In Broadcast - November 2019 - 53

www.inbroadcast.com | Vol: 9 - Issue 10 | November 2019

InTech

Weigel Relies on Cobalt Digital
Processing
C

hicago-based Weigel Broadcasting
Co., which owns and operates
stations in nine markets in addition
to MeTV and other digital multicast
networks, is using Cobalt's software
defined
9922-FS-DSP
platform
for openGear frames to provide
microservices for Emergency Alert
System local insertion and CALM
compliance for its terrestrial stations.
Most
recently,
the
company
purchased five cards in March for KTLN,
a Heroes & Icons and MeTV affiliate
serving San Francisco (DMA #8).
"It's one of the few cards of its kind
that is flexible," explained Kyle Walker,
Vice President of Technology for Weigel
Broadcasting. "It's the Swiss Army
Knife of cards. This card can literally do
it all at the right price point."
Weigel has deployed dozens of
9922-FS-DSP cards, which offer
a combination of rich broadcast
connectivity and flexible microservices
that make them cost effective options
for many applications. The +EAS option

allows Weigel to key EAS
text crawls into active
video and insert station
logos. Some stations
also add the +TTS option,
which provides Text-ToSpeech conversion of EAS
text.
The 9922-FS-DSP also
assists with compliance
with the CALM Act, which
requires commercials to
be broadcast at the same
volume as programming. Cobalt 9922-FS-DSP at Weigel Broadcasting
Walker said a simple addition of a from multiple vendors, Walker praised
microservice for the 9922-FS-DSP the openGear modular system. "It's
makes it easy for Weigel to maintain a great platform that allows several
CALM compliance for new digital different vendors to play in the same
subchannels and other broadcast sandbox," he noted.
properties.
Weigel Broadcasting uses Cobalt
For select remote locations, where Digital's 9922-FS-DSP platform for
an entire openGear frame is not openGear frames for EAS and CALM
necessary, Weigel uses Cobalt's BBG- compliance for its terrestrial stations.
1022-FS-DSP, a standalone version of
The 9922-FS-DSP offers a software
the 9922-FS-DSP.
defined platform that supports multiple
For installations that require cards microservices such as automatic audio

levelling, upmixing, Dolby
encoding and decoding,
automatic SAP generation,
EAS insertion, logo insertion,
Text-To-Speech, and more.
The base platform includes
advanced
frame
sync
features with per-channel
audio delay and routing,
as well as audio/video
offset adjustment. Presets
allow custom card setup,
while layered presets allow
changes related only to a
specific function. Access to
full control and monitoring is
available through Cobalt's DashBoard
software or remote control panels.
Cobalt Digital, a founding partner in
the openGear initiative, designs and
manufactures award-winning edge
devices that help live video production
and master control clients transition to
IP, 4K, HDR, the cloud, and beyond.
Distributed through a worldwide
network of dealers, system integrators,
and other partners, Cobalt Digital
products are backed with a five-year
warranty.

Leighton Streamlines AoIP
Transport with GatesAir
L

eighton Broadcasting - a St. Cloud,
The SRT application strengthens capacity configuration will support
Minnesota-based radio station reliability and security as a low-latency up to 16 distinct audio programmes in
group - has replaced hardware-based, open source media streaming protocol one rack unit, providing plenty of room
point-to-point IP STL systems with its that provides packet encryption and for additional Leighton Broadcasting
software-defined GatesAir Intraplex re-transmission capabilities, along stations moving forward.
Ascent Audio over IP transport with browser-based monitoring and
"The scalable nature of the Ascent
platform.
control tools. Intraplex Ascent's built- architecture gives us the flexibility to
The project represents the first in Dynamic Stream Splicing (DSS) first simplify programme transport for
commercial
implementation
of application further protects each our St. Cloud stations, and gradually
Intraplex Ascent for software-based station's signal integrity by diversifying transition our entire group of stations
transport, as well as the industry's SRT data across redundant networks.
across Minnesota and North Dakota
first application of Secure Reliable
Intraplex Ascent reduces cost and as we see fit," said Tony Absalter,
Transport (SRT) for broadcast audio complexity for Leighton Broadcasting Director of Engineering for Leighton
streams.
by eliminating five separate hardware Broadcasting. "The ability to control
Intraplex Ascent delivers several codecs at the receive end to serve five and monitor Audio over IP transport
immediate and long-term benefits distinct transmitters. Ascent's high- for multiple stations at once from
for Leighton Broadcasting. The
a centralised hub is one of
architecture leverages common
Ascent's greatest attributes.
off-the-shelf servers at aggregate
We also appreciate that we
studio and transmitter sites,
can configure the system to
consolidating the transport of
send signals to our main and
audio and programme-associated
auxiliary transmitter sites,
data over IP for five radio stations
as well as to boosters and/
serving the St. Cloud market
or translators, with the ability
(KCLD-FM, KCML-FM and KZPK-FM,
to re-route signals on short
GatesAir Intraplex Ascent Audio over IP transport platform notice."
plus two FM translator signals).

Tony Absalter, Director of Engineering
for Leighton Broadcasting, slide the 1RU
Ascent server into the equipment rack

"GatesAir has long taken an
aggressive approach to migrating
broadcasters to IP networks for
programme audio and data transport,
consistently bringing new innovations
to market that help our customers
lower costs, streamline connectivity
and add services," said Keyur Parikh,
Vice President and General Manager,
Intraplex Product Group for GatesAir.
"Intraplex Ascent amplifies these
benefits by providing a quicker path to
all three, without the need to buy new
hardware as each new radio station is
added."

http://www.inbroadcast.com https://www.cobaltdigital.com https://www.cobaltdigital.com https://www.gatesair.com https://www.gatesair.com

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