TWiRT 623 - Virtualizing Makes Sense with Sascha Ludwig

Like many of us broadcast engineers, Sascha Ludwig builds and maintains somewhat traditional broadcast studios while implementing server-based virtualized solutions as well. Sascha is based in Germany where the talent appreciates traditional hardware user interfaces. But he’s implementing more of today’s technology for these content creators. As a software developer, he maintains and update the OnAirScreen software package appearing in radio control rooms everywhere. Chris Tarr joins us for a good discussion and comparison of some German engineering and how we’re doing broadcast engineering in the US.

Show Notes:
OnAirScreen from AstraStudios
OnAirScreen on GitHub (for those who know what to do)
Sascha uses Zabbix software to monitor computers and applications

Guest:
Sascha Ludwig - Broadcast Engineer, IT Admin, & Creative Leader at AstraStudio

Hosts:
Chris Tarr - Group Director of Engineering at Magnum.Media
Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, & South Seas Broadcasting

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Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
Nautel and the regular Transmission Talk Tuesday series of online engineering roundtable events.
Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. 
And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. 

Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.

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TWiRT 623 - Virtualizing Makes Sense with Sascha Ludwig

TWiRT 622 - TV Audio Loudness: It's Complicated - with Ken Tankel

Hearing dialog on some TV shows and many movies broadcast on TV is a problem. Why is dialog often hard to hear? Radio doesn’t have this problem. And TV typically didn’t until we went digital with DTV and 5.1 audio. Ken Tankel is Kirk’s go-to TV audio specialist. Ken worked for years in radio major market radio, so he understands audio processing. But, TV audio is markedly different, with different goals, targets, and formats. But we’d still like to understand the dialog! Ken walks us through some similarities and differences in TV and radio audio, and describes TV’s audio problems with some possible solutions.

Show Notes:
The USA’s CALM Act is about Loud Commercials
Pro Tools Expert article on Loudness - Good Summary
“CALM Before the Storm” - blog post on CALM compliance
Kirk suggested that 5.1 mixes be checked in stereo with Auratone speakers

Guest:
Ken Tankel - Field Applications Engineer at Telos Alliance

Host:
Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, & South Seas Broadcasting

Follow TWiRT on Twitter and on Facebook

TWiRT is brought to you by:
Nautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!
Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. 

Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
Nautel and the regular Transmission Talk Tuesday series of online engineering roundtable events.
Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. 
And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. 

Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.

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TWiRT 622 - TV Audio Loudness: It's Complicated - with Ken Tankel

TWiRT 621 - 5 Things to Know About FM Transmitter Sites with Hal Kneller

Some technical advice is timeless. Other tech advice changes with the times. Such is the case with FM transmitter sites.  Now more than ever we broadcast engineers need to apply the right safeguards and approaches at today’s FM transmitter sites. Situated under tall lightning “attractors” - otherwise known as “towers”  - FM transmitter sites need a mix of time-tested design care and contemporary precautions.  Hal Kneller is a 40+ year veteran of transmitter sites, and his Florida home provides plenty of experience with lightning protection, whether the equipment is old or new. 

Show Notes:
Xenirad Broadcast Engineering - web page with ¼ wave shorting stub demo video
Hal mentioned the CyberPower ATS PDU 44004
Kirk Mentioned the Henry Engineering Failsafe UPS Power Switcher
Nautel white paper on Lightning Protection for Radio Transmitter Stations

Guest:
Hal Kneller - Broadcast Technology Consultant

Host:
Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, & South Seas Broadcasting

Follow TWiRT on Twitter and on Facebook

TWiRT is brought to you by:
Nautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!
Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. 

Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
Nautel and the regular Transmission Talk Tuesday series of online engineering roundtable events.
Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. 
And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. 

Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.

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TWiRT 621 - 5 Things to Know About FM Transmitter Sites with Hal Kneller

TWiRT 620 - KOTZ is in Kotzebue with Pierre Lonewolf

Pierre Lonewolf’s career journey that led him to Kotzebue, Alaska in the early 1980s. You can’t get much farther away from major population bases than northern Alaska. Kotzebue, population 3,283, sits on a sand spit of Alaska’s Arctic west coast just across the Chukchi and Bering Seas and several hundred miles from the Russian eastern frontier. It’s a scenic but scarcely populated place that features abundant wildlife like caribou and moose and bear.  Pierre Lonewolf, CSRE, CNT, manages engineering services at KOTZ(AM) and KINU(FM) plus a network of FM translators and low-power FMs serving tiny villages. [Excerpted from an article by Randy Stine.] Pierre joins Chris Tarr and Kirk Harnack for a lively discussion of radio engineering in this remote Alaskan village.

Show Notes:
Radio Heritage Foundation article about Pierre Lonewolf by Randy Stine
Pierre and Chris mentioned the Inovonics IRM610, Internet Radio Monitor

Guest:
Pierre Lonewolf - Chief Engineer at KOTZ-AM and KINU-FM

Hosts:
Chris Tarr - Group Director of Engineering at Magnum.Media
Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, & South Seas Broadcasting

Follow TWiRT on Twitter and on Facebook

TWiRT is brought to you by:
Nautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!
Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. 

Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
Nautel and the regular Transmission Talk Tuesday series of online engineering roundtable events.
Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. 
And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. 

Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.

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TWiRT 620 - KOTZ is in Kotzebue with Pierre Lonewolf

TWiRT 619 - Sound Engineering Advice with Dennis Sloatman

“Aggressive Neglect” sounds like a great name for an Alt Rock band, but it’s actually one of Dennis Sloatman’s pet peeves. Petrified hamburger leftovers in the wiring chases is another. But he would rather construct new, reliable, yet simple broadcast systems than complain about poor work that preceded him. From continuing education to SNMP-monitored systems to small, medium and very large markets, Dennis Sloatman is the thoughtful engineer who plans the work and then works the plan. Let’s get wiser in our broadcast engineering skills by spending an hour with the top-shelf broadcaster.

Guest:
Dennis Sloatman - Broadcast Engineer, BS Engineering, CSRE, MSCSE, AMD, iNet+, A+ Hardware/Software, CBNT - SBE Member

Host:
Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, & South Seas Broadcasting

Follow TWiRT on Twitter and on Facebook

TWiRT is brought to you by:
Nautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!
Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. 

Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
Nautel and the regular Transmission Talk Tuesday series of online engineering roundtable events.
Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. 
And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. 

Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.

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TWiRT 619 - Sound Engineering Advice with Dennis Sloatman