Archive
Equipment Testing Is Fun
I like to test equipment. I like to see if something does as advertised. I also like to see if it fits into our broadcast environment and whether it should be recommended to others. Though time consuming, some days or weeks are free to have fun. Let’s do it!
As posted in my Tweets, I got the play with the new Tieline Technology Merlin Plus codec. I had two things that piqued my interest: 6 mono simultaneous IP streams and the Opus algorithm. The box proved worthy on both accounts. I await a blog post from yours truly on the Tieline blog. As soon as it appears I will link to it.
Next on the bench is a continued test on the 25-Seven PDM. I’ve had the precision delay awhile and have been testing it for HD diversity delay control. I had a couple of suggestions. Well, since then, they made the changes. These changes required a firmware update. That firmware updated required a hardware change. So, I sent the test box back, it got it’s guts replaced, the firmware updated, and now it is burning in on the bench. I soon will be poking at it to make sure it does what I expect it to do. I will write more on that when I get it back in service.
In the past I’ve done Field Reports for Radio Magazine and Radio World. I hope those who have equipment they want to test out in the field read this because I enjoy poking at the new stuff. Now only if I can afford to purchase some of these things! That’s a whole different story.
If you have any equipment that you are interested in learning about, please ask, and I will give you my honest opinion.
Have a great weekend.
Cheers!
What Apps Do You Use?
Happy Friday All!
Yeah, this is some filler stuff, but it crossed my mind and I wonder what apps you use for your work. There are some apps that I use daily, and others are available when I need them. All my apps are Android as I use a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 phone and an Asus tablet. If you have i-apps, I bet you have some good one there. So, here is my list:
DroidEdit Pro: This is on my tablet. I use this to edit web pages on the fly and as a text editor if necessary. The pro version has FTP support built into the app and if you use Dropbox (I don’t) it will connect with that.
ElectroDroid: I use this as a reference. Comes in very handy. If I see myself using it more I will purchase the full, pro, version.
Evernote: Daily use. I love this service. The app works well, though I think their interface can be a bit better. It syncs to all my devices, so I am a happy camper. Having notes that I take at the office available at a transmitter site has been invaluable. I’ve had calls while out and about and I have the information handy. Invaluable.
GPS Essentials: A new app I am playing with is handy. Compass and GPS information. Still in the eval stage.
HootSuite: Yup, this is where I post to my Twitter feed and catch up on those I follow. I do not use Facebook that much, so that part doesn’t help. Now if they added a Google+ feed that would be awesome.
OpenSignal: We do a lot of 4G LTE broadcasts. Yes, we do. We have one today. When out in the field checking on broadcast sites, I whip out the phone and use this app to tell me all the information about where the cell tower I’m connected with is, whether it’s 3G or 4G, data rate, voice quality, and mapping. This app has improved over the years and continues to serve as a useful tool.
RealCalc Plus: Paid version of RealCalc. This is a very handy scientific calculator. If I do not have my trusting HP with me, this fills in nicely.
Report-IT: Of course I had to add this. We are a Tieline shop for our remote codecs. This app we have on our Apples and Androids. It has saved us much time and effort on some multi-location, single venue events.
RF Terrain Profile: I just found this one and testing the free version. This looks useful for a quick evaluation of STL paths. It gives you the profile of the path and you can add a link budget. The paid version allows import and export to a KML file for use in Google maps/Earth. It shows the first Fresnel zone on the profile.
SatelliteAR: I had this about 4 devices ago. This is an awesome satellite tracker, finder, and then some. I use it to track the ISS, too! If you need a rough way to point a satellite dish, this will help tremendously.
Shush!: How many meetings do you go into and set your phone to vibrate or silence? How many times do you forget you did that? This app is awesome. You use your phone’s volume control and set either silence or vibrate. Then you set the time, e.g. 2 hours, and click Shush! After 2 hours, the phone will go back to normal volume settings.
Smith Chart Matching Calc: I have not had a real use for this, but it doesn’t hurt to have in the arsenal, especially if you work on AM arrays.
Splashtop2 Remote Desktop: A great find by our IT dude. Remotely access all your necessary computers via phone or tablet and operate them as if you were sitting right there in front of the machine. I can check up on our main remote control computer for an overall look, access my Importers, and of course my work desktop if I need something on that. Good stuff.
Ulysse Gizmo: Another GPS compass that I’ve use for years and it just gets better with upgraded devices as the GPS receivers in said devices get better. Compass, speedometer, GPS status, bubble level, clinometer, magnetometer, map viewer, etc. With this you don’t need to carrier that GPS device with you any longer.
Weatherbug: I keep bouncing between weather apps, but always come back to this one. I would settle on Weather Underground, but that one seems to really slow my device, so back to this. The upgraded interface is nice and covers all my weather needs.
WolframAlpha: Just becuse! Have you every used this? It is very cool and fun, in a geek way. Check it out.
I have the whole Google Suite thing going for me, too. All the obvious with GMail and Maps, but I also use Voice and Sky Map. I just started getting into the Google Now thing. So far it is pretty good, but very basic. Not the most useful stuff, yet. I know they will start tracking me more as I use it.
There you have it. A bunch of apps that I have on my Android devices that help with my work. I know there are others, so feel free to suggest more. I’m always looking for improvements and upgrades.
Cheers!
Where’s My Alesis iO Mix?
Earlier this year well right before the NAB convention to be exact, we placed an order for an Aleis iO Mix 4-channel mixer for the iPad. We wanted to test it out thinking it would be an interesting fit for live recording and possible remote broadcast applications. I found out yesterday that Alesis has not even started production. It is on their website, iO Mix 4-Channel Audio Interface. No product?
Here is how I understand the story: Alesis builds a “prototype” and displays the product at the NAMM convention in January. They post it on their website. They wait for interest in said product. If there is enough interest, then they will run production on it.
I call BS on this approach and on Alesis. Would it make more sense to run a limited number and get some in the field? Would it not make sense to have people use it and determine if there is a future in the product? How can I talk to a manufacturer about maybe letting the software of the mixer integrate with their app for a very small, and possibly beautiful, remote broadcast package?
Waiting a few months for a product is bad enough, but to wait for something they may not even make is absurd. It almost feels like I am being ripped off. If you have manged to see this product or know of it, I sure would like to hear from you. What uses do you foresee if someone actually made something like this?
Cheers!
NAB Show from the Field
I am back at work and recounting what my feelings are about the NAB show. Of course all of this is from the floor perspective as I do not have the money to attend all the fancy talks or events. I usually get all that stuff later, so maybe I can read something interesting and relay my thoughts on them later. As for the show, for me it was mediocre in a good way.
Let’s talk first of the show itself as this is the mediocre aspect. As I am in radio, yes I admit it, the much to do about nothing TV and video is not high on my list. Don’t get me wrong as there are really cool things going on in the video and TV, it is not my main focus. With that in mind all the hype is on video and TV with very little on radio, and all of it is the SAME propaganda. Does anyone ask if it is really relevant? Do I care about 4k TV and video? No. I wear glasses and much of it is wasted on me. I’m not even a 3D fan as it is far from realistic and plain lame. Personally I would rather see more pertinent, realistic things on both sides, radio and TV like IP technology (which was there) and transport. How to make it happen. The sessions cover the details of these things, but it would be nice to see and talk in a booth on how it works. I’m an hands on guy, so “feeling” it gives me a better idea of how well it may work in the real world. On that note, what did I find cool?
Let’s start with the Radio Magazine’s Pick Hits (in no particular order)
1. DEVA Broadcast DB4004. FM Radio Monitoring Receiver. Yup, that is exactly what it is. Too many features to write up, so visit the website. I like the measurements with history. WEB and FTP, so there is a NIC installed. Web browser is embedded as is the FTP server. Email alerts, SNMP. Almost everything is configurable. I talked with Todor Ivanov, GM, and he was very passionate about his products. It shows. Now if iBiquity will talk with him it will be HD ready. He is prepared and ready to roll with it as soon as the love comes.2. Nautel. I attended the Nautel Users Group on Sunday and was introduced to the new Omnia Direct for the NV transmitters. Yes, digital composite direct from the Omnia 11 to the NV. All NV’s shipped with version 4.0 firmware is capable, any upgraded to version 4.0 will be ready. Speaking of that, version 4.0 firmware will ship soon. I talked with Kevin, customer service manager, and I expect it soon to test on “older” rigs (my 4 year old NV20’s). I look forward to trying that out.
Did I mention they introduced a new TV transmitter?
3. Tieline. The latest from Tieline is the Merlin Plus IP Codec capable of doing 6 simultaneous remotes. Place one at your studio and have up to 6 simultaneous mono remotes. Did I mention just 1 box at the studio? Connect with Report-IT and/or your G3 Field Units or iMixes. Not a bad idea for facilities that do a lot of off site live stuff.
In addition to this product, Tieline is also incorporating Opus codec technology. The standard is open source, so no licensing fee. Great for the end user.
4. Audion Labs VoxPro 5. I put this here because I am a VoxPro plant. It works. Air talent likes it and low maintenance. Look for version 5 to be released this summer.
5. Arctic Palm Datacasting. I like this product. I want this product, but I can’t get it just yet. Send your data to RDS, HD, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Look for the Artist Experience if/when this gets going. It supports TagStation now. I think this is a great product for a centralized data distribution point. Stations that simulcast should take note.
6. Elenos. A new 3kW transmitter in 2RU with excellent efficiency. Anyone else? Though FM only, the digital modulator is ready for HD once the details with iBiquity is worked out. As a company, Elenos is another one that shows extreme passion for what they do. They are proud of their products and they will SHOW you. They will also talk with you and LISTEN.
Last, and least, is what is up with the new Harris Broadcast logo? I’ve asked this and I got many of the same response. I’m not sure what it represents (a TV?), but my first impression was a little more reactive. In any case, Harris does have a major presence and continues to build good product. One drawback is they are trying to do everything, and to me that doesn’t work. A certain “alliance” comes to mind.
Many of the products out there are good. So, from that aspect the show was good. I still wonder about HD radio. As any who reads my blog or follows me on Twitter or Google+, I’m not a huge fan. I do have 4 signals in HD and we started our HD2 with more to come. What bothers me is I know of 3 instances where I was told point blank that they (manufacturers) are waiting for iBiquity. Either to give approval or help to find the proper solution. If the company that owns the standard is dragging, do you want or need to wait?
I also felt that on the floor there was a lack of passion. I know of a few companies that are very passionate, as mentioned above, but many that are there because they need to show their wares. I also felt as if the cold shoulder was being given out freely this year. One booth, well know name, dismissed my presence. No one made an effort to talk. Come to think of it, there were a couple of booths like this. This is so wrong for many reasons, so beware expecting business or repeat business. Radio is so into themselves I feel that if you are the outspoken or outcast, there is not place for you. Could this be part of the radio industry problem?
On a cool note, if you wandered back and saw the DJI booth, you saw a very cool product. Drones! The small Phantom is ready to fly and ready to hold your GoPro Hero camera. The S800 is an 8-rotor job that accommodates a camera gimbal with 3-axis stability. One may ask why so cool? I mentioned to two engineers what I think this would be great for an engineer: basic tower inspection. If you need a quick look at a tower or antenna, fly one of these things up (need to check on range) and take pictures. Analyze on the ground and then determine if you need to hire a crew to get more details or repair an issue. I want to test to see if one of these can fly within the RF environment or at reduced power. In any case, cool product, and potential good use.
I do look forward to next year. I also made notes on what I think I should or will study up on as it becomes some prevalent to the industry. Most of the technology is IP. I have much more to learn on that. I’ll continue to update all I learn as I gather information. Till next year’s NAB show, see you in the social media space and the blog!
Cheers.
An Importer Upgrade: Lesson’s Learned
A couple of weeks ago I decided to pursue an upgrade to our Nautel Export+ and Importers. For those not in the U.S., this is the equipment that makes our HD Radio channels work, or digital radio. The old Exporter and the Exporter+ units upgraded just fine. It really isn’t that difficult. The Importers were a bit different.
My upgrade worked out well. First I had to update from Windows XP SP2 to SP3. Well, the boxes are so old I had to find an executable upgrade package on the TechNet site. I found it and it worked. Why did Windows Update not work? As mentioned the boxes were so old and all automatic updates are disabled due to the fact that the software used for HD Radio does not get the continuing testing required to keep up with OS changes. The Nautel version 4.4.7 update specifies Win XP SP3. The most time consuming part was using Windows Update to get all the current, laugh here, patches. Done.
Importer update: This was straight forward too. I skipped a version, 4.2.1, past 4.3.1, to 4.4.7. All installed well and even my BTC (Broadcast Traffic Consortium) station came up just fine. As we were pursuing an HD2 channel, I looked closely at the Capture Client for the secondary service and discovered that the second audio card was not there! My brain started to wonder what happened. The OS saw it and the Orban PC Remote software saw the two audio cards. Now what?
After a reinstall of the 4.4.7 software, the reinstall of the Orban audio card drivers, and more checks to see what I may have missed, I did not get anywhere. I contacted Nautel and this stumped them. I decided to contact iBiquity. They heard of some issue with the Orban PC1100 cards, but did not have an answer. I contacted Orban and they did not have an immediate answer. More suggestions of removing and reinstalling drivers and software. I decided to dig a bit more.
At no time did anyone mention the PC1100 version. I visited the Orban website and checked the download section. I discovered at some point the software and drivers for the PC1100 audio cards was updated. I usually keep up on updates, but, again, with HD stuff you do not touch it unless instructed to or forced to. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I downloaded the software and installed in on a machine where the Importer services have not been required. It worked! I notified all parties involved. Everyone assumed that this update was applied. Well, again, I do not apply any updates unless there is a confirmed reason when it comes to the iBiquity equipment. It is mentioned in all their documentation that automated updates and any other updates be cleared first. Well, a bulletin or something could have been issued with the latest requirements and no one would have had to worry about this update.
I updated the other two Importers and all audio cards are seen and work. Lesson learned. Update that audio card and drivers if you have not done so. This applies to anyone with a box that is at least 3 years old or older. I see that Orban now has the PC1101 audio card out. This is 2 audio cards in one. Anyone have experience with this one?
Lessons are learned, and we keep learning everyday. Keep your stuff updated within reason! Hopefully my little exercise will help others not fall into this little trap. Have a great weekend!
Cheers!
Break-Through, Breaking, Broke, Fixed
That sums up this week. Break a few things, get good news on an old issue, and fixing stuff. That’s my life.
Cleaning up is my number one To-Do this week and I can walk into my office now. Hall cleared, office cleaned up, and Station Logs files for 2013 are made. (year, really.) As we progress I got to cleaning up my remote control situation even more and creating automated tasks with macros. This turned into a 2 day exercise as I had a chat with my pals at Burk Technology with some questions when I find out they posted updates for the ARC Plus firmware, now at 3.0.0.37, and AutoPilot 2010, officially 2.8.4. Not resisting something “new” I had to update. All went well except for 2 ARC Plus units. The configurations I saved prior to the update messed them up when loaded back in! Doh! To quote Homer. I figured that out and loaded configurations I had saved last week when I made a couple of macro changes. Lesson learned: Save that configuration as soon as you make a change! Now I can proceed with some more macro building and some JET flowchart learning. Yeah, I’m lagging on that.
The break-through is from RCS and our on-going NexGen v. Sage Endec IP control issue. WE CAPTURED AN EVENT! I received and email and RCS is working on code to install within NexGen to more closely evaluate why NexGen did not respond to the incoming alert. We await this little update to the A-serves. I ask again, anyone else out there doing IP control between NexGen and Sage? I wish I knew a bit more of the inner workings of this system. On the other hand I would not want to see that internal road map as the software in its basic form has been around for years!
Broke: AT&T. Nuff said? We’ve had a series of T1 failures. Some responded to quickly, others just lie in wait to annoy us. I would suspect our Moseley equipment, but history proofs otherwise. I do wish Moseley had a better self monitoring system, but the equipment is older and we are looking at upgrading to newer systems. Bottom line is it sucks to not have line-of-site to transmitter sites so I can use a reliable microwave STL, I want a new 11GHz system so bad with a large bandwidth! I can dream, can’t I?
As things settle down, other than AT&T, I am now going to sweep the studios and clean up some dust bunnies. I think I have a battery replacement on an UPS due, too. Love the holidays!
Cheers!
PS: Glossary for those new to this stuff:
STL = Studio Transmitter Link. Conversely TSL = Transmitter Studio Link, the opposite path. In radio we are mostly concerned with getting audio to the transmitter site. In this modern world with data, along with monitoring/metering, the return path is for this information.
11GHz = 11 Giga Hertz microwave systems, is the band that carries audio, data. “Classic” STLs are in the 950MHz band with limited bandwidth. For comparison, 802.11 WiFi routers run in the 2.4GHz band with wireless N also in the 5GHz band. Wireless mice and keyboards are also in the 2.4GHz band.
Radio and the Future IMHO
All this talk about secret meetings and radio’s future at the NAB Radio show really bothers me. The future of radio is divergent between programming and technology. The big radio companies of today, and little ones, will have to decide are they in the programming business or the transmission, or delivery business. Here is my take from the technical point of view. (Drop government regulations for a moment and open your mind.)
We already see a divergence between programming and transmission of programming with this thing call HD Radio. Many programmers find this a waste of time and money. Even engineers find it a waste as I believe they see the potential of digital, all digital, in the future. Radio needs to grow up. My take is to get rid of this duality of HD and Analog transmission. This is the 21st century, so why not push for all digital. Drop this analog and transform. Once a signal is all digital and the right minds build it well, it becomes a digital carrier capable of, say, 50 or 100 independent channels for an example. This could be more or less depending on the brains behind it and can it be split based on required bandwidth. The divergence is clear at this point, what radio station owner has the ability to program 50 channels, they cannot even program a single channel.
As the two diverge, I see the physical radio plant becoming a technical operation center for the distribution of content, not the origination, and I see programmers becoming content providers. I see radio station owners eyeing the money at becoming content providers. Great! Concentrate on programming something well. The technical side now splits off and companies that know how to distribute, technically, start looking at owning the actual signal. The plant becomes a technical operating center (TOC) or a network operating center (NOC). Now the programmer leases a channel or more from the distributor. Sound familiar? Cable, satellite television, satellite radio, the Internet?
Who buys the technical side? Who is already capable of wireless transmission? The wireless companies are! The licenses of the radio stations will be purchased by the likes of Verizon and AT&T. The “big” signals become the focal point of pushing data to the wireless world. The cellular system becomes the receiving end of the system and a fill for the areas that do not get covered by the broadcast signal. You now have your bi-directional communications. It is all about pushing data and this is a good medium for doing such.
At this point, yes, radio as we know it needs to change. The FCC would have to treat the licenses of radio stations similar to cellular wireless. The purpose of radio stations needs to be redefined. Name a radio station that actually serves the public interest. Do not give me music stations. Public safety notifications or whatever propaganda the government wants to feed must be dealt with in a new way. I foresee an allocation of a channel or two for such services based on the geographical area. I also see them pushing a means, like EAS, that the TOC or NOC owners will need to be able to insert. The burden moves from the programmer to these owners. Programmers will not have a choice if an alert or emergency that meets a certain criteria occurs, it gets pushed on all channels.
At the same time the choices of programming become more. Again, depending on how this digital carrier is built and how much can get squeezed in will determine the number of channels available. The whole argument of an FM chip on a cell phone will go away as regulations would change and most likely these channels will be available on other data feeds, read Internet, that the point it moot. If not, this could actually go the opposite way and cellular devices, smartphones, will get FM, or even AM, chips as this medium becomes the backbone to pushing data for wireless carriers.
All in all there will be a paradigm shift in the radio and broadcasting world. It is a matter of when. All this half-assed business with HD and iBiquity is just a start. A learning experience. Eventually someone will suggest an alternate future like this. The picture will become clear. The divergence of programming and distribution will occur. How that is handled is up to us in the industry. What side are you on? I am an engineer. I am on the distribution side. You?
Cheers!
PS: As my thoughts congeal, I may post more on this. Please openly send comments and smack me down or add your thoughts! I, for one, would like to know how you really feel about this subject.
First Post On Asus Transformer
We decided to deploy some tablets for work. Testing stage as we call it. IT guru JR chose these ASUS Transformers, so I get to test one, too. This led me to think about the applications I use for work. There are a couple that I just like and use on multiple devices. There is one that is the main reason we are testing the ASUS.
We use Google Apps, so the GMAIL app is the major winner. Email is the app of daily use, multiple times a day. We all know that. How much of you email is done on a computer today? We all seem to have smartphones, tablets, and i-Somethings.
The Messages App for text messaging is used too. How else can you get info in a a timely manor and in 160 characters or less and not disturb them with a phone call. Say what you will, but I find text messaging efficient over the phone call formality, especially if what you need is not need it now moment. That’s when the phone comes in the best.
Speaking of social media apps, I use TweetCaster for tweeting on Twitter. It allows me to post to Facebook simultaneously. Even though I do not use FB much anymore, it is there. The interface is nice. It is easy to use. I’ve tried HootSuite, but grew tired of it. I may try again because the first company that incorporates Google+ into the mix will win my business, at least to start. Google+, or G+, is my first choice of social media over FB, now. The G+ app is on all my devices. Rounding off social I have Foursquare which is just fun to use sometimes and I do have LinkedIn. This one is a good connection site and some of the groups do have interesting topics under discussion.
Productivity leads me to Evernote. How does anyone in the connected world not get by with this one. Sure I have Google Drive for documents and the like, but Evernote seems to be there for everything. Hmmm? Thus the “Ever?” With the desktop app and a web interface my notes are synced to all devices in a jiffy. I mentioned Google Drive. That is now getting more use as we expand to our mobile world. For me, I upload and sync important manuals since they all seem to be in PDF format today. That way if I’m at a transmitter site I have the latest information with me.
Now for a very big one that comes with the ASUS and I find almost indispensable now. It is called SplashTop. With the VPN connection, and soon to be a Flash version (yes we are beta testing), you can connect to your desktop from anywhere and operate it as if you were there. Very similar to Remote Desktop. Full control. All you do is install the desktop app to run in the background. Very cool, very useful. As for the VPN, as we use “legacy” Cisco concentrator JR discovered the one VPN app that actually seems to work properly called VPNcilla. It works. It’s easy. As we upgrade to Pix or other more modern devices, then the phones will get access too.
Now for a list of other apps I use:
DolphinHD browser. I find this one has worked the best in the smartphone and tablet world. I can even connect directly, yes, directly to my Nautel NV transmitters. I use this to connect to the web interfaces of my Burk ARCPlus remote controls. The new version 3 has a cleaner look and looks to be promising. I plan a write-up on the Burk soon.
Maps by Google is very useful, too. Locating sites and getting to where you need to go.
Under a folder I made named Utilities I have Ulysse Gizmos the BEST GPS compass ever. Used this many times and it is pretty accurate. Satellite AR for when I need to quickly spot a satellite for rough dish alignment. Intel’s CPU Decoder if you ever need to get specs on Intel CPUs. ElectroDroid when I need to cheat on some electrical thing be it simple calculation because my old brain doesn’t work any longer or need a quick pin-out on a connector. IP Calculator quick subnetting if necessary. RealCalc is a full featured scientific calculator. It even does RPN, so it feels like my HP calculator. I even have FuncGen, an audio function generator if I need quick audio for tests, sweeps, and various waveforms.
Any geek would not be complete without WolframAlpha. This one is pretty fun to use. I live in earthquake country so I have Earthquake Alert. My optional field of work would have been geology. Also we need our coffee, so yes, I have the Starbucks app. I use Pulse as a news reader.
I can go on. What useful apps do you have? I obviously have WordPress as I am writing on my ASUS right now using the app. Please share your discoveries.
As for this ASUS, I’ve had it 5 days. I have grown very attached to it this weekend. The optional keyboard that doubles as it’s case is great. The tablet itself is smooth and does what I need. You might say I’m digging it.
Device list:
HTC Thunderbold Smartphone
ASUS Transformer
B&N Nook Color, hacked with CM7 android so it works as a tablet.
Amazon Fire for books.
Apple iPad for the child and games.
Cheers!
Travels, Work, and More Work
Wow, it seems to be forever since I posted. Forgive that. I bet you expect juicy details on super secret stuff. Well, not exactly. Recently I did travel, and since being back I have been busy. Shoot, I was busy before the travel. Does work get in the way of vacation or does vacation get in the way of work? Will we ever know?
Vacation was great. Part of that was to visit the Elenos factory in Italy. I enjoyed meeting the crew out there and talking shop. What I saw was quite impressive and the dedication and passion behind the product is amazing. With that we may see Elenos become a player in the transmitter market, so stay tuned. From what I understand I may be receiving one to test. Did I mention they did win a Cool Stuff award at NAB this year?
Of course I get back from vacation, IT Dude goes on vacation. This always equals some trouble. In this case it is Marketron vs. Windows 7 and a Ricoh printer. After a whole week, we still cannot print from the new machines. They print locally, but not through Marketron. I think I am overlooking something that IT Dude will notice right off. That is the true difference of dealing with something day-to-day versus only on occasion.
Do I dare mention the Harris Flexstar? I should write a whole post on just this. Yes, I continue to have Exciter muting issues, though not as bad as before. To make a long story short, we know for a fact that the Flexstar cannot handle too much data. It bogs down and eventually chokes. The only way to recover from the mute is to reboot. I wired up my remote control to the Flexstar restart input. This is pin 13 on the Remote User Interface of the Flexstar itself. A contact to ground and the Flexstar will perform and cold boot.
I have been fine tuning my Burk ARC Plus installation and utilizing the AutoPilot program a bit more. Now if we can only get Burk to support SNMP within the ARC Plus removing the need for AutoPilot they may be on to something. In the meantime I have created a fine custom view that shows the basics of all my transmitter sites. Attached to the touch screen monitor, all it takes is a touch of the screen to execute a function like STL switching or rebooting the Flexstar exciter. In addition I am utilizing SNMP with my Eaton-Powerware UPS’s by adding a network management card to the UPS. Currently four are up and running and I monitor on AutoPilot input and output voltage, UPS load, time remaining, and battery charge level. As I learn more about SNMP I may have status notifications if a self test fails or whatever else I can find!
Maybe my next post will get into some dirty details. If there is a subject you wish to see covered, drop me a line.
Cheers!
NAB Observations
Back from the NAB convention. It is always great to see people and see what is going on. Here are four observations from a list of many. What did you see, hear, or ignored?
1. Radio was slow. Lots of elbow room on the floor. No real “wow” factor items on the floor. I did see stuff to improve the plant, but with no money one can only wish. Seems once the subject of money came up no one wanted to deal with you. That is a shame as I am always looking to integrate items into capital projects.
2. Manufacturers selling analog only transmitters. I found it quite interesting the number of smaller market folks were looking at transmitters. They were not looking at HD, either. This was quite evident at the Nautel booth where they were showing the NV LT, an analog only version of the NV transmitter. I even stopped by and saw John Bisset at the Elenos Booth. Seems it is too expensive too license from iBiquity, both for manufacturers and end users.
3. GoPro booth was hopping. I could not miss this Booth as it was right next to the radio section. Oh, and I have a friend that works for them. I own a Hero 2. It is fun. The buzz around their booth escalated around 3pm at their drawings. The NAB decibel police even monitored what was going on.
4. Way cool interactive signage by Cisco and Verizon. Wandering the South Hall was interesting. We started at the upper level which seemed slow. I was looking at data delivery options, so I here’s up there. Maybe it was early, thus the lack of activity. Once downstairs we hit more crowds and happened on the Verizon booth. We talked to a Cisco Rep who showed us a great interactive display with a media player. What we saw is great for large office buildings and campuses, but we saw potential for clients. JR has medical clients so he immediately saw a unused there. Coupled with Verizon’s 4G LTE we saw potential display possibilitiiies for radio station lobbies showing live shots from remotes or a guest in studio.
I enjoyed meeting with everyone there. I can see how another day for me would have been worth it. I did not have time to talk with Orban or Omnia. Maybe next year I will take a different approach to the madness.
Cheers!
Tech Notes from the Field 