All posts by Gary Stigall

May 18 Meeting: RTS and Dante

By now, you’ve likely heard about the audio-over-IP protocol called Dante. It’s low-latency so that you can use it with live audio, and can pass through most data switches. Many of the largest broadcast suppliers have adopted it. RTS, the intercom company that has been around since the 1970s, will come to town and explain why their latest generation of products is knee-deep into Dante.telex-rts-logo

They can answer a few questions you might have:

  • What data rates are used?
  • What is the packet structure?
  • Does it play well in my network?
  • How many audio channels can fit at a time?
  • What is its latency? Will my air staff hear an echo?
  • When should I favor analog audio, if at all?
  • Are there phone apps that work with intercom systems now?

Jeff Shorsher of RTS/Telex will sort out these topics and more in a meeting Wednesday, May 18 at 12 noon at KFMB Stations, 7677 Engineer Road in Kearny Mesa. Join us for a lunch provided by RTS, then a general meeting and presentation. Members and guests are all welcome.

About the Presenters

Jeff Shorsher is new to RTS, but has a long history in broadcast engineering, most recently as sales representative for Commscope. He worked as engineer at KTTY (now Fox 5), Paramount Pictures, and National Mobile Television. He has math and computer science degrees from UCSD and broadcast engineering training from Palomar College.

Calvin Ogawa has served as Field Support Engineer for RTS since 2011, but has served many broadcast engineering roles in southern California, including those for Fox Sports West, ABC Network News, Paramount Studios, KCET-TV, and NPR.

KURS Hit with FCC Fine and Short-Term Renewal

The FCC in mid-April announced it had issued a $12,000 monetary forfeiture and short-term renewal for KURS(AM) 1040 kHz, San Diego, CA for failure to retain issues and program’s lists in the Station’s public file and to file biennial ownership reports. Quetzal Bilingual Communications, Inc. owns the station, which shares the self-supporting tower along I-5 near its junction with CA-15.

KNSD Moves to Granite Ridge

NBC Universal O&O KNSD (TV) created its first newscast from new digs at 9680 Granite Ridge Road last night. Director of Technology David MacKinnon said the move to the 52,000 square foot, two-story building, has gone smoothly.
KNSD on Granite RidgeSystems integration was done by Technical Innovation Broadcast Systems Group (TI BSG) of Norcross, Georgia, led by Project Manager Brian Kincheloe. The company also built NBC Universal master control hub facilities. Continue reading KNSD Moves to Granite Ridge

March 16th Meeting – Cobalt Digital

Some of what’s going on in TV broadcasting would have been impossible just a few years ago. For example, stations are now converting their news or event ticker text to speech on a secondary audio channel for the visually impaired, bringing them information never before heard. We can now normalize audio levels within an MPEG transport stream.

Cobalt started as a video accessories company in the analog broadcast era, but has taken on serial digital and now transport stream processing. Come see what solutions they have to offer. Cobalt Digital visits Chapter 36 Wednesday, March 16 at 12 o’clock noon at KGTV, 4600 Air Way, San Diego to discuss these technologies and more. Cobalt will provide lunch.

About the Presenter

In his role as Cobalt Digital’s Director of Product and Business Development, Jesse Foster helps to develop new products, does technical sales, marketing, and customer support. He is also a fiber optics and compression product specialist. Before joining Cobalt nearly four years ago, Foster spent eight years at Evertz, two in customer service and six in a senior technical sales position. Foster is a certified fiber-optic technician well-versed in large video-routing systems, multiviewers, video and audio processing, fiber optics, RF, streaming media/compression, live production, postproduction, and broadcast.

KSDS Chief Engineer Arrested on Theft Charges

According to a news release from City College, the San Diego Community College District Police have recovered four stolen cameras reported missing from their Radio, Television, Film (RTVF) Department. The four digital cameras, valued at $13,300 were reported missing in mid-January on return from the winter break session.

Following an exhaustive search by the college police, the four cameras were located at local pawn shops. A San Diego City College employee, Gerald “Larry” Quick, has been arrested and charged with the theft of the cameras. Quick, the RTVF Chief Broadcast Engineer has been employed with the District since 1978.

Larry Quick was held in the San Diego County Jail awaiting arraignment.

The police are continuing their investigation and working with the District Attorney’s Office regarding the campus theft.

According to a report on KFMB-TV, Larry was arrested at the Aurora Behavioral Health Center.