Local A/V cable installer Matthew Pierce died of a sudden heart attack October 20, 2011 while on his way to a job in Glendale. Matt was well-known among TV systems integrators in southern California, having worked for Centro, SAIC, CBT, and more lately, National TeleConsultants (NTC). I can tell you from personal experience that he had a confident, cheerful demeanor who made a professional product and loved his bass fishing. An obituary is posted here.
November 2011 Meeting – DNF Controls
You’ve surely heard the term “glue” used to discuss converters made to serve as transitional equipment during the transition from analog to digital broadcasting. For as long as I can remember, DNF Controls has been serving up a kind of “control glue,” selling those familiar yellow and black boxes and panels that remotely control some piece of video gear, whether videotape machine remote panels or interface protocol converters.
DNF presents to Chapter 36 this month some information about a flexible machine control system that works over a number of serial protocols, including the internet. They say you can use the Flex system to control servers, multiviewers, routers, video switchers, VTRs, graphics generators, and even audio mixers.
Join us Wednesday, November 16th at noon at TV Magic, 8112 Engineer Road in San Diego. Lunch is provided by DNF. As always, members and guests are welcome. Expect the meeting to last until about 1:30 PM.
Scripps Buys McGraw-Hill TV Stations
The E.W. Scripps Company announced October 3rd it was buying the television broadcast properties of McGraw-Hill for $212-million in cash. The deal includes San Diego ABC affiliate KGTV and Azteca America affiliate KZSD-LP as well as Bakersfield ABC affiliate KERO and Azteca America affilate KZKC-LP.
McKinnon Broadcasting, owners of KUSI had made a bid on the California properties of McGraw-Hill, but was unsuccessful.
McGraw-Hill said in so many words that it wanted a more profitable and less diversified portfolio for its investors. McGraw-Hill bought KGTV and several other stations from Time-Life Television in 1972 when the local station was still an NBC affiliate.
Scripps owns several ABC affiliates around the country including KNXV Phoenix.
October 2011 Meeting – Nautel’s New Transmitter Technologies
As stations reduce staff and engineers are responsible for more sites, modern techniques such as IP connectivity and monitoring permit better remote supervision, control and diagnostics even on web-enabled smart phones. We examine how up to half the trips to a remote site can be saved while at the same time, knowing the transmitter is operating properly, and knowing more about its operation than we could previously understand even standing in front of the unit. Software today also allows remote monitoring of many parameters whereas previously personnel and expensive discrete test equipment were required at the site.
Join us Wednesday, October 12 at noon at TV Magic, 8112 Engineer Road in San Diego as Nautel makes a presentation about the modern broadcast radio transmitter. Lunch is provided by Nautel. As always, members and guests are welcome. Expect the meeting to last until about 1:30 PM.
About the Presenter
Ellis Terry has been doing RF sales in the West Region of the US since 1998. Prior to joining Nautel, Ellis worked at Harris and BE (Broadcast Electronics) in the same capacity.
Ellis also has an engineering background of 30 plus years having worked as staff engineer, chief engineer and director of engineering in Chicago, Washington DC, Houston, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco markets.
Ellis is also SBE certified as a Broadcast Technologist and is a graduate of DeVry Institute, and holds a MBA from Chadwick University.
Tektronix Offers Digital TV and MPEG Test Seminar
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.