Broadcasters Get Smart With Apps (Radio World International ebook) - April 2018

INTERNATIONAL EDITION

Broadcasters Get Smart With Apps

Changing the Way Radio Engineers Approach Their Job Sponsored by

April 2017 From the Publishers of Radio World

BROADCAST RELIABLE

INTERNATIONAL EDITION

Broadcasters Get Smart With Apps

Changing the Way Radio Engineers Approach Their Job Sponsored by

April 2017 From the Publishers of Radio World

BROADCAST RELIABLE

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Radio Apps Bring a Shift in Operation, Production

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Case Study: Family Life Network Monitors With Comrex Fleet Commander

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RMC Handles Live Remotes With Tieline App

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Radio Magic Pioneers ENCO DAD and App

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Case Study: DR Remotely Controls IP Streams With Digigram

Broadcast Systems Get Smart With Apps Changing the way radio engineers approach their job How is the expansion of apps changing the way radio broadcast engineers approach their job? From automation and processors to transmitters, remote control and outside broadcasting, apps today put the power in the palm of one’s hand and contribute to the operation and management of all aspects of a radio broadcast infrastructure.

This newest eBook looks at the advantages these tools Marguerite bring to station staff and how engineers and radio manClark agers are integrating apps into their workflow. It details Editor in Chief how such technology is helping engineers control assets, whether stations are using single or multiple apps to interact with their equipment, what makes an effective app, how manufacturers are protecting apps from security threats, specific examples of how stations around the world are becoming more efficient with apps, and more.

We focus on a variety of tools and approaches, and we invited companies known to us that make such apps; the ones who replied are featured here.

Radio World has published 31 eBooks exploring the many facets of radio station and network operations including digital radio, sports coverage, mobile reporting, studio/transmitter links, social media and more. Find them at www.radioworld.com/ebooks.

Let us know how we can make these handy reference guides more useful to you. — Marguerite Clark

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Radio Engineering APPtitude

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Island 92 Benefits From App Efficiency

Cover image: iStockphoto/Alex_Bond

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Radio Apps Bring a Shift in Operation, Production With a focus on efficiency and immediacy, new software-based tools are changing the way radio engineers manage their workflows

By Davide Moro

tools, while at the same time simplifying utilization and configuration.

An app in fact is a software package, and industry-grade software is generally designed for use with specific hardware. However thanks to apps’ evolution, users can now work directly with this easy-to-use technology and no longer need to trim the hardware themselves. They only need to prompt the app for what they want done, and the entire system in the background (including the hardware) will do the rest.

Though the hardware still exists, it is well hidden from the app user and doesn’t influence his or her interaction, thus simplifying operation. Also, since the muscular processing power usually stays elsewhere, apps are also far more tolerant of the hosting device than traditional industry-grade software. Installing the same app on different devices, powered by different operating systems and processors, is possible without any need to check detailed specs.

Moving from the original concept of app, the radio industry has developed two separate families of tools.

One is the family of apps themselves, standalone bits of software designed for mobile devices like smartphones and tablets with a distinctive feature — a pure touchscreen user interface. The second category represents a sort of “bridge” between the established concept of “software” and the new concept of apps.

BERGAMO, Italy — Today, one generally refers to any software module that runs on a portable device with a screen as an “app.” Microsoft defines an app as any executable running on a PC. Others call apps the software they install in their car infotainment system or in their latest spectrum analyzer to have more options.

THE SOFT APPROACH

Originally, an app was an application specifically designed for touchscreen devices. By doing without physical keyboards and pointing devices, touchscreen smartphones provided consumers a dramatically new user experience.

The founding pair of any IT-related interaction, made of hardware and software, has seemingly (at least for the user) lost its “hard” side, with everything becoming “soft.”

In recent years, apps have gained great momentum because they empower users with unprecedented spontaneity and effectiveness in their daily interaction with IT devices. Even non-engineers now have more access to technical devices thanks to these intuitive and friendly touchscreen interfaces.

The simultaneous rise in mobile broadband availability has strengthened this new technology even further, while the capabilities apps offer to “anyone, anywhere, anytime” unleash enormous business potential.

In the radio industry, for example, the ability to access powerful tools remotely whenever one pleases has turned many established workflows into obsolete scraps of paper and fostered the rise of completely new working schemes.

Actions such as establishing remote connections, managing the station’s audio network, accessing and tuning the automation system with last-minute fixes and monitoring the status of radio-frequency transmitters have become common.

WEB APPLICATIONS VS. APPS

The idea of “web application” dates back a number of years, but the present generation of web-based applications integrates the distinctive advantages of web-based applications with the powerful capability of apps to focus on the expected result, through an intuitive and “easy” user interface.

Contemporary web-based applications basically consist of an app-like software running on a remote hardware platform. The user can access it from any device with internet access through a standard web browser.

Users therefore no longer need to rely on a device with the app installed because through any device featuring

THE RESULT

Such apps allow engineers to take advantage of increasingly more powerful production and broadcasting

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iStockphoto/triloks

The combination of modern apps with smartphones and portable devices transitions established workflows into the “anyone, anywhere, anytime” domain.

pany launched two new SaaS solutions that can also be used on mobiles and tablets: the Iqoya *Cloud and blu by Digigram. This offering has recently been enhanced with the addition of the Iqoya *Cloud codec infrastructure and codec fleet manager.

BW Broadcast’s V2 range of transmitters offers full remote control but not through dedicated apps. They have built-in web browsers, which when entering the unit IP address into a browser will connect to the box, and if on a mobile device, it will rescale to the correct format for control/monitoring.

While broadcast industry manufacturers are taking different approaches, it is clear that few firms have neglected to offer the “anyone, anywhere, anytime” feature to their equipment and systems.

“The Burk mobile monitoring and control capabilities are absolutely essential to keeping on top of the operation of our transmitter facilities,” said Brian Ram, VP of programming and engineering at Full Power Radio in New London, Connecticut. “For example, we receive text

an internet connection (e.g. Mac, PC, smartphone, game console) and a standard web browser, users can log in to a specific web address, to gain access to a complete feature set.

There is no need to update the app installed on each of the broadcaster’s devices since the centralized software carries out that task and automatically updates features.

Finally, if required, remote crews can access the web from any third-party hardware, still relying on the complete set of functionalities they are accustomed to.

On the contrary, conventional apps do not require users to remember the web addresses, can store stronger passwords than the ones humans can memorize and, generally speaking, are more appealing to the eye.

EVOLVING SCENARIO

In the radio industry we find both the traditional app and web-based applications. Digigram for example offers the Iqoya *Mobile app available at Apple’s App Store; it allows journalists to make remote contributions using just a smartphone or tablet. In 2016 and 2017 the com-

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Tieline Launches New Report-IT SIP App Tieline is launching a new iOS version of the world’s most popular smartphone reporting app called Report-IT SIP, which streams live, studio quality audio to all N/ACIP 3326 compliant codecs in SIP mode. This means you can connect live to any codec at the studio and enjoy the award winning features and functionality of Report-IT. Report-IT SIP can connect to all Tieline and non-Tieline SIP codecs. In SIP mode the app can stream low latency live audio using widely available algorithms including Opus Mono, Opus Voice, G.711 and G.722. You can also: • Simultaneously record up to 20kHz audio quality and stream up to 15kHz quality live audio.

• Prerecord and trim interviews, build playlists and insert recordings as “wraparounds” in live broadcasts.

• File reports via FTP automatically using WAV or AAC-LC files.

Report-IT SIP supports the use of SIP accounts, proxies, IPv6, multiple STUN servers, ICE and TURN. Explore new possibilities today with the enhanced interoperability offered by Report-IT SIP.

SmartStream PLUS Released in Report-IT Enterprise The integration of Tieline’s renowned SmartStream PLUS technology into Report-IT Enterprise delivers true network diversity for smartphone reporting. It allows users to stream using a phone’s cellular connection and simultaneously stream over commonly available Wi-Fi access points, or over an affordable MiFi (mobile Wi-Fi) device. If one connection is lost, the other will continue to stream reliable IP audio to the studio to ensure continuity of remote audio.

This innovation provides the dual redundant IP streaming resilience available in Tieline hardware codecs, plus the flexibility and portability offered by smartphone reporting.

Figure 1: SmartStream PLUS in Report-IT Enterprise

Automatic Jitter Buffer and FEC Settings in Report-IT Tieline’s renowned automatic jitter buffer management is now fully integrated into all Report-IT apps. Auto jitter buffering responds dynamically to variable network conditions over unmanaged IP networks like the public internet to ensure reliable streaming. Five presets are available and you can also configure the maximum jitter depth.

Forward Error Correction (FEC) is another advanced streaming feature added to Report-IT. FEC transmits a secondary stream of audio packets over a single connection. If the primary audio stream packets are lost or corrupted, then packets from the secondary stream can be substituted to replace them.

Contact Tieline for more info: Australia and International: info@tieline.com USA, Canada & Latin America contact: sales@tieline.com

ADVERTORIAL

❱ Continued from page 5

media resources and work tools whether they are on the premises or out in the field,” said Isabelle Sost, communication and field marketing director for Netia. “Then our iSnippet allows iOS device users to edit and index media from their mobile devices as well as record and export ready-to-broadcast assets from the in-studio Radio-Assist database.”

WinMedia offers two kinds of access by portable devices — with apps for the control of an on-air cartridge (a multi-button user interface that provides quick access to audio files used during live shows) and one app for making voice tracks by remote. In addition, the company offers web-based software such as WinMedia Sales, a customer relationship manager (CRM) and billing software package, and WinMedia News, a news room computer system (NRCS) and prompter.

While the choice varies widely, as the generation of “digital natives” spreads across the industry, many companies will be prompted to offer the user a choice between both solutions, depending on individual need.

Davicom, a division of Comlab, is one example. John Ahern, president of Comlab, said it has developed mobile apps for remote access to Davicom site monitoring systems, alarm reception and logging, in addition to offering the Davicom Dav2You app for iOS and Android devices and the DavLink app for Windows and Windows portable devices. ■

messages on critical alarms such as transmitter failures as soon as they occur, 24/7, wherever we are, and we are able to monitor the switchover to the backup transmitter and manually intervene if necessary directly from one’s smartphone.”

Wheatstone went a step further by integrating the notion of an “app” into studio equipment. “We have a new console, the LXE, that is entirely built on the app concept,” said Dee McVicker with Wheatstone. “It comes with an app called ConsoleBuilder for programming switches according to function, mode or color and for scripting buttons and creating macros for as many controls as you want.”

The LXE also uses Wheatstone’s ScreenBuilder app for dragging and dropping meters, clocks, EQ, timers and other widgets onto a touchscreen control panel that can be defined and connected to devices and functions on a WheatNet-IP audio network.

Typically, “creative” products (like production tools) are app-based, while more engineer-oriented tools stay on web-based applications. When accessed through a large-screen device, and possibly through a keyboard and a mouse, web-based applications allow additional fine-tuning of systems.

“Our Media Assist software suite includes a webbased application that allows broadcasters to make their studios virtual and provides users with the same

MARKETPLACE RCS Offers Range of Mobile Apps Selector2GO, Zetta2GO and Aquira 2GO put access at one’s fingertips RCS’s Selector2GO is a feature of GSelector but is tailored for the web. Selector2GO works on all of today’s contemporary browsers and across platforms and mobile devices.

This includes most PC and Mac computers as well as the vast majority of current smart phones, and tablets.

Zetta2GO is an application that allows the control of a Zetta automation/playout system from an internet browser.

Using a tablet or smart phone a user can view and fire off Hot Keys for a station, from a laptop or remote desktop a user can control much more, the company says.

Aquira2GO is a browser-based application with a responsive user interface optimized to work on most modern mobile devices, tablets and phablets. Part CRM, part sales proposal tool, Aquira2GO lets the account executive remotely access data for their clients, build a proposal with real time access to the station inventory, and present it to the advertiser, keeping them connected to the managers and traffic team back at the station.

www.rcsworks.com

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CASESTUDY Family Life Network Monitors With Comrex Fleet Commander Broadcaster relies on software application to monitor 18 codecs BATH, New York — Comrex Fleet Commander is a software application that enables users to control multiple Comrex IP audio codecs simultaneously. The company says that rather than logging into each code individually and juggling a desktop full of tabs, Fleet Commander puts users in charge of their codec fleet through one unified interface. The software provides near-universal control of any Comrex BRIC-Link, BRIC-Link II, Access Portable, Access 2USB, or Access Rack codec.

Jamie Heale, an engineer for the Family Life Network, uses Fleet Commander to manage 18 Comrex codecs. “I wanted to be able to Fleet Commander alsee all my codecs in one place, so I can know that they are connected and passing audio,” he said. lows users to monitor When it comes to using Fleet Commander on a daily basis, “It’s very easy,” according to Heale. the statistics of all “I have all my codecs pre-added to the system, and a shortcut on my desktop. I just log in every codecs in their fleet morning to make sure they’re all connected.” without needing a browser tab open for “I have a few sites that use CrossLock (which uses two different internet connections). Fleet Comeach one. mander shows me both networks. I know instantly if I have a codec that is only connecting from one internet source when it should be using two.”

With Fleet Commander, users can make connections between Comrex codecs. They can adjust profile and peer settings; they can create, edit, send, and delete profiles and peers, and copy peers and profiles between codecs.

Through the simple user interface, users can also monitor audio levels, delay, and frame loss on each device across all hardware. Plus, if they’re using it, users can monitor CrossLock connections and statistics.

By using Fleet Commander, it’s no longer necessary to open multiple browser windows to control multiple codecs. “All of my codecs are run in a 24/7 environment,” said Jamie. “Fleet Commander has made it extremely easy to visually monitor connection and audio status, whenever I need to.”

www.comrex.com

Fleet Commander lets station staff individually control each codec in in their fleet from a single unified interface.

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MARKETPLACE WorldCast Introduces Solar FM With App Enables control of solar-powered retransmitter via a smartphone Currently in Africa and large parts of Asia, there are more smartphones than there are computers. So when designing a new product for this market, it is wise to adapt the design accordingly.

The new Solar FM from WorldCast Systems is a retransmitter that can broadcast up to 10 kilometers for 10 hours per day using solar power alone (hybrid mode also enables AC operation). The proliferation of smartphone devices and the increased usage of apps coupled with the requirement to minimize power consumption meant that control via a mobile application was the preferred choice for system control on the Solar FM. The typical TCP/IP modules found inside a regular transmitter are replaced by a low-consumption Wi-Fi module.

Functionality-wise, the user of the Solar FM has the same control as via a web-based GUI. He or she can fully configure the transmitter itself, the built-in satellite receiver and FM receiver as well as the analog and AES inputs using the mobile app.

The app also allows the user to schedule the operating times of the transmitter, provides the user with an overview of real-time status and enables monitoring of parameters such as preamplifier power, the current/ voltage for each power source, etc.

The only limitation of app-based control is the fact that the WorldCast Support team are unable to remotely assist with installation and so, the Solar FM also offers the option to connect via serial port to a PC for high-level maintenance.

Given the typically isolated location of installations for the Solar FM and the ease of use, a mobile application is the ideal method for control. WorldCast Systems said will continue to add further functionality to the app in future releases.

www.worldcastsystems.com

ARC Plus Touch Puts the Control in Your Hands Brings IP-based facility control to smartphones and tablets Burk Technology says its ARC Plus Touch brings power, flexibility and efficiency to IP-based broadcast facility control.

Distributed I/O units minimize copper wiring while the optional SNMP Plus manager controls any SNMP device on the LAN or WAN with no wiring required. In addition, automatic site control is available using Jet Active Flowcharts with what the company describes as easy drag-and-drop flowchart design.

Users can access the ARC Plus Touch anytime, anywhere via PC web interface, smartphone or tablet and receive alarm messages via email or text message.

The optional Recordable Speech Interface provides dial-in, dial-out control and alarm reporting. The front-panel touchscreen provides control of the local site as well as other interconnected ARC Plus systems.

AutoPilot software makes it easy for operators to monitor and control remote equipment at multiple sites, manage alarms, and generate custom reports, Burk says.

www.burk.com

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Axia invented AoIP for broadcast in 2003. Not one to rest on our laurels, we’ve continued to bring you the finest in broadcast tech. Part of our innovation is thanks to the largest network of AoIP broadcast equipment companies, the 100+ Axia Livewire partners. When you have Axia gear, you are part of a growing, innovation-driven ecosystem— not locked to just one company’s vision of the future.

Witness the latest from Axia, the award-winning IP-Tablet, designed by our partner IP-Studio. This one-of-a-kind product removes cumbersome monitors from the studio by virtualizing the monitoring and control of your gear on a conveniently mounted touchscreen. The IP-Tablet adds great value to your Axia console purchase, putting your most used console functions right at your fingertips!

TelosAlliance.com/Axia/IP-Tablet ©2017 TLS Corp. Axia®. The Telos Alliance®. All Rights Reserved. F17/16041

RMC Handles Live Remotes With Tieline App Talk-only radio enriches its programming with live global contributions using 4G

By Davide Moro

Due to its news and sport format, remote live contributions and production are key to RMC’s business. Ten years ago the world was still in the ISDN era for remote productions, yet at RMC they decided to prepare themselves to the move toward an IP-only world.

“At first, we deployed an IP network at our facilities,” des Roseaux said, “carrying out extensive tests to learn as much as we could on this forthcoming technology. Then we moved to selecting possible solutions to establish stable and efficient remote IP connections to our IP production network.”

The broadcaster’s first experience was not encouraging. The first system they tried was based on an “open” codec application. This system was not an integrated solution and it proved to be very complicated to use.

RMC then tested another solution, based on the Opus

PARIS — Part of the NextRadioTV media group since 2000, RMC is a general-interest radio station with programming based on a combination of news and sports in talk-radio format.

RMC operates 272 FM frequencies and one medium-wave frequency. According to NextRadioTV, RMC is a leading radio station in France for under-50-year-old men, attracting 4.37 million daily listeners, representing 8.1 percent of the cumulative audience (Nov.-Dec. 2016).

CONTINUOUS INNOVATION

“NextRadioTV’s strategy is to continuously broaden our range of activities while improving efficiency,” said Etienne des Roseaux, head of Operation and Technical Production at RMC. “We decided to do this through continuous innovation.”

RMC’s remote reporting kit includes a headset with microphone, a professional handheld mic, an iRig adaptor and an iPhone featuring the Tieline Report-IT app.

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codec, but RMC also had to address integration issues with that codec. He said they “needed to calculate the distance between the remote contributor and the studio, in order to accordingly set buffering time presets, which had to be manually specified each time to achieve a good connection.”

Remotes had to be scheduled and all details had to be known in advance — really unfit for “breaking news” contributions. Later on, RMC tested the Tieline solution, Report-IT. A REVOLUTION

Radio engineer François “We already had a Tieline codec in the Touchard works in one studio so we decided to give Tieline’s of RMC’s studios. mobile application a try. At that time our phones were on 3G networks only, and in Rio de Janeiro, where during a long-distance open-sea the first results did not impress me,” said des Roseaux. At swimming competition, a RMC reporter followed the the same time however station staff realized they had to athletes across their sea-course, breaking in from time to become familiar with that type of a system so they contime to update listeners on the race. tinued to test it.

Just before the finish line of the 10-km competition, “When we began using 4G for our phone lines, everyFrench swimmer Aurelie Muller was in second position thing changed and the technology worked perfectly,” when, with her hand, she pushed the head of another said des Roseaux. “For me it was like a revolution. Each swimmer under the water and was disqualified. reporter was able to break into the live feed with a qual“We were one of the rare radio stations able to immeity sound, and without requiring additional equipment, diately get comments from her coach and from the other than their mobile phones.”

French swimming federation president. We didn’t plan For scheduled, large remote events, RMC still uses trathis, but thanks to the Tieline app we were there and able ditional equipment, but in many cases the possibility to to report instantaneously.” rely on a light, instant-on solution like the Report-IT app really makes the difference, he said.

RMC reports on various events, which require continuBROADCAST-GRADE AUDIO EQUIPMENT ous commentary. It recently covered the Olympic Games When they need to catch a few minutes of commentaries, RMC reporters directly use the smartphone’s built-in mic. For longer remotes they usually connect to external, broadcast-grade hardware.

One of RMC’s presenters regularly hosts a live two-hour show on Saturdays and Sundays. One weekend he had to be in Tunisia. He decided to pack a headset and a studio mic in his luggage, together with phone-compatible audio interface adapter capable of hosting a real headset and one or two professional mics (RMC uses both Apogee and iRig devices).

From his hotel room, the presenter only needed to plug the adapter into his phone and connect the headset and the mic to the audio card. “He went live through the Report-IT app for the duration of his shows. He was in his hotel room, yet the audio quality was like he was in the studio,” des Roseaux said.

RMC also uses the Report-IT application when it’s impossible to send a journalist with all the usual equipRMC reporter Damien Gloaguen interviews his colleague Mederic Braik during a routine test of the Report-IT app.

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ment for traditional mobile connections, due to the country restrictions or other.

For example, RMC was able to report live during the Orlando terrorist attack in 2016 using the Report-IT app. The reporter had an iRig audio adapter, which simultaneously hosts two mics, so she wore her headset with her mic and using a second handheld mic, was able to gather comments from citizens on the street. “The equipment is light and portable and easy to carry,” he added.

In RMC’s experience, 3G networks do not provide the resilience required for broadcasters to benefit from the full potential of the Tieline system. RMC also discovered that Wi-Fi networks aren’t the preferred solution because of additional latency due to encryption and decryption at both the telephone and router end.

According to the broadcaster, 4G networks are ideal. “Working on 4G networks with the Report-IT we experience a latency of about one second, which is good for delivering a vivid impression to the audience and it allows dynamic interaction with the studio” des Roseaux concluded. ■

Etienne des Roseaux is head of Operation and Technical Production at RMC

MARKETPLACE Wheatstone Builds Flexibility With GUIs ConsoleBuilder and ScreenBuilder let users customize LXE console with ease Wheatstone says its LXE ConsoleBuilder is a drag/ drop/script GUI that puts power into an easy-to-use interface.

PGM Assign, Set, EQ ON/Off and Talkback are among approximately 25 functions that can be assigned to just about any knob, button, or fader on the console, it adds.

In addition, the Wheatstone ScreenBuilder LXE GUI features pre-built screens for tasks such as metering, clocks, timers, dynamics, EQ and assigns. All are touchscreen accessible and Wheatstone says the GUI is just as customizable as the LXE surface.

Using the Wheatstone ScreenBuilder LXE software, users can drag and drop objects and define their functions via a wizard interface. It is possible to store multiple custom screens, for example, to go with one’s custom LXE setups.

ScreenBuilder LXE comes with meters, faders, knobs, buttons, tallies, etc. ready to drag, drop and configure.

Users can also add their own graphics and assign functions to them using a script wizard. The company says its ScreenBuilder has been used to customize touchscreens of studio mic plots, maps of entire countries with transmitter locations and simple on/off talent panels.

www.wheatstone.com

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How do you wrangle your codec fleet?

Get all your connections on the same page.

Are you still logging into all of your codecs individually?

Clicking back and forth between windows? Trying to keep statistics and connection status straight?

Fleet Commander puts all your codecs in one place. A software application that enables users to control multiple Comrex IP audio codecs simultaneously, Fleet Commander works with any Comrex BRIC-Link, BRIC-Link II, ACCESS Portable, ACCESS 2USB, or ACCESS Rack codec.

“All 18 of my codecs are run in a 24/7 environment. Fleet Commander has made it extremely easy to visually monitor connection and audio status, whenever I need to.”

- Jamie Heale, Family Life Network

Fleet Commander’s simple user interface makes it easy to make connections, and monitor audio levels, delay, and frame loss on each device across all hardware. Plus, users can also monitor CrossLock connections and statistics.

Learn more about Fleet Commander at www.comrex.com/products/fleet-commander

Write to us at info@comrex.com or call 1-978-784-1776 / 1-800-247-1776

Radio Magic Pioneers ENCO DAD and App Two visionary brothers transitioned their regional station into the world of contemporary, IT-based automation systems

By Davide Moro

“Their management system triggered the recorders by sending them impulses and multi-frequency tones. My brother Sal and me were skeptical about those systems — everything looked like a great headache.”

Radio Magic then started looking for IT-based automation systems, based on tapeless storage systems, like hard disks. The station ended up buying a hard diskbased automation system from a manufacturer in the United States in 1991.

“We were looking for at least 1 GB storage capacity,” Barbieri says. “But nothing in Italy could fit that figure, at that time. We had to source two Micropolis hard disks directly from the United States. They were enormous, and capable of storing 2.5 GB of data. Many years later, when we replaced them, they were still working!”

PATERNOPOLI, Italy — Founded in 1982 and managed by two brothers Salvatore and Raffaele Barbieri, Radio Magic is a regional FM radio station broadcasting to the districts of Avellino, Benevento and Salerno in Southern Italy.

While its sister station Radio Magic 2 focuses on contemporary and ballroom Italian music, Radio Magic broadcasts an all-round music and news format. Salvatore Barbieri died prematurely in 2015; his brother Raffaele carried on the original path.

VISIONARY ADOPTERS

“In 1990 we heard about radio automation systems based on magnetic tape recorders,” said Raffaele Barbieri.

Radio Magic logo on a mic with Stadio-Partenio in Avellino in the background.

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The ENCO iDAD app user interface

which the iPad is used to control the DAD system in order to fade in/out the remote contribution.

“We have produced live remotes from the Giffoni Film Festival, the San Remo song contest as well as all the live football matches of Avellino during the entire B-Serie league,” Barbieri concluded.

Radio Magic also uses the ENCO iPad app to record and produce audio clips from remote locations for its news programs. ■

This early automation system offered poor audio performance, mainly due to the presence of hisses, glitches and similar noises, which were noticeable in the output audio feed.

“Someone told us about a new, promising automation system, also from a U.S. manufacturer, so my brother Sal visited a trade show in New Orleans to learn more about this new system directly from the company. There he met ENCO’s president, who carefully explained to Sal about its new DAD automation system,” said Barbieri.

The Radio Magic studio at night

APPS FOR MANAGING STATIONS, REMOTES

Radio Magic and Radio Magic 2 have relied on the DAD system since 1991.

The Italian stations were among the first DAD customers worldwide, and subsequently ENCO’s partners for beta-testing new releases of the DAD system.

“After more than 25 years of seamless and fluid operation, we are still extremely happy with the DAD system,” said Barbieri. “In the meantime we have started using their iPad app.”

Through the app, an iPad is all that a user needs to log in to the system and perform the same operations as if he or she was at the studio. The two stations produce several live remotes, during BROADCASTERS GET SMART WITH APPS Radio World International Edition | April 2017

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MARKETPLACE NeoScreener Comes to Smartphones and Tablets An iOS/Android app that runs on smartphones, tablets and gives full lines control to show hosts NeoGroupe is the maker of NeoScreener, a set of applications that allows live radio talk shows to handle the flow of incoming phone calls efficiently.

The company says that based on customer requests, it is introducing NeoScreenerSmart, an iOS/Android application that runs on smartphones and tablets and that gives full lines control to show hosts, wherever they are. NeoScreenerSmart works on 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi wireless devices.

The original NeoScreener functionalities have been ported to NeoScreenerSmart. It can replace the “Talent” screen of NeoScreener. NeoScreenerSmart also works in studios, suitable for stations in need of studio space, lacking personnel to monitor and screen phones, or wanting a clean look for their visual radio feed.

In addition, the company says, NeoScreenerSmart allows hosts to move around the studio and still control the phone lines themselves. It will show recognized callers name and city — send to air, hold, conference or drop.

Users who have a NeoScreener installation already can download the app and get up and running quickly.

www.neogroupe.com

Davicom’s Dav2You App Brings Site Info to You The smartphone app uses an interactive map to provide users with site overview Davicom’s Dav2You smartphone app lets users get an instant overview of their sites at a glance with an interactive map. The company says the user can simply touch the icon on the map and access the site’s parameters.

Dav2You’s custom view screen displays the information one needs for every configured site. All relevant parameters, such as power to the antenna, room temperature or any other data you may find useful can be added to the custom view for any sites.

In addition, Davicom says that with the unit, alarm acknowledgement is simple. When the Davicom senses there is a problem at the site, it sends a notification directly to the user Dav2You can generate reports of all received events, filter the events by date, name or description, and in iOS, print them out or forward them by email.

Dav2You is available for iOS and Android devices and is free for one site to allow potential users to take it out for a test drive.

www.davicom.com

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FM and MW Transmitters

REAL TIME BUILT-IN INSTRUMENTATION Nautel offers the industry’s broadest portfolio of digital and analog solid-state transmission platforms including 1 kW – 2 MW AM-MW, 300 W – 88 kW FM radio transmitters, and solutions for DRM and HD Radio.

DIGITAL BROADCAST SOLUTIONS

MONITORING AND CONTROL

Nautel is a leader in digital radio with robust, easy-to-deploy, digital-capable transmitters and components. Our major transmitter families – VS, GV and NX – are designed from the groundup for DRM and HD Radio transmission.

Learn more ›

Nautel transmitters offer comprehensive monitoring and control instrumentation via touch screen or web, outstanding reliability, compact footprints, high efficiency, easy maintenance, and 24/7 support.

Learn more ›

nautel.com

MARKETPLACE Axia IP-Tablet Takes Control Designed to simplify the control of several Telos Alliance devices The Telos Alliance has launched the Axia IP-Tablet. Designed

by Livewire partner and Telos Alliance dealer Jérôme Gahery of France-based IP-Studio for use with Telos Alliance products, the Axia IP-Tablet allows for virtualization of control and hardware resources, simplifying and aggregating control of several Telos Alliance devices.

Broadcasters can also use the IP-Tablet to manage user rights for device access, linking a user’s profile to their needs and access privileges.

Because it can replace an external monitor needed by an Axia Fusion or Element console, the company says, the IP-Tablet software frees up space and sight lines in the studio. An optional aluminum panel fits into any Fusion console, housing a 10-inch Windows tablet, just like a four-fader module occupying four console slots.

The Console Control module, for example, allows users to customize the layout and control of the Axia console displays. Operators can choose from one of the predesigned templates, or through the simple dragand-drop design interface. They can also design a layout that is specific to their needs containing features like VU meters, timers, time and date display, status of on-air, preview and talkback, the ability to change fader sources and console profiles, full control of on board virtual mixing with faders, and more.

The Axia IP-Tablet runs on a Windows tablet — anything from a low-cost Asus model to a high-end Microsoft Surface, where display sizes range from handheld to wall-sized. Sold as individual software modules, one can buy those that are most relevant and beneficial to his or her studio setup, including modules for Telos Systems, Omnia Audio, Fusion Console Control, Axia Pathfinder, and an Automation System Metadata Link.

www.telosalliance.com/axia

Nautel AUI Controls MW/FM Transmitters Provides full instrumentation with metering and diagnostics, plus monitoring and control Nautel has now shipped more than 7,000 transmitters that support its Advanced User Interface (AUI), a common interface across all MW/FM transmitters.

Providing full instrumentation with metering and diagnostics as well as monitoring and control via touchscreen and/ or optional web access, Nautel says, the AUI helps broadcast engineers be more proactive in their work and avoid trips to the transmitter site and achieve both time and financial savings.

The AUI screen is easy to set up and read and displays all necessary parameters, according to Nautel. AUI functionality includes built-in, commercial-grade instrumentation; 100 percent remote access; SNMP support; instrument-grade audio spectrum analyzer; monitoring and control; event logging; email notifications; presets and transmitter control; and support services.

www.nautel.com

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CASESTUDY DR Remotely Controls IP Streams With Digigram Denmark’s national broadcaster uses Iqoya *Cloud app access to monitor and control IP codecs COPENHAGEN — Remotely accessible from any authorized local or mobile device, the Digigram Iqoya *Cloud Danmarks Radio master control room at its headquarters in Copenhagen. management and SIP infrastructure app, together with Iqoya *Call IP audio codecs, are helping Denmark’s national public broadcaster, Danmarks Radio, make a controlled shift toward AoIP. The technology, says Digigram, is letting the broadcaster swiftly transition from ISDN to IP connections, and is making it easy for staff to realize cost and quality benefits of IP-based audio contribution.

When Danmarks Radio decided to upgrade its contribution technology from ISDN to IP, it determined that it needed to install IP audio codecs in the master control room and several codecs in remote locations.

The secure SIP infrastructure had to be able to handle IP calls and a master control room manager. The new codecs also had to be interoperable with Tieline Commander and Prodys ProntoNet IP codecs.

The broadcaster thus selected Digigram Iqoya *Call codecs and the Iqoya *Cloud management and SIP infrastructure app for use at its headquarters in Copenhagen.

The Iqoya *Cloud lets station engineers monitor and control the IP audio streams of all connected IP codecs from any authorized mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet, or via a local PC browser.

Danmarks Radio points out that since it took delivery of the new Digigram technology, it has successfully covered events including the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and the United States presidential election.

“We’ve been utilizing the Iqoya codecs and Iqoya *Cloud app since March 2016 and thus far, we’ve successfully managed various live audio contributions,” said Eskil Faber, project manager at Danmarks Radio. “We are very satisfied with the Iqoya *Call’s sound quality, low latency and stability as well as the *Cloud app’s ability to help us quickly and easily manage the IP codecs.”

As ISDN connections continue to be phased out, Danmarks Radio can easily leverage Iqoya *Cloud to extend its fleet of Iqoya *Call IP audio codecs, Digigram explains.

Released in 2017 as an SaaS application, Iqoya *Cloud is now available for radio broadcasters of any size to simplify deployment of their IP-based audio contribution infrastructure and management from any nomadic device.

www.digigram.com

The Iqoya *Cloud application lets users monitor and control AoIP codecs from smartphones or tablets as well as via a PC.

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Radio Engineering APPtitude Smartphones aren’t just for fun and games

By Todd Dixon

a pay-per-month (or year) service and has varying levels of features and pricing.

When Apple released the first iPhone, I don’t think many of us would have believed that the first tool we would ever grab for our job was a smartphone.

Even when Google presented its first attempt nearly a year later, the thought of having 1.5 million apps available to smartphone users — on the two major platforms alone — was inconceivable for most people.

Radio World has written before about a number of useful apps; see www.radioworld.com/apps. I’d like to share some that I have found to be useful in my day-to-day work, beyond the two clearly most basic: camera and flashlight apps!

WIFI ANALYZER

Wifi Analyzer is another app that you should place on your phone immediately. Wifi Analyzer can help you determine the best place to put your Wi-Fi access point.

Once you place your access point, open up Wifi Analyzer and walk the office. It gives immediate graphical feedback and you’ll know exactly where your Wi-Fi signal strength and weakness will be.

In the 2.4 GHz spectrum, there are only 11 channels and they overlap each other. What if a neighboring business or tenant has Wi-Fi? Wifi Analyzer will help you cut down on interference you might receive from those other

FING

Fing is my favorite must-have app. In a wireless network environment, Fing will touch every network device and provide a host of great information to you. Once it has done its scan, you can click on individual computers it found and run network scans to determine what network services are running on the machine.

Fing not only does this for LAN networks, but it can give valuable bits about IP addresses in the WAN space as well.

If you administer more than one wireless network, you might be interested in an extension of Fing called Fingbox.

This allows you to do remote scans of your networks, check on your TCP services and get alerts about changes in your networks. By placing the Fing software on a piece of hardware in each network (a Fing Sentinel) you can get detailed information about all of your sites from anywhere you have data cell service.

The Fing app is free and is available in both IOS and Android flavors. Fingbox is

Fing finds all of the network connected devices on a LAN.

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Wifi Analyzer gives quick measurement of all wireless signals in the area.

The app has saved me several trips to the studio and is clearly worth the price (free). Remoter VNC is available for IOS with nearly the same feature set.

Wi-Fi networks. Each signal that is detected is denoted and labeled in a different color for a quick accounting of your Wi-Fi spectrum. The app monitors the 5.8 GHz spectrum as well with the same set of tools at your disposal.

The app is pretty well laid out. Swiping to the left or right will switch to different graphical formats that break down your Wi-Fi environment, including access to a time-sequence graph that allows you to see all of the Wi-Fi signal interactions over time.

Wifi Analyzer is free and Network Multimeter is $0.99.

DVR CAMERA ACCESS

Speaking of remote access, it is worth noting that a number of surveillance camera DVR combinations have apps that allow for remote access. If you have network access to your sites from the studio, it is a fairly straightforward procedure to make your DVR available for remote viewing of the cameras at the tower site.

The DVR surveillance cameras at three of our sites are made by Lorex. It offers the apps for free to customers so that after only a few minutes of setup, you can see what is going on at your remote tower sites. They are available for both iOS and Android.

BVNC FREE (REMOTER VNC)

When I use bVNC Free, I fancy myself as a drone pilot and try to remember that I can do a lot of damage from 3,000 miles away!

The ability to get into your systems remotely is empowering, especially via your phone. BVNC allows access over basic VNC, VNC over SSH, UltraVNC, and several other encrypted secure VNC protocols.

On a 4- to 5-inch screen, you might imagine it difficult to navigate screens. Pinch-to-zoom helps alleviate that and gets you where you need to be on the remote screen.

The direction arrows, CTRL, ALT, TAB and ESC keys are available from a shaded area in the bottom middle of the screen. The keyboard is brought up by tapping the shaded area on the right middle of the screen. The app also allows for a “view only” mode.

ELECTRODROID

When I saw everything that the ElectroDroid Pro version had over the free version, I suffered through not having a Coke and a bag of chips for the afternoon and bought the app from the Google Play store right then.

The fact is that a list of everything it calculates, has pinouts for and the resources alone is exhausting. This makes it unique and worth every penny. It also has plugin availability for an electronic parts seeker, Atmicro and PICmicro databases.

ELECTRIC CIRCUITS

I should mention that most apps “do” something. This app is simply an industrial electronics teacher’s collected notes and ideas after finding complete frustration in the textbooks he was given to teach.

What it “does” is teach. I fall into the category of a radio engineer who came in through the computer door, not the RF or circuitry doors. You may have similar engineers that you are mentoring. The app is broken down into DC, AC, semiconductors, digital, reference and experiments. It is available for free in the Google Play store and iTunes store.

DVRs with mobile apps can help you check up on activity at the studio or transmitter sites.

Lessons in Electric Circuits is divided is both primer and reference for any radio engineer.

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This list is certainly not exhaustive, but maybe you have a killer app that you use on a regular basis.

Share it with me via email at tdixon@ crawfordbroadcasting.com.

Todd Dixon is an assistant engineer at Crawford Broadcasting’s Birmingham facility and a regular RW contributor. ■

Island 92 Benefits From App Efficiency Station relies on just three staff members, yet produces live shows and remotes like a top player

By Davide Moro

ROCK, BLUES AND A GOOD TIME

ST. MAARTEN — This island in the northeast Caribbean has a population of about 80,000 in an area of only 96 square kilometers (37 square miles), including both the French and Dutch portions of the Island. About 1 million tourists visit the island every year.

Island 92 broadcasts on 91.9 FM and uses the tagline “Rock, Blues and Good Time Music.” Founded 14 years ago as a “classic rock” station, over the years it has evolved to offer a broader range of sound, like new rock and blues.

Eric Boyer is program/music director and chief engineer at Island 92. “Local people love playing blues and classic rock, so the station evolved to fit our listeners requirements,” said Boyer. “During the same show we blend Bob Marley with Twenty One Pilots, as well as old Stevie Ray Vaughan classics with Aerosmith and Pink Floyd. Very much in the spirit of free-form radio!”

The station broadcasts through a single 1 kW transmitter located at the highest point in the Dutch part of the Island, at an altitude of 1,500 meters (5,000 feet) above sea level.

The BSI Simian app (center) automates Island 92. On the screen to the upper right, BSI Simian runs sister station, Z105.1.

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remote feed at the studio.

Thanks to this real voice-tracking capability, Island 92 could produce a live show with the presenter sitting anywhere in the world and nobody at its main facility.

“But you couldn’t use an iPad yet to do remotes — you definitely needed a mouse to properly interact with the user interface of a software designed to fit a standard computer, so one-man remotes were still troublesome,” Boyer said.

“We have a very nice three-bay Jampro antenna, and we are surrounded by the sea. This gives us very good coverage. We have listeners in Tortola (British Virgin Islands), which is about 160 kilometers (100 miles) away from here.”

Boyer joined the station 12 years ago, hosting his midday show, then 10 years ago he moved to PM drive. He remembers how at that time, automation was very limited there. Typically, someone from the staff had to be in at 6 a.m. to start programming the station.

By 11 a.m. this person had set up programs to last until 3 p.m. So he or she left, and the next person came in at 3 p.m. and remained until 8 p.m., when station programs were set up to run until 9 p.m. At that time the station switched to a satellite feed of classic rock music for the night.

Island 92 now uses the BSI Simian automation system “and we can run fully automated for weeks, if we like,” Boyer explained, “but we do also have live shows, Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.”

THE UNEXPECTED

Things dramatically changed when BSI released its Simian Remote and Simian Gateway. “Not only does this allow us to control our Simian from an iPad or iPhone easily, we can also use the macros, access the archives, replace a song, change commercials,” he said. “We can do exactly the same things as if we were in our studio, but on a touchscreen device. This changed the world greatly in order to do remotes efficiently.”

Even a non-technical person can now bring an iPhone or an iPad, go on site for a quick remote, log in, access Simian, hear the preview, fade in, stop Simian, do the remote contribution, restart Simian as per the log, fade out and log-off.

“Thanks to the Simian apps we can now produce a number of remotes that we previously wouldn’t have been able to, and in a very efficient way. We can pay a small charity event the same attention we pay to a major regatta, in any case with no one in the studio.” Boyer concluded.

Apart from hosting his show at Island 92, Boyer travels the world as a freelance operator for Spidercam, a manufacturer of aerial camera systems for TV and movie production. His daily shows are pre-recorded and voicetracked, so Boyer can pre-record them when he has to be away for a few days.

The Simian app provides additional benefit. Before leaving for a scheduled 10-day trip business trip to Ohio, Boyer pre-recorded his shows as usual for the duration of his expected stay. “On my first day in Cincinnati, I got a call from the company telling me they had to send me to the U.S. Open right after my stay in Ohio, for 15 more days,” he explains. “This meant I couldn’t come back to the station in between, and I hadn’t prepared any show for that time. I said, ‘No problem.’”

From Cincinnati, Boyer was able to log in to Simian at the station when nobody was there, switch to a backup Simian system, then produce his shows and the voicetracks for the duration of his unexpected stay.

ENHANCING REMOTE CAPABILITIES

Island 92 aired its first live remote 10 years ago. One engineer had to sit down at the station’s facility to run the automation and manually fade in/out the telephone hybrids receiving the remote contributions.

“It worked, but since we are a station run by just three people, producing a live remote had a remarkable impact on our everyday pace,” Boyer remembers. “Later on, the first time we got a reliable internet connection with a static IP address we started doing remotes without the need of having anyone at the studio.”

Boyer installed the virtual network computing remote access software on Island 92’s computers. This allowed him to go anywhere in the world, log in and start visualizing the BSI Simian user interface.

Through Simian’s macro functions and various serial interfaces, Boyer became able to control external routers and relays to bring the external contribution in and fade out the live feed at the appropriate time. He was even able to mix the remote voice contribution with the feed from the Simian playout in a broadcast router. For this purpose, Island 92 uses a Barix Instreamer to stream the audio from the field and a Barix Exstreamer to receive the

JUST LIKE BEING THERE

Apart from a full remote voice-tracking capability, the Simian Gateway can produce highly compressed clips of the intro and segue portions of the scheduled songs, as Continued on page 26 ❱

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❱ Continued from page 25

Eric Boyer backstage at the 36th Heineken Regatta 2016.

well as of the scheduled commercials to be played at that time. Clips can be easily downloaded from remote, and listened to while recording the voice tracks.

“Not only was I able to produce my shows from remote for a duration of two weeks, while doing so, I could fully preview the voice tracks I created setting the intro and segue points precisely, just as if I was in the production studio at our facility.”

After reviewing, the remote contributor uploads the high-quality files for just the voice-tracks, together with the relevant logs for appropriate and precise playout.

“And it works great. I did 15 days of shows in about three hours!” Boyer concluded. “Many systems can do this, but Simian was the first one I found and the first so nicely integrated into one thing. Their apps definitely changed the way we do remotes at our station.”

St. Maarten’s Heineken Regatta is the largest warmThe Island 92 remote kit includes the Barix Instreamer and the Simian Remote app. This picture was taken from backstage at the 36th Heineken Regatta 2016.

where the races had to finish up.”

From there, Boyer took control of Simian and went live again, pausing the remaining voice-tracks. Using the macros he was able to take phone calls, manage remote contributions and the entire station for the last part of the races — exactly as if he was in the studio.

“I was even able to receive calls on my cellphone and put them on the air; all this using just an iPad. We subsequently broadcast the award ceremony live, for two hours, with nobody in the studio, and with the great efficiency.” ■

water regatta in the world “and we are the official radio station of the event,” Boyer continued. In March, during the 2017 edition of the Heineken Regatta, Island 92 and sister station Z105.1 covered the event with multiple live remotes every day, spanning from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. On the last day, the award ceremony took place in the afternoon.

That morning, while the races were going on, Boyer was sitting at the studio, taking phone calls and fading in and out the various contributions from on-site guests.

“At 2 p.m. I pre-recorded some voice tracks for the upcoming hour, and moved to the location on the island

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MARKETPLACE Netia Software Simplifies Virtual Studio Tasks Multi-device web application designed for use in the studio or in the field Thanks to its SOA architecture and HTML5-based user interface, Media Assist software suite allows broadcasters to make their studios virtual and provides users with the same media resources and work tools whether they are on the premises or out in the field.

The application can be configured from a dedicated web administration interface. In the form of a portal, Media Assist is a multi-browser and multi-device web application. It complies with the rules on responsive design, and can be used from a computer as well as a tablet or smartphone.

Netia says that with Media Assist, the company offers simultaneous access to several products. From a single application, the user acquires files, captures IP audio/video streams, and exchanges media from archives as well as from the production base.

It enables journalists to access, search, browse, retrieve and play any content from anywhere, with intuitive controls for displaying video or audio segments and performing simple edits, adds the firm.

As an example of Netia’s web-based applications available in Media Assist is the browser module to easily find any asset in your database remotely. A special feature of the browser, says Netia, is the capability of its search facility and the ability to bind together one broadcaster’s content, even when that content is physically stored on different servers or sites. The browser includes optional engines optimizing datamining. Each type of file is represented by a tab where several search criteria are defined.

Netia’s Snippet desktop interface available within Netia’s Radio-Assist radio automation software suite, iSnippet allows iOS device users not only to edit and index media from their mobile devices, but also to record and export ready-to-broadcast assets from the in-studio Radio-Assist database.

www.netia.com

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EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR IN CHIEF, INTERNATIONAL Marguerite Clark GEAR & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Brett Moss EDITION COORDINATOR, FRANCOPHONE Emmanuelle Pautler EDITOR IN CHIEF, U.S. Paul J. McLane CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Emily Reigart WEB EDITOR Michael Balderston

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ADMINISTRATION & PRODUCTION PUBLISHER, RADIO WORLD INTERNATIONAL Raffaella Calabrese PUBLISHER, RADIO WORLD U.S. John Casey EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Paul J. McLane PRODUCTION MANAGERS Karen Lee & Lisa McIntosh

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