New Products (Jul 2003)

Jul 1, 2003 12:00 PM, By Kari Taylor, associate editor

Digital on-air radio board

Audioarts Engineering
DX-16

This console features a compact footprint and a built-in router that assigns any source to any input or monitor. The unit controls 16 input channels and two caller phone channels. It is equipped with digital bar graph metering and alpha source displays. This product provides analog and digital stereo PGM and AUD, mono 1 and 2 output buses, in addition to four mix-minus outputs. Assignable machine control ports are optoisolated. Direct access to rear DB-25 I/O connectors facilitate easy countertop installation.
252-638-7000
fax 252-637-1285
www.wheatstone.com
[email protected]

Combiner and filter

Dielectric
FM/HR Radio

The combiner and filter enables an FM station to implement HD Radio by combining the output power of a digital transmitter with an analog FM transmitter for use with an existing antenna system. A high-performance, dual-elliptic band-pass filter is included for special filtering of the digital transmitter. This filter design has exceptionally uniform response across the channel bandwidth for group delay performance and negligible effect on the digital waveform. High suppression of out-of-band energy ensures compliance with the spectrum mask and digital occupied bandwidth requirements of the FCC.
800-341-9678
fax 207-655-7120
www.dielectric.com
[email protected]

Riser bases

Middle Atlantic Products
RIB series

A series of riser bases, raised floor rise feet and support angles, these risers provide broadcast engineers with a time-saving and effective means to install equipment rack enclosures and related cable management in raised floor broadcast facilities. The riser bases can be used as standalone units or in conjunction with the feet and angles to meet a wide range of raised floor challenges. The RIB series riser bases are designed to elevate equipment racks 2-�” above the floor to provide a lower cable chase between rack enclosure systems in multibay applications. The bases are also useful for performing field rough-ins before rack enclosure systems arrive on site.
973-839-1011
fax 973-839-1976
www.middleatlantic.com
[email protected]

Automation system

Arrakis
Digilink-Xtra

Besides all the features of the company’s Digilink-Free, this version uses off-the-shelf PC sound cards. It can be used live on air with a jingle array and six-cart stack or in full automation. The built-in scheduler features a one-week rotating schedule. Manual or timed audio recording can be built into a schedule. The system supports two sound cards, allowing users to preview audio files during on-air use. This also allows the system to operate on air while a schedule is built from the same computer.
970-461-0730
fax 970-663-1010
www.arrakis-systems.com
[email protected]

Audio acquisition tool

Dalet Digital Media
Trackfilerplus

An audio acquisition tool, this product is designed to help editors and journalists enrich the Dalet database in a quick and easy way. With plug and play, files from a Nagra digital recorder or tracks from a CD can be easily ripped without thinking about file conversion. This unit performs the following operations automatically: converts audio files to a pre-selected format, copies in an automatic batch audio files to Dalet central server from local storage (CD or Nagra via USB port), incorporates metadata for easy retrieval and Nagra via USB connection. This tool connects with the Nagra handheld audio recorder/player ARES-P/RCX220 via a standard USB port. Once the device is plugged, the journalist highlights the files to be transferred in the Trackfilerplus window, and then clicks and the transfer begins. The transfer speed is several times the real time. It works on any Dalet version.
212-825-3322
fax 212-825-0182
www.dalet.com
[email protected]

Digital asset management

Fastchannel Network
Traffic Channel

This audio trafficking system allows for: multilevel user access, superior quality MP2 and MP3 files, automated and on-demand spot retrieval, traffic document attachment, instantaneous online delivery, guaranteed next-day delivery offline, online access to pending deliveries, current inventory and traffic instructions for any authorized users on a network 24/7 technical support.
866-321-FAST
fax 781-898-6501
www.fastchannel.com
[email protected]

FM exciter

Armstrong Transmitter
FMX-30B

The Armstrong FMX-30B is the next generation in frequency-agile exciters. The transmitter offers low distortion and intermod values, combined with a high signal-to-noise ratio. This microprocessor-controlled unit features a front LCD screen, which displays all system parameters on a scrolling menu including modulation, power output, frequency and power supply parameters. Other unique features include: front panel frequency agile, advance microprocessor control system, built-in low pass filter and directional coupler, LCD display of all system parameters, full remote control and status indicators, alarms for over temperature, VSWR foldback and mute and MPX and dual SCA inputs.
315-673-1269
fax 315-673-9972
www.armstrongtx.com
[email protected]

Modular furniture

Forecast Consoles
Masterrail

The Masterail system is available in a modular component console style and an Imagemaster workstation. All devices mount anywhere along the rail and are completely independent of each other, as well as, the rest of the structure. This feature allows both console types to be completely reconfigured, repurposed and reused, quickly, easily and inexpensively, now and anytime in the future. The system incorporates current materials, precision laser-fabricated parts and third-party accessories.
800-735-2070
fax 631-253-0277
forecast-consoles.com
[email protected]

Connector plugs

Neutrik
RCA phono connectors

The RCA phono connectors feature isolated, recessed sockets in nickel or black chrome housing, and are available in D-series style for use with universal mounting plugs. Either housing can be ordered in black, red, yellow or white to enable color-coding. The new plugs, which feature gold-plated contacts, can be ordered to match the colored rings available on the company’s NYS373 plugs. The RCA phono sockets feature a high current and voltage rating. The shell and contacts are brass with gold plating, and the D housing features nickel or black chrome plating.
732-901-9488
fax 732-901-9608
www.neutrik.com
[email protected]

LAN/IP audio distribution

MDO UK
AudioTX Multiplex

One or more server PCs take multiple, live, audio sources and make them available across an existing network. Any PC on the network can receive the audio feeds by running a small receiver module, which emulates a tuner by selecting a channel. New sources and destinations can be added by loading the appropriate software. Work with standard Windows hardware and sound cards. The system uses multicast technology, and installation tests have shown that 50 stereo audio channels at broadcast quality occupy only six percent of a 100Mb/s network. Audio can be broadcast as linear .WAV, MP3 or MP2 files. Users can purchase the software only or MDO can supply configured servers.
+44 121 256 0200
fax +44 121 256 5109
www.audiotx.com
[email protected]

Audio level interfaces

ATI
Matchmaker line

UB400i, BU400i, BI400i, UB800, BU800, UB1000, BU1000, UB200-Pro, BI400-Pro and UB800-Pro provide from two to 10 channels of conversion from balanced to unbalanced audio and vice versa. The new models feature high-performance and low noise signal converters. Each features front-panel gain controls. Gold-plated RCA and XLR connectors are used on all models except the eight and 10 channel versions, which use plug-in Euroblock connectors. The Pro models feature proprietary transformer-isolated outputs for driving long lines up to 2,000′ without signal degradation and flat frequency response down to 20Hz.
215-443-0330
fax 215-443-0394
www.atiguys.com
[email protected]

Multistream audio adapter

Audioscience
ASI6122

The ASI6122 is aimed at high performance broadcast applications requiring MP3 record and play with analog and AES/EBU digital interfaces. The adapter uses a 150MHz Texas Instruments TMS320C6711 DSP and provides two stereo outputs, two stereo inputs, two record streams, two play streams and a powerful multirate digital mixer. Audio format choices include MP3, MPEG Layer 2 and linear PCM. This product features four stereo playback streams and two stereo record streams. MRX technology supports digital mixing of multiple stream formats and sample rates. Two balanced analog and digital play outputs and 24-bit analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters are available. Soundguard transient voltage suppression protects against lightning and other high voltage surges. There are as many as eight cards in one system and 8M bytes DRAM allow for on-board buffering. Windows 95/95, Windows NT, 2000, XP and Linux software drivers are available.
302-324-5333
fax 302-738-9434
www.audioscience.com
[email protected]

Flywheel-based UPS

Active Power
Clean Source UPS

An uninterruptible power supply, this system delivers the highest level of power availability, conditioning and harmonics cancellation for sensitive digital broadcast systems. These power protection systems protect networks, transmitters and microwave uplinks from the most common power disturbances that can interrupt broadcasts. While combining a rugged steel flywheel with solid-state power electronics, this technology incorporates a flywheel motor-generator that stores kinetic energy in its constantly spinning, quiet, low-friction steel disc. Stored energy from the flywheel is instantly converted to electricity that powers the critical load during short power fluctuations. During prolonged power out-ages, the UPS seamlessly transfers to a stand-by generator for continuous power.
512 744 9461
fax 512 836 4511
www.activepower.com
[email protected]

FM exciter/transmitter

Bext
Lex 30

The first Bext exciter and transmitter in a single rack unit size, the Lex 30 from Bext is a 30W unit with a menu-based digital display and built-in stereo generator at no extra charge (the stereo generator can be defeated for composite input).
619-239-8462
fax 619-239-8474
www.bext.com
[email protected]

Upgrades and Updates

V-Soft releases 03 arc-second
The new, more accurate 03 arc-second terrain database was released to improve the existing United States Geological Survey (USGS) 03 arc-second terrain elevation database. The database was derived from the latest release of the USGS National Elevation Dataset 30 meter data, the most accurate terrain dataset currently available. Contact V-Soft at 319-266-8402 or [email protected].

Telos finds new Superset supplier
The Mitel Superset IV telephones, once a popular system on their own, have become harder to obtain at an affordable cost as demand has decreased. The sets are used with the Telos Direct Interface module. While factory-new phone sets are no longer available, Telos can provide professionally refurbished units that are programmed and checked for proper operation with the Direct Interface through a new supplier. Contact Telos at 216-241-7225.

TDM releases EAScriber Pro v.2.0
Following a three-month beta cycle, the new software version is available. EAScriber Pro installs on a single PC and monitors EAS activity through the serial ports included with most EAS receivers. New functionality in version 2.0 includes more baud rate configurations, discrepancy reporting for seven-day and 30-day test delays and MSRP support for Sage ENDEC users.

Voxpro PC Adds Networking
Voxpro PC Software now includes the Voxpro PC Network functionality, which enables two or more Voxpro PC workstations to link for instantaneous file transfer between workgroup members.

APT plug-in added
The APT plug-in that permits Apt-x audio encoding and editing in Syntrillium’s Cool Edit Pro is available as a download from APT’s website at www.aptx.com/pro-soft-cooledit.asp. The plug-in allows Apt-x users to import and edit files directly, eliminating the need to decode and re-encode audio files.