The Talking Information Center, located in Marshfield, Mass., was established in 1978 and has been servicing the visually-impaired and print-impaired communities for 36 years. TIC operates with the help of more than 200 volunteers in their Marshfield studio alone.
Access to the TIC service is provided by a network of radio and cable TV outlets in collaboration with five affiliates across the state of Massachusetts. TIC also streams its programming 24 hours per day, seven days per week, 365 days per year.
Frank Stas of the Talking Info Center was having a problem with a TIC Internet modem locking up and not coming back online, thereby losing audio. He would then have to drive over 40 miles to reset the power to the equipment. He reached out to Dave Mandelbaum, of DM Engineering, seeking help for this problem.
To solve this problem, Mandelbaum suggested DM Engineering�s Silence Sense Jr.
The Silence Sense Jr. is a microprocessor-based system that accepts single-ended audio with a user- adjustable input level control. It features adjustable silence detect time duration (from 7 seconds up to 4 minutes maximum, jumper selectable), with switch-selectable momentary or continuous relay contact closure output. The unit automatically resets with reapplication of audio, and is provided with battery backup and an AC power adapter.
Mandelbaum suggested that TIC should use the normally-closed option of the Silence Sense Jr., with the �momentary� output option selected, connected to a Studio Solid State Relay Pack, which will switch 115VAC up to a 5 amp load. This system senses the lack of audio after a user pre-set period, and then momentarily switches off the power feed, causing the affected equipment to re-boot properly.
For Stas� application DM Engineering increased the momentary time constant from one second to four to assure a proper power reset. Now, after a modem lockup and loss of audio, this process will be happen automatically, saving Frank the time and trouble of a long trip to the transmitter site.
You can learn more about Silence Sense Jr., and other products from DM Engineering,
by visiting their website athttp://www.dmengineering.com/pages/products.htm
