The IEEE Broadcast Technology Society is offering a two-day IT training course called “Bridging the Gap: Video and IT Technology for Engineers” October 25 and 26 in Los Angeles.

• Location: Fox Engineering and Operations, 10201 W. Pico Blvd., Bldg. 103, Room 1150A, Los Angeles, California 90064
• Dates: Friday & Saturday, 25 & 26 October
• Time: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Registration: http://www.cvent.com/d/84q721
• Cost: $395

Taught by well-known broadcast industry experts Wes Simpson and John
Luff, “Bridging the Gap” training is ideal for engineers and senior level technicians responsible for designing, upgrading, and maintaining broadcast facilities. Professionals taking the course will walk away with a deeper understanding of a wide range of current and emerging technologies used in broadcast facilities, including baseband digital video transport, video servers, data networking for broadcast facilities, metadata, archiving, and video
compression, enabling them to more efficiently resolve day-to-day issues.

Attendees receive a printed copy of the course materials featuring detailed diagrams and tables for future reference. Continuing education credits are available to those who complete the course.

Questions? Contact Amy Reeder at IEEE via email or phone 732-562-5416.

Murat Karsi of IEEE has extended an invitation to SBE members to attend and volunteer at this year’s Broadcast Symposium at the Westgate Hotel in downtown San Diego October 9th to 11th.

The symposium provides volunteer opportunities to local university students and professionals as a part of its tradition.  Volunteers will be given complimentary registrations to the symposium.

The following assignments are available for volunteers:

• Camera operators
• Audio equipment operators.
• Streaming media Q and A facilitators (people watching the web to relay live questions from online viewers to the session chairs).

Help for a part of the symposium duration is welcome as well. Volunteers can work part time and participate as a listener the rest of the time.

To professionals, volunteering in this event can provide exposure to the most recent technical developments in broadcasting and networking opportunities.
The IEEE also welcomes students as volunteers.  For students this event is an opportunity to experience a world class technical symposium, learn about state -of-the-art broadcast technologies, network with broadcast engineers and executives, and establish their volunteer portfolio.

Check out the IEEE BTS Symposium website to learn more.

In conjunction with NBC Universal, Los Angeles SBE Chapter 47 is pleased to announce a day long IT Seminar titled “IP Networking for Broadcast Engineers.” It will be held Friday Aug 30th from 9am to 5pm. Classroom location will be at NBC Universal at 5750 Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles (this is not at the Universal City location).

Wayne M. Pecena, CPBE, 8-VSB, AMD, DRB, CBNE, will be the instructor. Please see the web link for more about Wayne, a fellow SBE Member and broadcast engineer.

Cost for the course is:

SBE Members: $49
Non-Members: $75 (does not include SBE Membership)

This is an incredible opportunity for area broadcast engineers and others to learn more about and reinforce current knowledge of IP in the broadcast environment. SBE National is taking care of registration and payment. Our thanks for NBC Universal for providing validated free parking for all attendees and the meeting space. NBC Universal will have 12 of their own employees attending. We have room for about an additional 35 attendees and we think the list will fill up quick. So please reserve quickly. All Net proceeds are being donated back to SBE National for further educational projects. SBE Chapter 47 does not intend to make a profit on this seminar. Breakfast and Lunch is not included but there are many nearby restaurants and one hour will be open for our lunch break.

The web link for more info and registration at SBE National is here.

There, you will find the link to register and make your payment. SBE Member number required for member discount. Also, our thanks for Kimberly Kissel at SBE for help in setting up this great course.

Thanks, hope you join us and we’ll see you there!

Mike Tosch, CSRE, AMD, CBNT, W6UWB
Chairman, Los Angeles SBE Chapter 47

The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) and the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) have partnered to offer a day-long seminar discussing important updates in DTV audio loudness standards and the implementation stage of the FCC’s Commercial Audio Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act. The CALM Act becomes effective on December 13, 2012.

Experts from the industry will present FCC rules and updated information on the CALM Act, practical solutions for implementation, loudness measurement and monitoring technology, receiver processing and equipment solutions and an in-depth tutorial on ATSC’s Recommended Practice A/85. Speakers for the seminar include Jim Starzynski, NBC Universal; Pat Waddell, Harmonic; Steve Lyman, Dolby Labs; Tim Carroll, Linear Acoustic; Steve Silva, Fox; and Dave Higgins, Comcast.

The Audio Loudness seminars will be held in Chicago, Ill. on August 23; Los Angeles, Calif. on September 27; and Atlanta, Ga. on November 13. Station engineers, broadcast executives, cable operators, satellite TV providers, the content creation community and other industry professionals will find these seminars of great value and packed with practical information.

Members of ATSC and members of the SBE may register at a discounted rate of $95. The non-member rate is $150.

Details of the September 27 seminar in Los Angeles and the November 13 seminar in Atlanta will be available soon. Attending this seminar at any of the three locations qualifies for one credit, identified under Category G of the Recertification Schedule, for SBE Certifications.

If you have questions regarding this seminar series, contact Kimberly Kissel at SBE via email or by phone at (317) 846-9000. You may also contact Lindsay Shelton-Gross at ATSC via email.

Tektronix will give a free course in digtal TV and MPEG measurement Tuesday, October 11 at TV Magic in San Diego from 9AM till 3:30PM. The seminar includes snacks and a full lunch. More information and registration can be found here.  Note that attending SBE members are eligible for certification renewal points upon completion of this seminar.

Demonstration and Presentation Topics

QC and Troubleshooting Video Tape Work Flows; HD and SD

• Color and Gamut Measurement
• Closed Caption Issues
• Ancillary Data Analysis
• Audio/Video Delay
• Capture of Transient Problems; Status and Error Logging
• Aspect Ratio Conversion Issues (SD>HD>SD), AFD

3D Technology Discussion and Parameter Measurements

• 3D Workflow
• Testing at Various Points of 3D Content Delivery

Digital Audio: Loudness Measurement and CALM Act

• ITU-R BS.1770 Loudness, DialNorm Discussion
• Loudness Standards
• Loudness Measurement Method
• LKFS in MPEG

MPEG and Video Quality

• Video Quality System, Quality of Experience
• MPEG Analysis
• File-based Content

About the Presenter

The seminar will be led by Steve Holmes, Sr. Application Engineer. Steve has been with Tektronix for 12 years and has over 25 years of video experience. Prior to working at Tektronix, Steve spent 20 years installing, teaching, engineering, and managing Video and CATV systems. Today Steve consults and teaches test methodologies for Broadcast, Studio, Cable and Manufacturing for customers based in the Western United States and Western Canada.