All posts by Gary Stigall

QuickPlay Media Takes Over FLO TV NOC in San Diego

According to a BusinessWire PR release, Canada’s QuickPlay Media is acquiring the network operations center assets of FLO TV, the mobile TV services owned by Qualcomm that was shut down earlier this year. Qualcomm sold the NOC, located in the University City area of San Diego, for an undisclosed amount.

SBE members Michael Martinez and Derrik Cullison took engineering management positions earlier this year with QuickPlay after working for Qualcomm during its management of the FLO TV project.

QuickPlay provides media management services for companies that distribute content to mobile devices like smartphones, tablets, and smart TV’s. The move to San Diego, said Wayne Purboo, president and CEO of QuickPlay Media, was due to the company’s desire to expand its footprint in the U.S. and rapidly growing demand for content. the facility to manage the capture and distribution of both live and on-demand content for a broad range of IP-enabled devices.

The company currently manages more than one million media assets on behalf of such customers as AT&T U-verse, SIRIUS XM Radio, Bell Mobility, Motorola Mobility, Rogers Communications, RIM and Sony Pictures.

July 2011 Member News

Michael Streby of MKStreby Productions recently passed his Certified Broadcast Network Technologist test. Mike does technical work for the Inland Empire’s TV News Net.

At the same time, Shane Fortin of Cox Media channel 4 in San Diego became a Certified Broadcast Television Engineer.

Welcome new member Stephen M. Peters. He is currently looking for technical work in San Diego.

After Qualcomm’s FLO-TV division closed its doors at the end of March, SBE Chapter 36 members Derrick Cullison and Michael Martinez helped transition the Network Operations Center, then moved on to QuickPlay Media, a Canadian-based start-up with another slant on mobile TV.

July 2011 Meeting – Calrec Audio

Even if surround sound origination isn’t on your short-term horizon, you would be wise to learn more about it. Our July 20 meeting presenter, Calrec, has been installing 5.1 channel audio consoles for a while and can teach us a thing or two.

“The goal is to take a look at some of the common misconceptions about 5.1 starting with some fundamentals about the difference between the Sub-Woofer and LFE channel. We progress to understanding the basic principles of downmixing and upmixing. Particular attention is paid the understanding the difference in Lt/Rt and Lo/Ro downmixes. We also look at how very basic upmixing can be achieved on a surround capable console.

“This then leads us to the thorny topic of Dialnorm, its uses and understanding its relationship to loudness and the A/85 ATSC Recommended Practice. We also take a look at what broadcasters need to do to keep a watchful eye on the loudness of the program.”

The presentation will be made by Dave Letson who is the regional director of sales for the western U.S. and Canada. Dave was integral in developing Calrec’s close relationship with Sky as well as its market in the Middle East and Eastern Europe when he worked as a sales manager for the company in the United Kingdom from 2001 to 2008. Letson has a thorough background in live and pre-recorded audio production.

Join us July 20 at noon at TV Magic, 8112 Engineer Road, San Diego. Calrec buys lunch. As always, members and guest are welcome. Meeting should adjourn by 1:30.

June 2011 Meeting – Digital Alert Systems

On May 26th the FCC released its third Notice of Proposed Rule Making regarding Part 11- Emergency Alert System. This document, when adopted, will redefine EAS requirement for broadcasters. Broadcasters are facing a September 30th deadline to have their stations updated with CAP-compliant EAS equipment.

Isn’t it fortuitous the presenter at our June 8th meeting is Bruce Robertson of Digital Alert Systems?  Digital Alert Systems is a leading manufacturer of EAS hardware and software platforms. Bruce will discuss the newly released NPRM as well as other topics such as:

  • EAS accessories for multiple station facilities
  • Future enhancements such as “Text To Speech”
  • The practicality of maintaining FCC required logs electronically
  • Compliance monitoring software

Be sure to attend this very important noon time meeting June 8 from noon till 1:30 PM at TV Magic, 8112 Engineer Road in Kearny Mesa. As always, members and guests are welcome.

 

May 2011 Meeting – Mayah Communications

Daniel Loeffer of Mayah presents “The technology and implementation of Audio over IP using  N/ACIP/SIP for real time audio broadcast radio/ENG for multi-codex vendors. ( Telos, Comrex, Tieline, etc.).”

”Unlike ISDN, which was very simple and reliable, IP however, raises new issues for reliable and quality audio over IP transmission for radio and ENG. (ISDN is fading from the market gradually due to costs and availability).  Factors that influence effective Audio over IP that will be discussed as follows:”

  1. CODEC and compression algorithms: latency, quality and bit rates
  2. N/ACIP and SIP protocol for connectively to all codecs including Telos, Comrex, Tieline and others)
  3. Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), RTP  and Voice-over-IP
  4. ADSL vs. SDSL QOS (Quality of Service) for internet transmission
  5. Remote audio over IP: 3G/4G, WLAN, BGAN.

Join us Wednesday, May 11, from noon to 1:30PM at TV Magic, 8112 Engineer Road, in Kearny Mesa, San Diego. Mayah Communications will graciously provide a lunch. As always, members and guests are welcome.