TWiRT 374 - Boston Radio with Jim Armstrong

Everyone starts somewhere, and Jim Armstrong started right near the top - in Boston radio! We’re talking early days of on-air traffic reporting, some technical perspectives from those days, and about Jim’s big switch to broadcast equipment sales; lessons here all of us engineers can learn from.

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

TWiRT 373 - Visual Radio Live from WAMU

Radio industry experts are talking with each other, sharing ideas about “visual” radio. We’re asking a lot of questions, too. What are we trying to accomplish with video added to radio? Can we engage our audiences better and longer? What strategies seem to be working?  Chris and Kirk attended the Visual Radio Symposium this week, and Al Reynolds of WAMU was there, too.

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

The Bisset Brief: Winter Weather Preparedness Revisited

Winter weather preparedness is a topic near and dear to our readers’ hearts, with some good suggestions from our initial column on the subject. Ray Gorney is the Assistant Director of Engineering for Calvary Chapel of Twin Falls, ID, CSN International, and the Effect Networks. Ray added a very important consideration to that survival backpack we wrote about last issue—prescription medications. For engineers who take prescription or even over-the-counter meds, having a one- or two-day supply in the survival kit is a necessity. It could be dangerous, if not deadly, for some to be without their meds.

Topics: Broadcast Engineering, weather preparedness

TWiRT 372 - Tom Vernon on Smart Speakers

“We’re on the verge of a Voice Activated Internet,” says Tom Vernon. Tom’s recent front page Radio World article, “Can Smart Speakers Bring Radio Home?” points to new radio listeners using smart speakers. We may also find voice-activated tasks around broadcast stations, facilitated by Amazon Echo or Google Home devices.

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

Building the Transmission System at One World Trade Center - TWiRT Ep. 371

There are myriad perspectives from which to view One World Trade Center’s rebuilding after the tragedies of 9/11. From the broadcast perspective, 2017 marks a notable milestone – the resumption of television transmission from atop One WTC. The latest transmitter and antenna technology is now deployed at One WTC, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere at a symbolic 1,776 feet in height; it has resumed broadcast operations as one of the world’s elite broadcast centers. John Lyons, Director of Broadcast Communications at The Durst Organization, leads a presentation focusing on this new, premiere, RF transmission facility.

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

The Bisset Brief: The Onslaught of Winter

In this blog, we’ll divert from Livewire+ Axia topics to focus on winter prep. Except for our friends to the south and far west, the rest of us have to deal with–in some cases–harsh cold weather conditions. A little pre-planning will make the season easier.

Topics: Broadcast Engineering, broadcast engineer, weather preparedness, emergency preparedness

Scary Stories of Broadcasts Past

Working in radio can be a lot of fun. Being on the air, playing the hits, and broadcasting exciting live events are just some of the elements that have drawn people to radio for years. But it can be a little scary at times too. With Halloween around the corner, we thought we'd share a few scary stories of some of our Telos Alliance colleagues from their days in radio. From failed equipment at live remotes to creepy warehouses to the dreaded dead air, we've got you covered. Read their tales here... If it's not too frightening.

Topics: Broadcast Engineering, Broadcast

TWiRT 369 - AES & NAB 2017 from New York

The AES and NAB fall shows combine to provide several days of seminars, special events, and equipment demonstrations in New York. Chris and Kirk interview technology leaders and find out what’s hot now and in the future. Special thanks to David Bialik and Andrew Zarian helping make TWiRT possible this week.

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

TWiRT 368 - The Broadcasters Clinic in Madison

Possibly the best regional conference for Radio and TV engineers, the WBA Broadcasters Clinic is our venue in Madison, Wisconsin.  John Chelliah, Steve Lampen, Chris Tarr, and Mark Persons make-up an all-star cast for this episode of TWiRT.  We’re talking 12 GHz coax, AoIP, and console-less consoles, live from Madison.

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

TWiRT 367 - AoIP Covers Boise with Jordan Bitz

Jordan Bitz walked into an existing AoIP radio station and had to learn it - fast! Now he’s extended his AoIP network to a transmitter site 30 miles across the valley. Plus, he’s using streaming audio for distribution and backup systems.  

Also on this episode, David Bialik previews an amazing Broadcast and Streaming track at the AES Convention in New York.

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