|
|
|
|
|
Quote of Note
"A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking."
- Steven Wright
|
|
Congratulations, Frank Foti!
NAB Radio Engineering Award Winner
 | | Congratulations Frank! |
Most of us are in radio because we love it -- not for the accommodating hours, nor the appreciation received, and certainly not for the generous pay (non-engineer types, please note tongue firmly in cheek). No, we do it because radio and audio is in our bones, way down deep underneath the muscle and fiber. That's the way it is for Frank Foti. and that's why we're tickled pink that he's won the 2013 NAB Radio Engineering Achievement Award.
In case you didn't know, Frank is the founder of Omnia Audio, and the CEO of the Telos Alliance. And he's sure in love with radio -- has been since he was a kid. He started his engineering career at WELW(AM) in Willoughby, Ohio in 1975, and then moved to Malrite's legendary WMMS / WHK, Cleveland, in 1978. As Chief at 'MMS, Frank started "messing with the processing," developing custom processing setups for the stations. Then he rocked the Bay at KSAN and KNEW(AM) in San Francisco before heading to Z-100 (WHTZ) in New York. What he did there cemented his reputation as a real innovator in broadcast audio processing. In 1988, Frank began Cutting Edge Technologies, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The NAB's Radio & Television Engineering Achievement Awards are, according to the official website, "given to individuals for their significant contributions which have advanced the state of the art of broadcast engineering."
Frank's career has had a lot of highlights, but here are a few of the ones that helped him earn this honor: - Frank was first to apply look-ahead limiting in multiple bands to broadcast audio processing, accomplished in part by placing pre-emphasis after the limiters in his digital broadcast audio processor (as opposed to before the limiters, where it had traditionally been).
- He also invented the non-aliasing DSP limiter, which solved the problem of the audio distortion that the first digital audio processors encountered when aggressively limiting pre-emphasized audio in the digital domain.
- He developed composite filtering, which made it possible to run FM sub-carriers along with aggressive composite audio processing.
- He invented the low-IMD limiter, which helped eliminate intermodulation distortion in modern limiters.
- Frank was also the first to integrate standard FM and HD Radio processing within a single processor, which also incorporated the HD Radio Diversity Delay.
There's plenty more, of course, like the fact that Frank mounted a one-man shock-and-awe campaign to educate broadcasters about the benefits of Single-Sideband FM stereo, helping elevate it from a theory to a usable tool in the broadcaster's transmitting toolbox. (You'll find it inside Omnia.11 and Omnia.9 processors, incidentally.) If you're coming to NAB this year, you can join Frank as he accepts his award at the annual NAB Technology Luncheon on Wednesday, April 10, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Check out the NAB's official announcement for details. |
|
Axia goes to school
Students at KVIT-FM get new networked studios
 When Steve Grosz visited the NAB show last April, he was shopping for an IP audio console to replace the aging analog board at his station. Little did he know that he would end up buying three consoles and a boatload of other radio gear, most of it from the Telos Alliance. Grosz is the general manager of KVIT,an educational FM station run by the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) in Mesa, Arizona.
"We had researched IP audio consoles prior to NAB, and narrowed the field to three vendors, including Axia" recalls Grosz. "As we went around and visited the manufacturers, it became clear that Axia really represented the latest technology and the future, and the other two looked more like 90s state of the art." Grosz was so impressed with the Axia Element console that he upped his order from one to three. The order also included several IP Intercoms, various studio engines and an Omnia.9 audio processor.
For student engineer Addison Burnside, installing the Element consoles was a challenge that he was up for. "I had some experience with analog audio doing sound for bands, but wasn't as familiar with broadcast standards. After reading the Element manual cover to cover a few times, I felt ready to do the installs. Axia is so simple, if you understand logic, that's about all you need. If you can understand HTTP, then it's not hard to configure." Burnside was mentored by the station's contract engineer Robert Reymont, but he completed all the wiring and programming himself.
 | | GM Steve Grosz (right) and OM Bruce Kelly show off one of KVIT's new Elements |
The KVITstudio complex consists of three studios with Axia Element consoles: the main on-air studio; a duplicate backup air studio and a voice track/production studio that is also used for DJ mixes. There are also ten sound booths equipped with ProTools, and 40 ProTools stations in classrooms throughout the East Valley Institute of Technology campus. A TOC rounds out the recent studio construction project. "Our broadcasting facilities are second to none," notes Grosz. "We are as good as any technical school in America."
The Broadcasting/Audio Production and Media Marketing (BAMM) program at EVIT, a public school in the Phoenix area that serves students from ten surrounding East Valley school districts, trains students on the facilities of KVIT. Students are exposed to the day-to-day operations in the music business, including audio production, radio advertising, promotions, image branding, and news writing. Students also work on digital audio workstations that are standard in recording studios and may also have the opportunity to broadcast a show and participate in live radio remotes.
"About 30 percent of the students in BAMM are die-hard radio geeks," adds Grosz. "Another 30 percent want to go into the music production end of the business. 20 percent are in PR/marketing, and 20 percent haven't decided yet."
The 90.7 Mhz, 2 Kw signal has been on the air for two years. Its 60 dBu contour reaches about 750,000 potential listeners in the Phoenix market. The station transmits from the Goldfield Ghost Town in Apache Junction, AZ. A 10-watt translator on 92.7 adds another 400,000. Plans are underway to move the main transmitter site so that the 60 dBu contour will be increased to 2.2 million. A live Internet audio stream is available, along with apps for both Android and iOS
Although Goldmine Radio has been around a relatively short time, it has begun to show up in the Arbitron ratings. It broadcasts a top 40/dance format, and is live with student DJs from 6 AM to 9 PM daily. The station is automated with NexGen from Axia Softwre Partner RCS the rest of the time.
More and more educational facilities have been upgrading to Axia lately, reasoning that to equip their students for "real world radio", they should train them with gear they'll find in the real world. To see more of KVIT's facilities, check out the Axia Facebook page.
|
|
|
News From the Field
Who's getting new gear?
Axia DESQ compact consoles are powering new studios at: - Far East Broadcasting Corp.,
La Mirada, California - Santa Monica Community College's KCRW-FM, Santa Monica, California
- University of Michigan's Spartan Sports Network, Holt, Michigan
Telos Hx6 Broadcast Phone Systems are taking people to the air at: - Barnstable Broadcasting's WGH-FM, Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Morgan County Broadcasting's WECO AM/FM, Marysville, Tennessee
- Newton Media Group, Washington, D.C.
Omnia.9 is supplying fresh air at:
- CBS Radio's KYXY-FM, San Diego, California
- Cumulus Media's NASH-FM,
New York City, New York - Cumulus Media's WNNX-FM, Atlanta, Georgia
|
|
Get the NOW! catalog
100 pages of broadcast-y goodness.
Click here to get a copy mailed to you! |
|
Radio Video
Classic Radio on the Net
Remember the Columbia School of Broadcasting? We sure do, and chances are a few of you got your start there. Here's a classic local spot for "CSB" from 1971 that ran in the Washington DC / Baltimore TV markets, with WPGC's Jack Alix making the pitch in what appears to be one of the production rooms at 5801 Annapolis Road. Check out 60 seconds of smooth radio patter. |
|
NAB Passes?
We've got 'em for you
Believe it or not, NAB 2013 is just weeks away. April 6 - 11, 2013, are this year's dates, and as always we have complimentary exhibit-only passes for you.
Just visit www.NABShow.com and register for a FREE Exhibits Only Pass. Use these VIP Codes:
- If you're in radio, use the Telos-Omnia-Axia-25-Seven code LV4154.
- If you're in TV, use the Linear Acoustic code LV4168.
Be sure you have your registration in by March 22 to get your passes in time.
|
|
|
|
Linear Acoustic AERO.2000 now shipping to TV
Look out, old dog - a new dog's coming in
 | | AERO.2000: The new Top Dog. |
Apologies to George Thorogood for nicking his line, but hey -- it's not every day we get to tell you about a new heavyweight TV audio processor, so believe us when we say that this is big news. Those of you who drooled over our AERO.air will go nuts for AERO.2000, which combines our unique AEROMAX® audio processing for proven loudness control, industry-standard upmixing via UPMAX® II with fulltime downmix, optional Dolby® encoding/decoding and Nielsen® Watermarking, and extensive I/O features.
Here's the nuts-and-bolts details:
- ITU-compliant loudness control is now combined with patented Linear Acoustic Intelligent Dynamics™ hybrid metadata processing to preserve content and satisfy viewers.
- Support for up to 16 audio channels in two independent instances - 5.1+2+Local and 2+2+Local.
- Four ITU-R BS.1770-3 meters simplify loudness verification for the main programs.
- A comprehensive TCP/IP remote control is included, giving you the ability to set up, adjust, and display all AERO.2000 parameters including loudness metering, Dolby Digital (AC-3) statistics, and even return audio (network speed permitting). The software can connect to multiple AERO.2000 units simultaneously, a major convenience for anyone who oversees multiple stations in different locations. A built-in http server provides control of all parameters and access to metering data.
- AES and HD/SD-SDI I/O, compensating video delay, and redundant power supplies are standard features. Dolby Digital/Plus encoding, Dolby Digital/E decoding, DVB-ASI I/O, and Nielsen Watermarking are optional.
With all this, it's pretty clear that AERO.2000 is the new King of the Hill for television loudness management, and Linear Acoustic SVP of Sales Christina Carroll is pretty happy about it -- as you might imagine: "We've incorporated everything that made our flagship AERO.air so successful and added many customer-requested features to take it to the next level in terms of power, flexibility, and value. AERO.2000 offers the same compliant high-quality audio that broadcasters and viewers have come to expect from Linear Acoustic and adds a level of versatility and convenience that we believe our customers will really appreciate."
Find out what AERO.2000 can do for your station's audio at LinearAcoustic.com .
|
|
"Yeah, we invented that!"
25-Seven's PD-Alert technology awarded US Patent
 Since its introduction five years ago, 25-Seven has been telling you how Program Delay Manager reinvented the profanity delay. Well, on January 8, the US Patent and Trademark Office recognized the originality of PDM by issuing patent 8,352,629 titled "Media Stream Capture, Modification and Forwarding," also known as PDM's PD-Alert™ feature. Kudos to 25-Seven president Geoff Steadman, along with co-inventors Dan Griscom, Mark Phillips and Edmund "Mack" MacKenty for their PD-Alert patent!
What makes PD-Alert unique? These days, Program Directors have more on their plates than ever. There's no way to monitor every broadcast hour of every day, but PDs need to be the first to know what happened when that "dump" button got pressed. With PD-Alert, two time-stamped audio files capturing what took place both on-air and off-air get internally archived and e-mailed to the PD (or GM, or CE, or the legal team) every time questionable material is "dumped".
What do users think about PDM? Paul Shulins of Greater Media Boston told us that "In this age of tighter enforcement of regulations for program decency and content, PDM has provided my station with an extra level of proof that we are on top of that issue."
Here's another: George Prondzinski of Genesis Communications said that "PDM's PD Alert feature is beyond incredible in the event of a profanity incident. Peace of mind for the board op, the host and management is the result."
Want a little of that peace of mind for your operation? Check out the details about Program Delay Manager by clicking here. |
|
Axia enters pop culture
A console on your smartphone?
Well, not exactly. But pretty close! Addison Burnside, student Assistant Engineer at the East Valley Institute of Technology's KVIT (see story above) found that Element consoles have crossed over into pop culture -- or at least to stock photo houses.
Addison writes: "This is a game for the iPhone called What's the Word. One of the jocks came into my room and said 'Is this the same thing we have?'" And so it is; it's an Axia Element console vignette showing a couple of faders and several SmartSwitch modules, illuminated in a darkened studio. We're not sure what facility the photo was taken in, but with 4,500 Axia consoles now on the air, there are a lot of potential choices! |
|
Tech Tip of the Month
Using Telos Hx1 Hybrids with a Direct Interface Module
 RF Specialties' Michael Uhl asks us, "Will a new Telos Hx1 hybrid work with a legacy Telos DIM (Direct Interface Module)?"
Telos support legend Mark Manolio responds: "HX hybrids will not work directly with the DIM 'out of the box', but there is a simple circuit that can be added to make it work. See Telos Customer Support Bulletin #03032011, found at Telos-Systems.com/support/csb.htm, for documentation that describes how to fabricate this circuit."
|
|
Tech Updates
Latest Software for your Telos Alliance gear
|
|
Discrepancy Sheet
RIP John Karlin, father of modern telephone dialing
 At Telos, phones are, quite naturally, rather dear to our hearts. Just days ago came the news that John Karlin, a veteran of Bell Labs and the man directly responsible for All-Digit Dialing and, indirectly, DTMF and the modern telephone keypad, passed away on January 28 at the age of 94. Without Karlin, much of the UI common to modern communications would likely come in a much different form.
In particular, Karlin was the first to apply behavioral science to the problem of modernizing the telephone instrument for optimal usage. Here's just one of several stories related on his obituary in the New York Times:
"An early experiment involved the telephone cord. In the postwar years, the copper used inside the cords remained scarce. Telephone company executives wondered whether the standard cord, then about three feet long, might be shortened. Mr. Karlin's staff stole into colleagues' offices every three days and covertly shortened their phone cords, an inch at time. No one noticed, they found, until the cords had lost an entire foot."
Read more about John Karlin's remarkable work in this NYT article.
Clark Novak, Tom Vernon, Denny Sanders, Angi Roberson, Jim Kuzman and Wendy Tang
for Telos, Omnia, Axia, Linear Acoustic and 25-Seven
|
|
About Us
eNews is published once each month. Looking for a link or a story from a back issue? Click here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
