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25-Seven PDM: ‘It Just Works’

User Report: Demo unit arrives and never leaves, impressing skeptical broadcaster

PHOENIX — KTAR(AM/FM)’s engineering department had one of those visits, from Rick Sawyer from 25-Seven Systems.

We were shown a box that, like most of these demonstrations, would solve all the world’s problems. It was the 25-Seven Precision Delay. This box was touted as the solution for HD diversity delay and smooth transition in and out of delay for sports programs, etc.

It was also promoted as a precise delay for FM booster synchronization and large delays such as time zone shifts. We did not need any of that.

We were, however, in the market for a profanity delay system that would stay in AES sync on the incoming AES input, provide simple front-panel control, allow engineer-selectable access to controls, easy remote control and provide precise time delay in order to function as both a profanity delay and an audio sync to TV during simulcast baseball games.

Our existing profanity delay was notorious for losing AES sync; and its front-panel controls allowed the user to switch the input from digital to analog accidently and not be aware of what he had done.

Since we had an elaborate set of remote controls for the existing profanity delay tied into our Harris RMX digital consoles and the host turrets, we were not easy to convince that the 25-Seven Systems Program Delay Manager could do the job. After all, we’d had to design and build outboard power supplies and relay systems to make the existing system work and get the Harris remote panels to light up properly. On top of that, the 25-Seven PDM was not able to provide the precise time increments we needed for synching up to the TV audio.

Rick told us that we would need the 25-Seven Systems Precision Delay along with the PDM to do what we wanted. No deal! But the day after our visit, I got the following email from Rick:

Gentlemen:

First, let me thank you for the warm Phoenix hospitality and the station tour. I appreciate it! You certainly have a gorgeous facility and it is nice to see one so well designed.

Second, a 25-Seven PDM is departing our California facility today headed your way. Two things to note about this unit:

(1) You WILL be able to set delay in tenth-second increments using either the menu settings on the front panel or the configuration page on the web interface. From FP, select MENU, CONTROLS, DELAY SIZE. This should address your sports broadcast synchronization requirement

(2) All audio settings are in a category of their own: MENU, AUDIO. This should dramatically reduce the likelihood of someone inadvertently changing inputs/outputs when resetting delay increments.

And remember, since PDM can be completely controlled via its browser interface, it should be easy for your sports guys to adjust the delay while watching/listening to TV from a non-studio location.

This is a factory new unit (not a demonstrator), so if it meets your needs, which I am confident it will do, you can just let BGS know you are keeping it and work directly with them on the purchase without our having to swap machines.

I look forward to hearing from you after your “test drive” and, as always, I am available to assist in any way.

Big surprise!

With the 25-Seven PDM in hand, it took only an hour with the fully programmable remote control relays and inputs to interface to our Harris controls. The internal power supplies in the PDM were more than adequate to light the Harris controls. We have not experienced any AES synchronization issues. The front-panel controls are easy to use and the operators can tell at a glance the status of the system.

A helpful feature of the 25-Seven is the ability of the box to send an email whenever the dump button is pressed. The email includes the dumped audio file. This is particularly useful to our programming department, since most of the bleeps are necessitated by our own on-air talent.

The 25-Seven Program Delay Manager is a feature-rich box that is easy to program and easy to use. It just works.

For information, contact Rick Sawyer at 25-Seven Systems in Massachusetts at (888) 257-2578 or visitwww.25-seven.com.

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