one too many times over the years. Here, Dave (who admits WWNS could easily be confused for a radio station in the phone listings), tells how he's had quite a different experience with Axia.