eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, November, 2010

"Ideas won't keep: something must be done about them." -- Alfred North Whitehead

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IN THIS ISSUE:
* New Omnia White Paper Released
* Linear Acoustic Wins Technical Emmy(R)
* Clients Sing Praises of New Hybrids
* Hear Church, Foti, Harnack at AES
* Omnia A/XE Goes Global
* New Representatives in Greece and Spain
* Upcoming Shows
* News From The Field
* Tech Tip: Remote Domination
* Discrepancy Sheet: Moore's Law Illustrated

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* NEW OMNIA WHITE PAPER RELEASED: When you get an idea, you should write it down lest you forget it. And Frank Foti has a heck of an idea to improve FM stereo, so he wrote it down in a White Paper that's generating lots of interest in the RF community. This paper expresses, in detail, a method of utilizing single sideband suppressed carrier (SSBSC) modulation of the stereophonic subcarrier in the FM multiplex baseband. Frank makes the case that this method will reduce multipath induced distortion, and offer additional protection to the spectrum used for RDS, SCA signals, and HD-Radio content. Along with better over-the-air signal quality, data robustness in the receiver is improved as well. And it's compatible with existing radio receivers - there's nothing new for consumer gear makers to implement. If you've got the latest edition of Radio World Engineering Extra you'll find Frank's paper on the front page, but you can also download a handy portable PDF from www.OmniaAudio.com/mpx-ssb-white-paper/ .

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* LINEAR ACOUSTIC WINS A TECHNICAL EMMY: The Emmy Award is one of the highest honors the television community can bestow upon its members. And one of our family members, Linear Acoustic, has just earned this honor from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. According to NATAS, "Technology and Engineering Emmy Awards honor development and innovation in broadcast technology and recognize companies, organizations and individuals for breakthroughs in technology that have a significant effect on television engineering." Linear's Emmy is bestowed upon them for their pioneering work in the development of audio metadata processes for conforming audio to the ATSC digital TV standard. It's been a big year for Linear, who also picked up a TV Tech STAR award and a BE Pick Hit at this year's NAB; see www.LinearAcoustic.com for details. Congratulations to Tim Carroll and his team, who will receive their award in January at the 2011 CES show in Las Vegas.

* CLIENTS SING PRAISES OF NEW HYBRIDS: Last issue we mentioned that we are now shipping the sophisticated new Telos Hx1 and Hx2 POTS phone hybrids. Well, the first comments have been coming back from the field, and they are nothing short of glowing. "[Our station] has historically had poor caller audio due to being at the very end of the loop," says one CE, "but the Hx1 makes those calls sound as smooth as butter." Another comments "I've depended on Telos hybrids for years and didn't honestly think they could get any better. You proved me wrong!" Hx1 (single hybrid) and Hx2 (twin hybrids) both feature a new, improved version of our DDEQ Dynamic Digital EQ, plus a symmetrical AGC and noise gate from the audio processing gurus at Omnia (among other goodies). If you're ready to hear the difference for yourself, check out www.Telos-Systems.com/hx/ and then call your Telos distributor.

* HEAR CHURCH, FOTI, HARNACK AT AES: If you're attending AES in San Francisco, be sure to block out time in your schedule to hear some exciting technical presentations. Steve Church and Skip Pizzi, authors of the book _Audio Over IP: Building Pro AoIP Systems With Livewire_, will present a hands-on session titled "Audio Over IP: A Tutorial." Frank Foti joins the panels of the "Listener Fatigue and Retention," "Audio Processing For Streaming" and "Audio Processing for Radio" sessions, while Kirk Harnack presents "Case Study of PungaNet: Uniting Radio Stations Across a Country," an examination of IP-distributed program transmission over long distances. For detailed descriptions of these sessions, please visit www.aes.org/press/?ID=84 .

* OMNIA A/XE GOES GLOBAL: Poland's AGORA Radio is actually a network of stations whose 47 transmitters blanket Poland. When AGORA started to refine the audio processing of their 24 independent Golden Hits stations, which depend partly upon satellite-fed programming, they realized that every local station airing that content sounded different - especially when it came to local spot insertions produced on PCs at the various outlets. What to do? In a two-pronged attack, AGORA first processed their network stream with an Omnia-6EX to smooth it and create a signature sound before sending it to the satellite uplink. Then, they used Omnia A/XE PC based processors, running at all the local stations, to match the sound of the local inserts to the satellite audio. The result: a seamless flow of content, perfectly matched and balanced, with the exact signature sound of the service constant throughout. Do you have a problem that could be solved with Omnia A/XE? Read up on it at www.OmniaAudio.com/axe/ .

* NEW REPRESENTATIVES IN GREECE AND SPAIN: Our family of representatives around the globe (over 140 nations and counting!) keeps expanding. We'd like to take the opportunity to welcome Athens-based Audigys as our distributors in Greece, and SAVE Diffusion España of Valladolid as our newest reps in Spain. Visit www.AxiaAudio.com/buy/ , www.Telos-systems.com/dealer/ and www.OmniaAudio.com/buy/ to find your nearest Telos/Omnia/Axia retailer.

* UPCOMING EVENTS: Come by and see Telos, Omnia and Axia folks at:
      Alaska Broadcasters Association Convention, November 4-5, Anchorage: www.alaskabroadcasters.org
      129th AES Convention, November 4-7, San Francisco: www.aes.org

* NEWS FROM THE FIELD:
Somebody's been getting new goodies! Here's a sample of some recent shipments.

   > Telos Zephyr Xstream is connecting broadcasters at:
      KRLD-FM, CBS Radio, Dallas, Texas
      WHRO-FM, Norfolk, Virginia
      Talk Radio Network, Oakton, Virginia     

   > Omnia A/XE software is processing and encoding at:
      Family Life Network, Bath, New York
      Pacific Lutheran University's KPLU-FM, Tacoma, Washington
      Sports Radio Cleveland, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, October, 2010

"Improvise, adapt, and overcome." -- Unofficial motto, U.S. Marine Corps

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IN THIS ISSUE:
* See you in D.C., Alaska, San Francisco
* AES Yes!
* New Telos Hybrids Shipping
* FM Stereo Generation: New Ideas
* IP: Everywhere?
* New Representatives in Brazil
* Upcoming Shows
* News From The Field
* Latest Tech Updates
* Tech Tip: What's that arrow?
* Discrepancy Sheet: Enviro Monitoring via IP

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* TELOS IS EVERYWHERE: There are lots of radio conventions coming up in the next few weeks, and Telos, Omnia and Axia plan to be there. As this arrives in your inbox, we are in Washington, D.C. at the NAB Radio Show, with our partners Broadcasters General Store (BGS); you'll find us in Booth #8. Next we're with BGS in Anchorage, Alaska on November 4th & 5th for the Alaska Broadcasters Association convention. Lastly, you can see us in San Francisco at the AES Convention at Moscone Center, again in the BGS booth (#929) from November 4th through 7th. Be sure to stop and shake hands with us if you attend any of these shows.

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* AES YES!: At the upcoming AES Convention in San Francisco, a lot of our folks are either leading or featured in technical sessions. Steve Church and Skip Pizzi, authors of the book _Audio Over IP: Building Pro AoIP Systems With Livewire,_ will present "Audio Over IP: A Tutorial," Frank Foti joins the panel of the "Listener Fatigue and Retention," "Audio Processing For Streaming" and "Audio Processing for Radio" sessions, while Kirk Harnack presents "Case Study of PungaNet: Uniting Radio Stations Across a Country”. For detailed descriptions of these sessions, please visit www.aes.org/press/?ID=84.

* TELOS HX HYBRIDS NOW SHIPPING: For years Telos POTS hybrids have been the undisputed workhorses of radio stations around the world. Known for their toughness, reliability and ability to make any caller, no matter how tenuous their connection, sound great on the air. Well, to quote Randy Bachman, "you ain't heard n-n-nothin' yet." The new Hx1 (single hybrid) and Hx2 (twin hybrids) POTS phone interfaces show off the latest in call audio massaging technology. The Hx siblings feature a new, improved version of Telos' famous Dynamic Digital EQ, symetrical AGC and noise gate from the audio processing gurus at Omnia, an adjustable "smart" leveller to smooth out caller audio, and - best of all - exclusive new AEC Advanced Echo Cancellation from Fraunhofer to literally eliminate open-speaker feedback. Hx1 & Hx2 may just be the best POTS hybrids ever, and they're shipping now - visit www.Telos-Systems.com/hx/ for full details.

* NEW IDEAS ABOUT FM STEREO GENERATION: Some folks think that once something works "good enough," there's no need for improvement. Frank Foti is not one of those folks. He's always thinking about things, and one of the things he's been thinking about lately is how to improve FM audio by tweaking stereo generation, moving from the current NRSC-sanctioned method to a revised method that would, among other things, help to eliminate multipath and improve FM signal/noise performance by 4dB. Frank made his presentation to the NRSC on September 29th; to read more about his proposal, visit http://tinyurl.com/foti-sg .

* IP EVERYWHERE?: You bet. Here at Telos, we're big fans of IP networking (you already know about our invention of the Livewire IP-Audio protocol used by Axia that's revolutionized broadcast studio infrastructure). IP can now be found in a variety of broadcast products, from phone systems to transmitters and everything in-between. But we're not the only ones bullish on IP: Jeff Ziglar of RCS, writing in a recent issue of Radio World, calls for IP-awareness in everything - EVERYTHING - that goes into the broadcast studio, from EAS boxes to microphones. "It's hard to deny the benefits of hitching onto the IP bandwagon," he writes; "It's cheaper, cleaner, more powerful and...even simpler in many cases than previous legacy platforms." Think that's farfetched? Read Jeff's position and then decide. It's hosted on the Axia website on our Reprints page, at http://www.axiaaudio.com/reprints/ .
 .
* NEW REPRESENTATIVES IN BRAZIL: A big welcome to OPIC Telecom in Sao Paulo, the newest representative of Telos, Omnia and Axia products. If you're part of the burgeoning radio scene in Brazil, you'll want to acquaint yourselves with OPIC; you can find them on the Web at www.opictelecom.com.br . Did you know that our gear is represented in over 140 nations worldwide? Visit www.AxiaAudio.com/buy/  , www.Telos-systems.com/dealer/  and www.OmniaAudio.com/buy/ to find your nearest Telos retailer.

* UPCOMING EVENTS: Come by and see Telos, Omnia and Axia folks at:
      NAB Radio Show, Washington D.C.: www.radioshowweb.com
      Alaska Broadcasters Association Convention, Anchorage: www.alaskabroadcasters.org
      129th AES Convention, San Francisco: www.aes.org

* NEWS FROM THE FIELD:
Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent shipments.

   > Telos Talkshow Systems are powering talk radio at:
      WFAN, New York, New York
      WCMU-FM, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
      KBBI, Homer, Alaska

   > Omnia ONE is taking names at:
      WJCF-FM, Greenfield, Indiana
      WHKO-FM. Dayton, Ohio
      WAOK, WVEE-FM, WZGC-FM, Atlanta, Georgia

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, September, 2010

"Time has a wonderful way of weeding out the trivial." -- Howard Aiken

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IN THIS ISSUE:
* See You at IBC!
* Zephyr/IP Links Up in Austria
* Thum + Mahr become German Representatives
* Wi-Fi Adapter Now Included with Z/IP
* Free Article: 5 Things About IP-Audio
* Axia in the news: WDDH-FM
* Upcoming Shows
* News From The Field
* Latest Tech Updates
* Tech Tip: Inexpensive NTP Server
* Discrepancy Sheet: Ham on iPhone

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* SEE YOU AT IBC: We're only a week away from IBC in Amsterdam, and we're looking forward to seeing you there! You've heard about the huge array of exciting new products that Telos, Omnia, Axia and Linear Acoustic have debuted this year - now it's time for you to lay eyes, ears and hands on them. You'll get to see the new Telos VX VoIP-based broadcast phone system, Hx1 and Hx2 POTS hybrids, and the trim Z/IP ONE IP codec. You can hear the fantastic Omnia.11, the ultimate FM audio processor that's been dropping jaws all summer long. See Axia's award-winning new iQ console (and its big brother, Element 2.0), and the IP Intercom family of rackmount, desktop and console drop-in Intercom stations. And on the TV side, check out Linear Acoustic's complete line of transmission and ingest loudness managers. See us in Stand 8.D29 - we'll be happy to show you what's new.

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* ZEPHYR/IP LINKS UP IN AUSTRIA: We've just received word from our Telos distributor in Austria, connecting:media, that the Radio Arabella Network in Austria has just installed a pair of Zephyr/IP codecs. These Z/IPs are the first of many which Arabella plans to use to replace their existing satellite distribution network. The Z/IPs will deliver their network program from their center station in Vienna to their sub stations all over Austria, saving a considerable amount of money in transmission costs. According to connecting:media, Arabella's first IP transmission line between Vienna and St. Leonhard / Mostviertel has been successfully deployed, with the Telos Z/IP providing audio and control data via RS-232 to control the local playout systems of the sub stations. Got a story about how you're using a Zephyr to solve problems? Let us know; just email Angi Roberson at angi@telos-systems.com. You might find yourself featured in an upcoming issue of eNews!

* THUM + MAHR REPRESENTS TELOS, AXIA, OMNIA IN GERMANY: We're pleased to let our fans in Germany know that the well-known firm of Thum + Mahr are now representing our complete line of products from Axia to Zephyr. Did you know that Telos, Omnia and Axia gear is now available in over 100 nations around the globe? And of course it's backed up with the best customer support in the industry, available by phone and email 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. To find the representative nearest you, check our websites at http://Telos-Systems.com/dealer/ , http://OmniaAudio.com/buy/ , and http://AxiaAudio.com/buy/ .

* Z/IP MAKES WI-FI EASY: You'd think Wi-Fi would be easy, right? Buy an adapter stick and plug it in - and you're hooked up...is the way we _dream_ it would be. In reality, things are much different. Wi-Fi adapter makers change their hardware and software at a moment's notice, and suddenly gear that used to be connected isn't anymore. Well, enough, we say: to alleviate this problem for Zephyr/IP users, we've purchased and tested our own stock of Wi-Fi adapters that work with Z/IP. And, in a fit of generosity, we're putting one in each Z/IP we ship from now on - because that's just the kind of guys we are. Thinking about IP transmission or remote broadcasting? There's an entire family of Zephyr/IP codecs to fit your requirements. Check out www.Telos-Systems.com/ZephyrIP/ to compare .

* 5 THINGS ABOUT IP-AUDIO: Your eNews Editor, Clark Novak, recently authored an article entitled "Five Essential Things About Networked Facilities," a cover article for the July 26 issue of TechINK magazine. Didn't see it? No problem - TechINK editor Skip Pizzi kindly supplied us with a PDF copy you can download and read on your own (be sure to thank him next time you see him!). Don't worry, it's not one of those 1,000-page yawn-inducing tomes - just 2.5 pages of concise information, things you should think about if you're exploring a networked audio facility. Download it for free from http://AxiaAudio.com/reprints/ .

* AXIA IN THE NEWS: Didja see the Facility Showcase on WDDH-FM in St. Mary's, Pennsylvania in the August issue of Radio magazine? It features Axia consoles and networking gear, and you can view it online if you missed it. It's a great piece that proves that IP-Audio is great for facilities of any size, not just monster installations with 30 rooms. "The Axia Livewire network allows for simple, fast installation. Very little downtime was tolerable for this upgrade, so expediency was a necessity for this buildout," the article says, and Axia clients agree: we regularly hear of folks getting new, fully-functional studios up and running over the course of a short weekend. Check out the piece at http://radiomagonline.com/infrastructure/facility_design/wddh-gets-facelift/ .

* UPCOMING EVENTS: Come by and see Telos, Omnia and Axia folks at:
      IBC, Amsterdam – September 10-14 – stand 8.D29 – www.ibc.org

* NEWS FROM THE FIELD:
Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent shipments.

   > Telos Talkshow Systems are powering talk radio at:
      Liberty & Freedom Radio, Scottsdale, Arizona
      Dial Global Media, Valencia, California
      Top Speed Adventures' Bandwagon Roadshow, Orlando, Florida

   > Omnia ONE is taking names at:
      Southern California Public Radio (SCPR), Los Angeles, California
      KRDX-FM, Tucson, Arizona
      KJEL-FM, Lebanon, Missouri

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, August, 2010

"The good news is, you can do it! The bad news is, you HAVE to do it." - Thomas Rich

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IN THIS ISSUE:
* Omnia ONE Turns 5,000
* New Telos HX1 Hybrid Debuts
* Omnia Upgrade Offer Ends Soon
* Build A Studio in 20 Minutes
* Axia In The News
* Harnack Presents at TAB
* Upcoming Shows
* News From The Field
* Latest Tech Updates
* Tech Tip: Omnia ONE "Presence" Control
* Discrepancy Sheet: Farewell, Magic

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* OMNIA ONE TURNS 5,000: Is Omnia ONE the best-selling broadcast audio processor ever? We can't say for certain, but it sure is possible. In just 2.5 short years, more than 5,000 Omnia ONEs have been racked at radio stations around the world. What's made ONE so popular? Maybe it's that clean, smooth, market-dominating Omnia sound. Maybe it's ONE's uniquely flexible architecture, that lets users change processing styles - from FM to AM to Multicast to Studio Pro - with a simple, free, software upload. Or maybe it's the fact that Omnia ONE delivers more bang for the buck than any other processor out there. (And of course, it's Livewire-ready for your IP-Audio network, too.) Want to find out more? Check out http://www.OmniaAudio.com/one/ to see what ONE can do for you.

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* INTRODUCING HX1: These days, callers can originate a phone call in so many different ways - POTS, cellular handsets, VoIP connections - all with wildly varying audio and connection qualities. If you have incoming POTS lines at your studio, you're probably scratching your head, wondering how to tame this jungle of incoming calls. May we introduce the newest knife for your toolkit: Hx1, the most sophisticated Telos POTS hybrid ever. Hx1 is equipped with the latest version of our legendary Digital Dynamic EQ, powerful new signal processing algorithms, and new symmetrical wide-range AGC and noise gate by Omnia for unrivaled caller-to-caller consistency and clarity. Hx1 is shipping now; visit http://Telos-Systems.com/hx/ for specs, photos, downloadable brochures and more.

* OMNIA UPGRADE OFFER ABOUT TO END: Time is running out to purchase a new Omnia-5 audio processor with an automatic upgrade to a top-of-the-line Omnia-6EX. That's a $3,900 (MSRP) offer! You already know about Omnia-6EX's dominating track record in competitive markets everywhere. You know about its five-band AGC section, adjustable crossovers, dual simultaneous processing paths for FM analog and digital HD/DAB, and its pioneering non-aliasing digital clipping system. What you may not know is that the upgrade offer positively ceases on 25 August, 2010. Visit http://www.OmniaAudio.com/6ex-upgrade for the skinny (while you still can).

* BUILD A STUDIO IN 20 MINUTES: For years now, Axia clients have been raving about how easy it is to build studios - be they networked or standalone - with Axia consoles and routing gear. Now, you can see it for yourself! Our Kirk Harnack has put together an entertaining shot video showing how easy it is to build a radio studio with Axia equipment, and to prove his point, he's not even doing it himself: his lovely assistant Rachel does all the "heavy lifting!" Check out the videos on the Axia homepage, or jump right to http://www.AxiaAudio.com/buildstudio.htm to get versions you can watch full-screen.

* AXIA IN THE NEWS: Summer is busy, and if you're like us, your reading tends to slide a little. So we wanted to call your attention to the cover story about Moody Bible Institute's new Axia-powered studios that graced the cover of Radio magazine's July issue. In it, Chriss Scherer recounts the story of Moody's construction of studios for it's 4-station operations near Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Plenty of great photos, and an interesting discussion on the use of prefabricated studio enclosures. Check out the whole story on Radiomagonline at http://tinyurl.com/moody-axia/ .

* HARNACK PRESENTS AT TAB: The Tennessee Association of Broadcasters is once again holding their TAB Summer Convention in Nashville, and they've invited our Kirk Harnack to present a session during the SBE's Ennes Workshop on August 20. Kirk's session is entitled "Voice-over-IP for Broadcast Talk Shows", and he'll be talking about one of broadcasting's newest hot-button issues: planning now to take advantage of the coming Telco shift to exclusively IP-based call delivery. If your station has a talk-intensive format, this is one that you won't want to miss. Visit http://www.sbe.org/ennes_workshops.php#Nashville for the day's agenda as well as links to register.

* UPCOMING EVENTS: Come by and see Telos, Omnia and Axia folks at:
   Tennessee Association of Broadcasters Convention, Nashville, TN - August 19 - 21 - www.tabtn.org
   BIRTV, Beijing - August 23 - 26 - with Digital Media Technology, Hall 2,  Stand 2003A - www.birtv.com
   IBC, Amsterdam – September 10-14 – stand 8.D29 – www.ibc.org

* NEWS FROM THE FIELD:
Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent shipments.

   > Telos Nx12 Talkshow Systems are running calls at:
      WBGL-FM, Illinois Bible Institute, Champaign, Ilinois
      WDUN, Jacobs Media, Gainesville, Georgia
      XHRZ-FM, RadioRama, Nogales, Sonora, Mexico

   > Omnia ONE is kickin' butt at:     
      KHLA-FM, Gap Broadcasting, Lake Charles, Louisiana
      CBS Radio, Chicago, Illinois
      KMGQ-FM, Cumulus Media, Santa Barbara, California

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, July, 2010

"Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom." - Albert Einstein

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IN THIS ISSUE:
* "Make It Cleaner"
* Omnia Upgrade Offer Set To Expire
* New Axia Driver Download
* Steve Church Interview Online
* Are You Up-To-Date?
* Latest Tech Updates
* News From The Field
* Upcoming Shows
* Tech Tip: PBX and One-x-Six
* Discrepancy Sheet: The Gates Graveyard

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* "MAKE IT CLEANER": Did you see the recent Radio World interview with Omnia President Frank Foti? He gives up all the secrets (well, okay, many of the secrets) of the new Omnia 11 audio processor - you know, the one that won no less than 3 major awards at its NAB debut? "We took our prior efforts, critically listened to them, checked our egos, and said, “What must be done to make it cleaner, for the same relative loudness?” Of course you want to read more (shame on us for being such teases), www.OmniaAudio.com/articles/  and click on the link at the top. Warning: we cannot be responsible for any arcing neurons caused by description-induced processor lust.

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* OMNIA UPGRADE OFFER: We apologize in advance for harping on this yet again, but if you want to get a brand-spankin' new Omnia-6EX for the price of an Omnia-5, time is running out. This deal will save you a bottom-line-pleasing $3,900 (MSRP). The Omnia 6ex is the loud clean "gold standard" processor that's winning major market ratings all around the world. It's pioneering features include a five-band AGC section with adjustable crossovers to give you surgically-precise control over your signature sound, dual simultaneous processing paths for FM analog and digital HD/DAB, and the world’s first non-aliasing digital clipping system. There's still time, but you've only got 'til August 25 2010 to take advantage. Visit www.OmniaAudio.com/6ex-upgrade  for details.

* NEW AXIA DRIVER DOWNLOAD: The Axia IP-Audio Driver for Windows, that wondrous little piece of code that allows a PC audio workstation to exchange broadcast-quality audio directly with your Axia network, has been updated and is ready for download. Version 2.5.2.3 can be downloaded and installed using your existing license code; the Driver is now recommended for Windows Vista and Windows 7 OS's, and contains ASIO drivers for use with modern audio workstation software. Get it from www.AxiaAudio.com/downloads/ . If you have the 24-stream version of the Driver, be sure to contact your delivery system vendor and request the latest version directly from them. Not sure if your playout provider is a Livewire partner whose software supports the Driver? Check here: www.AxiaAudio.com/partners/ .

* STEVE CHURCH INTERVIEW ONLINE: When you're breaking new ground, one thing's for sure - you're bound to encounter obstacles you hadn't planned for. On the occasion of Telos founder/CEO Steve Church's being bestowed with 2010's Radio Engineering Achievement Award, he sat down with Radio World's Randy Stine for a one-on-one. "It was a very painful process to get where I wanted to go...no one had ever used [DSP] before for radio broadcast." It's a great interview, as Steve talks about his early days in radio, his wangling of the only prototype DSP chip in the US, and how he came upon the idea for the Zephyr ISDN codec. Read it all at www.Telos-Systems.com/news/ .

* UPDATES, GET YER UPDATES: Nearly every month, Telos, Omnia and Axia software engineers release new and improved software for our products. These updates are free, and they usually add new features that make your broadcast gear easier to use, or give you new ways to solve old problems. It's all a part of the service: the Telos companies are the only broadcast equipment developers that give you 24/7 support 365 days a year, along with the most generous warranties in the business. This month brings a bumper crop of new software releases - be sure to check the "Latest Tech Updates" link later in this email, and bookmark www.AxiaAudio.com/downloads/ , www.OmniaAudio.com/software/ and www.Telos-Systems.com/support/software.htm to make sure your gear is always up to date.

* NEWS FROM THE FIELD:
Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent shipments.

   > Telos Assistant Producer call screening software is assisting producers at:
      Clear Channel, Orlando, Florida
      Crescent Radio's WMAG & WMFR, High Point, North Carolina
      WSVU, North Palm Beach, Florida

   > Omnia-6EX dominates the airwaves at:
      Howard University's WHUR-FM, Washington, D.C.
      WKVI-FM, Knox, Indiana
      Groove Radio KGSG-FM, Tri Cities, Washington

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, June, 2010

"You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality." - Ayn Rand

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IN THIS ISSUE:
* Telos, Omnia, Axia Cool Stuff Award Videos
* New "VoIP In The Broadcast Studio" White Paper
* Omnia buys you an upgrade on your next processor
* Giant Axia network online in New Zealand
* Manager's Guide to Building New Facilities
* News From The Field
* Upcoming Shows
* Tech Tip: PowerStation Setup
* Discrepancy Sheet: Does Transcoding really matter?

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* WE GOT COOL STUFF: You may have heard that Telos, Omnia and Axia picked up several Radio World Cool Stuff awards at NAB this year. The Telos Vx VoIP broadcast phone system, Omnia 11 audio processor and Axia iQ IP-Audio console / router all won – a tech trifect if ever there was one. Radio World made videos profiling these winning products, and they are now online for you to view. Michael "Catfish" Dosch talks about the iQ console at http://tinyurl.com/coolstuff-iq . Frank Foti discusses the potent new Omnia 11 at http://tinyurl.com/coolstuff-o11 . And Telos founder Steve Church and R&D wizard Maris Sprancis debut the Vx VoIP system at http://tinyurl.com/coolstuff-vx .

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* NEW "VOIP IN THE BROADCAST STUDIO" WHITE PAPER: If you didn't get to hear Steve Church & Mike Dosch's presentation of their new White Paper, we understand -- there was an awful lot to see and hear at this year's show. However, it's a paper that deserves your attention, especially in light of AT&T's pending petition to completely abandon the public switched telephone network. How will broadcasters cope with the loss of POTS? And how can they benefit from the advanced technology of VoIP? You can get some ideas by downloading the free paper from www.Telos-Systems.com/techtalk/ .


* PAY FOR AN OMNIA 5FM, GET THE TOP-OF-THE-LINE OMNIA 6EX: The upgrade offer was so amazingly successful that we’re extending it through August 25 2010. No wonder, it’s a whopping $3,900 savings (MSRP). The Omnia 6ex is the loud clean "gold standard" processor that's winning major market ratings all around the world. It's pioneering features include a five-band AGC section with adjustable crossovers to give you surgically-precise control over your signature sound, dual simultaneous processing paths for FM analog and digital HD/DAB, and the world’s first non-aliasing digital clipping system. But all good things MUST come to an end, and so must this offer, which absolutely expires on August 25 2010. Check out www.OmniaAudio.com/6ex-upgrade for details and to take advantage of this offer before it's too late.


* WHAT'S A PUNGANET?: "The challenge was to build a 256x256 audio routing network to serve 25 remote stations across an IP WAN with the possibility to route any source from any location to any destination. Without IP, this would have been crazy expensive. And probably racks full of stuff. With IP, we delivered a compact, impressive system at a remarkably low cost." The latest edition of TWiRT (This Week in Radio Tech), hosted by our own Kirk Harnack, features Igor Zukina of New Zealand's Streamcom. Igor discusses how using Telos Zephyr iPort MPEG gateways, connected via Axia IP-Audio networking using off-the-shelf Cisco routers, transformed a POTS-based radio distribution network to a modern, broadcast-quality national content distribution network. It's a great story, full of technical discussions of interest to anyone who wants to connect distant radio facilities. Listen here: http://tinyurl.com/punganet .


* A MANAGER'S GUIDE TO BUILDING NEW FACILITIES: Recently, our friends at Radio INK ran an excellent article aimed at helping non-technical managers understand the importance of being forward-looking, technologically speaking, when planning for new studios. One of the facilities profiled as an example of "how to do things right" is Border Media Partners' new Axia-powered seven-station facility in San Antonio, Texas. BMP's CTO, Scott Wallace, talks about the process of planning for and building new studios, and offers up invaluable advice about not being afraid to leverage new technology. We've excerpted Scott's interview for you and posted a PDF for reading and download at www.AxiaAudio.com/reprints/ courtesy of our friends at RadioINK.


* NEWS FROM THE FIELD:
Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent shipments.

   > Telos Nx12 Talkshow System to:
      WMIT-FM, Asheville, North Carolina
      KRUX-FM, WRWG-FM, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico
      Sirius Satellite Radio, New York, NY

   > Omnia ONE audio processors are smoothing and clarifying at:
      WYMX-FM, Greenwood, Mississippi
      WKCN-FM & WRLD-FM, PMB Broadcasting, Columbus, Georgia
      Saga Communications, Ithaca, New York

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, May, 2010

"The joy of discovery is certainly the liveliest that the mind of man can ever feel." --Claude Bernard

************************************
IN THIS ISSUE:
* "This Week in Radio Tech" originates from NAB
* New Axia Console Wins Dual Awards 
* Show Brings Triple Honors for Omnia.11
* Telos VX Debut Wins Big at NAB
* New White Paper: VoIP and Broadcasting
* Linear Acoustic Wins STAR Award
* New Omnia Presets Online
* Jay Sekulow Signs On With Axia
* News From The Field
* Upcoming Shows
* Tech Tip: PRI, PBX and Zephyr
* Discrepancy Sheet: Old School DIY

************************************

* HARNACK HOSTS FROM NAB: Did you know that our own Kirk Harnack hosts a weekly technology broadcast called "This Week in Radio Tech" (or "TWiRT" for short)? If you couldn't make it to NAB this year -- or even if you did -- you might want to check out the podcast of TWiRT Episode 28, broadcast LIVE! from the Telos booth in the Las Vegas Convention Center. You'll hear Omnia President Frank Foti and processing guru Corny Gould explain the mysteries of the new Omnia.11 audio processor that's got everyone drooling. Telos CEO Steve Church (fresh from receiving his Radio Engineering Achievement Award) prognosticates on the future of telephony. And codec king Tony Thimet discusses the latest in audio compression. Listen / download / subscribe at http://bit.ly/9vlcGK .

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* AXIA HAS TWICE THE IQ: Axia's new iQ IP console made its debut at NAB, and boy - did it draw attention! Like the cute girl in homeroom, our iQ display was constantly surrounded by admirers. iQ's combination of great looks, fast deployment (thanks to all-in-one Core I/O), IP-Audio networking capabilities and low price -- a 14-fader console with Telco controls and a six-line Telos iQ6 phone system costs less than $12,000 US MSRP -- earned dual awards from NAB-goers. A Cool Stuff award from Radio World and a TechINK Innovation award from RadioINK will be placed in our trophy case, and quite a lot of iQ consoles will be placed in radio stations (if the interest shown at the Show is any indication). Find out if iQ is right for you at www.AxiaAudio.com/iq/  .


* OMNIA DEBUTS ANOTHER THOROUGHBRED: And, as thoroughbreds will, the new Omnia.11 won a triple crown, bringing home Radio World Cool Stuff, Radio magazine's Pick Hit, and RadioINK's TechINK Innovation awards. Engineers seeing Omnia.11 for the first time tended to grin a lot when they found out that the big 10.5" screen wasn't just a display but a touch screen that lets you make adjustments by simply sliding your fingertip across its surface. The grins got even wider once they heard Omnia.11 in action, processing very complicated pieces from a dozen musical genres with a smooth, rich tonality that no other processor can match. New Ultra LoIMD final clipper and Chameleon processing technology that actually analyzes the characteristics of each bit of program audio and adapts to maintain your signature sound are just part of the picture. Get the whole low-down at www.OmniaAudio.com/11/  .


* TELOS VX DEBUT WINS BIG AT NAB: Telos' VX System pulled off a hat trick at NAB 2010 when it won three of the show's major contests - CoolStuff, Pick Hit and TechINK Innovation awards. The new IP-audio studio telephone system received top votes from three distinctive panels of radio engineer judges. One more example of how IP is taking over the broadcast world -- VX is the world's first multi-studio VoIP phone system for broadcast. From the amount of questions, and more than a bit of ogling, it was easy to tell interest was high. But with a scalable VoIP system that uses SIP and RTF protocols and connects up to 80-lines using a simple RJ-45 cable, how could interest have been low? See if the VX is a winner in your book. Check it out at www.Telos-Systems.com/vx/index.html .  


* VOIP FOR BROADCAST MANIFESTO NAILED TO STUDIO DOOR: Just as AT&T is asking the U.S. Congress to let them end support of POTS, Telos CEO Steve Church and Axia president Michael (Catfish) Dosch issue a declaration on VoIP in the broadcast studio. Packed with information and support references, the takeaway from their "how-to" white paper is a "have-to" realization about how to prepare for what's next in broadcast telephony. Download the paper for free at www.Telos-Systems.com/techtalk/  (PDF viewer required).


* EVERYBODY IS A STAR (with apologies to Sly Stone): New gear from Telos, Omnia and Axia swept the radio awards at NAB, but our sister company, Linear Acoustic, didn't go home empty-handed. TV Technology magazine bestowed their STAR Award on the Linear Acoustic LQ-1000 Loudness Quality Meter, a new device that measures peak and overall loudness for up to 8 channels of 5.1 Surround TV audio. Its live display gives constant feedback on the quality of your program audio compared to industry loudness standards, with a histogram to show audio quality over time. Have the guys on your TV side check it out at www.LinearAcoustic.com/lq1000.htm  .


* DOWNLOAD CORNY'S OMNIA PRESETS: If you own an Omnia-6 or Omnia ONE audio processor, you already know that you can not only create your own killer presets, but share them as well. But did you know that Omnia's Corny Gould has been making new presets for you as well? In fact, there are over 30 new presets for Omnia ONE and Omnia-6EX processors posted online that you can download for free. Put them straight to air, or use them as the basis for your own custom audio tweaks. To get them, just navigate to www.OmniaAudio.com/presets  , select your processing platform, and get busy downloading.


* JAY SEKULOW SIGNS ON WITH AXIA: Syndicated radio host Jay Sekulow, the voice of Jay Sekulow Live!, is heard daily on more than 550 radio stations around the US, as well as Sirius/XM satellite radio. And he has new Nashville studios powered with Axia Element, PowerStation and IP-Audio networking gear. You can see Jay's new studio (with Element console and PowerStation console engine) at the Axia Photo Gallery - just visit http://clients.axiaaudio.com/  to see hundreds of downloadable client photos of Axia on-air studios. And if you have pix of your own Axia studios that you'd like to share, shoot an e-mail to cnovak@AxiaAudio.com. We'd love to post your pix!


* NEWS FROM THE FIELD:
Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent shipments.

   > Telos Zephyr/IP Is Transmitting broadcast-quality audio over the Internet at:
      CBS Radio's WBMX-FM, Boston, Massachusetts
      Clear Channel's WCKI-FM (KC101.3), New Haven, Connecticut
      Univision Radio's KQLB-FM, Austin, Texas

   > Omnia ONE is processing audio at:
      CBS Radio's WAOK/WVEE/WZGC, Atlanta, Georgia
      Cumulus' KMGQ-FM, Santa Barbara, California
      Southern California Public Radio's KPCC-FM, Los Angeles

   > Omnia 6EX / EXi is pumping HD at:
      Howard University's WHUR-FM, Washington, D.C.
      WKVI-FM, Knox, Indiana
      KUOW, Puget Sound Public Radio, Seattle, Washington

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, Special Pre-NAB Issue, 2010

Once more, it's that time of year - NAB! Next week, thousands of broadcasters will be converging on Las Vegas to see what's new in broadcasting technology. There will be a lot to see from every direction, and we hope you'll take a few moments to visit us and see the latest new products from Telos, Omnia and Axia. This year, we've moved to the Central Hall, booth #C146, so look for us right next to the entrance doors leading in from the sidewalk in front of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

But before we get to that, let's talk about some special presentations that will be happening at this year's show.

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BEC PRESENTATIONS
--------------------

In 2004, Axia introduced broadcasters to IP-Audio networking -- using standard Ethernet to transport hundreds of channels broadcast-quality audio, machine control and program-associated data over a single CAT-6 cable. Since then, over 1,500 studios built with Axia IP-Audio networking have now been installed worldwide, and audio networking has become one of the hottest topics in radio. As a result of this intense interest, networked audio will be the focus of a half-day Broadcast Engineering Conference session on April 12, the opening day of NAB 2010. The session is titled "IP Audio for Radio" and will include two white papers authored by Telos and Axia experts.

Kirk Harnack, our Director of International Sales and a radio station engineer and owner himself, will first present "Extending AoIP To The Transmitter", written with Nautel’s Chuck Kelly, at 1:30 PM in room S226. Now that FM transmitters are available with AoIP network connections, audio can finally be routed from PC playout systems or other sources all the way to the transmitter and be transported by linear IP-Audio packets across a standard Ethernet/IP network. Kirk and Chuck's paper will show how broadcasters can benefit tangibly from this end-to-end connection,showing how separate functions and systems such as real-time linear audio transport, audio content backup, IP-video security systems, monitoring and control of studio and transmitter gear, plus VoIP and routine IP traffic can all share a common transport infrastructure.

Then, at 2:30 PM, Telos CEO Steve Church will present "VoIP In The Broadcast Studio", a discussion of the convergence of IP telephony and broadcast infrastructure co-authored with Axia President Michael Dosch."VoIP phone systems and AoIP studio networks can be tightly interconnected, creating numerous benefits," says Steve. "Together with Ethernet for transport, they’re driving a revolution in audio studio design, replacing traditional purpose-built mixers, routers and switchers with an architecture that's more computer-friendly, more scalable, faster to install and future-proof." The session will show the benefits of using VoIP to direct call traffic within the studio and connect to the telco network, and the outline the use of SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) to enable advanced, next-generation communication options. In particular, the opportunity for wideband, near hi-fi connections from both mobile and fixed-line callers will be explored.


NEW PRODUCTS
---------------

There are lots of new products from Telos, Omnia and Axia this year - our R&D department has barely had time to grab meals, in-between developing cool new tech. Here's some of what you'll see during your visit to the Telos / Omnia / Axia display:

* Telos VX, a new VoIP-based multi-line, multi-studio Talkshow system that's the first of its kind. The VX system uses Ethernet as its network backbone -- a powerful yet simple way to share phone lines among studios and connect system components. VX uses standard SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) and RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol) protocols, so it works with VoIP-based PBX or SIP-trunking Telco service. VX is scalable, so it can be used with just a few studios, or in facilities with dozens: each VX Engine can direct up to 80 lines of phone traffic across as many as 20 studios. Calls are handled using the new VX Director, a SIP-based phoneset with a big, bright, color-LCD display and animated Status Symbols icons that display line and caller status; or with VX Producer call-screening software, which features a built-in soft-phone and recorder/editor that turns any PC into a phone station. Direct console integration with Axia IP-Audio consoles let talent make and take calls directly from the board. Each VX Engine supports up to 100 control devices, in any combination.

* Nx6, the new six-line version of the popular Telos Nx12 Talkshow System, makes its debut at NAB. Nx6 is designed to give smaller studios a powerful edge with their phone systems; it has four advanced digital hybrids, each with its own AGC, noise gate, and caller override dynamics using carefully-tuned DSP algorithms. Each hybrid also includes Telos DDEQ, a sophisticated multi-band equalizer which analyzes and adjusts audio spectral characteristics from all varieties of phone sets and connection paths so calls sound smooth and consistent. And there's a Dual Studio mode that lets you split control of incoming lines between two studios for maximum flexibility. Like its big brother, Nx12, Nx6 works with POTS or ISDN BRI phone lines and can plug directly into Axia networks.

* Z/IP ONE is the newest addition to the Zephyr/IP Family. Z/IP codecs use exclusive Telos ACT (Agile Connection Technology) and the most advanced high-efficiency audio codecs to get the best from unpredictable public Internet connections; Z/IP ONE puts this power into a space-saving 1RU package with a $1,995 US list price that makes Internet remotes more affordable than ever. Z/IP ONE is wireless capable and can connect to IP networks via Wi-Fi, EVDO, and UMTS, and it even supports SIP 2.0 protocol to enable connections with VoIP devices and compatible PBXs.

* What do you get when you take a room full of industry leading pioneers, with decades of cutting-edge experience, and tell them to build their dream product from the ground up, even if it means re-thinking existing technology? Omnia.11. With its completely re-thought approach to audio processing, the Omnia.11 represents years of R&D that make a clearly audible difference you'll hear instantly. Omnia.11 introduces advanced ner "proactive" AGCs, compressors and limiters and a brand-new, Ultra-Low IMD multiband limiter system that will make your competition weak with envy. Our engineers tell us that "AGC in the Omnia.11 employs auto-acceleration/deceleration mechanisms that eliminate perceptible intermodulation distortion and use content density sensitive attack/release functions to transparently control the signal." "The result," according to Omnia Main Man Frank Foti, "is a better-performing, easier to use, and most importantly, exceedingly better sounding processor – scratch that – exceedingly better sounding *broadcast* that reveals more detail, clarity and quality while maintaining your desired competitive loudness level." Frank's excited, and that means you will be, too, when you hear Omnia.11.

* From Axia comes iQ, the new console + routing system. iQ is a self-contained console that can also connect to an Axia network. It's fully customizable and scalable; the 20-input iQ Core comes loaded with I/O for analog and digital audio devices, Mic inputs, an Ethernet switch to connect Livewire devices, and supports large consoles of up to 24 faders. The console itself is scalable, too: start with the eight-fader iQ Main Frame; add expansion frames with more faders and capabilities to tailor iQ to your studio’s needs. iQ is uber-easy to set up: you just connect the iQ console to the iQ Core (that's the mixing engine with built-in I/O) using a single cable, add audio inputs via CAT-5 cable, perform some fast web-based configuration, and your iQ system is ready to broadcast. It's perfect for standalone studios, but can also daisy-chain with up to 4 other iQ Cores -- or use the built-in Gigabit port to connect with larger Axia networks when your facilities grow.

* Along with the iQ console comes the Telos iQ6 Telco gateway. Just plug it into your iQ Core and you instantly add a six-line phone system to your iQ console - one CAT-5 cable is all it takes! iQ6 has the same 3rd-generation hybrid tech that makes Telos Nx12 and Nx6 systems sound so good, and since it's made specifically to work with the iQ console, it's very cost-effective as well.

* Axia IP-Intercom breaks down the barriers between your broadcast audio and your communications channels. Finally, you can take full-bandwidth intercom audio from anywhere in your facility and put it right on the air, without jumping through hoops or making last-minute jumper connections. Like all Axia gear, IP-Intercom connects using Ethernet, so the days of using expensive multi-pair cable, or limiting the number of stations due to cost are a thing of the past. There are 1RU intercom stations for use in any turret or TOC rack, and drop-in modules for Axia Element consoles that put intercom control right on the board where talent needs it most. And IP-Intercom has hands-free auto-answer with Advanced Echo Cancellation by Fraunhofer Labs -- it literally eliminates open-mic feedback without speaker muting. Just open a channel and start talking, to individuals or groups. You'll be amazed by what you hear.

These are just some of the new goodies we'll be displaying at NAB, so we hope you'll come by and see the full range of new technology (and grab one of our full-color What's New! catalogs to drool over during the flight home).


CONGRATULATIONS, STEVE CHURCH
-----------------------------------

Finally, you may have heard that Telos founder Steve Church has been chosen as radio’s recipient of this year's Radio & Television Engineering Achievement Award, which according to the NAB is "given to individuals for their significant contributions which have advanced the state of the art of broadcast engineering." There's no need for false modesty here: we think Steve deserves it! He designed the first DSP-based product for radio broadcast applications, the Telos 10 digital telephone hybrid. He was the first to design a product using MP3 – the famous Telos Zephyr ISDN codec – and played a key role in popularizing codecs for PC and Internet music applications. As co-inventor of Axia Livewire, he is a pioneer in IP-Audio technology, and has co-authored the definitive treatise on the subject, Audio Over IP: Building Pro AoIP Systems with Livewire, published by Focal Press. He has also written works on broadcast telephony which are part of the NAB Engineering Handbook. Steve will be honored with the award at the NAB Technology Luncheon on April 14th, along with ATSC President Mark Richer, who will receive this year's Television Engineering Achievement award.

By the way, if you'd like to have a signed copy of Steve's book ("Audio Over IP: Building Pro AoIP Systems With Livewire", co-authored with Skip Pizzi), he'll be autographing them at the NAB Show Store in the Central Hall Lobby on Tuesday, April 13, from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM.


See you at NAB - Central Hall, booth #C146!

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, February, 2010

"Once a new technology rolls over you, if you're not part of the steamroller, you're part of the road." -- Stewart Brand

************************************
IN THIS ISSUE:
* Steve Church Honored by NAB
* Axia Introduces IP-Intercom
* Element In The News - Literally
* Nx6: Six Lines, No Waiting
* Church, Dosch, Harnack to Give NAB Papers
* Last Chance: Upgrade to Omnia 6EX On Us
* What's Better Than A Z/IP? Two Z/IPs
* Upcoming Events
* Latest Tech Updates:
* Tech Tip: DIY GPS NTP Master Clock
* Discrepancy Sheet: Church / Pizzi Book Excerpt

************************************

* STEVE CHURCH HONORED BY NAB: Each year, NAB presents the Radio & Television Engineering Achievement Awards, "given to individuals for their significant contributions which have advanced the state of the art of broadcast engineering." This year, Telos founder Steve Church is the recipient of this award, and although we're a bit biased, we certainly think they made a great choice! Steve will be presented with the award at this year's NAB Technology Luncheon on Wednesday, April 14, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. We hope that you'll be able to attend! Our congratulations also to the ATSC's Mark Richer, who will receive the TV award. Read more at http://nab.org/documents/newsRoom/pressRelease.asp?id=2204  .

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* AXIA INTRODUCES IP-INTERCOM: It's only a matter of time before the Axia gang figures out how to put IP into everything. Their latest is IP-Intercom, a full family of intercom equipment that includes rackmount stations and drop-in modules for Axia Element 2.0 mixing consoles. Yeah, that's right - intercom right in the console! Operators can put any intercom audio on the air - immediately. Along with auto-answer and hands-free operation, IP-Intercom features new Advanced Echo Cancellation (AEC) technology licensed from Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute, a really amazing new technology that literally ELIMINATES open-mic feedback. Learn more at www.AxiaAudio.com/intercom/  .

* ELEMENT IN THE NEWS - LITERALLY: When CHEK-TV in Victoria, British Columbia built a brand new studio and went all digital, they chose to us an Axia Element broadcast concole to handle the studio audio feeds. But wait - isn't CHEK a TV station? And isn't Element a radio console? Right on both accounts, and as far we know, CHEK is the first TV station to do so. The big question is, how has Element performed for them? See it for yourself at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzg-LjCBi58  .

* NX6: SIX LINES, NO WAITING: There's a new kid in town -- Nx6, a compact six-line version of our popular Nx12 talkshow system. Nx6 is stuffed with cool tech, like four adaptive digital hybrids with our most advanced DSP to make callers sound their best. Each hybrid has its own adjustable AGC and noise gate by Omnia, and our legendary Digital Dynamic EQ. Perfect for talk or interview shows where 6 analog or digital phone lines are all you need. Adaptive Hybrid technology makes sure you get excellent caller-to-caller consistency, whether you’re using POTS or ISDN. Best of all, you can get an Nx6 Package that's ready to go, with a Desktop Director and Assistant Producer call screening software, for $3,995. Read more at http://telos-systems.com/nx/  .

* CHURCH, DOSCH, HARNACK TO GIVE PAPERS AT NAB: Next month, our very own Kirk Harnack, Michael "Catfish" Dosch, and Steve Church,will be presenting papers at the NAB's Broadcast Engineering Conference. As part of the IP Audio For Radio Conference on Monday, April 12, Kirk Harnack will present "Extending AoIP to the Transmitter" at 1:30pm. Later, at 2:30PM, Michael Dosch and Steve Church will show how a VoIP-based studio phone system can give increased operational flexibility, equipment compatibility, and cost-efficiency in "VoIP In The Broadcast Studio." Get all the details at http://tinyurl.com/ylyax6a  .

* LAST CHANCE: UPGRADE TO OMNIA-6EX ON US: Response has been so overwhelming we couldn't end this deal while a few of you (literally only a few!) haven't taken us up on it. Omnia is still willing to buy you an upgrade to an Omnia-6EX, our top-of-the-line audio processor, when you purchase an Omnia-5FM -- a value of $3,900 (MSRP). Omnia-6EX has become radio’s "gold standard," with pioneering features like dual simultaneous processing paths for HD Radio and conventional FM, the world’s first non-aliasing digital clipping system, six-band limiter for conventional FM, and 5-band AGC section with adjustable crossovers give you surgically-precise control over your signature sound. Check out www.OmniaAudio.com/6ex-upgrade for details, then call your Omnia distributor before we come to our senses.

* WHAT'S BETTER THAN A Z/IP? TWO Z/IPS: The promise of remotes over easily available IP connections sure sounds great. With Zephyr/IP, that promise is finally delivered, with excellent sound quality, low delay and advanced technology that makes the absolute best of public Internet connections. Of course, to do a remote, you need a codec on both the send and receive ends, right? So, to help you make the leap into IP remotes, we've got an NAB special that's too good to pass up: purchase any two (2) models of the ground-breaking Zephyr/IP for $5995 US MSRP, a savings of $3995. Choose either the 3RU or 2RU studio rackmount version or the compact ZIP Mixer, but do it fast; this is a limited time offer. Find your nearest Telos representative at www.Telos-Systems.com/dealer/  .

* NEWS FROM THE FIELD:
Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent shipments.

> Telos Zephyr is streaming audio for:
    Godaddy.com, Scottsdale, Arizona
    WQDR-FM, Curtis Media Group, Raleigh, North Carolina
    WADO-AM, New York, New York
    Sirius Satellite Radio, New York, New York
    KRDA-FM, Univision, Fresno, California

> Omnia-6EX/EXi makes FM sparkle at:
    KCFX-FM, Cumulus Media, Radio Mission, Kansas
    WXRT-FM, CBS Radio, Chicago, Illinois
    WKBU-FM, Entercom, New Orleans, Louisiana
    KZEN-FM, Three Eagles Communications, Lincoln, Nebraska
    WUKY-FM, University of Kentucky
    
> Axia Element 2.0 consoles are on the air at:
    RTL Networks, Paris, France
    KXL, Alpha Broadcasting, Portland, Oregon
    KSHE-FM, Emmis Broadcasting, St. Louis, Missouri
    KWVS-FM, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California
    KGTS-FM, Walla Walla College, College Place, Washington
 

* UPCOMING EVENTS: Come by and see Telos, Omnia and Axia folks at:
    - April 12-15 NAB Show Las Vegas, NV - Central Hall, Booth C146

* LATEST TECH UPDATES FROM TELOS / OMNIA / AXIA:
- Axia PowerStation: Ver. 1.0.2g software: http://www.AxiaAudio.com/downloads/
- Axia Element 2.0 software Ver. 2.2.0.9 - http://www.AxiaAudio.com/downloads/
- Axia Studio Engine Ver. 2.4.10k1 - http://www.AxiaAudio.com/downloads/
- Telos NX12: Ver. 1.2.1r software - http://Telos-Systems.com/support/software.htm
- Telos Nx6: Ver. 1.2.3r software - http://Telos-Systems.com/support/software.htm
- Telos iPort Ver. 1.2.0 software - http://Telos-Systems.com/support/software.htm

* TECH TIP: DIY NTP GPS MASTER CLOCK - User "Jon" posted this great tip on the Axia forum at http://tinyurl.com/diyntp: "You can configure a WinXP box to run as an NTP server & sync to internet, but a simpler solution is to install Tardis on the station & sync it to an internet to a reliable internet clock (like time.nrc.ca) on a 10 minute cycle then point your NTP...to the local IP of the workstation. If you are running a firewall on the station, be sure to modify it for the port you are broadcasting the NTP on. http://www.kaska.demon.co.uk/tardis.htm ." Thanks for the tip, Jon! Got a tech tip to share? Send it to cnovak@AxiaAudio.com and we might just use it in the next eNews.

* DISCREPANCY SHEET: "Audio Over IP: Building Pro AoIP Studios With Livewire," the new book by Steve Church and Skip Pizzi, is a great guide not only for folks getting into AoIP, but as a general primer on VoIP and network design as well. The folks at Audio Design Line have found it so useful, in fact, that they've posted a an entire chapter on basic IP/Ethernet networking fundamentals on their website. Read it now at http://www.audiodesignline.com/howto/222600129  .

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, January, 2010

"An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves." - Bill Vaughan

************************************
IN THIS ISSUE:
* Telos Intros New Nx6 Talkshow System
* AT&T to Abandon POTS?
* Axia Scores A Home Run
* Steve Church Conducts Telco Course for SBE
* Upgrade to Omnia A/XE On Us
* Expanded European Support
* A Moving Moment
* Omnia-6 Deal Still Going Strong
* Upcoming Events
* Latest Tech Updates
* Tech Tip: No Blinky Light
* Discrepancy Sheet: Psuedoscience

************************************


* TELOS INTROS NEW Nx6 TALKSHOW SYSTEM: Since we first introduced our Nx12 Talkshow System, radio stations have been in love with it. Easy to use, fast to set up, Axia Livewire single-cable connectivity, the ability to use analog or digital phone lines -- our clients told us we had a real winner on our hands. At the same time, they told us they wanted a six-line version for smaller installations, or for stations with less talk-intensive formats. And so we obliged! Introducing the new Nx6 Talkshow System, with many of the features of its "big brother" Nx12, including four advanced digital hybrids, echo cancellation, Digital Dynamic EQ and "split mode" that lets you use one system to simultaneously power two studios. The Nx6 package includes a Telos Desktop Director with Status Symbols and a copy of Assistant Producer call-screening software too, all for a MSRP of just $3,995. See and read all about it at www.Telos-Systems.com/nx/  .

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* AT&T TO ABANDON POTS? In a filing a couple of weeks ago, AT&T has asked the FCC to let it switch off the Public Switched Telephone network, replacing it with IP broadband. A pdf is at http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7020354032 . Some of the stats cited by AT&T in its filing include their estimate that 18 million US subscribers have opted for VoIP services like Skype and Vonage, and the statement that less than 20% of Americans still use POTS exclusively. In light of this landmark filing, it's even more timely that Telos CEO Steve Church and Axia President Michael Dosch will present a paper called "VoIP in the Broadcast Studio" at this year's NAB Broadcast Engineering Conference. It's part of a half-day "IP Audio for Radio" series to be presented on Monday, April 12 - for details, visit http://tinyurl.com/ipaudio2010  .


* AXIA SCORES A HOME RUN: What do Murray's Steak Sandwiches, Joe Mauer and Axia Audio have in common? You can find them all at Target Field, the new home of the Minnesoata Twins. Axia distributor Broadcaster's General Store recently received an order for two Element consoles and an Axia network that will be used for audio distribution at the new stadium. Among the truck-load of cool stuff they're getting: new Axia IP-Intercom controllers that drop right into their Element 2.0 consoles. Get more information about Element and the new IP-Intercom gear at www.AxiaAudio.com/brochures/  .


* STEVE CHURCH CONDUCTS TELCO COURSE FOR SBE: Telos founder Steve Church has recently collaborated with the SBE to produce an online course provides a complete overview of Telco topics, giving course-takers a working understanding of how the signal gets from end to end, how to troubleshoot Telco problems and how to properly interface broadcast equipment to the Telco world. Great for radio or TV engineers! To learn more, check out www.sbe.org/VoiceTelcoCourse.php  .


* UPGRADE TO OMNIA A/XE ON US: Existing Omnia A/X users can upgrade to Omnia A/XE - Processed Audio Encoding for Windows - at no charge. Omnia A/XE can handle multiple audio inputs at the same time, on the same PC, can encode the audio to MP3 or AAC, and send the encoded audio to multiple servers at the same time. Using the included "virtual audio cable," Omnia A/XE can also accept audio from other software apps on the same PC without needing to route through a physical sound card. And, the topper: A/XE can then feed its audio directly to other applications on the same PC (e.g. third-party encoders). Existing A/X users can head on over to www.OmniaAudio.com/products/coded-audio/omnia-axe/139.html to get your upgrade. Not an A/X user? Learn more about A/XE at www.OmniaAudio.com/products/coded-audio/omnia-axe  .


* EXPANDED EUROPEAN SUPPORT: We're pleased to announce the appointment of Peter Passian as Telos' Director of Sales & Business Development in Europe, as well as Werner Gabel as the Manager of the new Telos Authorized Repair Center in Europe. Peter and Werner are well-known to our German clients via their many years of independent sales and support of Telos, Omnia and Axia gear. To get in touch with Peter, drop him a line at peter@telos-systems.com , and be sure to add the European Repair Center's phone to your data keeper: +49.(0)941.29.799.870


* A MOVING MOMENT: Well, more like a moving couple of weeks! After a decade at our familiar address in Cleveland, we've moved to larger facilities down the street to serve you better. With so many products in our roster of broadcast goodies (and so many more under wraps in our R&D lab), we simply outgrew our old haunts. (Not to mention, we needed an excuse to make Frank clean out his office. Really, how many Volumaxes does one guy need?) Make a note of our new address at 1241 Superior Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44114 USA, and if you're in the neighborhood, there's always a standing invitation to stop by. Our phone numbers, fax number and email addresses remain the same.


* OMNIA-6 DEAL STILL GOING: We've had great response to our offer to buy you an upgrade to an Omnia-6EX, our top-of-the-line audio processor, when you purchase an Omnia-5FM The upgrade is a value of $3,900 (MSRP), so interest has naturally been high. And folks are wondering: when will this offer end? The truth is, we're not entirely certain ourselves. (We were sure the accountants would have noticed by now, but apparently the Cleveland winter sent them into hibernation.) Check out www.OmniaAudio.com/products/fm-broadcast/ for details, then call your Omnia distributor while the offer is still good.


* NEWS FROM THE FIELD:
Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent shipments.

> Telos Nx6 & Nx12 Talkshow Systems have calls under control at
    KMLE Phoenix, Arizona
    WVIT West Hartford, Connecticut
    WAFR Tupelo, Mississippi
    U. S. Senate Washington, DC

> Omnia ONE is processing audio for
    Heritage Media Leitchfield, Kentucky
    KABU Saint Michael, North Dakota
    WPTW Piqua, Ohio
    KNUE Tyler, Texas
    
> AXIA's IP-Audio is passing packets at
    Studio 27 Lebanon, Texas
    WAFR Tupelo, Mississippi
    KWVE Radio Santa Ana, California
    Bonnadonna Media, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania


* UPCOMING EVENTS: Come by and see Telos, Omnia and Axia folks at:
    - Jan 29-31 BES Expo 2010 New Delhi, India - Booth #56
    - Feb 27- Mar 2 NRB Nashville, TN - look for us in the BGS booth
    - April 12-15 NAB Show Las Vegas, NV - Central Hall, Booth C146


* LATEST TECH UPDATES FROM TELOS / OMNIA / AXIA:
    - Telos Assistant Producer 3.5.28 software update - www.Telos-Systems.com/ap/default.htm
    - Telos AP Server Control Protocol SDK (formerly 2101SDK) update to v2.5.1.
        - www.Telos-Systems.com/support/software.htm
    - Omnia A/XE v1.16
        - www.OmniaAudio.com/support/software/388-omnia-axe-processed-audio-encoding-for-windows.html


* TECH TIP: What does it mean when the little green LED on the ISDN NT-1 card is blinking? This is a great question that was asked at www.experts123.com/q/what-does-it-mean-when-my-little-green-led-on-the-isdn-nt-1-card-is-blinking.html . We couldn't have answred it better ourselves. Oh wait, we did! "That means either no ISDN line connected, or the line is not functioning properly. With no line connected, the LED should flash evenly about 5 times per second. When a good ISDN line plugged in to the "U"port, the LED should revert to a steady "on" condition." Read more Telos FAQs at www.Telos-Systems.com/support/faq.htm

* DISCREPANCY SHEET: This week's issue of eSkeptic has a nice primer on audio electronics pseudoscience. It's a short fun read that explodes a bunch of the stupid audio myths we've all come to roll our eyes at. Our favorite myth (one you might remember): "You can improve the sound of a CD by painting its outer edge with a green felt marker pen. Yes, it must be green." Break out your Sharpies and expose the truth behind other myths at www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/10-01-06  .

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, December, 2009

"New Year's Resolution: To tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time." - James Agate

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IN THIS ISSUE:
* Another Smooth Install
* Omnia in the History Books
* A Good Deal Gets Better
* Even More Pics!
* Clients Praise 24/7 Service
* Yes, Omnia is Different
* Another Home Run for Axia
* More Free Stuff
* News from the Field
* Upcoming Events
* Latest Tech Updates:
* Tech Tip: Omnia ONE Password Protection
* Discrepancy Sheet: Curta Calculators

************************************


* AUDIO VIDEO'S AXIA INSTALL GOES SMOOTHLY: Surprised? We're not! With the help of Axia Dealer Alfonzo Lopez of 305 Broadcast, Audio Video Broadcast Group recently upgraded its flagship facility. Consisting of six stations broadcasting high-energy talk 18 hours a day, the facility's backbone is now fully Axia-fied, not to mention the addition of a new Axia on-air studio for their flagship station. Since the entire system is IT based, Audio Video's Tech Staff was able to get everything in place and ready for a seamless transmission. To get all the details, check out the Radio World article at http://tinyurl.com/yhyggon .

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* OMNIA MAKES HISTORY, SAYS NEW BOOK: Greg Milner's book "Perfecting Sound Forever" recounts some of the greatest moments in broadcast history. Covering major innovations such as Thomas Edison's reproduction of live performances and the discovery of magnetic tape during WWII, our favorite part retells the roots of Omnia Audio, and how Omnia revolutionized the recording and broadcast industry (not to mention powering the 90's loudness wars). Read more at  www.OmniaAudio.com/news/press-releases/129.html and get ready to relive broadcasting's history (and maybe even change the way you think about music).


* TELOS NX12 SETS NEW STANDARDS: For a limited time, Telos Systems is offering a free Desktop Director AND Assistant Producer Software when you purchase an Nx12 Talkshow System and Desktop Director. The Nx12 is our most powerful performer; it gives you the latest hybrid technology and audio processing by Omnia for the cleanest, most consistent call quality ever.  Dave Ramsey, and other popular talk shows on radio and TV are using the Nx12 every day. What could be better than owning the world's best Talkshow system, and getting over $2,000 worth of goodies on us? This offer ends January 1, 2010, so contact your favorite Telos dealer for more info or visit www.Telos-Systems.com/dealer/ .


* OMNIA EXTENDS HOLIDAY GIVING: Omnia Audio has decided to extend the giving season into next year. To kick off the New Year, purchase an Omnia-5FM and Omnia will buy you an upgrade to an Omnia-6EX, the top-of-the-line processor that’s the choice of major market stations around the world. It’s Omnia’s gift to you -- a value of $3,900 (MSRP). Omnia-6EX has become radio’s "gold standard," with pioneering features like dual simultaneous processing paths for HD Radio and conventional FM, the world’s first non-aliasing digital clipping system, six-band limiter for conventional FM, and 5-band AGC section with adjustable crossovers give you surgically-precise control over your signature sound. Check out www.OmniaAudio.com/products/fm-broadcast/ for details.


* WHAT? MORE PICS?: Just letting you know we've added more photos to the Axia Client Photos pages at http://clients.AxiaAudio.com . New pix from Jay Sekulow Live!, MBC-TV in Mauritius, Pravda Radio in Moscow, Russia, QF Radio in Doha, Qatar, and MPower Radio in Witbank, South Africa to name but a few. Check 'em out! And if you have the CoolIris plugin for your browser, don't forget to use it to see the Impressive Wall O' Axia - we've got over 600 client photos online now.


* COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER: Here's a quick note that we received from Jack Roland about our awesome 24/7 support team: "We had a console controller go bad early on a Saturday, and I was extremely pleased with Tom's prompt help and being able to get a replacement Telos Console controller to me SAME DAY on the weekend.  UNBELIEVABLE!  I was able to install it less than 7 hours after he and I talked and the Monday morning show on KOSI didn't even have to know there was a problem!  GREAT JOB TOM, and TELOS! Jack E. Roland, CBRE, CBNT - Chief Engineer - Entercom Denver." We're here for you anytime: phone +1-216-622-0247 for support on any Telos, Omnia or Axia product, any time of the day or night.


* WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT OMNIA: Yes, we admit it. We think that Omnia Audio processors are better than the rest. We have even told you this a few times. But, this time it's different. Our very own Kirk Harnack has put together a detailed explanation of the competitive advantages of Omnia 6EX / 6EXi processors. See it for yourself at www.OmniaAudio.com/support/white-papers/87 .


* ELEMENT TOPS CHARTS IN FRANCE: DJ Oriska apparently has a new love in her life. Featured (at least in our eyes), in the video accompanying the current #1 hit in France, is nothing other than Axia's Element Console. Please ignore the bikini-clad model and focus only on the console... thank you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7f3gJebeS8 .


* MORE OMNIA GOODNESS: Omnia Audio clients have long since been known for creating the most cutting-edge sounds in the Radio Broadcast industry. To help facilitate and inspire the creation of new signature sounds, Omnia Audio has added a new section to its website. With Presets created by the Radio Broadcast community and our own Audio Processing R&D Team, Omnia Audio clients can freely download and use these creations as-is or as the basis for new Presets. Get yours today at www.OmniaAudio.com/support/presets.html .

* "THE TECH GUY" UPGRADES TO AXIA: Leo Laporte just upgraded to Axia. As they say, a picture if worth a thousand words. So, how many words is cool, fast-paced video worth? You tell us. Check out  http://tinyurl.com/yhu739v .


* NEWS FROM THE FIELD:
Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent shipments.

> Telos Zephyr/IP Is Transmitting High-quality, low-delay audio over public IP for:
    KCRW, Santa Monica, California
    Citadel Broadcasting, New York City
    WYCA, Hammond, Indiana
    Innovative Broadcasting, Germantown, Maryland
    ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism Phoenix, Arizona

> Omnia ONE delivers amazing audio at:
    Bluewater Broadcasting, Montgomery, Alabama
    WSMC, Collegedale, Tennessee
    KDXY / KEGO / KJBX, Jonesboro, Arkansas
    WSHW, Frankfort, Indiana
    Vilkie Communications, Meadville, Pennsylvania
    
> Axia PowerStation is redefining IP-Audio at:
    Winona State University, Winona, Minnesota
    WNIN-TV, Evansville, Indiana
    Jay Sekulow Live! Nashville, Tennessee


* UPCOMING EVENTS: Come by and see Telos, Omnia and Axia folks at:
    - Jan 29-31 BES Expo 2010 New Delhi, India - Booth #56
    - Feb 27- Mar 2 NRB Nashville, TN - look for us in the BGS booth
    - April 12-15 NAB Show Las Vegas, NV - Central Hall, Booth C146


* LATEST TECH UPDATES FROM TELOS / OMNIA / AXIA:
    Telos Series 2101 – T1 Trunk Requirements Service Bulletin www.Telos-Systems.com/support/csb/TCSB-101109b.pdf
    Mix Minus to a Telos One From an Analog Mixer Service Bulletin www.Telos-Systems.com/support/csb/TCSB-101109a.pdf
    Telos iPort 1.0.8a software update www.Telos-Systems.com/support/software.htm
    Telos Zephyr/IP 2.7.1 software update: www.Telos-Systems.com/support/software.htm
    Telos Profiler Audio Card Driver update: www.Telos-Systems.com/support/software.htm
    Axia Element Module Firmware v4.25 update: www.AxiaAudio.com/download/


* TECH TIP: Did you know that you can password protect the front panel menu access of your Omnia ONE? Just navigate your way to the Administrative Menu, which is accessible via the Main Menu. Select "Security" and then highlight and click "Enter Password." The "Name" field will be automatically highlighted with <none> displayed. Click and <none> will be replaced by the editing cursor. Enter your password with the jog wheel. When finished, rotate the jog wheel to highlight "Save" and click to save the password. More details can be found in the Omnia ONE manual, available at www.OmniaAudio.com/support/manuals.html . Got a tech tip or question of your own? Write us - if we publish it in eNews, you'll get some nifty Telos / Omnia / Axia swag.


* DISCREPANCY SHEET: Yes, we admit it, we're geeks. Last time we told you about the cool new iPhone HP12c emulator app. Well, this time we kick it old school with the Curta Calculator website at www.vcalc.net/cu.htm . What is a Curta Calulator, you may ask (bonus points if you already know)? It is a hand-cranked mechanical calculator patented in 1938 (!) that can perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and even square roots and other operations. Electricity? We don't need no stinking electricity! Be sure to check out the online simulators too - a mech-head's delight.

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, September, 2009

"In order to act, you must be somewhat insane. A reasonably sensible man is satisfied with thinking." - Georges Clemenceau

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IN THIS ISSUE:
* Congratulations, Marconi Winners
* Axia Summer Party Tour Wraps Up
* When disaster strikes, we're ready
* New book on IP-Audio available
* Book signing at AES
* Omnia owners speak out
* Axia Phone Deal nearing the end
* News from the Field
* Upcoming Events
* Latest Tech Updates: Omnia-6
* Tech Tip: PPM processor questions
* Discrepancy Sheet

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* CONGRATULATIONS, DAVE RAMSEY & WBEB-FM: Two members of the Axia family have won 2009 Marconi Awards, which are given by the NAB to personalities and stations "to recognize excellence in radio." This year, Axia client Dave Ramsey, who is syndicated on more than 400 affiliates and is also seen on Fox Business Network, won the Marconi for Network/Syndicated Personality of the Year, and Philadelphia's top-rated WBEB-FM (also an Axia client) won no less than _two_ awards, for Major Market Station of the Year and AC Station of the Year. While we take special pride that these significant broadcasters' efforts are powered by Axia IP-Audio consoles and networks, we congratulate all Marconi recipients on a job well done! You can see the entire list of 2009 Marconi winners at http://tinyurl.com/ycw3p9e  .

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* AXIA SUMMER PARTY TOUR WRAPS UP: It's been a great summer, visiting engineers and Axia-powered radio facilities from coast-to-coast, but after visiting 18 cities in just 12 weeks, our Ken Skok is ready for a rest. We're sending him off in style, however, with one last stop, at Journal Broadcast's WTMJ in Milwaukee on Thursday, October 15th. If you're in the area and would like to get a tour of Journal's new facilities (along with dinner on us and the chance to win an Acer netbook computer), visit www.AxiaAudio.com/tour/  for more details.


* WE'RE ALWAYS HERE TO HELP: Last month, wildfires in Southern California nearly laid waste to Mount Wilson, where primary transmitters and towers for many of Los Angeles' FM and TV stations are located. Luckily, that disaster was averted, but many aren't so fortunate. If you or a broadcaster you know is the unfortunate recipient of mother nature's wrath, Telos, Omnia, Axia and Linear Acoustic stand by to help with our Natural Disaster Priority Service. If you need immediate equipment shipment due to a natural disaster, just call our 24/7 Support phone line at +1(216) 622-0247 and request Natural Disaster Priority Service. We hope that nothing bad ever happens to your facilities - but we're ready to give assistance at a moment's notice should you need it.


* NEW IP-AUDIO BOOK: IP-Audio has taken broadcasting by storm. Much has been written about the advantages of this technology in blogs, websites and articles - but have you ever wished for a comprehensive technical book that reveals all of IP-Audio's secrets? If so, your wish is granted: Telos Founder/CEO Steve Church and noted technology journalist Skip Pizzi have collaborated on a new Focal Press book entitled "Audio Over IP: Building Pro AoIP Studios with Livewire." It's 180 pages of concise, practical examples of how IP-Audio systems go together, how it can benefit broadcasters planning new studios, and examining the future of where AoIP can take us. It'll be out in October, and can be pre-ordered now from retailers like Amazom.com and Barnes & Noble; read more at www.AxiaAudio.com/news/  .


* BOOK SIGNING AT AES: Would you like Steve and Skip to sign a copy of their new book for you? Stop by Focal Press, Booth 263 on the exhibit floor of New York's Javits Center at the 127th AES Convention on Saturday, October 10th, 2009 at 4 PM. Steve and Skip will both be there, ready as always to chat about what's new in the world of technology, as well as to put their autographs on freshly-printed stacks of books. Visit www.aes.org  for more convention details.


* CLIENTS TALK ABOUT OMNIA: We've been telling you for years how clients rave about Omnia-6, the audio processor that's the choice of major stations in top markets around the globe. And how they praise Omnia ONE, the 1RU box with a sound as big as Sears Tower. But why take our word for it? We've been collecting people's comments, and we've posted them at www.OmniaAudio.com/news/testimonials.html . Read how people feel about Omnia audio processing - then contact your Omnia distributor and hear it for yourself.


* AXIA PHONE DEAL COMING TO AN END: Sure, those marketing types always say things like "Act now! Limited-time offer!" And we ignore them, because they're usually lying. But time really is short for you to get a free Telos Nx12 phone system from Axia - this deal ends for good on October 30th, 2009. Here's how it works: buy an Axia Element 2.0 console for your next studio build, with power supply, Axia StudioEngine, 2 or more Audio Nodes and any phone control device (like an Element Phone module or Telos Desktop Director or Call Controller), and we'll send you a Telos Nx12 that connects to your new Axia network using just one skinny CAT-5 cable. But like I said, you'd better hurry. Check www.AxiaAudio.com/phones/  for full details.


* NEWS FROM THE FIELD:
Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent shipments.

> Telos Zephyr codecs are connecting at:

> Omnia 6EX / 6EXi is procesing audio at:

> Axia networks are moving audio at:

* UPCOMING EVENTS: Come by and see Telos, Omnia and Axia folks at:
   - 127th AES Convention, New York City, October 9-12 - www.aes.org
   - Axia Summer Party Tour, Final Stop: October 15, WTMJ, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
   - SATIS, Paris, France, with SAVE Diffusion, October 20-22 - www.siel-satis.com
   - CAPER Expo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, October 27-30 - www.caper.org.ar
   - Broadcast India, Mumbai, October 29-31 - www.broadcastindiashow.com


* LATEST TECH UPDATES FROM TELOS / OMNIA / AXIA:

* TECH TIP: PROCESSOR PLACEMENT FOR OPTIMAL PPM: Sean Galbraith of Toronto, Ontario's Z103.5 FM writes asking "Do Omnia audio processors affect PPM signals? Does it matter if you place the PPM signal before processing, or after?" A timely question indeed, seeing as PPM is rolling out across North America in more and more markets. Omnia's Mark Manolio replies: "Omnia does not affect PPM any more or less than any other audio processor. However, it is important that the PPM signal be injected BEFORE audio processing, in order that the overall signal may be processed accurately." Got a tech tip or question of your own? Write us - if we publish it in eNews, you'll get some nifty Telos / Omnia / Axia swag.

* DISCREPANCY SHEET: We love our iPhones. And we love our HP calculators. So when CNet recently reported that Hewlett-Packard has an HP12c calculator emulator for iPhone, we all had a momentary bit of nirvana. The screenshots in the article look awesome, and at less than $30, it's geek-affordable (since trying to buy an original 12c in working order will set you back a pretty penny these days, when they can even be found). Check out the reverse-Polish goodness at http://tinyurl.com/iphone12c .

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, August, 2009

"With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine" - Ross Callon

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IN THIS ISSUE:
Network with us at NAB
Omnia.6EX - winner and still champion
Telos 24/7 Support gets rave reviews
Axia "Phone Deal" is going strong
Axia is on the air at Moody Radio
Telos & Axia in the news
Want Omnia presets? Get 'em from Corny
News From The Field
Upcoming Events
Tech Tips:
Discrepancy Sheet
************************************

* NETWORK WITH US AT NAB: Is IP-Audio "on your list" of things to find out about? Or maybe you're ready for it, but not sure where to start. Seeing as we invented IP-Audio, we might be able to help with that! Our Kirk Harnack will be leading an NAB Engineering Session designed to cover what every broadcast engineer needs to know about IP-Audio, demonstrating how to simply and efficiently plan, implement, and maintain an IP audio system. "This session will be completely different than others you may have already attended," says Kirk. "We have six years worth of tips, tricks and applications to present, all drawn directly from in-the-field experience, with lots of real-world installation examples. Plus, you’ll hear others’ first-hand experiences with IP-Audio implementation and maintenance." Check it out Wednesday September 23rd, from 10 A.M. to 12 noon at the NAB Radio Show in Philadelphia. Read more at http://www.telos-systems.com/news/press/2009_kirk_fallNAB.pdf .

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* OMNIA-6EX - WINNER AND STILL CHAMPION: Speaking of Kirk Harnack, he recently edited and expanded our list of reasons why Omnia-6EX may just be the perfect audio processor for your radio station. Whether you're broadcasting rock, ol' skool rap, classical or smooth Jazz, 6EX has the power to make your signal sound clear, clean and loud (while stamping out nasty artifacts). Kirk's recently compiled a whole new list of features and benefits that explains beautifully why Omnia-6 is the choice of leading broadcasters around the world. You can read it on the Omnia website at http://tinyurl.com/omnia6ex .

* TELOS 24/7 SUPPORT GETS RAVE REVIEWS: You might already know that Telos, Omnia and Axia have the only 24/7, 365-days-a-year tech support in the business. If you ever have reason to call us, here's the kind of attention you can expect, outlined by Jack Roland, CE of Entercom's Denver radio cluster: "We had a [phone] controller go bad early on a Saturday. I was extremely pleased with Tom's prompt help and being able to get a replacement Telos Console controller to me SAME DAY on the weekend. UNBELIEVABLE! I Was able to install it less than 7 hours after he and I talked, and the Monday morning show on KOSI didn't even have to know there was a problem! GREAT JOB TOM, and TELOS!" If you ever do need to reach our support team, just visit www.Telos-Systems.com , www.OmniaAudio.com  or www.AxiaAudio.com  -- you'll find the number posted right on the home page.

* THE AXIA PHONE DEAL IS STILL GOING STRONG: A lot of folks have already contacted us regarding our "You buy an Axia console, Axia buys you a Telos phone system" deal. It's not too late for you to get in on the action; here's what to do: Buy an Element 2.0 console for your next studio build, with power supply, Axia StudioEngine, 2 or more Audio Nodes and any phone control device (like an Element Phone module or Telos Desktop Director or Call Controller), and we'll send you a Telos Nx12 that connects to your new Axia network using just one skinny CAT-5 cable. But you've only got until October 30, 2009. Point your browser at www.AxiaAudio.com/phones/  for full details.

* AXIA IS ON AIR AT MOODY RADIO: Recently, your editor received an e-mail from Mark Williames, DOE for Moody Radio. Mark wrote: "Next eNews you can add Moody Radio in Tuscaloosa, Alabama to the Axia IP-Audio networks on the air! We have completed a new Axia studio build that now feeds 4 different transmitter sites (WMFT, WMBV, WMBU, WRNF) via c-band satellite around Alabama." Mark further told us that Moody chose Axia "to make our studios as functional yet cost effective as possible." Read more at www.AxiaAudio.com/news/  .

* TELOS & AXIA IN THE NEWS: Telos and Axia have been in the broadcast trade magazines quite a bit lately. The current issue of Radio World hosts two pieces. The first is a cover story on the new Radio Free Europe installation in Prague, which is home to a very large, newly-commissioned Axia installation with 27 Element consoles; you can read it at www.AxiaAudio.com/reprints/  . Also in Radio World, Brandon Michaels contributes a review of the new Telos Z/IP Mixer portable IP codec, entitled "Z/IP Mixer Gets It Right", that one's archived at www.Telos-Systems.com/news/  . And from Radio magazine comes a profile of the new high-zoot Axia installation at Cumulus Media's Cincinnati radio cluster, entitled "Radio Station 2.0."; you can read that at www.AxiaAudio.com/reprints/  .

* WE BREATHE AUDIO PROCESSING: You may have heard of Cornelius Gould over the years; you might even have had the chance to talk with him at an NAB or when seeking processing advice from the Omnia team. "Corny" (as he's affectionately known around our offices) is acknowledged as a true processing guru by folks who know. He loves audio processing so much, in fact, that he even writes about it in his off-time! If you are a processing geek too, you should check out Corny's website at www.cgould.com  - it's packed full of goodies like Corny's own essays on audio processing, an assortment of custom presets for the Omnia-6 and Omnia.ONE processors, and of course a collection of his own favorite audio links.

* NEWS FROM THE FIELD:
Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent shipments.

> Telos Zephyr Xstream codecs are connecting at:
   - KPCC - Southern California Public Radio
   - NBC New York
   - KRLD Dallas, Texas
   - XM Satellite Radio

> Omnia ONE continues set new records at:
   - WJMC-AM & FM, Rice Lake, Wisconsin
   - WRAL-FM, Raleigh, North Carolina
   - KBOW-AM & KOPR-FM, Butte, Montana
   - WMCX-FM, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, New Jersey

> Axia networks are powering broadcasts at:
   - Country Music Television, Nashville, Tennessee
   - Emmis Communications' KFTK, KIHT, KPNT & KSHE-FM, St. Louis, Missouri
   - WBEZ-FM, Chicago, Illinois
   - Entercom's WGR, WBEN, WKSE, WLKK, WTSS, WWKB & WWWS, Buffalo, New York

* UPCOMING EVENTS: Come by and see Telos, Omnia and Axia folks at:
   - IBC, Amsterdam. September 11-15, Hall 8, Stand D29 - www.ibc.org
   - NAB Radio Show, Philadelphia, September 23-25, Booth 604 (with Broadcasters General Store) - www.nabradioshow.com
   - Broadcast India, Mumbai, October 29-31 - www.broadcastindiashow.com

* LATEST TECH UPDATES FROM TELOS / OMNIA / AXIA:
        - An updated Telos ProFiler Client & Server package, v2.5.9c, is available from the Telos software page at
           http://www.telos-systems.com/support/software.htm
        - Telos Zephyr/IP users can get v2.5.7p software and release notes from www.telos-systems.com/ZephyrIP/ -
           just click the "Support" tab.
        - Omnia-6 v7.2.5 software has been updated to include an optional downgrade package from v7.3.3. Get it at
           http://www.omniaaudio.com/support/software/omnia-6-software-for-older-versions/314-omnia-6-software-v-7-2.html
        - Axia users can download a newly-updated document detailing "Proper Termination of Element CANBus" that
          includes instructions for proper termination of consoles when paired with the new PowerStation console engine.
          Download from www.AxiaAudio.com/manuals .

* TECH TIP: Matt Green, broadcast engineer from Portland, Oregon writes us with an Axia question: "I’ve got a client who wants to move their operation to a new building. Will this require reprogramming nodes, control surfaces (Elements) and mix engines? Or will the gear retain the previous settings in spite of a few hours of ‘off’ time with no AC connected?"

---> ANSWER: Axia gear was designed with system portability in mind, and all Axia equipment uses non-volatile storage RAM to prevent loss in the event of a power interruption. So yes, you can physically move an entire Axia setup from one place to another, plug it in, and fire it up just as it was.

We're going to send Matt some cool Telos / Omnia / Axia swag for sending in this month's Tech Tip question. Got a tip of your own to share? e-Mail it to us and when it sees print, we'll send you some goodies too.

* DISCREPANCY SHEET: Many of you are familiar with Barry Mishkind, "The Eclectic Engineer", from his Oldradio.com website and his tenure as the editor of Radio Guide. Barry has recently fired up a new site, "The Broadcaster's Desktop Resource" (www.theBDR.net), which he plans on filling with tech tips, product information and video tutorials. In fact, our own Kirk Harnack (boy, that guy gets around!) appears in a video product review of the new Insignia portable HD Radio. Check it out at www.theBDR.net/articles/review1.html .

e prisoners, thinking only about the future or living in the past. They are not in the present, and the present is where everything begins." - Carlos Santana

************************************
IN THIS ISSUE:

Axia Summer Party Tour -- Coming Near You!
Telos, Omnia & Axia Expand Latin American Presence
Get Free Telos Phone Gear With Your Next Studio Project
A New Look For Omnia Online
Axia Users Speak Out
News from the Field
Upcoming Events
Tech Tip: Troubleshooting Zephyr XStream + Zephyr Xport POTS calls
Cool Link: XMTR Maps on Google Earth
************************************

* AXIA SUMMER PARTY TOUR IS ON THE ROAD: Summer's here, and there's no better time to have a party. So Axia's Ken Skok is taking to the road, bringing the Axia Summer Party Tour to 20 cities around the U.S., everywhere from New York to L.A. and places in-between. You'll get to have dinner on us, get a tour of the latest studios built with Axia consoles and networking gear, win door prizes, and, perhaps, win a new Acer Aspire netbook computer! We've posted our tour schedule and RSVP instructions at www.AxiaAudio.com/tour/ . Check it out and make plans to be at the party nearest you! Bonus: our Axia summer intern, young Mr. Kyle Sacks, has started keeping a blog, with photos, about his experience on the road at these parties. It's called "Travelogue Over IP", and you can read it at http://kylesacks.wordpress.com .
 

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* TELOS, OMNIA, AXIA WELCOME NEW LATIN AMERICAN DISTRIBUTOR: It's always a pleasure to connect with an old friend, and so it is with much joy that we welcome Alfonso Lopez and 305 Broadcast as our newest representatives in Latin America. Many of you may already know Alfonso from his work elsewhere; now he's struck out on his own and we're glad to have him back in the Telos family, serving all of Latin America from the Caribbean to Venezuela. Visit www.305broadcast.com  and drop Alfonso a "hello" note.

* YOU BUY AN AXIA CONSOLE, AXIA BUYS YOU A TELOS PHONE SYSTEM: New studio project in your plans? How would you like a new Telos Nx12 12-line POTS phone system to go with that -- absolutely free? If that sounds good to you, here's what to do: Buy an Element 2.0 console for your next studio build, with power supply, Axia StudioEngine, 2 or more Audio Nodes and any phone control device (like an Element Phone module or Telos Desktop Director or Call Controller), and we'll send you a Telos Nx12 that connects to your new Axia network using just one skinny CAT-5 cable. But don't delay -- this offer ends October 30, 2009. Point your browser at www.AxiaAudio.com/phones/  for full details.

* NEW OMNIA WEBSITE IS ONLINE: The Omnia Web Gnomes have been extra busy lately, and they've just launched a brand-new Omnia website, with more product information, more tech tips and more audio-processing goodness than ever before. You can also download manuals and the latest Omnia software, find your closest Omnia distributor, and even contact our 24/7 Support team (although chances are you'll never need to). Check it out at www.OmniaAudio.com  and let us know what you think.

* AXIA USERS SPEAK OUT: There have been quite a few Axia fans telling their stories lately (which is no surprise, considering Axia is the leader in IP-Audio, with over 1,500 consoles on-air worldwide). A couple of stories you might like to read are Scott Trask's first-person Radio World report about installing Axia at Lincoln Financial's Atlanta cluster (www.radioworld.com/article/83830), and Jake Robinson's Radio magazine Facility Showcase story of the new Cumulus cluster in Cincinnati (www.radiomagonline.com/infrastructure/facility_design/radio_cumulus_cincinnati/ ). Why has Element 2.0 become such a popular console? Find out at www.AxiaAudio.com/element/ .

* NEWS FROM THE FIELD:
Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent shipments.

     > Telos Nx12 Broadcast Phone Systems are taking calls at:
        Radio Disney, Burbank, California
        CBS Radio's WSOC-FM, Charlotte, North Carolina
        MTV Networks' Country Music Television, Nashville, Tennessee
        Radio Free Europe, Washington, DC

     > Omnia ONE is processing killer audio at:
        WRVO-FM, Oswego State University, Oswego, New York
        KEEL, KXKS, KVKI, KWKH & KTUX-FM, Shreveport, Louisiana
        WNUA-FM, Chicago, Illinois
        GOOM Radio, Jersey City, New Jersey

     > Axia IP-Audio networks are on the air at:
        Harvard Broadcasting's CKRM, CFWF & CHMS, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
        KCFV-FM, St. Louis Community College, St. Louis, Missouri
        Clear Channel's WFLA, WMGF, WJRR, WTKS & WXXL, Orlando, Florida
        KRWG-FM, Las Cruces, New Mexico

* UPCOMING EVENTS: Come by and see Telos, Omnia and Axia folks at:  
        - The Axia Summer Party Tour, happening NOW thru September 17 - schedule at www.AxiaAudio.com/tour/
        - Texas Association of Broadcasters, Austin, August 19 & 20 - www.tab.org
        - IBC, Amsterdam. September 11-15, Hall 8, Stand D29 - www.ibc.org
        - NAB Radio Show, Philadelphia, September 23-25, Booth 604 (with Broadcasters General Store) - www.nabradioshow.com
        - Broadcast India, Mumbai, October 29-31 - www.broadcastindiashow.com

* TECH TIP: TROUBLESHOOTING ZEPHYR XSTREAM + ZEPHYR XPORT POTS CALLS: Jan van der Walt of OFM Radio in Bloemfontein, South Africa, writes: "We use a couple of the Zephyr XStream codecs. I also have 1 Xport unit that we use with both POTS and ISDN lines. I need to dial from the studio XStream to the Xport. The Xstream is obviously connected by an ISDN line, but the Xport is on POTS. I fail to get the XStream to dial and connect to the Xport. But if I dial from the Xport to the XStream, it works just fine. Is it possible for an XStream to dial to an Xport that has only a POTS line? And if possible how do I do this?"
 
--->ANSWER: Telos / Omnia Support honcho David Jablonski responds: "Actually this a pretty common question - we receive this inquiry all the time. Here's what's happenning: ISDN can be provisioned as either voice (CSV), data (CSD) or both. It is common for an ISDN line to be able to receive (incoming) both CSD and CSV, but can only make (outgoing) one type. I believe that in your case, your ISDN line is not provisioned to make CSV calls. Have you contacted your ISDN provider and verified that your line is programmed to make both CSD and CSV calls?

"One way to test this is to have your Xstream call a regular phone line, like your office number or even your cell number. To do this:
    - press DIAL on the Xstream
    - make sure the MODE on your Xstream is set to PHONE
    - and dial your office or cell number

"If this does not go through, then absolutely your ISDN line is not provisioned to make CSV calls, and your service provider will need to provision it correctly."

* DISCREPANCY SHEET: The SiteOps of FM Fool have a website that lets you poke in your current US location, and display all the FM radio stations transmitting in your vicinity. Cool enough if you're in unfamiliar surroundings, but what's even cooler is that they have converted all the FM transmitters in the FCC database to Google Earth format, which you can download for personal use. The site is located at www.fmfool.com ; if anyone knows of a similar site for Europe or Asia, please drop us a line and let us know.

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, June, 2009

"Practice rather than preach. Make of your life an affirmation, defined by your ideals, not the negation of others. Dare to the level of your capability then go beyond to a higher level." - Alexander Haig

 ************************************
IN THIS ISSUE:
Radio Bonnaroo is on the air with Axia
Telos and Omnia add 24/7 Support
CMT is kickin’ it with Axia
Telos Systems Expands European Dealer Support
New Axia PowerStation wins dual awards at NAB
News from the Field
Upcoming Events
Latest Tech Updates from Telos/Omnia/Axia
Tech Tip: Changing Omnia ONE Software Styles
Cool Link: HQ stereo recording app for iPhone
************************************

* RADIO BONNAROO IS ON THE AIR: For the third year in a row, the Bonnaroo Music Festival (www.bonnaroo.com), a four-day event that generates over 100 hours of networked radio content for stations across the USA, is powered by Axia networks and consoles. One of the reasons: Axia networks go together so easily (audio, logic and PAD all routed over CAT-5 using standard Ethernet) that it's easy to construct a broadcast studio in the field in a minimum amount of time. Read what Bonnaroo contract operations manager (and WRLT-FM, Nashville Chief Enginer) Tom Hansen has to say about Axia's role at Bonnaroo by visiting www.AxiaAudio.com/news/ .

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* TECH QUESTIONS? NO PROBLEM, WE'RE AWAKE: Broadcasting is a 24/7, 365-days-a-year business. Just because it's 5PM doesn't mean the chief engineer is off-duty. So why should your broadcast equipment company head home? Now, broadcasters with Telos and Omnia get the same round-the-clock technical support Axia clients have enjoyed for the last year. That's right, 24-hour free technical support, every single day of the year. Make a note of our 24-Hour Support Line at +1-216-622-0247 -- chances are you'll never need it, but isn't it good to know we're here?

* CMT KICKIN' WITH AXIA: MTV Networks’ Country Music Television (www.cmt.com) has purchased Axia Element mixing consoles and routing gear for use in their Nashville studios. Did you know that there are now over 1,500 Axia IP-Audio-powered studios on the air around the world? Not bad for a company that's only 6 years old. Among the equipment CMT purchased are two 20-position Element 2.0 consoles, each paired with one of Axia’s new PowerStation integrated console engines, which won two major awards at NAB 2009 (more on this below). Visit www.AxiaAudio.com/powerstation/ to find out how PowerStation can help speed your next studio build.

* TELOS SYSTEMS EXPANDS EUROPEAN SUPPORT: It's no secret that broadcasting in Europe, both private and state-owned, has been exploding of late. With all this action, the time seemed right to add a new way for our European clients to contact us. Enter Karl Breidis, our new European Sales Director, a broadcast pro who's new to the T/O/A team, but certainly not the industry. Karl will be available from his office in Riga, Latvia to provide technical assistance, product training and answer any questions you may have regarding Telos, Omnia and Axia gear. In fact he's eager to hear from European clients, so feel free to drop him a note at karl@telos-systems.com  .

* AXIA POWERSTATION WINS AT NAB: PowerStation, introduced at NAB 2009, was the winner of both Radio World's "Cool Stuff" and Radio magazine’s "Pick Hit" awards for its seamless integration of audio I/O, console CPU, mixing engine, Ethernet switch and redundant backup power into a single, fanless chassis. PowerStation can be easily networked – up to 4 can be daisy-chained without the need for an external core switch – or deployed to power standalone studio consoles. The first orders for PowerStation are already in: Cumulus will install them in their newly-revamped Cincinnati cluster. Curious? See your editor's 2-minute PowerStation video on Radio World's CoolCast at http://tinyurl.com/powerstation . (You can also find this link on the Axia homepage.)

* NEWS FROM THE FIELD: Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent shipments.

Telos ONE Digital Hybrids are taking calls at:

• WLUW-FM, Loyola Univeristy, Chicago, Illinois

• Voice of America, Washington, DC

• KBLQ-FM & KLGN, Logan, Utah

• WPSU-FM, Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania

Omnia ONE is processing kick-ass audio for:

• KDAY-FM, Los Angeles, California

• WCFS-FM, Chicago, Ilinois

• WEZX-FM & WEJL, Scranton, Pennsylvania

• WUSF-FM, Tampa, Florida

• ...and many more!

Axia IP-Audio networks are on the air at:

• GOOM Radio, Jersey City, New Jersey

• KTOO-FM, Juneau, Alaska

• KRWG-FM, Las Cruces, New Mexico

• WBMX-FM, Boston, Massachusetts

* UPCOMING EVENTS: Come by and see Telos, Omnia and Axia folks at these upcoming shows:

• Broadcast Asia, Singapore. June 16-19, Stand 7B2-01, Hall 7 - www.broadcast-asia.com

• Latin America Broadcast Show, Miami, Florida. July 9 & 10, Booths 401, 403, 405 - www.latinamericanbroadcastshow.com

• IBC, Amsterdam. September 11-15, Hall 8, Stand D29 - www.ibc.org

* LATEST TECH UPDATES FROM TELOS / OMNIA / AXIA:

• Zephyr/IP Manual version 1.5 is now available at www.Telos-Systems.com/support/manuals.htm

• Omnia 5ex HM+FM, 5ex HD+AM manual updates www.OmniaAudio.com/support/manuals.htm

• Telos 2x12 software update 3.34 www.Telos-Systems.com/2x12/2x12update.htm

• Telos iPort MPEG Gateway software upgrade 1.06 www.Telos-Systems.com/support/

• Axia Analog, AES, Mic Node manual v2.5 and Axia Router Selector Node manual v2.5 www.AxiaAudio.com/manuals/

* TECH TIP: CHANGING OMNIA ONE PROCESSING STYLES: Roger Karwoski, Engineer at the University of Missouri's KBIA-FM in Columbia, writes: "I am considering the purchase of three Omnia ONE processors. When visiting Omnia at the NAB booth I was told that the difference between the "Multicast Digital Processor" and the "FM Digital On-Air Processor" was just the software load. Did I understand this correctly? If so, would it be possible to order the units with BOTH of these software setups available on each unit? (It would make it easier to change out units for emergency usage.)"

--->ANSWER: Telos / Omnia Support guru Mark Manolio writes back: "Yes, the hardware is identical for all four styles of the Omnia ONE. The units are normally built with the same style of processing software in both code banks, but if you want two different software loads in your new processors, we could do that -- have your dealer specify SPECIAL ORDER clearly on the order form. But it is also easy to do in the field. There are actually 4 styles of Omnia ONE software now and any of them can be freely downloaded (at no charge). Here is the link to the Omnia ONE software download page: www.OmniaAudio.com/support/omniaone.htm . Once downloaded, the software is loaded into the 'offline' software bank in the unit using the built-in webpage interface over an Ethernet network or crossover cable connection to a computer. Here is the link to the manual .pdf that explains the procedures in detail: www.OmniaAudio.com/support/manuals.htm ."

We're going to send Roger a T-shirt for using his Tech Tip here. Got a Tech Tip of your own? If we use it in eNews, we'll send you some swag, too. Just reply to this email if you've got something you think other readers would find useful.

* COOL LINK: If you're geeks like we are, you may have an iPhone. And if you do, you're probably looking for cool apps all the time -- also just like we are. One that came to our attention recently is from Audiofile Engineering, and it's called "FiRe - The Ultimate Field Recorder for iPhone." Audiofile claims that this software is the first HQ stereo recording app for iPhone, complete with stereo bargraph meters, live waveform display, onscreen rec timer and even the ability to insert track location markers. At $5.99 it seems like a steal to us. Check out www.audiofile-engineering.com  .

Until next time, Cheers!

Clark Novak
Telos/Omnia/ Axia

Special Pre-NAB eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, April, 2009

"It is a shameful thing to be weary of inquiry when what we search for is excellent." - Marcus Tullius Cicero

 ************************************
It's that time of year again - time to head for Las Vegas for the 2009 NAB Convention. We know that once you're there, the noise, colors and activity of the exhibit halls can be overwhelming - after all, that's what they're designed to do! So we wanted to let you know that, amid the flashing red neon lights and the headset-mic'd product pitchmen and the wall-o-video displays, you'll find the Telos / Omnia / Axia booth in the North Hall, booth #N7620. We're kind of an oasis in the middle of it all - come by, have some coffee or a cup of tea, and take a break from the hubbub. We're always glad to see you.

And while you're there, we'll be glad to show you some of the new gear we've dreamed up this year; new products that will be making their first public appearances at NAB:

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* For instance, the newest streaming software from Omnia, Omnia A/XE Processed Audio Encoding for Windows. Now, we can hear you saying "Audio processing and encoding in one package? Nobody's ever done that before..." Exactly! Why should you need to have multiple software packages, perhaps even on different PCs, to get your streaming audio processed and encoded? Omnia A/XE lets you do both in one application. It seamlessly integrates with other audio applications, encodes directly to multiple formats, and also feeds many popular streaming encoders should you so desire. A/XE audio processing includes all the goodies you'd expect adjustable wideband AGC with a three-band compressor/limiter, IIF EQ and low-pass filter, and a precision look-ahead final limiter to prevent clipping. You can see in our Streaming Solutions center.

* Speaking of streaming, there's also the Zephyr iPort MPEG Gateway which is now shipping. With this 2RU rackmount hardware, broadcasters in different cities can share multiple channels of broadcast audio as easily as if they were in the same building, using a single QoS connection. Eight stereo MPEG codecs produce 8 bi-directional or 16 one-way channels. iPort has Livewire built in, so it only needs a single CAT-6 for connection to your audio network. If you don't have an IP-Audio network yet, that's no problem - just pair it up with an Axia Audio Node for audio I/O. iPort can also be used for any application where you want MPEG encoding and/or decoding for transmission over IP channels, such as satellite uplinks, Internet streaming, broadcasting to mobile phones, STL links and audio distribution systems. (We're sure you can come up with a few more applications on your own, too.)

* The Omnia ONE Studio Pro is the newest member of the best-selling Omnia ONE audio processor family. Why "studio"? Well, broadcasters have told us that they could really use a lower-delay audio pre-processor for applications where absolute peak limiting isn't needed -- such as production studios, television studios, mastering labs, et cetera. In keeping with our history of innovation, Studio Pro is the first studio processor with a four-band compressor / limiter - pretty cool! This gives you extremely precise and accurately defined control of pre-processing for music, spots, remote feeds, or for just a touch of "sweetening" wherever it's needed. And, like the other members of the Omnia ONE family, Studio Pro can easily be switched to other processing software - for AM, FM or Multicast processing - with a simple software download.

* We're bringing a new Telos broadcast talkshow system that is sure to raise some eyebrows. We know it sounds like hype, but the Telos VX truly is the next-generation multi-studio phone system. It's Livewire-enabled for use with Axia IP-audio networks, and can also use standalone Axia Audio nodes to interface with traditional audio infrastructure. Capabilities? How about a dedicated Telos hybrid on EVERY line? Line-sharing between studios using just a simple Web interface for setup? A totally scalable, IP-based architecture lets start small and add capacity and phone stations to suit your budget and your requirements. Along with all this is a new IP-based VX Director phone set and VX Assistant Producer software application, each with advances that make handling and routing great sounding calls easier than ever. You've really got to check this out.

* You may already have heard the buzz about the new Axia PowerStation, the new all-in-one IP-Audio console system that combines analog, digital and microphone I/O, a console power supply, DSP mixing engine and network switch into one easy-to-deploy package. Setting up PowerStation is super simple, since all components are now in one box: connect your studio gear with standard CAT-5 cables, connect an Element console with just one cable, name your sources with a browser, and you’re ready for air. PowerStation can be the heart of a standalone studio, or part of a larger Axia network; Simple Networking capabilities let you daisy-chain up to 4 PowerStations for easy multi-studio installation without a separate core switch. And it’s built to deliver rock-solid 24/7 reliability, hardened with industrial-grade components and redundant power capabilities. We predict that lots of people will soon find out just how easy it is to set up an IP-Audio console/router system using PowerStation.

* More new Axia gear: 4 new Router Control Panels. The Single Router Selector, Dual Router Selector and X-Y Router Control Panel occupy only 1RU of rack space and have easy-to-use OLED displays and rotary selection controls that route any source to a desired destination instantly. There's also a brand-new 8-Button OLED SoftSwitch panel with bright, legible displays that you can read from across the room. Of course, there's a whole family of Axia Router panels that you can place wherever they're needed, in racks, turrets or in desktops, including 5-, 10- and 15-button Film-Cap Switch Panels, and 9- and 17-button SmartSwitch Panels with dynamic text and backlight colors. PathfinderPC Routing Control software lets you build custom routing applications to map to the button panels, from simple point-to-point routes to multi-point scene changes that can reconfigure an entire facility manually, at a specified time, or in response to an event trigger.

* Finally, for you audio processing geeks (you know who you are), Omnia President and founder Frank Foti will be delivering a white paper entitled "CLEANER...Yet Still Loud!" as part of the Radio Engineering Forum in the Las Vegas Convention Center on the opening day of NAB, Monday, April 20th, from 1:30 to 2:00pm, in Room S228. Frank says that "Broadcast audio processing for conventional transmission (FM and AM) has reached extreme levels. Most methods available today are capable of creating LOUD competitive signals, usually at the noticeable and perceptible expense of quality. What can be done again to raise the bar?" As you might expect, Frank has an answer, and you'll get to hear about it - and HEAR it, via one of his famous audio A/B demonstrations. Additionally he'll talk about how this new method of processing can be used for other applications in addition to conventional FM and AM broadcasting.

We hope you'll make the time to attend. See you at NAB!

Clark Novak
Telos/Omnia/ Axia

* LINEAR ACOUSTIC WINS AT THE OSCARS: The newest member of the Telos family, Linear Acoustic, picked up a win of their own recently: The 81st Academy Awards(R) ceremony was broadcast with the help of Linear's e2 Multichannel Audio and Meta-Data Distribution System. "Having great 5.1 surround sound accompany HD pictures is a necessity with an event of this magnitude,” said Tad Scripter, Engineer In Charge for the Academy Awards. Read more at www.LinearAcoustic.com/pdf/OSCARS_PR_V2.pdf.

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, March, 2009

"In times like these, it helps to recall that there have always been times like these." - Paul Harvey, Sept. 4, 1918 - Feb. 28, 2009

 ************************************
IN THIS ISSUE:
Telos / Omnia / Axia going "green-er"
Axia Signs 8BC
Telos on the big screen
Axia launches giant Client Photo Gallery
Linear Acoustic Wins at the Oscars
NOW SHIPPING - Telos Zephyr iPort
Axia Icons for your Workstation
News from the Field
Upcoming Events
Latest Tech Updates from Telos/Omnia/Axia
Discrepancy Sheet: Paul Harvey Remembered
************************************

* T/O/A GOES GREEN-ER: In an effort to reduce, reuse, and recycle, we're transitioning to paperless invoices! Beginning on March 1, 2009 all invoices will be automatically e-mailed to our clients in PDF format on the first business day following shipment; we'll no longer mail paper copies. If you think you might need to update the billing e-mail for your company, please contact Roxanne Bain (paperlessly, of course!) by telephone at +1.216.241.7225

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* AXIA SIGNS 8BC: Welcome to our latest Livewire Partner, 8BC Ltd., a leading provider of broadcast audio solutions based in the Czech Republic. Clients of 8BC (www.8bc.com) will now be able to purchase Axia IP- Audio networking components bundled with and customized for use with 8BC’s radio automation products. More and more broadcast suppliers are choosing to become Axia partners, making products that talk directly to Axia IP-Audio networks. See the latest additions to our Partners page at www.AxiaAudio.com/partners/ .

* TELOS ON THE BIG SCREEN: Check out the latest film from Uma Thurman and you'll get an eyefull - of Telos phone gear. In her just-released UK film "The Accidental Husband", Uma plays a talk radio host using - what else? - Telos Desktop Directors and Assistant Producer call-screening gear to interact with her callers. Just another instance of art imitating life, we guess; Telos talkshow systems have been the preferred equipment of demanding radio stations for years. Check out the full line at www.Telos-Systems.com/products/ .

* AXIA LAUNCHES GIANT CLIENT PHOTO GALLERY: You've probably heard that there are already well over 1,000 Axia consoles powering radio studios around the globe. Now you can see them in their own showcase! Hundreds of client photos can now be seen online at http://clients.AxiaAudio.com . Bonus: install the CoolIris plugin from www.cooliris.com to get a virtual, dynamic Photo Wall in your browser. If you've already got CoolIris installed, just click the logo that appears when you mouse over any photo thumbnail.

* ZEPHYR IPORT NOW SHIPPING: The 2RU box with eight stereo MPEG codecs is now on it's way to your market. Zephyr iPort can be used for any application where MPEG encoding and/or decoding is needed over a QoS- controlled IP connection; it connects directly to your Axia Livewire network. Don't have Axia yet? Pair iPort with an Analog or AES node for standalone use. Users are already raving about iPort: Igor Zukina, Director of Engineering at Streamcom, told us that "[Our] challenge was to build a 256x256 audio routing network among 23 remote stations across an IP WAN using a UDP router. Nearly impossible with other IP codecs, but the Zephyr iPort made the job look easy. Sounds great. Doesn't miss a beat. They even encode the Internet streams at the radio stations using the latest AAC-HE codec!" Learn more at  www.Telos-Systems.com/zephyr/iport.htm .  

* AXIA BECOMES AN ICON: That is to say, Axia marketing geeks have created a set of Axia icons for Windows Vista and Stardock / Rocketdock users. Cool for customizing the folders where your Axia dox reside, or creating a Dock category for your Axia apps. You can download them in a ZIP file from www.AxiaAudio.com/downloads/ ; they're at the bottom of the page under "Miscellaneous Downloads".

* NEWS FROM THE FIELD: Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent shipments.

• Telos TWOx12, Series 2101 and Desktop Director have the calls under control at:
  Clear Channel San Francisco
  Fox's Speed Channel, Charlotte, North Carolina
  KDIS Radio, Burbank, California
  WJJZ Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania
   

• Axia consoles are routing audio at:
  WJMJ-FM, Hartford, Connecticut
  KUT-FM, University of Texas, Austin
  KUER-FM, University of Utah, Salt Lake
  WMFT-FM, Moody Bible Institute, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
   

• Omnia-6exi and Omnia ONE are processing audio at:
  KCEP-FM, Las Vegas, Nevada
  WNZF-AM & FM, St. Augustine, Florida
  WJRH-FM, Easton, Pennsylvania

* UPCOMING EVENTS: Come by and see us at:

• NAB 2009, April 18-23, Booth N7620 - Las Vegas, NV - www.nabshow.com
  Presenting an expanded streaming solution center!

• Broadcast Asia, Singapore. June 16-19, Stand 7D3-01/B - www.broadcast-asia.com/main.htm

* LATEST TECH UPDATES FROM TELOS / OMNIA / AXIA:

• Axia Element and Engine software updates - www.AxiaAudio.com/download/

• Axia manual updates for the Axia IP-Audio Driver, iPlay, iProbe - www.AxiaAudio.com/manuals/

• Telos Zephyr Xstream v3.0 Manual and iPort v1.1 Manual - www.Telos-Systems.com/support/

• Telos Z/IP v2.02r Software Upgrade - www.Telos-Systems.com/support/

• Omnia ONE consolidated manual (covers Studio Pro, Multicast, FM and AM styles) - www.OmniaAudio.com/support/manuals/OmniaONE_All_Styles_02_2009_Web.pdf

• Omnia-6 Manual, now "em Portogues" (thanks to Audio Technico) - www.OmniaAudio.com/support/manuals/O6HDFM_MANUAL_Portuguese_%20APOIO_TECNICO.pdf

• Omnia ONE FM software update version 2.3(100) - www.OmniaAudio.com/support/omniaone.htm

* DISCREPANCY SHEET: Radio lost a true legend when Paul Harvey's mic went silent for the last time. Your editor wasn't even born when Harvey first took the mic for his daily show syndicated on ABC Radio Networks; he was truly a lifelong presence for many of us who grew up listening to the radio. The editors at TIME magazine have prepared a fitting memorial to the man with "the rest of the story;" worth a read at http://tinyurl.com/b9u574 .
 

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, January, 2009

"If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed." - Mark Twain

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IN THIS ISSUE:

Omnia ONE benefits Papua New Guinea
Axia On-Air in Ireland
More Presets for the Omnia ONE
New Certified Switches for Axia Gear
User Report: The Zephyr/IP in Action
News from the Field
Upcoming Events
Latest Tech Updates from Telos/Omnia/Axia
Tech Tip: Setting optimum input levels on an Omnia processor
Cool Link: 4800 Airchecks from Mars

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* PROCESSING POWER PACKS PAPUA: As part of a recent aid project, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation recently purchased 36 Omnia ONE audio processors for the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) of Papua New Guinea, to be used for satellite program distribution. 19 Provincial centers around the country, including FM, AM Medium Wave and AM Shortwave stations will be downloading content to supplement local programming. "The performance specifications, the ability to change modes with firmware and the silence detection with changeover to alternate programme source were all good selling points...to convince the client of the benefits of the Omnia ONE," reports Wayne Wilson of TE(PNG). Find out how the Omnia ONE can benefit you at omniaaudio.com/omlt .

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* AXIA ON-AIR IN IRELAND: The land of Saints and Scholars has begun networking audio with IP and Ethernet. Wilton Radio Ltd.’s new youth-oriented station, i105-107, has just signed on in Ireland, and it’s powered by Axia networks and consoles. The installation consists of three Element-powered studios, two for on-air use and a third production studio. See photos at http://forums.axiaaudio.com/viewtopic.php?t=199  . (And if you search YouTube for i105, you'll find plenty of in-studio video showing their new Element consoles!)

* MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK: Cornelius Gould, Omnia guru extraordinaire, has released a new set of presets for Omnia ONE. Read more at http://tinyurl.com/omnia-presets-Jan09 .

* AXIA CERTIFIES MORE SWITCHES: Broadcasters installing Axia IP-Audio systems can now choose from 30 Ethernet switches that include models from Hewlett-Packard’s ProCurve family of professional switchgear. Axia clients benefit from using standard Ethernet for audio routing because they can take advantage of new developments in switch technology -- developments that are funded by the computer industry; proprietary router designs used in some other systems limit broadcasters' choices -- plus, their creators might not have the resources to develop further. Read www.AxiaAudio.com/news/pr/2008_HP_Switches.htm  for more info.

* ZEPHYR/IP IN ACTION: Art Reis, Chief Engineer of Crawford Broadcasting Company's Chicago cluster, says he recently reached a "milestone" in his career. For the first time, "WPWX [broadcast] a four-hour program from a remote location, out in the middle of nowhere, and we did the remote site-to-studio audio link via the Internet using our new Telos Zephyr/IP with a non-wired UMTS linkup, via the Sprint Network." Art says "It’s not our first remote via the Internet, but it’s the first one which really worked." Those are just highlights from the first paragraph -- read Art's full review at http://tinyurl.com/zip-review-art-reis .

* NEWS FROM THE FIELD!
Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent shipments:

- Axia is networking audio over Ethernet at:
KOHM-FM, Lubbock, Texas
The Pennsylvania State Senate
Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, and the University of Texas in Austin
WSUM-FM, University of Madison, Wisconsin

- Zephyr Xstream ISDN Codecs are streaming audio at:
CBS Radio's KILT-FM, Houston, Texas
Curtis Media Group, Raleigh, North Carolina
Entertainment Digital Network, San Francisco, California
NBC Television, Universal City, California

- Omnia ONE is processing audio for:
The University of Jordan in Amman, Jordan
WKNE-FM (Saga Communications), Keene, New Hampshire
KKYY-FM & KZSR-FM (Powell Broadcasting), Sioux City, Iowa
WPRM-FM (Arso Radio), San Juan, Puerto Rico

* UPCOMING EVENTS: Where we'll be. Come by and see us!

- National Religious Broadcasters convention in Nashville, 2/7-2/10 with BGS in Booth #409 - www.nrb.org
- BES Expo 2009 in New Delhi, India, 2/23-2/25 - www.besindia.com
- Livewire University in Los Angeles, 2/27 - registration details coming!
- Michigan Assn. of Broadcasters / GLBC in Grand Rapids, 3/10-3/11 with BGS - www.michmab.com

* LATEST TECH UPDATES FROM TELOS/OMNIA/AXIA:

• Omnia 8x version 1.4.7c software released. Includes improvements and options to your Omnia 8x. Learn more at www.omniaaudio.com/support/omnia8x.htm .

• Omnia ONE version 2.2 is now out. Included are new presets for Omnia ONE FM as well as new features for all styles. Update or switch your Omnia ONE style by going to www.omniaaudio.com/support/omniaone.htm .

• Axia GPIO Node (Rev 2.2), is available for download at www.AxiaAudio.com/manuals/ .

• A new Tech Note on Configuring HP ProCurve 2610, 2900 & 8212cz Switches for Livewire can be gotten from www.AxiaAudio.com/manuals/ .

* TECH TIP: Setting optimum input levels on an Omnia processor - With normal program audio, the Input Gain Master should be adjusted so that the input bargraph meters are hitting from about -15 to –12 dBFS on regular peaks or a little higher. These are true peak-reading meters and will not read correctly on steady-state tones. The Master Drive control on the Omnia 5EX, 6EX and 6EXi (located after the input bargraph meters) should be left at 0.0 dB if the reference 0VU level of the equipment feeding the Omnia is +4 dBu. This will provide optimum headroom throughout the Omnia. The Master Drive will need to be adjusted if your system's reference level is not +4 dBu. For example, a setting of –4.0 dB would be used if your reference level is +8 dBu and +4.0 dB if your reference level is 0 dBu. This control may also need to be adjusted if you do not have sufficient gain reduction in the WB AGC, the input audio feeding the Omnia is pre-processed or if you wish to bypass the WB AGC section and have too little gain reduction in the multi-band AGC section. Once set properly, you should see about 10 dB of gain reduction on the WB AGC gain reduction meter with normal program audio at your 0VU reference. It is normal for the WB AGC gain reduction meter to continue to show gain reduction even when the WB AGC section is bypassed.

* WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: Have a great tech tip? Want to share a great story on how one of our products saved the day (grin)? Drop us a line. We'd love to share your expertise and experiences with other readers. Shoot an e-mail to clark@telos-systems.com  . If your tip gets used, we'll send you some cool swag.

* DISCREPANCY SHEET: "Man From Mars" Ed Brouder, resident historian at Saga Communications, has a remarkable library of radio history - some 4800 airchecks – all searchable at his website, www.manfrommars.com. Want to hear B. Mitchell Reed on KFWB ? Alan Freed on WJW? Johnny Knox on WQAM? His prices for dubs are fair; give it a try and revel in the warm glow of vacuum-tube goodness.

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, December, 2008

"A man generally has two reasons for doing a thing. One that sounds good, and a real one." - J.P. Morgan

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IN THIS ISSUE:

Radio Free Europe Builds With Axia
Westwood One Loves Zephyr Xstream
Axia Seeks Beta Testers
Omnia Audio Sweetens BrandyWine
Omnia ONE Studio Pro Debuts
Thank You, RADIO Readers
News from the Field
Latest Updates from Telos/Omnia/Axia
Tech Tip: Pathfinder Server Backup & Restore
Discrepancy Sheet: Radio, 1937

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* RADIO FREE EUROPE BUILDS WITH AXIA: Out with the old and in with IP Audio! Radio Free Europe is installing 49 new Axia Element consoles and an Axia IP-Audio routing network in their new Prague studios. Coinciding with a move to a new location, the new studios will come online to feed RFE programming throughout Europe in early 2009, joining Axia installations in Bangkok and Washington, D.C. belonging to sister Radio Free Asia. Want to find out why Element has become so popular? Check out www.AxiaAudio.com/element/

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* WW1 GETS XSTREAM: Westwood One has just added 55 Zephyr Xstream ISDN Codecs to 76 already in service, giving the program provider a total of 131 Zephyr Xtreams feeding syndicated satellite programming, Metro Traffic afilliates, and other content distribution services. Approximately 70 of the Zephyrs are coding audio for Westwood One's IP based satelite distribution system MAX. Check out the flexible Zephyr Xstream at www.Telos-Systems.com/zephyr/

* AXIA SEEKS MAC USERS: Broadcasters asking for an Axia IP-Audio Driver for their Apple computer are in luck: Axia's forthcoming IP-Audio Driver for OS X(TM) has just entered Beta testing. If you're an Axia user with an Intel-based Mac and you want to find out more about the beta-test program, check out www.AxiaAudio.com/news/pr/2008_Axia_Mac.htm

* OMNIA AUDIO SWEETENS BRANDYWINERADIO.COM: Brandywineradio.com, the Philadelphia region’s first all-local Internet Radio station, transmits high-speed digital stereo streams using a new Omnia ONE Multicast audio processor, with processing algorithms and exclusive SENSUS technology designed especially to make coded audio sound its best. Brandywine's Lloyd Roach calls his Omnia "superb"; if you've got Apple Quicktime on your computer, you can hear it for yourself at brandywineradio.com , and check out Omnia ONE at www.OmniaAudio.com/omlt/

* OMNIA ONE STUDIO PRO DEBUTS: There's lots of times when a little "sweetening" in your production studio would be a welcome thing. But the price tag on some of studio audio processors is not so welcome. Omnia ONE to the rescue! The new Omnia ONE Studio Pro is a real multi-band pre-processor that can be used just about anywhere in your plant where signal processing is needed -- at a price that won't turn you off. Learn more about the Omnia ONE Studio Pro at www.OmniaAudio.com/omlt/OONEspro.htm

* THANK YOU, RADIO READERS: Readers of Radio magazine (radiomagonline.com) have chosen Axia's Element modular console for the 2008 Advancement in Radio Technology Award given at the NAB Radio Show. Element won in the category of Audio Routing and Control, beating out 18 other products fielded by 15 manufacturers! We'd throw a party to celebrate, but we've got to go build more Elements now... Read more at www.AxiaAudio.com/news/pr/2008_Axia_Award.htm

* NEWS FROM THE FIELD!
Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent shipments:

- Zephyr/IP IP-Audio Codec is making rock-solid connections at:
CBS Radio, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Entercom, Buffalo, New York
KCRW-FM, Santa Monica, California

- Stations are networking audio with Axia at:
Wyoming Public Radio, Laramie, Wyoming
Multicultural Radio's WPAT, WKDM, WJDM, WWRU, WZRC & WNSW, New York City
KMXZ, KQTH, KGMG & KFFN, Journal Broadcast, Tuscon, Arizona
Retro-FM, Moscow, Russia

- Omnia ONE is Processing AM, FM, Studio, and Multicast Audio at:
WCBS Newsradio 880, New York City
Riverfront Broadcasting's KYNT & KKYA-FM, Yankton, South Dakota
Family Life Network/WCIK-FM, Bath, New York
KCHU, Valdez, Alaska

* LATEST UPDATES FROM TELOS/OMNIA/AXIA:

- Zephyr/IP software version 1.5.1r available at www.Telos-Systems.com/support/software.htm
- Omnia 6 Audio Processor 7.3.4 update is at www.OmniaAudio.com/support/tsb/O6_v7.3.4_Update.pdf

* TECH TIP: BACKUP AND RESTORE OF PATHFINDER SERVERS
Joshua Smith writes: "Is there an easy way to backup the Pathfinder data and restore it to a new server?" Indeed there is. Axia Support Engineer Milos Nemcik writes back: "Copy the files in your C:/program files/pathfinderserver directory (except for the *.exe files; you don't need to back those up). Then just place them in the same directory on your new server. Also, it's always a good idea to back-up that directory from time to time - just to hedge against hard drive failure."

* WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: Have a great tech tip? Want to share a great story on how one of our products saved the day (grin)? Drop us a line. We'd love to share your expertise and experiences with other readers. Shoot an e-mail to clark@telos-systems.com  . If your tip gets used, we'll send you some cool swag.

* DISCREPANCY SHEET - HOW RADIO WORKS, 1937: Back in 1937, cars had running boards, music was played at 78 RPM, and "digital" meant something you did with your fingers. Radio in the car was still a bit of a new thing too, so to popularize their automobile radios, GM teamed up with CBS for a short film that ran in theatres around the USA, showing how radio worked in layman's terms - ending, of course, with a happy family picnicking while enjoying the radio equipped in their new Chevrolet Master sedan. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear at www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VHtZr_xsT8

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, October, 2008

"Not even computers will replace committees, because committees buy computers." - Edward Shepherd Mead

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IN THIS ISSUE:

Axia Makes it Onto YouTube
Z/IP Mixer Shipping Shortly
Omnia Economic Stimulus Package
Radio Free Asia Chooses Axia, Again.
We've Got You Surrounded
Stop by and see us
News from the Field
Tech Tip: Long Distance ISDN Connection
Roll Your Own Thermionic Valve
What's Your Tech Tip?

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* TAKE A TOUR OF THE FUNKHAUS: We're sure you'll enjoy this video featuring Radio Sudtirol in Bolzano, Italy, operating from a new 'Funkhaus'. Built to be funk friendly, the open-layout of the facility allows its users easy access to multiple Element Control Surfaces for on-air, pre-production and interviews. Grab a hefeweizen, settle into your lederhosen and bask in the warm glow of Ethernet audio at http://tinyurl.com/sudtirol .

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* Z/IP MIXER SHIPPING SHORTLY: The first reviews are in on the award-winning Telos Zephyr/IP (Z/IP, for short) IP Codec, and they're all good. “The Zephyr/IP is really what professionals like me have been waiting for in terms of transmitting high-quality audio over commonly available IP links.” Tom Hansen, Chief Engineer WRLT-FM. Now the newest addition to the Z/IP family is coming your way: the new Z/IP Mixer, a new portable field version of the Zephyr/IP that includes a full-featured, four-input digital mixer, customizable headphone feeds, and the helpful full-color graphical interface that's helped make the original Z/IP such a hit. Want to find out more? Head over to
www.Telos-Systems.com/ZephyrIP/ for the full rundown.

* OMNIA AUDIO STIMULATES ECONOMIC GROWTH: We think that what our industry's economy needs isn't a bailout, but a an economic stimulus! So Omnia's economic advisors have authorized The Omnia Economic Stimulus Package: For every Omnia-6EX or Omnia-6EXi you order, we will also include an Omnia ONE (AM, FM, or Multicast version) to you at a 100% discount. Yessir - a free Omnia ONE when you buy an Omnia-6EX, the choice of top-rated stations in nearly every radio market around the world. And how good is Omnia ONE? Well, in its first year over 2,000 were installed in radio stations, webcast studios and other audio facilities around the world. Like all good things, though, this offer will eventually come to an end - so check out www.OmniaAudio.com now and contact your local Omnia distributor.

* RADIO FREE ASIA DOES IT AGAIN: Radio Free Asia has chosen Axia Audio, for a third time, to help broadcast news and information to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. The large-scale project will encompass 35 studios, including 35 Element audio consoles and Studio Engines and an IP-Audio routing network consisting of 99 Axia AES, Analog and Microphone Audio Nodes. Routing automation will be provided by Axia’s PathFinderPC Routing Control Software; network management by Axia iProbe, and program archiving by the Axia iProFiler automated logging suite. Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/radiofreeasia .

* "STOP, WE'VE GOT YOU SURROUNDED!": This phrase may sound familiar to some of us, but we mean it in a good way. When you come to Telos/Omnia/Axia looking for a solution to your broadcast needs, you will be surrounded by the best support in the industry. This begins with pre-sales, continues during your order configuration and lasts long after you're up and running. We've even been known to temporarily relocate an Applications Engineer to your city. Did you know that Axia boasts the only 24/7 Support in the Industry? Drop us a line at support@telos-systems.com  , support@omniaaudio.com  , or support@axiaaudio.com  .

* IF YOU MISSED SEEING US ... Hopefully you made it to the 125th AES convention to see our very own Frank Foti, Mike Uhl and Greg Shay share their expertise of Audio Networking, Transport and where it all began. If you didn't, we're not stopping there. We'll soon be at the 18th Broadcast India 2008 (http://tinyurl.com/brdcstindia) from October 17th to the 19th, in booth J / 122, as well as at BES India (http://www.besindia.com/) February 2009 23-25 2009 in booth A-21.

* NEWS FROM THE FIELD!
Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent shipments:

- Zephyr Xstream ISDN codecs are serving audio for:
Metro Networks (51 Zephyrs in 10 markets)
Fox News Radio, Washington, D.C. (12 Zephyrs)
Westwood One (55 new Zephyrs added to 76 in service)

- Series 2101 Multi-Studio Talkshow systems are taking calls at:
C-Span, Washington, D.C.
Fox News Radio, Washington, D.C.
Clear Channel, Chicago, IL

- Omnia ONE is processing audio at:
KNDE FM, College Station, TX.
WNUA, Chicago, Il.
Lake Country Radio in Dallas,TX.

- Axia IP-Audio Networks are powering studios at:
CKRM, CFWF-FM & CHMX-FM (Harvard Broadcasting), Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
KWOW-FM (BMP Radio), Waco, Texas
KEX, KPOJ, KKRZ, KKCW & KIJZ (Clear Channel), Portland, Oregon

* TECH TIP: Having problems making an ISDN connection with someone in another city? Try dialing 1010222 + 1 + area code + number to force it through MCI. There is a good chance this will get your call to go through. We've got plenty more tips at
http://www.telos-systems.com/support/ .

* COOL LINK - ROLL YOUR OWN THYRISTOR VALVES: OK, fess up: your workshop is pretty well equipped, right? But we'll bet dollars to donuts it's got nothing on this French engineer who builds his own vacuum tubes from scratch. That's right -- by hand. From fabricating the filaments to heating and drawing the glass itself, he does it all in this video. but if you're anything like us, you'll be mesmerized by this wordless video that illustrates the art of making Vacuum Tubes (Rosetta Stone not required). Go to http://tinyurl.com/4canlj and prepare to be amazed.

* WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: Have a great tech tip? Want to share a great story on how one of our products saved the day (grin)? Drop us a line. We'd love to share your expertise and experiences with other readers. Shoot an e-mail to clark@telos-systems.com  . If your tip gets used, we'll send you some cool swag.

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, August, 2008

"Information's pretty thin stuff unless mixed with experience." - Clarence Day

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IN THIS ISSUE:

Omnia ONE: best-selling processor in history?
Axia goes NASCAR
Special introductory pricing on Zephyr/IP
On The Road
News from the Field
Tech Tip:
Discrepancy Sheet (links we like)

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* IS OMNIA ONE THE BEST-SELLING AUDIO PROCESSOR EVER? Well, not yet. But it certainly is on a great pace towards achieving that status. With over 1,500 now at radio stations just two years after its NAB introduction and fans raving on bulletin boards and listservers everywhere, Omnia ONE certainly does seem to be a favorite of broadcasters everywhere - whether AM, FM or Netcaster. If you haven't checked it out yet, visit OmniaAudio.com/omlt/ for the whole story.

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Get every issue of Telos, Omnia & Axia eNews in your mailbox! Click Here  to subscribe. (Don't worry - we hate SPAM and our mailing list stays private.)

* AXIA GOES NASCAR: "One engineer was able to go from sealed boxes to wired studio in about 40 minutes," says Doug Watson, CE of Motor Racing Network, radio home of NASCAR racing. The quote is from Tom Vernon's story about MRN's new Axia router / console installation in the newest issue of Radio World. If you haven't got your copy yet, check it out online at http://tinyurl.com/6hjrsl .

* ZPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PRICING: Zephyr/IP, in case you haven't heard, is the advanced-technology IP Codec from Telos' famous Zephyr family of broadcast codecs. Maybe you've seen it at NAB, or read the reviews. Maybe you've been waiting for a really reliable codec for Internet remotes. Well, remote season is hard upon us, and Z/IP is now shipping at a special introductory price of $3,995.00 (US MSRP) - that's nearly $2,000.00 off the standard list price - but only until October 15th. Read all about Z/IP at Telos-Systems.com/ZephyrIP/ ...then call your dealer.

* ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Telos, Omnia and Axia representatives are out and about. Here's where they'll be next:

* SBE Ennes Workshop, Oklahoma City, August 27. Link: sbe85.org/info/ennes.php
* IBC, Amsterdam, September 12 - 16, Hall 8, Stand C1. Link: ibc.org
* SBE Ennes Workshop, Hartford, CT., September 13. Link: sbe.org/ennes_workshops.php
* NAB Radio Show and LIVEWIRE UNIVERSITY, Austin, TX., September 17 - 19, Booth 311. Link: nabradioshow.com
* 125th AES Convention, San Francisco, October 2 - 5. Link: aes.org
* Broadcast India, Mumbai, October 17 - 19, Stand J122. Link: saicom.com/broadcastindia/2008/
* BIRTV, Beijing, November 5 - 8, Booth 5012. Link: birtv.com
* Alaska Broadcasters Associaton Convention, Anchorage, November 13 - 14. Link: alaskabroadcasters.org

* NEWS FROM THE FIELD Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent orders:

Zephyr/IP IP Codecs are now doing Internet remotes at:
- BBC Television Centre, London
- Power 92 (WPWX-FM), Chicago, Illinois
- Entertainment Digital Network (EDNet), San Francisco, California

Omnia audio processors are rocking out at
- KONI-FM, Lanai City, Hawaii
- WNTI-FM, Centenary College, Hackettstown, New Jersey
- KDIX-AM, Dickinson, North Dakota

Axia IP-Audio networks are connecting at:
- KTSA-AM, San Antonio, Texas
- WAYM-FM, Spring Hill, Tennessee
- Radio Free Asia, Washington, D.C.

* TECH TIP – AXIA ELEMENT REMOTE LINE SELECTOR

QUESTION: "Is it possible to program one of the Element console mounted switch modules (like the optional SmartSwitch or FilmCap button modules - Ed.) to act as a remote line selector for an input fader?"

ANSWER: Absolutely. The easiest way to do this is to map the buttons to an Element VMix (Virtual Mixer) subgroup using PathfinderPC or PathfinderPRO. Build a Pathfinder Stack Event that will change the source routed to the input of a VMix fader (i.e VMix 1 fader 1). The qualifier for action will be a button press on the Element Button Module. The Audio output of the VMix fader will be configured with a unique system channel number and enabled. This new source can now be configured as a Source on the Element in the Element's Source Profile library. The source is then loaded onto a fader channel of the console. With the Pathfinder Stack Event configured, the push of a button can change the route to the input of VMixer. If the output of this VMixer is configured as a source on the Element, the audio will pass through the VMixer and onto the Element Surface. This can be configured for as many buttons as you have, thus creating an RLS. There's a lot of cool things you can do with Pathfinder - if you haven't downloaded the new manual that explains all the latest Pathfinder features, you can do so at your convenience; just visit PathfinderPC.com .

* DISCREPANCY SHEET: I've decided to rename the "fun links" section. Why "Discrepancy Sheet"? When I was on the air in the bad old days, the discrep sheet, hanging on its clipboard in the corner, was where we wrote down all the little, inessential studio stuff that we really didn't want to bother the engineer with. (The big stuff was another story, of course!) So it seemed the right name for this section of eNews, which has historically been something of a catch-all of ideas gone sideways.

In that spirit, I don't know any engineer who isn't a fan of remote-controlled gear. Be it model railroad cab control or home-brewed water-bearing hot-air blimps designed for drenching your neighbor's yappy Pomeranian, there's just something about RC that's cool. Which leads us to this Arizona manufacturer of near-Milspec, robotic, remote-controlled lawnmowers named "The Goat." I can't decide if I want the one with the 30" mow deck, or the one with all-terrain tracks... Either way, the video's fun to watch. Link: evatech.net .

Telos / Omnia / Axia eNews Pre-NAB Edition, April, 2008

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Hello Friends,

NAB is just a week away, and if you're coming to Las Vegas for the show, we hope you'll stop by and see Telos, Omnia and Axia in the LVCC North Hall, Booth N7620. The past couple of years, we've endeavored not just to display products, but to present you with information you'll find useful. This year we've put together some speakers and topics we hope you'll find interesting. If something in the schedule below captures your interest, please stop on by, rest your tired feet and enjoy our hospitality - there's no pre-registration needed. We'll be glad to see you!

**********

Monday April 14

10 am: "ONE is The Bestest Number" (with apologies to 3 Dog Night) – Frank Foti
Since last year, there have been several new siblings added to the award-winning Omnia ONE family of audio processors. Frank Foti tells all about them (as only Frank can).

2 pm "A Studio Integration Primer: Navigating the Integration Maze" - Andrew Rosenberg & Matt Sheahan
As broadcast technology evolves, studio complexes are being built and rebuilt at an ever increasing pace. As a result, studio integration is a topic that broadcast engineering and management teams need more information about. Andrew Rosenberg and Matt Sheahan from Creative Studio Solutions, Inc [CSS] will help you avoid the pitfalls associated with broadcast studio integration.


4 pm "12 Lines, No Waiting" - Marc Johnson
Nx12 is Telos’ latest multi-line talkshow system, with support for 12 callers, four adaptive digital hybrids, tight integration with Axia IP-Audio networks, and the ability to serve two studios simultaneously in split mode. Marc Johnson explains how Nx12 can help solve your talk show problems.

**********

Tuesday April 15

10 am "Automated Routing Made Easy" – Dan Bays
Up to now, automating router scene changes usually meant messing with custom code or arcane command-line switches. Software Authority’s Dan Bays, author of PathfinderPC router control software, shows you how easy it is to point-and-click your way to custom routing applications.

2 pm "Audio Processing On-Demand" - Frank Foti
Modern radio plants have dozens – if not hundreds – of active audio streams being generated at any given time. Many of those streams could benefit from “on-the-fly” audio sweetening, but a dedicated audio processor for every studio or workstation often isn’t a fiscal reality. Omnia Founder Frank Foti talks about the new Omnia.8X and how “on-demand” processing is finally a dream come true.

4 pm "IP Remotes Demystified, featuring Zephyr/IP" - Steve Church
Telos CEO and Founder Steve Church explains the mechanics and dispels the myths about using the Public Internet for radio remotes, including a discussion of the most effective codecs and a walkthrough of the new Zephyr/IP Broadcast Codec.

**********

Wednesday April 16

10 am "Zephyr/IP – Hands On" - Kirk Harnack
Kirk Harnack, International Sales Director for Telos (who’s also a radio station owner and broadcast engineer) gives an in-depth presentation on the features and capabilities of the new Zephyr/IP (Z/IP for short) Broadcast Codec for IP.

2 pm "The Best Way to Hear From There, Times Eight" – Ken Skok
The new Zephyr iPort has started a lot of folks thinking about how they could use a codec that transmits eight channels of MPEG AAC audio over a single QoS-enabled IP connection. Telos’ Ken Skok shows you how it works.
 

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, February, 2008

"The production of useful work is strictly limited by the laws of thermodynamics. The production of useless work seems to be unlimited."
-- Donald E. Simanek

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IN THIS ISSUE:

Omnia ONE for FM now shipping
Omnia.8X is shipping too!
News from the Field
Tech Tip: Telos TWO, TWOx12 and Series 2101
DTV Knowlege solicited

************************************

* SOMETHING NEW: When speaking of the Omnia ONE FM audio processor for multicast broadcasting, Omnia President Frank Foti says, “People keep asking me how we got such a powerful four-band FM processor into such a small box; they want to know what we left out. I tell them, ‘Everything’s there; nothing’s missing; we know a few things about audio processing.’” Four-band AGC, wideband automatic gain control and leveler, a separate four-band limiter with precision crossover, and Omnia’s famous final limiter/clipper, all for $2,995 US. See OmniaAudio.com/omlt/ for more.

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* SOMETHING ELSE NEW: Omnia Audio is now shipping the space-efficient Omnia.8X audio processor (US list price $4995), which packs the power, punch, and purity of eight discrete three-band Omnia stereo-audio processors into a single 3-1/2-in.-high networked box that simultaneously processes eight stereo-audio channels. Audio enters and exits on a Livewire Ethernet port, ready to connect to an Axia IP-Audio network. If you don’t yet have an Axia network, you can pair the Omnia.8X with an Axia Audio Node for stand-alone I/O on traditional XLR connectors. For more details, check out OmniaAudio.com/o8x/ .

* NEWS FROM THE FIELD!
Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent orders:

Zephyr Xstream codecs are now doing remotes at:
- WKLS, Atlanta, Georgia
- Sirius Satellite Radio, NYC
- Salem Radio Network News, Arlington, Virginia

Omnia ONE is processing audio at:
- WGAR, Cleveland, Ohio
- KKWY, West Jordan, Utah
- WKKQ, Barbourville, Kentucky

Axia IP-Audio networks are connecting at:
- WFIU, Indiana University, Bloomington
- United Stations Radio Network, NYC
- KTSA, San Antonio, Texas

* TECH TIP: TELOS TWO, TWOx12 AND SERIES 2101: We’ve recently made some improvements that may affect your Telos TWO, TWOx12, and 2101 Studio Interface and Extended Hybrid.Some units contain power supplies that have a manufacturing defect; our power-supply vender has released a new version of this supply to correct it. All units shipped in the last six months should have the new-style power supplies. To make sure you get the best performance from your gear, you’ll need to visually inspect the power supply to make sure it is the latest revision.

Open your unit and find the six large capacitors behind the 8-pin Molex connector. The brand on those caps should say “Nichicon”. No other brand of cap is acceptable. Also, on the new supply, two of these six caps are 1-cm taller than any other caps in the supply.
If any of your units have a supply that is NOT of this new style, please contact customer support by phone at +1 (216) 241-7225 or by email at support (at) telos-systems.com . We can either ship you a free replacement or schedule your unit for a quick repair in our shop.

FUN STUFF:Your editor is hoping that maybe the readers can provide him with some input on the DTV conversion a year from now. He has never had cable or satellite TV because he doesn't watch a whole lot of TV (he’s a radio guy), so he’s been hoping that over-the-air DTV reception might prove adequate. He’s heard, however, that DTV’s 8-VSB (eight-level vestigial-sideband)-modulated signals are not receivable without an outside antenna in most locations. He lives in a fairly high location--near the top of a hill that’s 200' or more in height and only about 10 miles from the two most likely transmitter sites. So he’s soliciting advice from you on finding out how likely he is to be able to get adequate reception. Firsthand knowledge is preferred, but even if you simply recommend Web sites where he is likely to find useful answers to his questions, this query will have accomplished something worthwhile. Please send replies and comments to: newsletter(at)telos-systems.com . We’ll share answers in the next edition.

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, July, 2007

"More than ever, the creation of the ridiculous is almost impossible because of the competition it receives from reality." - Robert A. Baker

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IN THIS ISSUE:
* Great-sounding Multicast
* PathfinderPC 4.0 now shipping
* Obscure "Pulp Fiction" Reference
* "Element-ary" Required Reading
* Axia in Action – Cool Pics of XM Canada
* News from the Field – who's buying what.
* Tech Tip – Getting More from Your Omnia-5FM
* Broadcast Link of the Week – The Voices of NPR's Future.

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* MULTICAST, SOUNDING GOOD: If sales of the Omnia ONE Multicast are any indication, FM stations are embracing HD Radio multicasting with a vengeance. They're also embracing Omnia ONE! Designed to maximize audio quality with the limited bitrate of multicasting in mind, the ONE Multicast uses Omnia's exclusive SENSUS technology to provide maximize audio while minimizing artifacts that are induced by the coding system. (If you're travelling to Las Vegas for vacation this summer, hear it on KNPR-HD, 88.9 FM.) See more info and video at www.omniaaudio.com/omlt/ .

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* PATHFINDER PC 4.0 NOW SHIPPING: Lots of Axia clients have already found that PathfinderPC software is an essential tool for your Axia IP-Audio system...now it's even more so with Version 4.0. New features, more functionality, and it's a free upgrade for prior users. Among the many nifty things in 4.0: an enhanced version of our graphical "Stacking Events" editor that does away with the hand-scripting that other packages force on you. Also, full control of Element consoles' VMIX virtual mixers, the ability to create custom virtual "button panels" that can be run from computer or mapped to Axia accessory panels, and support for custom graphics on Axia LCD control panels. See the full feature list at http://www.AxiaAudio.com/news/pr/2007_pathfinder4_0_release.htm and send emails to inquiry (at) axiaaudio.com if you've got questions.

WHILE IN AMSTERDAM, GET A ROYALE WITH CHEESE: Come join us across the pond at the International Broadcasting Convention! This year's IBC show is at the RAI Congress Centre in Amsterdam; Telos/Omnia/Axia's Kirk Harnack and Angi Roberson will be there from September 6 – 11 in Stand 8.239.

"ELEMENT-ARY" REQUIRED READING: We're pleased to present version 2.0 of the Axia Element Users Manual, now online at www.axiaaudio.com/manuals . This is a comprehensive update with all info current to the latest software versions. And speaking of the latest software, you can always get that at www.axiaaudio.com/downloads - bookmark it and check often. Don't be the guy that doesn't RTM – go get it, and keep a copy handy.

AXIA IN ACTION: Just to make you jealous, here's some sweet pix of XM Canada's studios, with lots of Telos and Axia gear. Elements, SmartSurfaces & Phone Hybrids - oh my! Pics galore at www.xmfocus.com/axia .

NEWS FROM THE FIELD!
Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent orders:

Omnia audio processing is pure and clear at:
- KNPR Las Vegas, NV (Omnia ONE Multicast)
- KEOK Tahlequah, OK (Omnia-3AM)
- WAXX Eau Claire, WI (Omnia-3FM)
- WNIJ Dekalb, IL (Omnia-6EXi HD+FM Digital)

Telos broadcast phone systems are taking calls at:
- Voice of America (TWOx12/2101 Desktop Director)
- KBAZ Hamilton / Missoula, MT (ONE+ONE Dual Digital Hybrid)
- WOWF Crossville, TN (ONEx6 talk show system)
- WQHT/WRKS New York City, NY (TWOx12 POTS Digital Talk Show)

Axia is powering studios at:
- WKNL/WNLC New London, CT
- WJCU University Heights / Cleveland, OH
- WHRO Norfolk, VA
- KWVE Santa Ana, CA

Telos Zephyrs are getting audio from here to there at:
- Minnesota Public Radio, St.Paul, MN (Zephyr Xstream Port Mixer)
- City of New York Mayor's Office, New York, NY (Zephyr Xstream)
- Clear Channel Radio, New Orleans, LA (Zephyr Xport POTS+ISDN)
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY (Zephyr Xstream RM ISDN)

* TECH TIP: GETTING MORE FROM YOUR OMNIA-5FM

QUESTION - Corey Keil of Radio Polynesia writes: "My new Omnia-5FM sounds great on our Top 40 station! I also bought the stereo expansion software upgrade. Any tips on installation and tweaking?"

ANSWER - Omnia Tech Guru Mark Manolio replies: "Hi Corey! If you ordered the Stereo EFX upgrade, it will need to be activated using a special password once we have the P.O. from the dealer you ordered it from. To generate that password, send Omnia Support the serial number and MAC address of your unit; these are located on small barcode stickers on the rear panel. Once you have the password code, you simply navigate to the 'Enhance' block of the Process menu and click on the button there. A box will pop up where you can enter the special code and then click on the checkmark button to activate.

"The Omnia-5 Stereo EFX software is just like that in the Omnia-6 and is a fairly subtle stereo enhancer that gives a nice effect at midrange settings (6 to 12) without aggravating multipath.

"With regard to obtaining loudness, settings are very subjective. Generally, make sure that the input levels, pre-emphasis and de-emphasis are set properly per the manual for your system and try each factory preset, settling on the sound signature you like the best. For each one you try, adjust the main Clipper Drive control in the 'Clip' block of the Process menu; this is the primary control over the loudness vs. distortion tradeoff and should be set as low as possible for the loudness you need.

"Start by adjusting it down in 0.5 dB steps, and when the loudness falls off too much, bring it back up a bit from there. If you have to turn it up too much to get the sound you want, try a more aggressive preset instead.

"If you are using the composite output, you can use a few tenths of a dB of the composite clipper for a little extra oomph (this is the 'Composite Drive' control in the Clippers menu)."

We're sending Corey an Omnia t-shirt for his Tech Tip question. Got one of your own? Email clark (at) telos-systems.com .

BROADCAST LINK
The future voices of Public Radio are battling it out at the Public Radio Talent Quest. In that elusive quest for "hostiness", round one whittled 1452 entries to ten semifinalists, and round two has reduced that to seven. Brought to you by CPB and the Public Radio Exchange (PRX), the PRTQ is going through five rounds of voting by official judges and by public opinion; the last three standing will get $10000 and a production mentor to produce a new public radio show. You can cast YOUR vote in round three by checking out audio submissions and blog entries at www.publicradioquest.com .

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, June, 2007

“A conclusion is the place where you got tired thinking." - Martin H. Fischer

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IN THIS ISSUE:
• The Thrilling Three become the Fantastic Four
• NAB Awards Update • New Product Releases!
• New Element software updates
• News from the Field
• Tech Tip – demo an Xport's AACplus using your Xstream
• Cool Broadcast Link: Towers of Power
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* FANTASTIC FOUR: Linear Acoustic, a big name in audio processing for television, has become the new fourth member of the Telos family. Linear President Tim Carroll made the announcement at the NAB2007 convention, saying "We have spent five years developing successful digital audio processors and infrastructure products for the international television community. There are clear and exciting synergies with what we are doing and their capabilities.” More info: www.linearacoustic.com 

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* WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF ROOM ON THE MANTLE: NAB 2007 was very kind to us. We won 4.5 awards for new products: two Radio World "Cool Stuff" awards for the new Omnia ONE audio processor and the Telos Zephyr/IP codec, a Radio Pick Hit for our new Nx12 phone system, and a NAB2007 STAR Award for Linear Acoustic's StreamStacker-HD audio distribution system. The “half-an-award”? Axia partner AudioScience received a Radio Pick Hit for their new ASI6585 sound card, the first anywhere with a Livewire-only interface; perfect for connecting to Axia systems (so we figure we get 50% of the credit! Check www.audioscience.com for details).

* SPEAKING OF AWARD WINNING STUFF: We've got a slew of new product releases. The Omnia ONE for Multicast is shipping now, with an FM version scheduled shortly. Omnia.8X, Telos Zephyr iPort and Telos Nx12 are shipping 3rd quarter 2007. The Zephyr/IP will ship 4th quarter 2007 – good to know if you’re preparing CapEx budgets now. Find out more about these new products by visiting
www.Telos-Systems.com , www.OmniaAudio.com and www.AxiaAudio.com .

* NEW ELEMENT SOFTWARE: Keep your Axia Element system up to date with v1.1.13.13a software, just released! It adds some new functionality for greater control when using PathfinderPC software to automate switching in your Axia network, and also fixes some minor GPIO command issues. Download it free from www.AxiaAudio.com/downloads , and be sure to get StudioEngine software v2.4.7 at the same time - they need to be installed together.

* NEWS FROM THE FIELD Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent orders:

Omnia audio processing is giving ears a Swedish massage at:
• WRVV Harrisburg, PA (Omnia-6EX HD+FM)
• WCIN Cincinnati, OH (Omnia-5EX HD+AM)
• KMXP Phoenix, AZ (Omnia-6EX HD+FM)
• WBCT Grand Rapids, MI (Omnia ONE Multicast)

Axia is powering new studios at:
• WCTK Providence, RI / New Bedford, MA
• WZLY Wellesley / Boston, MA
• WDOD/WDEF Chattanooga, TN
• WUFT Gainesville, FL

Telos Zephyrs are getting audio from here to there at:
• WCBS-FM, New York (Zephyr Xstream)
• WLUR Washington & Lee University (Zephyr Xport POTS+ISDN)
• WBEZ Chicago, IL (Zephyr Xport POTS+ISDN)
• KAJZ Aspen, CO (Zephyr Xstream)

Telos broadcast phone systems are putting people on air at:
• Clear Channel Pittsburgh, PA (TWOx12 Talkshow System)
• KORL Honolulu, HI (ONE-x-Six Talkshow System)
• WYSO Yellow Springs, OH (Telos ONE hybrid)
• WOAI-TV San Antonio, TX (ONE-x-Six Talkshow System)

* TECH TIP – TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

Q: "I have a Zephyr Xstream and am considering purchase of an Xport. How can I arrange to hear the Xport’s audio?"

A: We have a test line with an Xport to demonstrate the fidelity possible using Xport's aacPlus coding. To hear this virtual demo you must have an Xstream with version 2.5.7p or later. From the DIAL menu select "Xport" for MODE and then enter 216-621-1826 and press DIAL. Let us know what you think! E-mail us at support@telos-systems.com and put "Xport listening test" in the subject line.

* COOL BROADCAST LINK: This week's link may be familiar to you, but it's got a new twist. Scott Fybush and Garrett Wollman, the lovable radio geeks behind "North East Radio Watch" and the "Tower Site of the Month" calendar have updated the Boston Radio Archives (www.bostonradio.org) with new photos of studios and transmitter sites from all over the country…including several Boston-area AM sites, the Fessenden Centennial celebration, and many historic Los Angeles hilltop broadcast sites. Visit http://gallery.bostonradio.org to get your transmitter site photo fix.

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, April, 2007 - Pre-NAB Edition!

* WELCOME TO NAB: We realize that not all of you will make it to Las Vegas this year, but we hope that the information in this email will be interesting to you nonetheless. We're debuting lots of new gear that we'll tell you about further down; and if you _are_ coming to NAB, you can see it in the Telos / Omnia / Axia booth in the North Hall. Look for us in Booth N7726.

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* NEW PRODUCTS: The guys in R&D have really outdone themselves this year. Here's what we'll be unveiling at NAB:

- Telos Zephyr/IP (Z/IP for short) is our brand-new IP codec. Zephyr/IP lets you do remotes over IP links without QoS, like the public Internet, or mobile IP services. Thanks to ACT - Agile Connection Technology - Zephyr/IP continuously senses and adapts to network conditions. The result is that your IP remotes are more stable and better sounding, with less of the audible effects of packet loss, bandwidth variance and jitter. Z/IP comes standard with a very flexible I/O section that includes analog, AES/EBU and a Livewire connection that lets you plug directly into an Axia IP-Audio network. There's also a big, color VGA screen that's much more than just eye candy - there's context-sensitive onscreen help, graphical connection status with traceroute display, and a "buddy list" that makes use of Telos' ZIP Server service to keep track of and connect to frequently-accessed connections, even through NAT layers and DHCP servers.

- The Telos Zephyr iPort MPEG Gateway packs 8 MPEG codecs into a single 2RU box. Put one on each end of an IP network that has guaranteed QoS and you can transport multiple channels of bi-directional stereo audio on a single link. iPort has many different types of MPEG coding so you can optimize bandwidth for your specific audio type. There's MPEG AAC, aacPlus, MPEG Layer 2 & Layer 3, Low-Delay AAC, and AAC-HE+PS (High Efficiency + Perceptual Stereo), which testing shows is the most bit-efficient codec available today, allowing stereo operation down to 32kbps. To make things even easier, there's a Livewire Ethernet port, so all 8 channels of audio plus control can be connected to an Axia network with just one cable. (If you don't have Axia yet, you can use an Axia Analog Node or AES/EBU Node to break out the I/O.) iPort’s efficient use of Livewire I/O combined with multiple codecs in a single 2U device result in a low cost per channel compared to that of multiple single-channel codecs.

- Telos broadcast phone systems have been the industry standard for years. Our new Telos Nx12 Talkshow System may be our best-sounding system ever, thanks to brand-new platform designed from the ground up. Nx12 works with up to 12 phone lines, analog or digital. You can even have half analog/half digital phone lines if you like. Each of Nx12’s 4 hybrids is equipped with its own adjustable AGC and noise gate with algorithms developed by Omnia, plus our Digital Dynamic EQ™ and adaptive hybrid technology. You can run Nx12 as one 12-line phone system, or split it into two independent systems, each with its own program-on-hold input. And of course it plugs right into Livewire networks, too, along with AES3 and analog I/O.

- Omnia ONE is the new audio processor from Omnia. It's compact, with a 1RU chassis, but there's a whole lot packed inside. Right now we're shipping the Multicast version, which preconditions audio that's intended for coded-audio broadcasting, like HD multicasts, satellite broadcasting, DAB, DRM... the list goes on. That's just the beginning; an FM version will be coming your way soon too. And all for a price much lower than you'd expect for a processor with all of Onnia ONE's powerful features.

- Omnia.8X is truly something revolutionary. Inside its 2RU chassis are 8 - that's right, 8 - three-band stereo audio processors. Like our other new products, Omnia.8X is networked, with a Livewire interface. Which means that in a networked studio, you can use it for processing-on-demand. Need to process off-air headphone feeds? Use some of Omnia.8X's capacity. Let your production gurus use it when they need fine control over levels. Use some channels to sweeten phone callers, or to tighten up in-studio performances. What else could you use on-demand audio processing for? Lots of things, we imagine.

- Axia Element consoles, already well-known for their flexibility and power, now give you more options than ever. For one thing, Element now comes in new smaller sizes, thanks to our new Monitor Module that includes 2 faders. That means you can order a networked console with a full router interface with as few as 2 faders (or as many as 40, if you want). Perfect for places where you need large-console functionality in a small space. Like news studios, dubbing stations, voiceover booths, etc. Also, Element now comes in 3 different color schemes: Cool Gray, Bronze and Silver, to go with any studio decor. And there are new in-studio accessory panels for Element too; headphone selectors, mic control panels, producer panels and button panels that make it easy for talent to better control their broadcast environment even if they're not seated at the board.

- New Axia rackmount button panels let you map routing scene changes and machine logic controls to button panels that fit right into studio turrets. Using PathfinderPC software, you can use these film-legendable controllers to execute route changes, start and stop recording devices, control profanity delays and more.

- Last but not least, there's new Axia software to help control your broadcast plant. iProbe is network administration software for IP-Audio networks; it automatically finds all of your audio nodes, consoles, control panels, etc. and helps you keep track of system configuration, software versions, IP addresses and more; it even enables you to perform software updates on groups of devices all at once. And then there's PathfinderPC 4.0, which adds tons of cool new features to our popular routing control software, including such goodies as full control of Axia Element consoles' Virtual Mixer feature, and a Panel Designer GUI that lets you drag-and-drop to create custom-function button panels.

* CHURCH, FOTI & SACKS HOST BEC SESSIONS: Steve Church, Frank Foti and Marty Sacks will all be hosting session at the NAB's Broadcast Engineering Conference. Steve presents "Building Broadcast Audio on IP" April 14th at 11:30 AM; Frank talks about "Sonic Tonic for Audio Coding" on April 16th at 2PM; Marty presents "Packets Everywhere: How IP-Audio and Ethernet Are Transforming Modern Radio Facilities" on April 17th at 11:30AM. Check your NAB program guides for locations.

* 5.1 SURROUND DEMONSTRATION: Have you heard over-the-air discrete 5.1 broadcasting yet? You can if you visit the Telos / Omnia / Axia booth. Slide into the BMW sedan in our display to hear discrete surround, broadcast using Fraunhofer IIS' MPEG Surround system. Unlike systems that multiplex and muddy surround audio, smearing the audio imaging, the FhG system keeps the music discrete, for full, satisfying sound. We could tell you more about how great it sounds, but it's better if you hear it for yourself!

* STORIES FROM THE FIELD: Each day at NAB, we'll be presenting some real-world stories and experiences of Telos, Omnia and Axia users. We'll be interviewing some of broadcasting's best, and hearing their stories about remotes, processing, phones and networked audio. Plus, you'll get an in-depth look at Zephyr/IP, our new IP codec. Here's the schedule:

MONDAY:
-------

> 10 AM: Introducing the Zephyr IP (Z/IP), with Kirk Harnack

> 12 NOON: Andy Hollins of BBC Radio talks remotes with Zephyr Xstream and Xport
> 2 PM: Univision's Marty Scruggs talks about Axia audio networks
> 4 PM: Matt Aaron, engineer of the syndicated "Dave Ramsey Show" on Axia

TUESDAY:
--------

> 10 AM: Introducing the Zephyr IP (Z/IP), with Kirk Harnack

> 11 AM: Frank Foti discusses and demonstrates MPEG Surround
> 1 PM: Chuck Ide, from Clear Channel's Los Angeles cluster, talks about Series 2101
> 3 PM: Chris Alexander of Crawford Broadcasting chats about Omnia processing for AM

WEDNESDAY:
----------

> 10 AM: Introducing the Zephyr IP (Z/IP), with Kirk Harnack

> 11:30 AM: Charles Lelievre from Connoisseur Media on Telos hybrids and Axia
> 1 PM: Steve Church talks to CBS' Paul Donovan about MPEG surround broadcasts at WZLX
> 2 PM: Matt Aaron, engineer of the syndicated "Dave Ramsey Show" on Axia

We look forward to seeing you at the show!
 

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, September, 2006

SEE YOU AT THE AES: We'll be attending several of the sessions at the upcoming AES convention in San Francisco, October 5 - 8. If you're going and you catch a glimpse of one of us, be sure to stop us and shake our hand!

Here's a list of the sessions we'll be presenting at:

* Frank Foti will speak at the LOUDNESS WORKSHOP, Thursday, October 5, 4:30 pm.
* Mike Uhl will be one of the presenters at the CONSIDERATIONS FOR FACILITY DESIGN session Thursday, October 5, 9 am.
* Rolf Taylor talks about AUDIO TRANSPORT OVER DISTANCE: PHONE, INTERNET, SATELLITE on Friday, October 6, 12:30 pm
* Frank Foti will give an audio presentation during the SURROUND SOUND FOR DIGITAL RADIO session, Friday, October 6, 3:00 pm
* Clark Novak will present at the BROADCASTING IN THE IP AGE session, Sunday, October 8, 9:00 am
 

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* A BIG WELCOME FOR MIKE UHL AND JIM ARMSTRONG: It's not every day that you get to welcome home two old friends, so we're doubly honored to have Mike Uhl and Jim Armstrong join the Telos / Omnia / Axia team. Mike Uhl, long known for his work at PR&E and SAS, says "It's time to replace all those BMX consoles. IP Audio is the most efficient and reliable method of studio infrastructure available." Mike will be the "go to" guy for stations West of the Mississippi for all Telos produc ts, including Omnia & Axia. Likewise, Jim Armstrong is well-known from his time spent as a representative for Burk, Gentner and SAS, and will be representing our gear East of the Mississippi. If you'd like to read the press releases about Mike and Jim, visit www.AxiaAudio.com/news/ . Drop 'em an e-mail and say "howdy" at jarmstrong@telos-systems.com  and mikeuhl@telos-systems.com  .


* KIRK HARNACK GOES INTERNATIONAL: If you've attended an SBE meeting lately, you've probably met Kirk Harnack: he's been tirelessly criss-crossing the US for the past several years telling people about Axia IP-Audio networks. Or you might know him from his former positions at VP/Engineering at Scott Studios... but one thing's for sure: you probably know him! Now, Kirk is taking on an even bigger role: that of Director of International Business Development for Telos, Omnia and Axia. "Our companies are all about helping broadcasters,” says Kirk says, “helping them produce more content – better content - and making it sound better. We're broadcasters ourselves. We've ‘been there, done that,’ and are still doing it today. Telos is a trusted name in broadcast telephony and codecs; Omnia is the most-requested audio processor brand, improving audio in radio, TV, cable, satellite, and Internet broadcasting; and Axia – using worldwide data standards – lets broadcasters route and mix audio and data in an efficient, unified IP system. I'm looking forward to talking with broadcasters around the world about these exciting technologies!” You can read more at www.AxiaAudio.com/news/pr/2006_harnack.htm, or drop him an e-mail at kharnack@telos-systems.com  .


* NEWS FROM THE FIELD: Who's getting new gear?

Zephyr Xstream (www.telos-systems.com/zephyr/) does great-sounding remotes on:
- Sirius Satellite Radio, New York
- WKFS / WVMX, Cincinnati, OH
- KZLA, Los Angeles, CA
- Salem Radio Networks, Irving, TX
- WDTJ / WCHB, Detroit, MI
- WOGL, Philadelphia, PA
- WSCR, Chicago, IL

Omnia for AM (www.OmniaAudio.com/am.htm) powers up on:
- WOKY, Milwaukee, WI
- WJCP, Austin, IN
- WRIN, Lafayette, IN

Series 2101 (www.telos-systems.com/2101/) commands the phones at:
- WSB, Atlanta, GA
- ABC/Disney Radio, Arlington, TX

New Axia studios (www.AxiaAudio.com) on the air at:
- WZLX, Boston, MA
- WSRS, Worcester, MA
- Vibe 105, Rhythm Radio 95.1, Inspirational 730 & Sangeet 106.1,
Port of Spain,Trinidad
- WUCF, Orlando, FL

* TECH TIPS: SAVING MONEY ON ISDN LINES
David H. Lacey writes: "I'm wondering if it's possible to save on charges for ISDN codec use by using ISDN PRI. I've seen some office PBX systems that can be configured to provide ISDN 2B+D on the station side. I also recall seeing some Adtran products, larger shelves or frames, that would sit on one or more ISDN PRIs and take cards to split out the service in various fashions. I'm looking to use these 'derived' ISDN lines with ISDN Codecs from Telos."

Our Rolf Taylor responds: The answer is 'probably yes.' What I mean by that is that the concept is sound, it has been done before, but that there are a few possible snags that you need to know about going forward, so be sure to plan carefully.

THE POTENTIAL FOR SAVINGS

There are several potential ways to save money with your proposal, depending on how this is implemented.

• One PRI (23 B + D) is nearly always cheaper than 11 BRIs (2 B +D)

• You may decide to include some "concentration" in the design. For example you may decide to have more BRI ports than 11. This means that at times you could run out of B channels on the PRI, so this must be thought through. However, sometimes a given codec only need one B channel, so this approach is not to be ruled out. Just make sure you don't go overboard.

• If you use the PBX approach (see below) you can share 1 or more PRIs between not only the codecs, but also other PBX voice traffic. For example, if you currently have a PBX with a single PRI, adding a second PRI to the PBX and connecting the codecs to the PBX gives additional PBX capacity that adds to overall flexibility.

• If you get the PRI directly from a Long Distance vendor, you will get a much better per-minute rate (this is because with a normal phone line the LD company must pay the LEC a fee for their portion of handling LD calls. In the case of a direct line to the LD carrier they do not have to pay this fee and can pass the savings to you). Just make sure that you will be able to make *local* calls at a reasonable rate if using this approach.

• You can combine the two approach to savings. If the PBX is currently connected to a PRI from a LEC, and you add a PRI from a LD company, and program the PBX properly to route local vs LD the traffic accordingly, you can save in both ways.
  
  Just don't forget that whoever will be the LD carrier for your codec calls (e.g. Circuit Switched Data) must be able handle this type of traffic. Generally you are limited to MCI and Sprint in this case. You should be able to negotiate a single per minute rate for both voice and data calls (AT&T can handle the CSD calls, but you are billed by a completely different division for these calls and unlike the other carriers the rates are not the same for the two types of calls).

APPROACHES

There are two basic approaches, as David mentions:

* PBX approach. Many digital PBXes can provide BRI ports off of the PBX. The advantage to this approach is that it makes concentration, if desired, much easier to accomplish. Upgrading the PBX may (but not necessarily) be cheaper than buying seperate integration device. Plus management may be easier, particularly if you are already comfortable managing the PBX in question. Telos customers have reported success using the following (your results may vary, and programming can be a bear, see "details" below).

- AT&T/Lucent/Avaya Definity
- AT&T Merlin Legend
- Nortel Meridian Option 11
- Siemens Hicom 150e

* "Integration device." I can't think of a better term for these. These are dedicated boxes that can convert multiple a PRI into multiple BRI's (or sometimes even multiple BRI or a T1 into a PRI).Telos customers have reported success using the following (your results may vary, see "details" below).

- Adtran Atlas (this is not a single product but a series of plug ins for a card frame. You will need to discuss your application with Adtran)
- Ascend Max 2T

Of course a small used PBX such as the Siemens 150e might be cheaper than an integration device. Obviously a small PBX could be used purely as a dedicated integration device. Also this scenario could be used to create some redundancy to the PBX.

DETAILS

The ISDN BRI physical Interface can be the S interface (4 wire interface) or the U interface (2 wire interface). The U interface is what the Telco normally provides since it can be run as far as 18,000 feet. Codecs sold in the USA all support the U interface by default. The S interface is typiclaly used outside the USA and Canada. There is no way to convert an S interface signal into a U interface (though an NT1 can convert a U into an S) so if your PBX or Integration device only supports the S interface make sure your codecs support this interface.

Telos Zephyrs nearly all support both the S and U interface (those that don't support the S interface can be connected to a U interface using an NT1).

Both the S and U interfaces are quite well standardized and robust. The low level physical interface is virtually never the source of compatibility concern (other than making sure you both support the same one).

ISDN protocols: In the USA the ISDN "Layer 3 signaling protocols" are all extremely complicated (more so than needed). Therefore many non-Telco implementations are sub-sets rather than full implementations. This can be a source of compatibility concerns. Terminal Adaptor and Codec manufacturers cannot guarantee that their equipment will be compatible with any particular piece of PBX or Integration device.

In actuality, our experience has been that most PBXs are compatible with Telos equipment, assuming they are programmed properly. That is the biggest problem: Even the 2nd and 3rd tier support people at most PBX vendors don't know much about ISDN (most don't even know what an IOC/ISDN Order Code package is). You already know that your codecs work on a variety of lines and are not the source of difficulties. But getting every last setting on the PBX set correctly can be arduous.

If your PBX vendor assures you they can "get the ISDN up and running easily" you may want to get a quote versus having them do it as a time and materials job. Also, don't believe their compatibility claims until you test the PBX with your ISDN terminal equipment (e.g. codecs)

Protocol details: Most PBXs claim compatibility with the "National ISDN-1" standard. They will provide 2 SPIDS and 2 DN/phone numbers (usually DID numbers) per BRI port. Some only support the "AT&T Custom" protocol. This protocol does not require SPIDs but it has only a single DN. With this protocol callers will not be able to directly access a codec "line": The first call will always go to B1 unless it is busy, in which case the call rolls over to B2. If you tend to use your codec as a "split" codec you will want to be sure the PBX or integration device supports National ISDN-1.

OTHER ISSUES

• PRI can have any number of DID (Direct Inward Dial) numbers. You should be able to program either type of system to route calls to specific BRI ports by telephone number.

• In some cases we have run across fractional PRIs with less than 23 B channels. If you need less than 23 this *may* be an option. You will need to program your PBX or integration device properly so that outbound calls choose from active channels only.

The above options are worth considering for your on-air talkshow systems as well. The advantages to putting your on-air system on your PBX are fairly obvious. But the disadvantages of doing this with PBX analog ports can be significant. For example, most PBXs don't support far-end-drop supervision, meaning that when callers on hold hang up dial tone can end up on air. Plus the usual problems with POTS such as glare (where a line about to ring in is seized and you get a caller instead of dial tone) and slow signaling in general. D channel signaling offers significant advantages. This is one reason Telos developed the TWOx12 ISDN model.

Got a question for Tech Tips? Email us. Of course we answer all questions, but if we use yours in eNews, we'll send you some cool Telos/Omnia/Axia swag too.


* COOL BROADCAST LINK: For those of us that grew up during the Golden Age of television, nothing brings the memories flooding back like an old commercial jingle. Remember The Fifth Dimension for Jell-O? Bobby Short doing Charlie perfume ads? The Monkees for Kool-Aid? Check 'em all out and more at Classic TV Ads (www.roadode.com/classicindex.shtml). And have a Faygo Root Beer on us.
 

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, June, 2006

* THE DAVE RAMSEY SHOW ADDS A NEW ELEMENT: Well-known financial talk host Dave Ramsey (www.daveramsey.com) is the latest to choose Axia IP-Audio networking to power his studios. Dave's recent multi-city deal with Cumulus Media was the perfect reason for a studio upgrade, and Axia IP-Audio technology, along with an Element modular studio controller, turned out to be the perfect fit. The new console hit the air on June 15th (check out the cool custom show logo on the Element display screen - a neat capability possessed by every Element console). Axia Element control surfaces are scalable from 4 to 40 faders and offer a host of customizable functions designed to make life easier and more error-free for jocks and board operators. Check out www.AxiaAudio.com/surfaces/ for more information.

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* MARTY SACKS RETURNS! It's always good to welcome back a familiar face. Marty Sacks, formerly National Sales Director for Telos / Omnia from 1999 - 2003, has returned to the family after spending time at ERI and Radio Ink. Marty fills the new Vice President's post at our Axia division, where he'll be overseeing the explosive growth Axia has been experiencing. Says Marty, “Axia is the fastest growing console company in the industry…It's wonderful to be back!” drop him a line at marty@AxiaAudio.com  .


* CONSUMER REPORTS BROADCASTING CHOOSES ZEPHYR XSTREAM: Ernie Sprance at Consumer Reports TV News tells us they've purchased three Zephyr Xstream MX ISDN codecs to link their auto test track in Connecticut with their studios in Yonkers, New York and offices in Washington DC. Ernie says that using Zephyrs with built-in mixers will let them quickly produce interviews and reports without having to build full studios. We love it when folks think "out of the box"! Find out what Zephyr can do at www.telos-systems.com/zephyr/ .


* NEWS FROM THE FIELD: Who's getting new gear?

Zephyr Xport is on the line at:
- Sirius Satellite Radio, New York
- KUPD, Phoenix, AZ
- Korean Christian Broadcasting, New York
- Major League Baseball Radio, New York

ProFiler is now logging audio at:
- WINS, New York
- KTRU, Houston, TX
- Clear Channel, Pensacola, FL
- WCBM, Baltimore, MD

Omnia-6EX sounds great on:
- WLTQ, Sarasota, FL
- WIFE, Cincinnati, OH
- WCDX, Richmond, VA
- KOMR, Phoenix, AZ
- KZWY, Sheridan, WY
- WNUA, Chicago, IL

New Axia studios on the air at:
- Canada Satellite Radio
- WUOT, Knoxville, TN
- KOOP, Austin, TX
- WUCF, Orlando, FL

* TECH TIPS: "Can my Zephyr Xport talk to my Classic Zephyr?"

David Kalb of Wichita, Kansas asks "I just bought a Zephyr Xport POTS+ISDN codec. I know it'll talk to Zephyr Xstreams, but can I connect with my classic [black-faced] Zephyr, too?"

Sure, can, Dave. In fact, Xport is very flexible and can talk to many different codecs, not just Zephyr, since Xport is capable of outputting G.722 audio streams. Here's how:

1. First, make sure your Xport has the latest software, which is Version 2.0.2p. If not, go to www.telos-systems.com/support/ and download the update package.

2. Follow the instructions at http://tinyurl.com/oobsqto update your Xport. (PDF viewer required)

3. Once your Xport is updated, you can connect with any other G.722 codec - including another Zephyr Xport.

Got a question for Tech Tips? Email us at cnovak@AxiaAudio.com. Of course we answer all questions, but if we use yours in eNews, we'll send you some cool Telos/Omnia/Axia swag too.

* COOL BROADCAST LINK: How many of us cut our teeth in electronics assembling a big box of parts from Heathkit? For a lot of us, it was almost a rite of passage. The Heathkit Virtual Museum (www.heathkit-museum.com) takes you down memory lane with pictures, articles and histories of the Heath company and the thousands of products they made over 40+ years. Seems like just yesterday I was nursing my burnt fingers and wiping spattered flux off the kitchen table...

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, January, 2006

* OMNIA ON WLS...: When a station like ABC Radio's WLS chooses your audio processor over all the others on the market, folks take notice! The legendary Chicagoland station (www.wlsam.com) is using an Omnia-5EX HD+AM audio processor, and Warren Schulz likes it a lot. "Having the ability to affect audio processing with such great detail in control is a huge benefit. With Omnia-5EX, WLS is the king of the hill.” Maybe your AM could benefit by upgrading to Omnia? Visit www.omniaaudio.com/am.htm to read more.

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*...AND ON KLZ: Another Omnia success story from the Mile High City, where Crawford Broadcasting's KLZ (www.z560.com) has also upgraded to Omnia as part of their HD Radio conversion -- Omnia-5EX HD+AM is the world's only AM audio processor that's ready for HD Radio, with two simultaneous processing paths (one for analog AM, the other for HD). Chief Engineer Ed Dulaney told us “Everyone that has heard our AM HD Radio signal says it sounds as good or better than FM!” People love to talk about their Omnias - read more client comments at www.omniaaudio.com/buzz/ .

* BSI BECOMES AXIA PARTNER: The latest delivery system provider to become an Axia partner is BSI, makers of Simian and WaveCart playout software. This means that BSI clients with an Axia audio network can use our IP-Audio Driver to stream content directly from their playout PCs to the routing network via Ethernet - without multiple sound cards, D/A conversions, or multi-cable connections. BSI is just the latest in a growing list of Axia partners; click www.axiaaudio.com/partners/ to see the full list.

* 300,000 PHONE CALLS!: That's how many connection attempts were placed to Howard Stern's toll-free line on his first day at Sirius Satellite Radio. 130,000 of those in the first hour alone! Luckily, Sirius uses a Telos Series 2101 Multi-Studio Talkshow System. The 2101 system plugs right into T-1 and E-1 digital lines, allowing management of up to 120 incoming call circuits across as many as 32 studios. Mike Schweizer of Improbable Missions Force was on hand, and he told us that the 2101 was definitely up to the task, even in the face of what he called "crushing" call volume. Read the whole story at http://tinyurl.com/a6u94 .

* NEWS FROM THE FIELD: Who's getting new gear? Here's a sample of some recent orders:

New Telos broadcast phone systems are on air at:
- WMXD, Detroit (TWOx12 12-Line Talkshow System)
- WDNQ, Huntington, West Virginia) (ONE-x-Six Six-Line Talkshow System)
- KPLA, Columbia, Missouri (ONE-x-Six Six-Line Talkshow System)
- KKFR, Phoenix (TWOx12 12-Line Talkshow System)

Telos ProFiler is now logging broadcasts at:
- KHTK, Sacramento
- KFAN, Minneapolis
- WDHA/WMTR, Somerset, New Jersey
- WDOK, Cleveland

Omnia audio processing pumps up the volume at:
- KBCO, Denver (Omnia-6EXi HD+FM)
- KRCL, Salt Lake City (Omnia-6EXi HD+FM)
- WENN, Birmingham, Alabama (Omnia-6EXi HD+FM)
- WPKE, Pikesville, Kentucky (Omnia-3AM)

Axia IP-Audio technology is now powering studios at:
- Radio Free Asia, Bangkok
- KWMU, University of Missouri, St. Louis
- Minnesota Public Radio, Saint Paul, Minnesota
- KINV/KDOS, Univision Radio, Austin, Texas

* TELOS, OMNIA, AXIA ON THE ROAD: We're planning now for a few road trips in 2006. Here's what's lined up so far:

• Frank Foti and Kirk Harnack will be attending (along with Radio Systems President, Dan Braverman), an Open House & Technical Session Day at Radio Systems, 601 Heron Drive, Logan Township, New Jersey on February 2nd. Want to come? Phone 856-467-8000 for information.

• Kirk Harnack will make a presentation on MPEG Surround at the St. Louis, MO, SBE Chapter 55 meeting on Thursday,  January 26th (www.broadcast.net/~sbe55).

• See us at CABSAT 2006 in Dubai, March 7 - 9 in the Tek Signals booth, Hall C8-11 (www.cabsat.com)

* TECH TIP - USING A TELOS HYBRID OVER GSM: This week's Tech Tip comes from one Ali Rasheed in Abu Dhabi: "How do I connect a Telos ONE or Telos TWO telephone hybrid to a GSM network?"

--->ANSWER: There are some interesting third-party devices to emulate dial tone that could work (please note that Telos has not tested or approved these devices). Voice quality will depend on the type of network you obtain service from.

Many of these devices act as a cradle for the cell phone and then generate a "telephone line like" signal that could ring a few phones around the house. One is called "CellSocket" (www.cellsocket.com), and is compatible with mostly Motorola phones.

A similar product called "Dock and Talk" (www.phonelabs.com) covers Sony, Siemens, Nokia, Motorola and Ericsson handsets). This seems to be a more current product and as such seems to support more phones and may be more likely to add phones in the future.

A company called "Telular" (www.telular.com/products/) makes a device that acts like a cell phone but wires up to corded phone in a similar way. However, this would count as a separate cell phone and therefore would have to be activated separately. This is a much more professional setup for use in sound/TV trucks, but be aware that the basic limitations still apply.

NOTE: Digital cell "dial tone" systems will not work with modems or faxes (and no, you cannot use your Telos Zephyr Xport with these either), but "dial tone" derived from analog (AMPS) cellular service *will* work with modems and fax machines.

Got a question for Tech Tips? E-mail it to clark@telos-systems.com .If we use it in eNews, I'll send you a new Telos, Omnia or Axia T-shirt.

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: Our first news item above, regarding WLS, put us in mind of one of our favorite websites: www.wlshistory.com , created by well-known Chicago voiceover artist Scott Childers. The site traces WLS' history from its sign-on in 1924 by original owners Sears, Roebuck through the Top 40 days to the inception of the News/Talk format. Lots of sound bites, too!

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, October, 2005

* REGARDING THE FUTURE OF RECORDED MUSIC: There are probably a lot of you reading this who have by now caught the Surround bug. Here at Telos / Omnia / Axia, it seems nearly all of us have, Telos founder and CEO Steve Church among the first. Forthwith, some related observations from Steve:

"If you were at NAB, or if you have been following the heated debates in the pages of Radio World, you know that we are strongly in favor of a high-quality non-matrix surround system for HD Radio. And with good reason: not only does surround audio offer an intensely immersive listener experience, it seems surround may soon be getting more consumer attention. Rumors are flying that MTV will soon launch an HDTV music channel. How much do you want to bet that it will include Dolby Digital 5.1 sound? You figure that MTV might not be shy to promote this feature?

"You see all those "home theater in a box" audio systems in the shops? There is probably soon going to be a surround broadcast music source to feed them. This will be the first time in our lifetimes that TV will have significantly better audio than radio. This also means that music is going to be near universally produced in surround.

"Which leads me to wonder: what’s the point of CDs? DVD players cost less than CD players these days, and the disks cost about the same to produce. You get both video and your choice of stereo or surround audio. Much of the generation raised on MTV think something is missing if they don’t get pictures with their audio. Record companies are waking up to this. Music DVDs are a strong category among both buyers and renters. The introduction of the DualDisk (CD on one side, DVD on the other) may well be the first step to an eventual transition to an all-DVD music distribution format.

"But it won’t be with today’s DVD system. Blu-Ray and HD-DVD are about to happen, and one of these will probably become tomorrow’s music carrier. They have plenty of capacity to support both hi-def audio and video. Audio-only players could be programmed to pick out the audio part, while a video player could get at all of the material. A single disc for all purposes, MTV generation-friendly, without the hassle of the two sides. But more important to the record biz - with tight anti-piracy protection. And presumably a justification for a price jump."

For those of you who’ve caught the surround bug and are looking for cool stuff, Steve’s latest recommendations are: "Over and Out" on the Foo Fighters "In Your Honor" DVD bonus disc and "The Sound of Muzak" on Porcupine Tree’s "In Absentia" DVD-Audio. Both are surround mixes by Elliott Scheiner, who seemingly can do no wrong. Frank Foti likes the latest Mark Knopfler release, "Sailing to Philadelphia." And the 20th Anniversary CD/DVD release of Dire Straits' "Brothers In Arms" is a favorite of Mike Dosch.

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* MULTICAST IS EVERYWHERE: Multicast is surely the main HD Radio focus at the moment and we have a new Omnia processor made to order for it. Bits are being sliced pretty thin for these additional multicast channels, and you need all the help you can get from the processor to make them sound good. We’ve been doing a lot of research into this topic, combining forces from our Telos codec engineers and the processing tweakers from the Omnia side. The result is Sensus, a technology that anticipates what the HD codec will do and adapts the processing to best deal with it. There’s a lot of power in this combined "codec conditioner" and dynamics processor. You can order the new Omnia Multicast with Sensus right now: the Omnia part number is 2001-00191 and the list price is $4,310.00 (US MSRP). Omnia Multicast begins shipping December 9, 2005. Read more about it at http://tinyurl.com/d95fn .

* MORE AM STATIONS UPGRADE TO OMNIA: More and more stations upgrade to Omnia processing every week, especially AM stations, who are finding that advanced Omnia processing tech helps them reclaim lost fidelity and punch on their AM signals. The latest: WGAC-AM in Augusta, Georgia; KCMN in Colorado Springs and KLZ, Denver all upgraded to Omnia-5EX HD+AM processors, and WDSR, Lake City, Florida, got a shiny new Omnia-3AM. Want to know more about Omnia for AM? Go to www.omniaaudio.com/am.htm .

* SEE AXIA AT BOS-CON: With new Axia studios coming on-line in New York City, Southern California and Dallas, Texas, more and more broadcasters are learning about the advantages of Axia IP-Audio networks. Visitors to the SBE National Convention and Broadcast Equipment Expo in Dallas this week saw demonstrations of a full Axia studio featuring the new Element Control Surface; next week, you can see Element at Bos-Con 2005 in Boston, beginning Tuesday, October 25th. Swing by our booth with a coffee for Axia's Kirk Harnack, who can use some caffeine to deal with his mega-case of jet lag.

* AXIA IS A BIG HIT IN CANADA: You've probably heard about the huge Axia "showcase studio" installation at Newcap's new Edmonton Mall studios. Broadcast Dialogue has printed a feature story about these beautiful new studios in their September issue; if you missed it, you can read Newcap Engineer Doug Mattice's first-person account of this major studio project at http://tinyurl.com/crmqa , or download a PDF copy to print and share from www.axiaaudio.com/news/ .

* WHAT'S MEDIAFLO, AND WHY SHOULD I CARE? In case you hadn't noticed, technology is making it possible for people to receive entertainment in more places, more of the time, than ever before. In addition to Apple's recent annoucement of an iPod with video capabilities, Qualcomm has just made waves with the news of their MediaFLO technology, that will send audio and video to cell phones. At first blush, this sounds like more competition for traditional broadcasters... but is it? Read Steve Church's Guest Commentary at Radio World Online entitled "MediaFLO: Yet Another Rival?" for another perspective. It's at http://tinyurl.com/9rn5y .

* TECH TIP - AXIA GPIO: This week's Tech Tip comes from one of our readers, Garrett Wood of WJCT-FM in Jacksonville, Florida: "Howdy guys, just wanted to pass on something I think is pretty cool. I’ve been tossing around some ideas about how to distribute the Axia GPIO connections. I couldn’t come up with much other than using a krone block; they make a 10-pair mini-block that is 110 punch compatible now. Figured I would wire one DB15 per mini-block and locate near the equipment that needed the closures. I was about to order some when Larry at Balsys and he mentioned the Winford breakouts. Have you seen them?

http://www.winfordeng.com/products/brk15.php

"In my situation I basically need the DB15's to end up in different locations spread throughout my millwork and a couple of racks. My thought is that the Winford really suits that type of distribution as it accommodates each DB15 individually. (There's also a new StudioHub breakout for the Axia GPIO that looks perfect for bringing out all the connections to ONE specific location.) By using these I’m still able to keep the soldering iron COLD for yet another part of this install. I can use pre-made DB15 to DB15 cables to connect from Axia to the breakouts, then make up whatever short cable I need to hit the device from the breakout. Pretty cool!"

We'll be sending Garrett a Telos / Axia T-Shirt as a "thank you" for his submission. Got a Tech Tip of your own for Telos, Omnia or Axia gear? E-mail it to clark@telos-systems.com, and if we use it in eNews, I'll send you a new T-shirt, too.

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: If you're a phone system freak like many of us are (that's freak, not phreak), check out Albert LaFrance's tribute to the Bell System's Long Distance network at www.long-lines.net . There's lots of historical information and photos about the L1/L3 coax networks, the radio repeater networks, much from AT&T's own publications, and off-site links to microwave data as well. Cool stuff! Props to Bob Gonsett of the CGC Communicator for passing along this link

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, September, 2005

****************************************************
SPECIAL HURRICANE RELIEF ISSUE
****************************************************

By now we've all seen pictures of the devastation of America's Gulf Coast caused by Hurricane Katrina. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this tragedy. The monetary cost is estimated to be in the billions of dollars, but the human cost can't begin to be measured.

As always, radio and TV are among the first to respond in times of calamity. Below is a list of some of the resources and special assistance available to broadcasters and the general public.

----------

* The Society of Broadcast Engineers is helping to match up broadcasters in need with those who have the ability to help. SBE members affected by Katrina can e-mail hurricanehelp@sbe.org or call (317) 846-9092 with their needs; SBE members who can supply shelter, clothing and/or needed parts for damaged equipment should contact SBE at the same e-mail address. Website: www.sbe.org

* CPB, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, has $500,000 in grants available to non-commercial stations affected by the hurricane. These funds are available _immediately_ for emergency repairs and generator fuel. Contact CPB directly at (202) 879-9600. Website: www.cpb.org

* The National Association of Broadcasters has teamed with the American Red Cross, and has radio and TV PSAs for disaster relief available for stations wishing to air them. Radio PSAs of :10- to :30-second duration can be downloaded directly from www.nab.org/publicservice/Relief/ ; TV stations can get a free overnight dub of video PSAs by e-mailing Sarah Roberts at sroberts@nab.org .

* The FCC's Media Bureau has temporarily changed some of its normal procedures to help broadcasters knocked off the air by Katrina resume service. FM and TV stations in the affected area can erect temporary towers without prior FCC authorization. AM stations can resume broadcasting using single-wire horizontal or vertical antennas or non-directional vertical elements of directional arrays. Temporary authority requests can be submitted by e-mail. Many filing and regulatory deadlines have also been extended. See the FCC homepage at www.fcc.gov for a complete list of special procedures.

* Many broadcasters have joined with the American Red Cross (www.redcross.org) to raise funds for disaster relief. Stations who want to put a Red Cross donation banner on their websites can get them from www.redcross.org/psa/bannerorder/index_GenDS.html .

* FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Administration, has posted a web page listing 23 certified charitable organizations accepting donations of cash and/or volunteer labor for the relief effort, which may be useful for stations passing information to their listeners. Web link: www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18473

* Information on obtaining Federal assistance for citizens affected by the disaster is available online at http://disasterhelp.gov . This site includes a "friends and family registry" that can assist in reuniting friends and loved ones separated during the storm.

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, August, 2005

* "YOU WON'T FIND MULTIPAIR HERE": That's the name of the article Buckley Broadcasting's VP of Engineering, Tom Ray, wrote about his new Axia-powered studios at New York City's WOR Radio (www.wor710.com). "The WOR analog signal sounds great. The WOR-HD signal sounds fantastic. It appears that the Axia SmartSurface and Livewire system was a good choice for WOR," says Tom, whose Radio World article also talks about the lack of multipair cabling, multiple automatic mix-minus generation, and how he built an entire production studio single-handedly in just 6 hours. You can read the rest at www.axiaaudio.com/news/AxiaRWUS072005.pdf (PDF viewer required).

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* AND EVEN MORE ABOUT WOR: When a story's this big, everybody covers it! Radio featured WOR on the cover of its July issue, wherein Tom Ray notes that "With the ability to route data, we should be able to start taking advantage of Program Associated Data in the near future." Didn't catch it? Browse to http://beradio.com/systemintegration/radio_redefining_heritage/ and take a look at more WOR studio pictures.

* UPGRADE YOUR OMNIA TO "EXI": Omnia's new "EXi" audio processing is a serious hit. Here are a couple of comments we've gotten lately: "I knew the Omnia would make a difference, but Holy Cow! I never expected it would make THAT MUCH difference!" "I've never heard anything else that could get the low end so massive and the high end so clear at the same time." Part of the "EXi" secret is Omnia's exclusive new LoIMD Clipper that kills IMD distortion, so you can crank it up and keep it clean, too. "EXi" also adds integrated Diversity Delay for HD Radio(tm) broadcasters. New "EXi" processors have been shipping for several weeks; any Omnia-6, Omnia-5 or Omnia-4.5 can be upgraded to "EXi" status as well. Just e-mail support@omniaaudio.com to find out more.

* AXIA PATHFINDER PC v3.10 RELEASED: PathfinderPC users, take note: Version 3.10 has just been released and is available for download. This new version adds the ability to have PathfinderPC send an e-mail alert for any event you choose, and also adds automatic database backup to prevent hair-tearing moments. You can find the download link (and links to all other Axia software downloads) at www.axiaaudio.com/downloads/ .

* TWOx12 GETS USER RAVES: There's been a lot of praise flying lately for the Telos TWOx12 12-line talkshow system. Maybe you saw this one on the boards: "I've got four [TWOx12's]... The "Assistant Producer" software and the Ethernet TCP/IP interface on the TWOx12 is very slick. I can see and even control the talk studio phone systems from my engineering office computer. More impressive, you can take your talk show on the road or have a remote host, via ISDN, for example, and they can connect to the studio TWOx12 via an Internet connected computer and remotely put calls on the air and send and receive text messages too." Could TWOx12 help solve your on-air phone troubles? Read more at www.Telos-Systems.com/2x12/ .

* RHYTHME FM GETS NEOWINNERS: Canadian broadcaster Cogeco Radio-Television's Rhythme FM stations (www.rythmefm.com) will soon be organizing their contests and tracking winner data with NeoWinners Contest Management Software. NeoWinners lets you schedule contests for multiple stations using a cool drag-and-drop interface, stores winner data (phone number, name, prizes won and more), keep track of prize stocks, automatically generate winner lists, and much more. And NeoWinners stores its contest and winner data in a centralized, networked database, so there's never a question about who won what or when. NeoWinners can even integrate with Telos TWOx12 and Series 2101 multi-line phone systems. Find out more at www.telos-systems.com/winners/ .

* TELOS / OMNIA / AXIA ON THE ROAD: Meet us at these upcoming events:

• BIRTV, at the China International Exposition Center in Beijing, 25 - 28 August (www.birtv.com/english/about.asp)

• IBC 2005 in The Netherlands at the Amsterdam RAI, 9 - 13 September in the Nautel booth, Stand 8.360 (www.ibc.org)

• The NAB Radio Show, September 21 - 23 in the Philadelphia Convention Center. We'll be with Broadcaster's General Store, Booth 112 (www.nab.org)

• The 119th AES Convention, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, 7 - 10 October (www.aes.org)

• The Dallas SBE 2005 Broadcast Engineering Expo, October 19 & 20 (www.sbe67.org)

• See Kirk Harnack's Axia demonstration at Bos-Con 2005 in Marlborough, MA on October 25 & 26 (www.bos-con.com)

• We'll also be at these upcoming local SBE meetings:
  - New Orleans Chapter 72, August 17th (www.sbe72.org)
  - Washington, DC Chapter 37, September 13th (www.sbe37.org)
  - Denver Chapter 48, September 29th (www.smpte-sbe48.org)
  - Detroit Chapter 82, October 7th (http://broadcast.net/~sbe82)

* TECH TIP - ZEPHYR XSTREAM: Question: "I just connected my new Zephyr Xstream to Ethernet and I'm trying to use its web remote control, but it keeps asking for a password. I've looked in the manual, and there's no mention of a password. What's up?"

---> ANSWER: Sorry... our goof. Originally, Zephyr Xstream's webserver wasn't password-protected, but we soon realized that it ought to be! Unfortunately, the manual gnomes haven't got round to updating the paperwork. The password is "Telos" (without the quotes, of course). Our apologies for the confusion.

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: We've all got big, feature-rich software audio-editing packages in our production rooms. But sometimes you only need a basic editor for a news or dubbing station, or for the PD's desktop computer. And you don't want to pay another software license fee (we're all running SPA-legal shops, right?). If this sounds familiar, you may find the free open-source Audacity software a good fit. It's available for Windows, Mac OS 9 and OS X platforms, and for Linux/UNIX users, and has some expensive-software features like large-file support, individual sample waveform editing, hum/hiss removal, FFT filtering, and support for file resolutions up to 96 kHz/32-bit. You'll find it at http://audacity.sourceforge.net .

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, July, 2005

* TECHNOLOGY IS GOOD, PROFIT IS REALLY GOOD: Conclave 2004 begins this week on the 21st of July in the Twin Cities. If you have folks from Programming or Operations attending, be sure to remind them that they can get the whole scoop on HD Radio at Frank Foti's Conclave session with Don Kelly and Dave Robbins, entitled "Begin The Revolution: HD Radio For Fun And Profit." Frank and his co-hosts will give your programming people a thorough understanding of what HD Radio is and what it isn't, and how they can use HD Radio to increase listenership and revenue. And Frank will demonstrate HD Surround in all its glory! The two-part session takes place Friday, July 22; visit www.theconclave.com for more details.

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* MANUAL LABOR: The gnomes have been hard at work updating User's Manuals for Telos and Omnia products. Omnia-6 owners will find a manual update which includes information on the new Omnia-6EXi models with integrated HD Radio Diversity Delay and LoIMD Clipper. For Omnia-3 owners, the updated manual includes all Omnia-3 models: FM, AM, NET (for coded audio applications such as the Web, satellite transmission or HD Radio Multichannel streams) and FM Turbo. You'll find these new manuals at www.omniaaudio.com/support/manuals.htm .

We've also got updated manuals for owners of the Telos Series 2101 Multi-Studio Talkshow System. The PDF files are available for one-at-a-time download or in a ZIP file from www.telos-systems.com/support/manuals.htm . Don't forget, you'll need Acrobat Viewer (since our manuals are provided in PDF format).

* NEW PROFILER CLIENT SOFTWARE: Telos ProFiler, the automated program archiving software, is rapidly becoming broadcasters' favorite way to keep audio logs of their programming. "We use ProFiler as a backup recorder as well as for logging and skimming, and it's saved us a few times," says Erick Steinberg, CE at San Francisco's KFOG. And others agree: ProFiler is priced much more affordably than those hardware recorders, can archive multiple streams at once, and works on any standard Windows PC. If you already own ProFiler, download the new ProFiler Client Player v2.09 from www.telos-systems.com/profiler/ - just click on the "Download" link on the sidebar. If you don't have ProFiler and are looking for a logging solution, visit www.telos-systems.com/profiler/ to find out how ProFiler can help you.

* FREE BITRATE CALCULATOR UTILITY: We've just released an updated version of our Telos Bitrate Calculator. It's a handy little Windows applet that computes MP3 storage needs, data rate, and running time from the other two characteristics; for instance, if you're a Telos ProFiler user, this calculator will tell you how many days' worth of logged audio you can fit onto a given hard-drive space based upon the MP3 compression ratio you've chosen. It's also helpful for determining the MP3 bitrate needed to fit audio onto a given storage medium (for instance, a floppy disk or CD-ROM). Version 1.3 can now handle drive storage sized up to an exabyte, will calculate store audio time for an unlimited number of days. Download it for free from the "Download" link at www.telos-systems.com/profiler/ .

* NEW SERIES 2101 SOFTWARE UPDATE PACKAGE: Telos Series 2101 owners can download a brand new software updater package. Some of our clients mentioned problems using the previous software updater; those issues have been fixed in this new version. You can download the new updater from www.telos-systems.com/support/software.htm ; as always, we recommend contacting Telos support at support@telos-systems.com (in the US) or europe-info@telos-systems.com (in Europe and Asia) before upgrading to determine if the upgrade software is right for you.

* NEW GEAR GUIDE: Every week, more Telos, Omnia and Axia equipment goes into radio stations worldwide. Here are a few of the folks getting new goodies this week:

- Zephyr Xstream ISDN & Xport POTS Codecs are now heard on:
ISP Sports Network, (www.ispsports.com)
The Michael Savage Show (www.michaelsavage.com)
Ohio Center for Broadcasting (www.beonair.com)
XM Satellite Radio (www.xmradio.com)

- Stations Upgrading to Omnia Audio Processing:
Voice of Han, Taipei, Taiwan, gets Omnia-6EX (www.voh.com.tw)
WMUZ-FM, Detroit, upgrades to Omnia-6EXi with Diversity Delay (www.wmuz.com)
WDAS-FM, Philadelphia, gets Omnia-6EX (http://wdasfm.amfmi.com)
KHWY-FM, Barstow, CA. gets Omnia A/X Software Audio Processing (www.thehighwaystations.com)

- Axia IP-Audio Networks are being installed at:
NewCap Broadcasting, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (www.ncc.ca)
Indiana University's WFIU-FM, Bloomington, IN (www.wfiu.org)
Multicultural Radio, New York City (www.mrbi.net)

* TECH TIP - SERIES 2101: "I've just ordered a Telos Series 2101 talkshow system and I need to order PRI. Do you have any guidelines for how to do so?"

---> ANSWER: You bet. In fact, we've just updated our Tech Paper discussing how to order PRI for use with 2101; it walks you through everything you'll need to know, from how to talk to the Telco to determining how to set up trunk groups. We've also included a list of Telco contact numbers, and faxable order forms to help you communicate exactly what you need. Download this PDF document (and similar dox for ordering BRI for use with TWOx12, and ISDN for Zephyr) from www.telos-systems.com/techtalk/isdn_order.htm .

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: Searching for parts for old consumer gear? Sometimes you can tear your hair out trying to find replacement bits to keep equipment running. A friend recently turned me on to www.partstore.com , a huge clearing house of parts for electronics, computers, appliances and more. Searching is easy, by manufacturer and model number - within 60 seconds, I'd found 10 pages of parts for my beloved Sony CRF-1 shortwave receiver. Sorry, no Ampex 601 parts available :)

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE: 5.1 surround sound for HD Radio has occupied a lot of print space recently; it almost seems that 5.1 on FM is all but assured. But if you're just beginning to examine how multichannel audio is delivered to consumers (and by extension, will be delivered to radio), it can be quite confusing: what's the difference between DVD-A, SACD, DTS and others? What's a DualDisc? And how will Blu-Ray affect these standards? Telos founder Steve Church has written a handy "survival guide" titled "Surround Cuisine For Newbies" that's just appeared in the June issue of Radio Guide (www.radio-guide.com). Don't have a copy? You can read it online; just visit www.telos-systems.com/news , or click http://tinyurl.com/excl5  for the direct link (PDF viewer required). Thanks to Barry Mishkind and Ray Topp for allowing us to archive this article online.

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* FROM THE MAILBAG: Thanks to all the Omnia-6 users who've written us lately with great stories about Omnias. Here's a sample of some e-mails we've received recently: "I knew the Omnia would make a difference, but Holy Cow! I never expected it would make THAT MUCH difference!" "Thanks to Omnia, our TSL increased by one-third in the last book. It's amazing how clean it sounds." And finally: "We could never get the bass right with our old O**** processor. It just never thumped like it should have. Since I put the Omnia-6 online, I can hear when one of our listeners is driving down the street... our PD is ecstatic!" Got an Omnia story to tell? E-mail clark@OmniaAudio.com  .

* NEW OMNIA SOFTWARE ONLINE: Omnia-6EX users, take note: Version 7.1 software and Omnia-6 Remote v7.1 have just been released. The latest software for all Omnia products is always online at www.omniaaudio.com/support/updates.htm ; to find out if the new software is right for your application, e-mail our support team at support@omniaaudio.com before installing.

* NEW SMARTSURFACE FIRMWARE ONLINE: SmartSurface users can find the latest firmware upgrades for SmartSurface (v2.49.53) and the Axia Studio Engine (v2.3.27a5) at www.AxiaAudio.com/downloads/ . New features include enhanced Show Profile creation and editing, and enhanced GPIO functions. Check with our support team by emailing inquiry@AxiaAudio.com to determine if this software update is right for you.

* FRANK FOTI RETURNS TO THE CONCLAVE: Attendees of last year's Conclave Learning Conference in Minneapolis were left wide-eyed when Omnia president Frank Foti let them hear just how powerful music in Surround Sound can be - and tantalized them with the possibility of HD Radio in 5.1. There have been lots of developments in HD Surround since then, and Frank will be heading back to the Conclave this year with an over-the-air demonstration of Coded-Discrete surround. If your Program Director, Music Director or Operations Manager is attending Conclave 2005, be sure to have them attend Frank's session with iBiquity's Don Kelly and Infinity's Dave Robbins, entitled "Begin The Revolution: HD Radio For Fun And Profit." The two-part session takes place Friday, July 22; visit www.theconclave.com for more details.

* TELOS / OMNIA / AXIA ON THE ROAD: Meet us at these upcoming events:

• Frank Foti co-hosts HD Radio sessions at The Conclave in Minneapolis, Friday, July 22nd (www.theconclave.com)

• See Axia at the Mountain State SBE (Chapter 116) Statewide Meeting in Flatwoods, West Virginia on August 1st (http://tinyurl.com/96omf)

• Axia returns to the Texas Association of Broadcasters convention August 4th at the Hilton Austin (www.tab.org)

• Kirk Harnack will demo Axia gear at the Nebraska Broadcasters Association convention, August 10-12 in Lincoln, NE (www.ne-ba.org)

• Shake our hands at the NAB Radio Show, September 21 - 23 at the Philadelphia Convention Center (www.nab.org)

• Dallas SBE 2005 Broadcast Engineering Expo, October 19 & 20 (www.sbe67.org)

• See Kirk Harnack's Axia demonstration at Bos-Con 2005 in Marlborough, MA on October 25 & 26 (www.bos-con.com)

• We'll also be at these upcoming local SBE meetings:
  - Dallas Chapter 67, July 28th (www.sbe67.org)
  - New Orleans Chapter 72, August 17th (www.sbe72.org)
  - Washington, DC Chapter 37, September 13th (www.sbe37.org)
  - Detroit Chapter 82, October 7th (http://broadcast.net/~sbe82)

* NEW GEAR GUIDE: Every week, more Telos, Omnia and Axia equipment goes into radio stations worldwide. Here are a few of the folks getting new goodies this week:

- Stations now logging with Telos ProFiler include:
Northwestern College Radio (http://nwc.nwc.edu)
KSSN-FM, Little Rock, AR (www.kssn.com)
WBZX-FM, Columbus, OH (www.wbzx.com)
WYCD-FM, Detroit (www.wycd.com)

- Stations Upgrading to Omnia Audio Processing:
WMZQ-FM, Washington DC (www.wmzq.com), Omnia-6
WNVE-FM, Rochester, NY (www.1073thenerve.com), Omnia-6
KCOF-LP, Captain Cook, HI, Omnia-A/X
KCDX-FM, Phoenix, AZ (www.kcdx.com), Omnia-6

- Axia IP-Audio Networks are being installed at:
Corus Broadcasting, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (www.corusent.com)
Radio Free Asia, Thailand (www.rfa.org)
KMHD-FM, Mount Hood Community College (www.kmhd.org)
Que Pasa Radio, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (www.quepasamedia.com)

* TECH TIP - ZEPHYR XPORT: From our Support e-mail account comes this question: "I just bought a Zephyr Xport with the ISDN option. Can it talk to my classic Zephyr (you know, the black one)?"

---> ANSWER: Yes it can. Someone may tell you that Xport will only work with Zephyr Xstream, but the fact is that Xport is very flexible and it can talk to many different codecs. Here's how: First, make sure your Xport has the latest software, Version 2.0.2 (get it from www.telos-systems.com/support/software.htm). v2.0.2 gives your ISDN-equipped Xport G.722 capabilities, so it will communicate with your Classic Zephyr and also work perfectly with any other G.722 codec. Using the split-receive feature of your Zephyr Xstream or Zephyr Classic, you can even have 2 Xports in the field calling back to one Zephyr in your studio! You can also use Xport's G.722 coding to call another ISDN-equipped Xport (though in this case you'd benefit greatly from using Xport's superior AAC-LD Low Delay codec instead).

---> XTRA XPORT TIP: If your Xport is on a POTS line, you can also use it in hybrid mode to get telephone quality audio to your Zephyr Classic by dialing it from the Zephyr. To do this, press <Dial> and then press the <No> button and change the "Call Type" to "Phone." Then press <Yes>, enter the number of the Xport you're calling and press <Dial> to proceed.

---> SHARE YOUR TECH TIPS: Got a favorite way of using your Telos, Omnia or Axia gear that would be helpful for others to hear about it? E-mail it to clark@telos-systems.com and we'll use it in an upcoming eNews.

* BROADCAST LINKS OF THE WEEK: With FM surround being such a hot topic, plenty of folks have been searching for information on what content is available in SACD, DVD-A and DTS multi-channel formats. Here are a few we've found useful: www.sa-cd.net lists SACD releases from all manufacturers around the world; over 3100 titles and counting! DVD Audio Daily (www.dvdaudiodaily.com) reports on new releases and industry news relating to DVD-A. And www.dts.com/entertainment jumps to DTS Entertainment's listing of multichannel DTS audio discs. Have a favorite of your own? Write and let us know.

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, June, 2005

* MIKE TOCCO TALKS PROCESSING: New York is perhaps the world's most competitive radio market. With nearly 70 radio signals in-market, it's imperative that your signal stands out. Maybe that's why an overwhelming number of New York stations have switched to Omnia audio processing to create their signature sound. "Even though WSKQ's loudness keeps up with the New York market, our time-spent-listening has improved because our processing doesn't fatique our listeners," says Mike Tocco, Chief Engineer of SBS Broadcasting's New York stations. He describes his experiences with his Omnia-6s in the current edition of Radio World; we've archived it for your convenience at www.omniaaudio.com/news/articles.htm (Acrobat reader required).

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* MAKING SURROUND FM-STEREO COMPATIBLE: The biggest buzz in HD Radio circles these days has to be the issue of 5.1 Surround. There are lots of different opinions on how this can be accomplished, but one thing's for sure: any future surround standard for broadcast must be compatible with the existing FM-Stereo standard. Omnia founder Frank Foti has written a new White Paper discussing this subject, entitled "5.1 Surround Sound Compatibility Within HD Radio and The Existing FM-Stereo Environment." Check it out on the Omnia website at www.omniaaudio.com/tech/ .

* THE DEBATE GOES ON: There's already been a lot of open discussion among the different proponents of FM surround, and there will likely be lots more. The give-and-take continues in the June 8th issue of Radio World (www.radioworld.com), where Steve Church and Frank Foti have contributed a guest commentary entitled "Discrete Surround Can Be Simple," which speaks about issues such as cost of implementation, downmixing of multichannel content, and the major issue of discrete versus matrixed surround. Read it on the Radio World website at http://tinyurl.com/7npdw .

* INEXPENSIVE SURROUND STUDIOS: In the guest commentary above, Steve and Frank touch on the subject of constructing surround-capable broadcast studios, and what that might cost compared to traditional stereo-only studios. Using the Axia IP-Audio networking approach, it's possible to construct new studios for surround broadcasting for the same cost as stereo. In fact, the Axia approach lets you construct those new studios for _less_ than it would cost to build new stereo studios using traditional hardwired methods! For a detailed analysis of how this can be done, read "Broadcasting in Discrete 5.1 Surround: What's The Cost?" at www.axiaaudio.com/surround/ .

* HELLO, I'M HERE TO PICK UP MY PRIZE: You've probably been around when the Promotion Director's tearing his hair out because an on-air contest went awry. The concert guest list got lost... or the prizes ran short... or the jock didn't write down the winner's info. Or you've heard the jocks complaining about the "prize pig" that wins two or three times a week. Well, NeoWinners software can solve all these problems and more! NeoWinners is a standalone suite for Windows that can also interface directly with Telos Twox12 and Series 2101 talk show systems. It automates the scheduling of giveaways and the tracking of winners, keeping a real-time count of prize inventories and identifying and eliminating "serial winners." Read more at www.telos-systems.com/news/ , and have your PD see NeoWinners at the Radio & Records Convention in Cleveland, June 23-25.

* NEW GEAR GUIDE: Every week, more Telos, Omnia and Axia equipment goes into radio stations worldwide. Here are a few of the folks getting new goodies this week:

• Stations now logging with Telos ProFiler include:
  Northwestern College Radio (http://nwc.nwc.edu)
  KSSN-FM, Little Rock, AR (www.kssn.com)
  WBZX-FM, Columbus, OH (www.wbzx.com)
  WYCD-FM, Detroit (www.wycd.com)
   

• Stations Upgrading to Omnia Audio Processing:
  WMZQ-FM, Washington DC (www.wmzq.com), Omnia-6
  WNVE-FM, Rochester, NY (www.1073thenerve.com), Omnia-6
  KCOF-LP, Captain Cook, HI, Omnia-A/X
  KCDX-FM, Phoenix, AZ (www.kcdx.com), Omnia-6

* TELOS / OMNIA / AXIA ON THE ROAD: Meet us at these upcoming events:

• See Telos at the Radio & Records convention, June 23-25 in Cleveland.
  Come by Table #3 for a demonstration of the new NeoWinners contest
  management software! (www.radioandrecords.com)
   

• Kirk Harnack will be at SBE Chapter 5 in Atlanta, Georgia showing new
  Axia IP-Audio gear June 30th (www.broadcast.net/~sbe5/).
   

• Kirk will also be at SBE Chapter 67 in Dallas, Texas, July 28th
  (www.sbe67.org)

* BROADCAST LINKS: With FM surround being such a hot topic, plenty of folks have been searching for information on what content is available in SACD, DVD-A and DTS multi-channel formats. Here are a few we've found useful: www.sa-cd.net lists SACD releases from all manufacturers around the world; over 3100 titles and counting! DVD Audio Daily (www.dvdaudiodaily.com) reports on new releases and industry news relating to DVD-A. And www.dts.com/entertainment jumps to DTS Entertainment's listing of multichannel DTS audio discs. Have a favorite of your own? Write and let us know.

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, May, 2005

* WOR, NEW YORK, SIGNS ON WITH AXIA: If you haven't already heard the news, New York's legendary WOR has commissioned their new Manhattan digs, signing on their Axia-powered studios at 111 Broadway on May 2nd. WOR has a lot of history, being one of the oldest AM stations in New York City (on the air since 1922), the nation's first CBS affiliate, and the world's first AM HD-Radio broadcaster. Now, WOR and the WOR Network is the first broadcaster in NYC to build studios using Axia IP-Audio Network technology. Tom Ray, WOR's longtime DOE, told us that "The installation was very simple. Being able to use off-the-shelf CAT-6 cable for all connections - audio and interconnect network - is something we really appreciate." Want to read more about it? Browse www.AxiaAudio.com/news/ and click on "WOR Is On The Air."

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* SPEAKING OF TOM RAY: The folks at Telos, Omnia and Axia join the broadcasting community in congratulating Tom, who has just been promoted to Vice President/Corporate Directory of Engineering for Buckley Broadcasting (read more at http://tinyurl.com/dnwe6). Tom's association with Buckley goes a long ways back - his first radio job was at a Buckley station in 1977! Congratulations for a job well done! (By the way, we can't help noting that the press photo of Tom issued by Buckley's PR department shows him in front of a rack of brand-new Axia gear - see for yourself at www.wor710.com/photos/tom_ray_1.jpg .)

* 200 OMNIAS AND COUNTING: Sacramento, California-based EMF Broadcasting (www.emfbroadcasting.com) recently became one of the world's largest Omnia users. Their latest order of 60 Omnia-6fms makes EMF the proud owner of just over 200 Omnia audio processors which power the company's Air One and K-LOVE broadcast networks. EMF's Director of Programming, Mike Novak, told us that when they tested Omnia along with other audio processors, "Omnia won hands down." See www.OmniaAudio.com to find out more about the new Omnia-6 EXi HD+FM processors, with onboard Diversity Delay and LoIMD clipping.

* THANK YOU VERY MUCH: If you visited us at NAB, you no doubt watched as rock, R&B and jazz music in multi-channel 5.1 format (accompanied by a stereo track - that's 8 channels of audio) was mixed by a new Axia Element modular audio console and transmitted, using HD Radio technology, across the show floor to be processed by an Omnia-6 and decoded into awesome-sounding surround audio. Some folks liked it so much, we earned an award for our demonstration - a Radio World "Cool Stuff" award, given to Telos, Omnia and Axia for our promotion of Surround Sound for broadcast. If you didn't get to the show, you can read more about how discrete 5.1 + stereo works on HD Radio by reading http://tinyurl.com/8a8q4 (you'll need your PDF viewer).

* NEW GEAR GUIDE: Every week, more Telos, Omnia and Axia equipment goes into radio stations worldwide. Here are a few of the folks getting new goodies this week:

- Zephyr Xstream ISDN Codecs now broadcasting at:

• KLUV-FM, Dallas, TX (www.kluv.com)

• Fox Sports Network, Los Angeles (www.foxsports.com)

• WNNX-FM, Atlanta, GA (www.99x.com)

• Emmis Communications, St. Louis (www.971talk.com

- New Omnia audio processors are powering:

• KFXR-AM, Dallas, TX (Omnia-5EX HD+AM)

• WJBT-FM, Jacksonville, FL (Omnia-6EX HD+FM)

• WDAS-FM, Philadelphia (Omnia-6EX HD+FM)

• WWBG-AM, Greensboro, NC(Omnia-3AM)

- Axia IP-Audio Networks are being installed at:

• Illinois Bible Institute's WBGL-FM (www.wbgl.org)

• Hispanic Radio Network (www.hrn.org)

• KSDO, San Diego, CA (http://nuevavida.com)

• WSNY-FM, Columbus, OH (www.wsny.net)

* TELOS / OMNIA / AXIA ON THE ROAD: Meet our representatives at these upcoming events:

• Mary Ann Seidler and Axia president Mike Dosch will be at
  Broadcast Asia, Booth 1E2-01, June 14-17 in the Singapore Expo Center
  (www.broadcast-asia.com)
   

•  Kirk Harnack will be at SBE Chapter 5 in Atlanta, Georgia
  showing new Axia IP-Audio gear June 28th, 2005
  (see www.broadcast.net/~sbe5/ for details)...
   

•  ... and Kirk will also be at SBE Chapter 67 in Dallas, Texas
  July 28th, 2005 (www.sbe67.org)

* TECH TIP OF THE WEEK: "Where can I find the latest software downloads for my Telos, Omnia and Axia gear?" I like this question, because it's an easy one to answer. You can find the latest software on the Telos, Omnia and Axia websites. Bookmark these links for quick access:

• Telos: www.telos-systems.com/support/software.htm

• Omnia: www.OmniaAudio.com/support/updates.htm

• Axia: www.AxiaAudio.com/downloads/
  
  Check often; we post new software as soon as it's available!

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, April, 2005

Special NAB Issue

If you're heading to NAB 2005 in Las Vegas, no doubt you're busy making preparations. As always, there'll be a lot to see, do and hear, and not nearly enough time to spend on all of it! That said, Telos, Omnia and Axia hope you'll make time to come shake our hands and see what we've been working on:

* WHITE PAPERS: The T/O/A gang have been busy. We'll be presenting the following papers for your edification:

- 16 April (the day prior to the start of NAB): Frank Foti will be at the SBE Ennes Workshop to present "Quality Master Control Room Audio Monitoring - The Dawn Of A New Day". Session takes place from 1PM - 1:45.

- 17 April: Frank will present "The Killer App for FM: Distinct 5.1 Surround Sound" from 10AM - 10:30. Check your NAB Guide for location.

- 18 April: Steve Church and Michael Dosch will present "Studio Structures for Surround Broadcasting" from 1:30 - 2PM. Again, check your NAB Guide for location.

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* HEAR 5.1 BROADCAST OVER LIVE FM: The buzz about Surround Sound for FM HD Radio is enormous, and Telos, Omnia, Axia and our friends at Fraunhofer Labs and Bose have teamed up for a live demonstration of distinct 5.1 using FhG's "Coded-Discrete" technology; the only 5.1 FM proposal that results in the listener hearing distinct multi-channel audio (instead of a matrixed scheme, like the old '70's Quad tech). There will be two demonstrations: One in the Axia and Telos / Omnia booths (Booths N3616 and N2816 in the Radio Hall), and one in the NAB Surround Pavilion (Booth C3607D in the Central Hall), where you'll be able to hear 5.1 FM in the comfort of an Acura MDX SUV. You owe it to yourself to hear how good 5.1 FM can sound!


* NEW AXIA CONSOLE: The rumor that Axia has been working on a new, modular control surface has been making its way through the industry grapevine. Well, the rumor is true: Axia's new ELEMENT modular control surface will be introduced at NAB, and it's a beauty (if we do say so ourselves). It comes in configurations that support from 4 to 32 faders, and has all sorts of cool features (like auto mix-minus and one-touch off-air record mode) designed to make producing and airing radio shows easier than ever. See ELEMENT mixing 5.1 surround sound in the Axia booth for our 5.1 FM demonstration detailed above! Radio Hall, booth N3616.


* NEW OMNIA PROCESSORS: The new Omnia EXi audio processor series has everone talking, thanks to technological innovations like onboard HD Radio Diversity Delay that moves delay generation out of the HD Exciter to ensure the integrity of analog and digital program streams, and the new LoIMD Clipper that kills IMD distortion - even when you're processing for maximum competitive loudness. Initial field reports have raved about the sonic purity the Omnia-6 EXi and -5 EXi delivers for FM stations - and there's a Omnia-5 EXi for AM broadcasters that sounds so good, nothing else comes close. Not only that, owners of Omnia-6, -5 and -4.5 can upgrade to this exciting new tech. Come by booth N2816 in the Radio Hall, where you'll be able to hear Omnia-6 EXi processing as part of our 5.1 FM surround sound demonstration. Browse www.OmniaAudio.com/news/ to read more.


* NEW AXIA IPLAY SOFTWARE LETS PCS LISTEN TO ETHERNET STREAMS: Of course you already know that our Axia IP-Audio networking technology lets regular PCs use our IP-Audio Driver to send and receive linear PCM digital audio directly to and from an IP-Audio network using their standard NIC. But some users may just want to audition what's available on the network. Because Axia uses standards-based streaming technology, users can listen with any standards-based player such as Windows Media or Winamp. Now Axia offers another option. The new iPlay for Windows emulates an Axia hardware router selector with the ability to scroll and select from any stream and eight programmable hot buttons for instant switching. iPlay lets users hear the networked audio using their computer's standard sound card - no extra equipment needed. Great for sales staff, general managers, PDs and OMs who want to be able to hear what's going on anywhere, anytime. See iPlay in the Axia booth, N3616.


* NEW CALL CONTROLLER FOR TWOx12 TALKSHOW SYSTEMS: Our new Telos Call Controller has had a lot of folks ooh-ing and aah-ing lately. Call Controller lets producers take control of Telos TWOx12 talkshow systems with our familiar, easy-to-use Status Symbols visual call management system, with a twist: you can use any phone you choose for call screening! Want to plug in a wireless headset and roam the studio while producing a talkshow? No problem with the Call Controller. And it works with all existing TWOx12 systems - plug it right in and go. Come see the Call Controller in the Telos / Omnia booth, #N2816. Visit www.telos-systems.com/accessories/directors.htm for a peek.


* NEW DELIVERY SYSTEM PARTNERS FOR AXIA: We're pleased to tell you that OMT Technologies (www.imediatouch.com), makers of the popular iMediaTouch digital delivery system, and Pristine Systems (www.pristinesys.com), with their CDS32 digital content delivery system, have become the newest Axia partners, joining ENCO, Scott Studios and Prophet Systems. This means that Axia IP-Audio Networking clients with iMediaTouch or CDS32 systems can now eliminate noisy, expensive sound card conversions altogether and send their playout system's audio directly to the Axia network via Ethernet! Visit www.AxiaAudio.com/partners/ to find out more.


* WOR BUYS AXIA IP-AUDIO NETWORK: Not really an NAB story, but so cool we had to share it here. WOR, the legendary New York news/talk powerhouse, decided on Axia IP-Audio equipment as the basis of a new 9-room studio complex in Manhattan. Tom Ray, WOR's well-known chief (and corporate DOE for Buckley Broadcasting), told us "WOR was looking for a high tech digital solution that was also cost effective. The Axia system provides all the flexibility the WOR operation requires, allows a mixture of analog and digital I/O, and was extremely cost effective. Choosing the Axia system was a slam-dunk." Want to read more about Axia and WOR? Visit www.AxiaAudio.com/news/ .

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, March, 2005

Special Issue: Steve Church's CeBIT wrapup!

(As he does every year, Telos founder Steve Church investigated the goings-on at CeBIT. This issue of eNews brings you Steve's look at what's on the technology horizon --Ed.)

CeBIT is the world's biggest technology exhibition, with 480,000 visitors jostling to get a peek at the wares on display from 6,270 exhibitors. I've made the annual trek for the past few years because it's the best place on Earth to try to understand what is going on in the world of communications, computing, and consumer technologies.

The economy has surely entered an upswing, if CeBIT attendance is an indication - and it probably is. In the past 3 years there's been no problem to get a hotel in Hannover, Germany, where the show takes place. This year, your reporter secured a place to sleep only after pulling a favor from his travel agent, who called a connection, who somehow tapped into a "reserved block" and finally landed a room - in Berlin! This is about 160 miles away, but there's a fast train (200km/hour) that makes the trip in an hour-and-a-half. Figured this was not much worse than the commute from the suburbs into downtown that some of you make each day, so no complaint, really.

The show is so big, it was impossible to see it all in the two days I was there, but I was able to catch most of the stuff relevant to audio broadcasting. Which, one the one hand was exhilarating, and on the other, worrying.

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The exhilarating part was the explosion of networking technologies that we can use to build modern studio facilities. Ethernet and things to plug into it were everywhere - as if some natural force was causing every ecological niche to be filled. Switches, routers, phones, interfaces, servers, WiFi, WiMax, iPods and other players, a bewildering variety of PCs, optical links, Telco central office gear, on and on, aisle after aisle. This is certainly the age of the network, and you'll see our contribution to this phenomenon at the NAB next month, where we'll show you how to use computer networks to build a studio facility and airchain that is both cheaper and more capable than the old-fashioned way.

Our long-time partner, the public German Fraunhofer laboratory, inventors of MPEG MP3 and AAC, had a big display in the Future Park hall. They announced that DIVX will use MP3 Surround as the next-generation audio codec for their video software and that more announcements are soon to come. The surround part of this is the same technology that we are proposing for HD Radio, so it was good to see this traction. It means that chips will be coming with the surround decoder built-in. They also had their new surround headphone technology called Ensonido on display. This takes a 5.1 channel input and creates a surround experience *on normal stereo headphones* using head-related-transfer-functions. I convinced the FhG guys to let us demo this at the NAB, so you'll soon have a chance to check out this system for yourself if you'll be in Las Vegas. It seems this tech will be coming to MP3 players soon and may be a catalyst for surround music for the masses. Of course, this could also work to deliver surround to broadcast listeners on headphones.

Americans invented the PC and the Internet, and vendors like Microsoft, Intel, and Cisco still dominate the "value chain", but one cannot fail to be impressed by the amazing variety of PC-related products on offer from Asian outfits. Endless booths with cases, coolers, cards, boards, monitors, supplies, drives, keyboards, speakers, DSL boxes, wireless stuff. Perhaps the most impressive thing that caught my eye was the tiny PC on a card from VIA. About the size of a credit card, it runs standard Windows and Linux applications. I also loved the computerized sport shoes that adjust their sole elasticity to the surface upon which they are running, and the jacket with MP3 player buttons built-in to the sleeves.

The power of creativity was everywhere to be seen and is a vivid reminder of what people can accomplish when they are using their imaginations. One comes away with a feeling of tremendous respect for human inventive capacity and optimism for the future.

But for our industry, there are developments that look worrisome. The iPod is today's Walkman. You remember that the Walkman started as a cassette player, but quickly went on to include an FM radio. The iPod doesn't have one, and almost no other MP3 player does either. At the same time, there are now docks that let you use your iPod as a substitute for your car radio and home stereo. Supposedly, these docks are going to be in some original equipment car radios by next year.

Over in the red-hot mobile phone exhibits, you could see a bunch of them sporting integrated MP3 players and download services to fill them are getting started. (Motorola was rumored to be introducing one that would work with iTunes, but seems it was postponed.) No FM radios.

At the consumer electronics exhibits, flat-screen TVs with surround speaker set-ups were the norm. No FM radios.

There were some demonstrations and a lot of buzz about a new category of living room product called "HDD DVD" to be introduced later this year. These are DVD player/recorders with a hard drive and some intelligence. At first glance, this might look a bit like TIVO, but HDD DVD is much more - or much less - depending on how you look at it. HDD DVD will allow you to record programs, sports events, movies, etc., and cut your own DVD's for storage. Unlike TIVO, HDD DVD will not have a monthly charge. The unit is always standing-by to record your favorite programs. When you are ready to watch them, an on-screen menu shows you what was recorded. You click a button to view only what you want to view and in what order. In what could be a blow to TV stations and networks, commercials can be automatically deleted. These are supposed to be $299 at Walmart by this Christmas.

A similar, but more powerful product is the PC-based "home media center". These are usually built around Microsoft's media software, but there are also Linux-based products. Microsoft says they have already sold a million software packages. A bunch of Asian companies were showing sleek devices with TV tuners, DVD drives, hard disks, and network interfaces - wired and wireless. As with the HDD DVD boxes, you can record and play TV, but most also let you download music and video from the Internet and you can have terminals around your house that tap into the programs stored on the unit's hard drive. But FM tuners? Nope. (I'm guessing that Howard Stringer - a content guy - being named Sony CEO is going to heat up this category in a big way as he searches for new ways to "synergize" programs and technology.)

More than a few people are sounding off on radio's distressed future lately, and that alarm surely needs to be sounded. But we also need to keep things in perspective. Will media centers and iPods kill radio? I don't think so. Human nature is working against it. When I got my first car CD player, I loved it. Rotated all my favorite discs through the car - for about two months, when boredom set in and radio's right-now news and talk variety won me back. Even ad-laden music stations were better than CDs because they offered the element of surprise and the chance to hear something new. The story repeated a couple years later when I got an MP3 disc player in the car. All the fresh stuff on my PC was fodder for on-road listening, so it was back to recorded music - for awhile. Couple of months later, and the radio was on more than the player.

Broadcast radio is an effective way to connect audio producers and consumers. It's a tech that works without hassle and everybody has a receiver. Despite complaints about today's radio being repetitive and stale, it's probably true that programmers have pretty well figured out how to appeal to mass-market listeners. But, just as thousands of small-signal AM stations were marginalized as FM caught-on in the 70s and 80s, so might FM suffer a similar fate under pressure from satellites, iPods, networked media centers, MP3-enabled mobile phones, surround music DVDs, and all of the mutations and combinations of these themes sure to be coming. While listeners are mostly still with us, the technology world is finding nothing compelling in today's radio broadcasting.

What can we do to reverse this? To start, we need to get our transmission tech up to date. Everything media-related is already, or soon will be, digital. Radio is going to be an analog orphan if we don't get HD Radio on the air everywhere. Digital machines need to eat digital food. Once we have that in place, broadcasters and manufacturers can go on to collaborate to invent devices that have internal storage to make a new hybrid that includes traditional radio programming, "podcast" downloads, and MP3 playback. As listeners, we often want to actively choose, but we are also happy at times to be in a passive just-play-me-something or tell-me-something mood. And we usually want the comfort of a human connection and knowing that we'll be on top of important news. A hybrid device that lets this happen in a flexible way would energize gadget inventors and listeners alike. NPR's Tomorrow Radio is a step in this direction, and the FCC's decision to allow HD streams to be divided into multiple channels will let these experiments get underway. But there is so much more unexplored potential. In addition to dedicated radio receiver/iPod devices, we should work to get HD tuners into media centers. Then we could tag our on-air programs as well as offer special record-only ones to let a listener build the personal "radio station" she wants, including targeted advertising. She could listen at home or load up her iPod for the road. We could integrate elements downloaded via mobile phone channels or the Internet. We could collect fees for downloads. We could offer ad-free programming, for a price. We don't have a lot of bandwidth on HD radio, but local storage and clever engineering can work around that limitation.

As to the immediate future, I suppose we'll see a proliferation of spoken-word radio formats as a competitive reaction to all the music delivery alternatives. Probably a lot of talk is going to move from AM to FM and there'll be yet more of it coming to sliced-up HD channels.

For those stations staying with music, we need to get a capable surround system on the air so that we don't get beaten because of an obvious and correctable technical deficiency. All the home-theater-in-a-box systems you see on consumer electronics shop floors should have HD surround tuners in them - and many probably would if we were transmitting this signal today. (You'll see the first live demo of the FhG/MPEG/Telos/Omnia surround system in our booth at this NAB, too.)

Again, we need this upgrade to keep both technology developers and listeners on-board. Don't we want all those media center terminals to be able to receive our radio broadcasts in the kitchen, bedroom, etc.? Don't we want to defend clock-radio listening, perhaps the last place in the home where radio is still routinely used? Don't we want radio tuners in today's home listening systems? Don't we want a way to get our programs into iPods? To protect our future, don't we need to be perceived as "cool" by techies and teenagers?

As always, change offers both challenges and opportunities. As computing and networking become ever more a both rival *and* an enabler to our industry, I wonder where we will end-up. These are, indeed, interesting times.

-- Steve Church

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, January, 2005

* RADIO GUIDE "COVERS" AXIA: Have you seen the January issue of Radio Guide? Yes, that's a big, beautiful SmartSurface highlighting the cover story, "IP-Audio Distribution Moves Into the Studio." As Radio Guide Editor Barry Mishkind writes, "As more and more stations transition to or plan for digital audio plants, it is important to understand the technologies that make it work." This article (written by yours truly!) gets you "under the hood" to see just it's possible to move broadcast audio over Ethernet. Don't have a copy? You can request one at www.radio-guide.com .

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* WCBS-FM UPGRADES TO OMNIA: You've probably heard the recent news that 14 of the Top 15 FM stations in the Big Apple are Omnia users, including #1-rated WLTW-FM. You may not have heard that Infinity oldies powerhouse WCBS-FM is the latest to upgrade to Omnia processing. PD Dave Logan tells us "We absolutely love the massive sound we get with the new Omnia-6 digital unit. It's aggressive but forgiving, with plenty of spectrum and punch." Who else is using Omnia? Check out a partial list at www.omniaaudio.com/buzz/users.htm .

* CHICAGO TALKS WITH TELOS: A Series 2101 Multi-Studio Talkshow System will power talk programming at Bonneville Radio's Chicago cluster, which includes WLUP, WILV, WTMX, WDRV and WWDV. Series 2101 is the world's only broadcast phone system designed specifically for large, multi-studio installations (such as Clear Channel Los Angeles, XM Satellite Radio, and Entercom Seattle, to name just a few). If you're planning a big facility move and need a broadcst phone system that will handle as many as 120 incoming call circuits across 32 separate studios, browse www.telos-systems.com/2101/ to discover more about Series 2101.

* SABC STANDARDIZES ON ZEPHYR XSTREAM: Great news this week from Johannesburg, where the South African Broadcasting Corporation (the national broadcaster of South Africa) has replaced all of their broadcast codecs (nearly 20 in all), standardizing on Telos Zephyr Xstream. Since its introduction, Zephyr has become the "gold standard" for ISDN codecs, relied up worldwide by broadcasters for the best sound quality - using MPEG Layer 3, MPEG AAC and AAC Low Delay - and the most reliable operation. Check out www.zephyr.com to find out more about the capabilities of Zephyr Xstream and its POTS+ISDN companion, Zephyr Xport.

* NEW GEAR GUIDE: Every week, more Telos, Omnia and Axia equipment helps broadcast pros take control of their audio. Here are a few of the folks getting new goodies this week:

- Zephyr Xstream ISDN Codecs now broadcasting at:
  NPR, Washington, DC (www.npr.org)
  WVOF-FM, Fairfield University, CT (www.wvof.org)
  KTNQ-AM, Los Angeles, CA
  KRLD-AM, Dallas, TX (www.krld.com)

- New Omnia audio processors are powering:
  WBZS-FM, Washington DC (Omnia-6EX HD+FM)
  KICX-FM, McCook, Nebraska (Omnia-3 Turbo)
  KSTM-AM, El Paso, TX (Omnia-5EX HD+AM)
  KOSU-FM, Oklahoma Public Radio (Omnia-6EX HD+FM)

- POTS Remotes sound better with Zephyr Xport on:
  KTNQ-AM, Los Angeles, CA
  KSRO-FM, Santa Rosa, CA (www.ksro.com)
  SweetChariots.com, Framingham, MA (www.sweetchariots.com)
  KMSR-AM, Dallas, TX (www.990texastalkradio.com)

* TELOS / OMNIA / AXIA ON THE ROAD: Meet our representatives at these upcoming events:

- Axia joins Broadcaster's General Store at the 2005 NRB Convention, Anaheim, CA February 13-15, 2005 (www.nrb.org)

- Kirk Harnack will be at SBE Chapter 62 in Salt Lake City, February 18, 2005 (http://sbe62.fateback.com)

- Frank Foti speaks about 5.1 Surround for broadcast, March 8th, 2005 at the Michigan Association of Broad- casters' Great Lakes Broadcasting Conference in Lansing, MI. (www.michmab.com)

- See Telos, Omnia and Axia at the 2005 NAB in Las Vegas, April 16-21, 2005, booths N2816 and N3616 (www.nab.org).

* WEEKLY TECH TIP: LIGHTNING TIME: It's that time of year again: one thing you can count on during winter storms is lightning strikes. Are you prepared? Even if you think you are, there are some things about surge suppression you may not know. For instance, did you know that uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) may not protect against surges? Or that once a surge suppressor has done its job, it needs to be replaced? For a comprehensive look at protecting your valuable gear against nature's little power spikes, read our White Paper www.telos-systems.com/techtalk/surge.htm .

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: Misplaced that user manual? Can't find it anywhere? Maybe it's at Usermanual-Online. Here's a link submitted by our own Rolf Taylor: "I found this searching for a manual for a Yamaha Surround Decoder I bought on eBay. They seem to have lots of other stuff. Plus they seem to be quite sophisticated, automagically testing each link, thereby maintaining the usefulness of the site." Check out www.usermanual-online.com .

* NEW ENEWS ARCHIVE PAGE ONLINE: Looking for a link or a story from a back issue of eNews? Our entire archive has now been captured online for your convenience at www.zephyr.com/enews/ . Also, if you have a friend you think would enjoy eNews, send them to www.zephyr.com/enews/ to subscribe (or e-mail us with their subscription request at subscribe@telos-systems.com ).

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, December, 2004

* IT'S A HELLUVA TOWN: You may have heard that more of the US’ Top 100 FM stations use Omnia than all other brands combined. And we're pleased to report that New York City, the #1 radio market with more than 19 million radio listeners, is definitely an Omnia town. Run down the ratings list and you'll find that 14 of the Top 15 FM stations in the Big Apple are Omnia users, including Clear Channel's #1-rated WLTW-FM. (Can #15 be far behind?) Read our press release at www.OmniaAudio.com/news/ for the whole story.

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* NEW YORK'S NEWEST OMNIA STATION: Infinity's WCBS-FM, where legendary programmer Dave Logan tells us "We absolutely love the massive sound we get with the new Omnia-6. It's aggressive but forgiving, with plenty of spectrum and punch." Omnia users are pretty vocal about their love for their processors; to hear more of what they've told us, check out www.OmniaAudio.com/buzz/ .

* FROM THE MAILBAG: We got a great e-mail this week (from a station we can't name), with comments about the new Omnia-3fm Turbo audio processor: "I Just purchased the Omnia-3fm Turbo a couple of days ago, and let me say this... W O W !! Unbelievable !! The difference is NIGHT and DAY !! This little box really does PACK a PUNCH. I am using one of your factory presets named 'HUMOR ME,' since I think that preset applies to a diverse mix of music. Sincerely, {Name Witheld}. P.S.: THIS THING IS L O U D !!!!" Find out more about the new 3-band Omnia-3fm Turbo at www.OmniaAudio.com/o3fm/ .

* UPDATE ALERT: Axia users, firmware updates are available online for your Audio Nodes, Router Selectors and GPIO nodes available to download. Browse to www.AxiaAudio.com/download/ to see the newest updates and installation instructions. This is also where you'll find the latest Axia brochures, user manuals and other Axia tech information - bookmark it and check often for updates, or use the link at the bottom of the page to be notified by e-mail when new info is available.

* NEW GEAR GUIDE: Every week, more Telos, Omnia and Axia equipment helps broadcast pros take control of their audio. Here are a few of the folks getting new goodies this week:

- New Omnia audio processors are powering:
  WBEV-AM, Beaver Dam WI
  WPEN-AM, Philadelphia (www.wpen.com)
  MUST-FM & PREFERENCE, Belgium
  WXLA-AM, Lansing, MI

- ProFiler PC loggers are skimming...
  WKRE, Charlotte, NC (www.1060radio.com)
  KWEY AM & FM, Weatherford OK
  KFOG, San Francisco (www.kfog.com)

- POTS Remotes sound better with Zephyr Xport on:
  KBAY-FM, San Jose, CA (www.kbay.com)
  WVAF-FM, Charleston, WV
  Sirius Satellite Radio (www.sirius.com)
  West Virginia Radio (www.wvradio.com)

* WEEKLY TECH TIP: This week's question: "I'm expecting delivery of my new Zephyr Xport later this week. Anything I need to do to my Xstream or my phone lines to be ready?"

--->ANSWER: There are a couple of things you should double-check. First, your Zephyr Xstream must be running software version 2.5.x or later to receive calls from your new Xport. The current software version is 2.7.1p, and is available for download at www.telos-systems.com/support/software.htm .

Also, make sure your ISDN line has the ability to make "Circuit Switched Voice" (CSV) calls. The vast majority of lines DO have this feature, but it's best to double-check. It's simple to check for this capability: just dial a regular POTS telephone by setting the "Mode" in your Zephyr Xstream's DIAL menu to "Phone" and dialing the number. If the call connects, you have CSV capability and don't need to do anything else. If the call doesn't connect, your ISDN line does not currently support CSV; you'll need to call your Telco provider and have them change this. Tell your Telco that you want "alternate voice/data" capability (which means that both CSD - Circuit Switched Data) and CSV are available).

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: Just received from our friends at Fraunhofer labs is news that they've released a free demonstration version of their MP3 surround encoder/decoder - the very same technology used in the Telos / Omnia HD Radio surround sound demonstrations you've heard at NAB, R&R and elsewhere. The software enables you to encode and decode fully backward-compatible 5.1-channel MP3s on your Windows 2000 or XP computer, and even comes with a plugin for Winamp. There are several 5.1 WAV files you can download for experimentation, too. Download it at www.mp3surround-format.com . (Don't forget: you'll need a soundcard that supports 5.1 output to hear the multi-channel output.)

* NEW ENEWS ARCHIVE PAGE ONLINE: Looking for a link or a story from a back issue of eNews? Our entire archive has now been captured online for your convenience at www.zephyr.com/enews/ . Also, if you have a friend you think would enjoy eNews, send them to www.zephyr.com/enews/ to subscribe (or e-mail us with their subscription request at subscribe@telos-systems.com).

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, November, 2004

* YOUR AUDIO CARD IS OBSOLETE: Since the dawn of personal computing, man has sought ways to liberate audio from beige boxes (remember AdLib cards?). Over the years, some pretty sophisticated (read: expensive) audio cards have been created, especially for broadcast applications. But if you love the idea of never having to touch another PC card to get air-quality audio from your workstations, check out the Axia IP-Audio Driver. It's a software driver for Windows PCs that lets you send and record pure digital PCM audio using the PC's Ethernet port -- eliminating noisy D/A conversions that normally happen inside the EM-heavy PC case. If you have an Axia IP-Audio network, you can send and receive digital audio directly from the network; there's even an 8-by-8 version for use with audio delivery systems from Axia partners like Enco, Prophet Systems and Scott Studios. Read more at www.AxiaAudio.com/soundcards/ .

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* UPDATE YOUR MANUALS: Speaking of the Axia IP-Audio Driver, you'll find a newly-released manual update for that and a handful of other Axia products at www.AxiaAudio.com/downloads/ . Telos manuals are at www.telos-systems.com/support/manuals.htm , and you'll find Omnia manuals at www.OmniaAudio.com/support/manuals.htm . Bookmark them and check back often for newly-released revs - our manual-writing gnomes are working full-tilt!


* OMNIA-3FM TURBO REVS UP: By now you've probably heard about the new Omnia-3fm Turbo audio processor, with its newly-engineered 3-band AGC. You may not have had the chance to hear it for yourself, though - so allow us to quote Mike Oberg of WGMO-FM for a taste of what the Turbo is like: "We raced Omnia-3fm Turbo against the Orban 2300 and DSP-X, and the Omnia was the loudest, cleanest and best box by far. This processor is incredible! It’s like hearing the original Omnia again for the first time." Want to hear Omnia-3fm Turbo for yourself? Find your neareest Omnia dealer at www.OmniaAudio.com/dealers/ and ask them to test-drive it for you.


* PROFILER QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Mike Tocco of SBS New York told us "We're running 3 ProFilers at our stations in New York. I want to keep audio logs for years, not just months. So I installed a terabyte hard drive and I can store 4-5 years of audio on it! When it fills up, I'll just take it out and put it on the shelf and start filling up another drive. I love ProFiler!" Think you might have a use for a Windows-based audio logger/skimmer that runs on a standard PC and generates great-sounding MP3 files? Check out www.telos-systems.com/profiler/ .


* NEW GEAR GUIDE: Every week, more Telos, Omnia and Axia equipment helps broadcast pros take control of their audio. Here are a few of the folks getting new goodies this week:

Omnia-6EX HD+FM audio processors now power...

• KWWR-FM, Mexico, MO (www.country96.com)

• WDTJ-FM, Detroit

• WHYI-FM, Ft. Lauderdale (www.y100miami.com)

• WZTA-FM, Miami (www.949zeta.com)

• WRZQ-FM, Indianapolis IN (www.qmix.com)

TWOx12 is taking calls on...

• WPJP-FM, Milwaukee (www.relevantradio.com)

• WOJO-FM, Chicago

• KTAR, Phoenix (www.620ktar.com)

Zephyr Xstreams are being installed at...

• WHFS-FM, Washington DC (www.whfs.com)

• WQBA, Miami

• WPEN-AM, Philadelphia (www.wpen.com)

Xport, the POTS-to-ISDN codec, is on-air at...

• WBVM-FM, Tampa FL (www.spiritfm905.com)

• Legendary KFRC, San Francisco (www.kfrc.com)

• Trinity University, San Antonio TX

* SEE US AT OAB: If you're coming to Columbus for the Ohio Association of Broadcasters conference, be sure and look for Omnia's Frank Foti, who will be demonstrating 5.1 Surround for HD Radio. The date is Monday, November 15, and you can register at www.oab.com .


* AND AT INTERBEE: You can also see Telos / Omnia / Axia at InterBEE in Tokyo, Japan 17-19 November 2004. Visit http://bee.jesa.or.jp/en/ for details.


* WEEKLY TECH TIP: This week's question: "Our talk show producers are always in a hurry and they complain about the long times it takes for a call to connect when they're dialing out. Is there any way I can speed up dial-outs?"

--->ANSWER: Believe it or not, one little key-press can shave quite a few seconds off your connect time on outgoing calls. Entering a pound sign (#) at the end of the dialed digits will speed up your connections, due to the fact that nearly all Telco Central Offices are now computer controlled. Once the CO "sees" this symbol, it immediately processes your call, rather than waiting to see if more digits will be dialed. This is especially handy when making international or trans-oceanic calls - it can save you 10 seconds or more per connect.

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: Here's a cool free utility we've found for those who produce audio on PC workstations. It's called "DriveTime," and it tells you how many minutes of audio storage space is on your hard drive! Enter a sample rate for WAV files, and you instantly know how much recording time you've got left. Get it from http://tinyurl.com/6ewlh .

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, October, 2004

* RADIO GETS TURBO-CHARGED: The new Omnia-3fm Turbo audio processor is getting great reviews from broadcasters. "You have a damn good processor," says Ray Toney of WQTP-FM. "I really like the smooth, open sound." From David Hood at WENS, Indianapolis: "You can really hear the difference... Omnia-3fm Turbo is smoooooooth!" And Peter Stewart, who wrote a review of Omnia-3fm Turbo in the current issue of Radio Guide, calls it "Absolutely outstanding." Read up on the new Omnia-3fm Turbo at <www.OmniaAudio.com/o3fm/>

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* BSW IS NEWEST AXIA DEALER: Broadcast Supply Worldwide, the highly-successful Washington-based audio equipment supplier, is the latest in the growing corps of Axia Audio representatives. "Axia's technology expands into a bold new area of broadcast engineering to offer a complete, integrated studio solution, customizable using an easy 'building block' approach," said Tim Schwieger, BSW President. "Our customers have indicated a willingness to deploy new technology, and Axia products are right on target." See the full story at <www.axiaaudio.com/news>

* HD RADIO IN SURROUND IS A HIT: The Omnia booth was mobbed at the recent NAB Radio Show in San Diego with folks crowding in to hear live, over-the-air HD Radio broadcasts in discrete 5.1 Surround Sound using Fraunhofer coding technology. Some comments: "Wow... that's amazing! There's absolutely no channel leakage!" "You guys are actually broadcasting this? I thought we were much further away than that." "Wait til our production guys hear about this!" and "This sounds fan-[expletive deleted]-tastic!!" Want to know more about surround on HD Radio? Read our background paper at <http://tinyurl.com/4nmzf> (PDF viewer required).

* MANUAL UPDATES: We've posted several updated User's Manuals in the last week or so. You'll find a new Omnia-3fm manual with coverage of the new Omnia-3fm Turbo at <www.OmniaAudio.com/support/manuals.htm>, and new versions of Axia Microphone Audio Node and GPIO Node manuals at <www.AxiaAudio.com/downloads/>.

* NEW GEAR GUIDE: Every week, more Telos, Omnia and Axia equipment helps broadcast pros take control of their audio. Here are a notable few of the folks getting new goodies this week:

More stations get Omnia-3am:

• WFUR, Grand Rapids MI

• WUST, Washington DC

• WLCK, Scottsville, KY

Omnia-6EX is now on....

• KLAQ-FM, #1 Rock station in El Paso <www.klaq.com>

• KBIU-FM, Lake Charles, LA (Get it? K-B-I-U? Bayou?) <www.kbiu.com>

Zephyr Xstreams are being installed at...

• Jones Radio Network, Englewood, CO

• Entercom, Denver, Co

• KIIS-FM, Clear Channel, Los Angeles, CA

• University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN

• WPGC-FM, Infinity, Washington, DC

• WSMJ, Clear Channel, Baltimore, MD

• WRMF, James Crystal Radio, West Palm Beach, FL

Xport, the POTS-to-ISDN codec, is getting raves at:

• WJBC, Bloomington, IL

* ROAD TRIP: The folks from Telos / Omnia / Axia are out and about. Here's our latest schedule:

• Boston SBE Chapter 11 Bos-Con, 26 October (www.sbe11.org)

• Frank Foti speaks at 117th AES, San Francisco, 30 October (www.aes.org)

• Frank Foti and Mary Ann Seidler at the SATIS Expo, Paris, France, 3-5 November (www.satis-expo.com)

• Ohio Association of Broadcasters, Columbus, 15 November (www.oab.org)

* WEEKLY TECH TIP: This week's question: "I am looking to order a new Super Auto Answer (SAA) board. I see on your price list that you have 3 revs now, What's up?"

--->ANSWER: Glad you asked. Yes, there are 3 different revisions of the SAA motherboard, with several different software versions available, mostly to handle the recall tone cadences of different countries. Different software versions work on specific revisions of the motherboard. We know this can be a bit confusing, so If you don't know what software version you need, please contact Telos Tech Support at 216-241-7225 or at support@telos-systems.com (in Europe, e-mail europe-info@telos-systems.com ). Let us know that you'd like a Super Audio Answer board, tell us what hybrid you're going to install it in, and what country it's for. We will make sure that the correct hardware and software version is ordered.

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: With all the talk about 5.1 audio for FM, there's lots of interest in production tools that can handle multi-channel files. One that we know of is Adobe Audition (formerly Syntrillium's Cool Edit Pro). Want to play with creating multi-channel audio productions? There's a 30-day trial edition of the Audition software on the Adobe website at <www.adobe.com/products/audition/> .

* 5.1 FOR FM RADIO - WHY DOES IT MATTER? By now you've heard the buzz in all the industry trades about multi-channel audio on the FM band. We at Telos / Omnia / Axia are committed to furthering the quality of broadcast audio in every way possible, so the idea of bringing FM radio into the multi-channel arena grabbed us from the get-go. Why? Because, as Steve Church and Frank Foti have written, FM radio desperately needs to keep pace with the technological changes that have transformed the rest of the consumer audio space - home theater, in particular, has conditioned listeners to expect a higher level of audio experience. And broadcasting FM in 5.1 channels will allow our industry to meet - even exceed - those expectations.


* FRANK FOTI COVERS RADIO GUIDE: Yes, that's Dr. Foti on the cover of the October issue of Radio Guide. Inside, he writes: "Radio today is losing market share to its many alternatives: mobile CD listening, iPod, XM/Sirius, and netcasting. While none of those entities alone are beating radio, combined they are eroding the listener base." How to help keep and regain those listeners? "Now, for the first time since FM went stereo in 1961, we have technology that will blow your socks off. The ability to transmit distinct 5.1 multichannel audio!"

Frank continues "Multi-channel 5.1 surround creates an impressive theater of the mind -- something you must hear to truly appreciate. Imagine turning your Production Director loose with the power of additional audio channels on station liners, sweeps, and promos -- even your commercials will sound exciting! Using surround channels offers endless creative possibilities that will stimulate live on-the-air bits, and morning show routines!" (Don't have a copy of Radio Guide? Subscribe at www.radio-guide.com . You can also view Frank's article at www.Telos-Systems.com/news/ - grateful thanks to Radio Guide editor Barry Mishkind for supplying the PDF.)


* THIS IS NOT YOUR FATHER'S SURROUND: You may remember the prehistoric multi-channel of the '70's - Quad. Muddy, murky audio, twitchy tech. You may even remember Sansui's ill-fated attempt at an FM Quad system. The problem with these systems was their "matrix" model, in which audio channels were multiplexed, usually with a phase-reversal system, to fit into analog delivery methods, resulting in muddy audio, an indistinct soundstage, and an overall disappointing listening experience. Additionally, playing quadraphonic Lps through a stereo-only system usually resulted in a weird, unintentionally divergent mix of the original program material.


* ENTER CODED-DISCRETE 5.1: Times have changed and digital tech has done away with the need to rely on "matrix" schemes for multichannel audio. Thanks to home theater 5.1 systems, people have come to appreciate the immersive listening experience true, discrete surround sound provides. So when HD Radio technology became the US standard for digital FM radio, folks naturally began thinking a way of using this tech to deliver 5.1 to radio listeners. And the scientists at Fraunhofer Labs, the inventors of MP3 and MPEG-AAC, went to work devising a way of using perceptual audio coding to fit six channels of discrete audio into the HD Radio data channel. They call it "Coded-Discrete," and it delivers true, discrete 5.1 audio using HD Radio technology. It's also completely compatible with stereo transmissions. (Believe it or not, some other companies didn't learn the lesson of Quad, and are proposing systems that re-use the "matrix" model of the '70's. The FhG system provides truly discrete audio - not a matrixed mishmosh.) You can learn about the tech in detail in Frank Foti's Radio Guide article mentioned above.


* HEAR IT NOW: 5.1 SURROUND FOR HD RADIO DEMONSTRATION AT NAB: If you're coming to the NAB Radio Show in San Diego, be sure and stop by the Telos / Omnia booth, #907, to hear an over-the-air demonstration of the Fraunhofer coded-discrete 5.1 surround system for HD Radio broadcasts. For more information, read our press release and backgrounder at www.telos-systems.com/news/ .


* LINKS TO LEARN MORE: Here are some additional links where you can read more about this exciting technical advance:

• "Surround: HD Radio's WOW Factor," by Steve Church. www.telos-systems.com/news/Telos061604.pdf

• "Initiating The Surround Sound Era for Digital Radio," www.omniaaudio.com/tech/5.1_backgrounder.pdf

• "Radio's Field Of Dreams!" by Frank Foti. www.omniaaudio.com/tech/field_of_dreams.pdf

• "What HD Radio needs to WOW Today's Listeners", www.omniaaudio.com/tech/HDSurround03.pdf

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, September, 2004

* PROPHET SYSTEMS BECOMES AN AXIA PARTNER: We're proud to tell you that the latest audio delivery system provider to become an Axia partner is Prophet Systems (www.prophetsys.com). What does this mean? Simply put, Prophet's NexGen digital delivery system will now "speak" directly with Axia IP-Audio networks, eliminating sound cards for users of NexGen and Axia systems, and enabling ultra-tight integration of delivery software with studio systems. "This is great!" says Mogan David of Federated Media's WOWO in Fort Wayne, Indiana. "One thing that really interests me is Axia's sound-card replacement capability. Using Axia and Prophet, I can wire up 8 sources into and out of my automation system with one Ethernet cable! That alone saves about two days worth of work." Want to read more? Go to www.AxiaAudio.com/news/ .

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* PUTTING THE "WOW" BACK IN RADIO: It's nice when folks in your own hometown give you a little love. So imagine how thrilled all the Telos, Omnia and Axia folks were when the Cleveland Plain Dealer profiled us, using the headline above. To read the article, point your browser at http://tinyurl.com/4es8m for the story. (You can also get a PDF from our website at www.telos-systems.com/news/pdf/plaindealer.pdf .)


* GERMANY SAYS "SEHR GUT" TO AXIA: If you hadn't noticed, Axia is making waves with its IP-Audio technology that lets broadcaster save money and time by constructing studios and routing systems with Ethernet instead of discrete wiring and mainframe routers. In fact, our German distributor, P+P Nachrichtentechnik, has launched a German-language version of the Axia website. Check it out at www.AxiaAudio.de.


* NEW GEAR GUIDE: Every week, more Telos, Omnia and Axia equipment helps broadcast pros take control of their audio. Here are a notable few of the folks getting new goodies this week:

• Minnesota Public Radio: 2 Zephyr Xstream ISDN codecs

• XM Satellite Radio: 3 Zephyr Xstreams

• Billy Graham Ministries: 1 Zephyr Xstream

• SABE, South Africa: 4 Zephyr Xstreams

• KWIC-FM, Topeka, Kansas: 6 ONE-x-Six Talkshow Systems

* FROM THE OMNIA MAILBAG: If you haven't heard, there's a major new upgrade for Omnia-3fm users. New software adds three-band AGC to the already potent Omnia-3fm, "turbo-charging" your audio with even more power - that's why it's called "Turbo!" Here's a great letter we got about the new Omnia-3fm Turbo from David Hood of Emmis' WENS-FM (www.real971.com) in Indianapolis, Indiana: "We love the controls! Omnia-3FMT is smooooooth. We have a soft rock format; the Country preset plus a few minor adjustments works perfectly for us...and you can really hear the difference the 3 bands make." And David adds "BTW, good service and good products; you guys will be around for the next 100 years!"


* FRANK FOTI GETS FULL COVERAGE: Have you seen the September issue of Radio Guide yet? It's the one with the smiling pic of Dr. Frank Foti, President of Omnia, and Miss Mary Ann Seidler, our Director of International Sales. Inside you'll find a great article about 5.1 Surround for FM by the good doctor, as well as an in-depth review by Peter Stewart of the new Omnia-3fm Turbo audio processer. If you haven't got a copy, go to www.radio-guide.com and ask for one.


* ROAD TRIP: The folks from Telos / Omnia / Axia are out and about. Here's our latest schedule:

• Sacramento SBE Chapter 43, 28 September (www.broadcast.net/~sbe43/)

• NAB Radio Show, San Diego, 6-8 October (www.nab.org)

• Kansas City SBE Chapter 59, 11 October (www.broadcast.net/~sbe59/)

• Eugene, Oregon SBE Chapter 76, 11 October (www.sbe76.org/)

• Portland, Oregon SBE Chapter 124, 12 October (www.sbe124.org/)

• Cleveland Chapter SBE at Telos HQ, 12 October (www.sbe.org)

• Seattle SBE Chapter 16, 13 October (www.broadcast.net/~sbe16)

• Boston SBE Chapter 11 Bos-Con: 26 October (www.sbe11.org)

• Frank Foti speaks at 117th AES, San Francisco, 30 October (www.aes.org)

* TECH TIP, #24: This question from one of our US clients: "We're going to be broadcasting remotely on Election Day, and there are several stations that want to pick up our feed. How can we use the Zephyr Xport or the Zephyr Xstream to send one signal out to mutilple stations?"

---> ANSWER: There are several solutions you can use.

1) Each Xstream can be used to send 2 bi-directional streams (on each ISDN B channel). This is accomplished using G.722 or L3 Dual transit and Receive modes. This will allow you to send a feed to two separate locations.

2) AT&T may still offer a Circuit Switched Data Bridging Service ("56 kbps bridge"), as was done by NPR when their satellite went down. This permits a sending site to call a number, and multiple receiving sites to call in and receive that stream. All lines involved must register with AT&T and use AT&T long distance to connect to the bridge. The last time we investigated this we were told there were 4 of these bridges (2 in FL and 2 in TX), with each bridge capable of sending to 48 sites. Call AT&T Digital Bridging Service (56 kbps) at 800-322-7956 or 800-843-3646.

3) You may be able to use the optional V.35 ports on the Xstream to feed multiple ISDN terminal adaptors, with each ISDN terminal adaptor feeding an ISDN BRI circuit. Using each TA, an ISDN BRI circuit would support 2 sites.

One customer did some some testing of the EastCoast Datacomm DBU-V.11; preliminary tests indicated it could be used to feed a single V.35 port of the Zephyr to 4 Terminal Adaptors (2 ports on each terminal adaptor). www.ecdata.com/dbuv11/dbuv11.htm . Please be aware that Telos has not tested this product ourselves.

4) Rent a large number of codecs for a few days. This solution offers additional redundancy, since each codec is only feeing 2 stations. In addition, it allows customized feeds if desired.

---> Have a question you'd like answered in Tech Tips? E-mail us and we'll do our best to answer it!


* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: Check out the Broadcast Engineers' News & Exchange at http://benx.us. It's a brand-new news and information board for broadcast engineers helmed by Gary Stigall. Visit the links and forums; who knows? You might be able to help a fellow engineer.

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, August, 2004

BGS BECOMES AXIA DISTRIBUTOR: We're pleased to welcome Broadcasters General Store (www.broadcastdealer.com) as an Axia representative. "We feel that everyone will be able to take advantage of Axia networking. We see it being used in small college stations, as well large station clusters," says Buck Waters, BGS' Sales Manager. Read the whole interview at http://tinyurl.com/49vws .

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* LOGGING, SKIMMING, TELESCOPING: "I'd recommend ProFIler to anyone," says Jim Davies of WSUI and KSUI, the radio stations of Iowa University. ProFiler isn't just an audio logger: it's an MP3-based skimmer that makes easy work of telescoping airchecks or assembling station composites; there's a secure "live listen" capability that lets PDs, GMs or consultants hear program audio live over the Net as it's being encoded too. "Our program directors are delighted that we have this ability," Jim tells us. ProFiler software runs on Windows 2000 or XP Pro computers, and it's reasonably priced too. Read what Jim Davies has to say at http://tinyurl.com/6keq6 , then see all ProFiler can do for you at www.telos-systems.com/profiler/ .


* OMNIA-6 GOES MILE-HIGH: We received this e-mail from Mike Pappas, Chief Engineer at Denver's Jazz 89, KUVO-FM (www.kuvo.org): "We fired up our HD Radio transmitter Thursday with the Omnia-6EX. I have never heard FM sound so good... The Omnia-6EX "ROCKS". On analog FM it sounds open, unprocessed and has lots of sparkle. It makes the rest of the FM signals in Denver sound broken!" Thanks for the kind words, Mike. Read what other Omnia users are saying at www.omniaaudio.com/buzz/ .


* AXIA POWERS RADIO IN THE BALTICS: Radio Skonto in Riga, Latvia (a MetroMedia station) is the latest happy radio station to install an Axia audio-over-Ethernet system, and they love it. "The Ethernet tech makes wiring a lot simpler," says Chief Engineer Ivo Bankavs. "For example, there’s only one cable from the SmartSurface; we had a lot of them going to our old console! But the thing that really matters is how well the system serves operators. The operators are happy, and so am I." Read more about Axia and SmartSurface at www.AxiaAudio.com/surfaces/ , and check out our entire interview with Radio Skonto at www.AxiaAudio.com/news/ .


* TELOS ONE IS NUMBER ONE: Did you know that the Telos ONE is the lowest-cost digital auto-nulling telephone hybrid in the world? The ONE's many variations (portable and rackmount, dual hybrid, six-line talkshow system) make it possibly the most popular hybrid ever. Latest in the long line of Telos ONE users: France's Radio 3 just purchased a number of ONE+ONE dual hybrids, and the Thai News Agency, MCOT, have just ordered more ONE-x-Six multi-line talkshow systems to add to the ones they've been using. Perhaps a Telos ONE is what you've been looking for... check out www.telos-systems.com/one/ .


* DISCRETE SURROUND SOUND ON TERRESTRIAL FM: Frank Foti, President of Omnia, is excited. He's been telling everyone for weeks about how great discrete, 5.1-Channel audio will sound on FM radio, first at the Radio & Records Convention, then The Conclave. Now, Frank has been invited to speak at the 117th AES Convention (www.aes.org) in San Francisco on October 30th, 2004 in a special session entitled "Surround Sound for Digital Radio." If you're attending AES, don't miss this session! And don't forget to read Frank's position paper, "Radio's Field of Dreams", at http://tinyurl.com/6cqq2 (you'll need Acrobat to view this link).


* ROAD TRIP: The folks from Telos / Omnia / Axia are out and about. Here's our latest schedule:

• BIRTV, Beijing, 25-28 August (www.birtv.com)

• IBC, Amsterdam, 9-13 Sept, Booth 8.389 (www.ibc.org)

• Telos hosts Cleveland Chapter SBE, 12 October (www.sbe.org)

• Frank Foti speaks at 117th AES, 30 October (www.aes.org)

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: If you loved Soul music, there's a good chance you had more than a few Stax Records discs in your collection. Soul music is such an important part of American music and radio history, in fact, that there is now a Museum of American Soul Music, located in the refurbished Stax Records HQ in Memphis, Tennessee. Check them out online at www.soulsvilleusa.com . Where else could you see Isaac Hayes' '72 Eldorado?

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, July, 2004

* AXIA ANNOUNCES A PRO AUDIO ETHERNET ADAPTOR: Imagine a device that could take the analog audio output of any pro audio device, instantly turn it into studio-grade 24-bit digital audio that can be sent, along with hundreds of other audio channels, over standard Ethernet cables. What could you do with something like that? Cut down on miles of wiring, for one. Get rid of distribution amps. Make a routing switcher for about half the cost of a hardwired system. Sound interesting? Want to know more? Read here: www.AxiaAudio.com/news/ .

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* IP-AUDIO IN THE NEWS: In case you didn't notice, Audio over IP is hot stuff; everybody's talking about it. In fact (drum roll, please), I predict that IP-Audio networks will replace discrete wiring in broadcast facilities within 5 years. In Tom Vernon's July 14th Radio World article, Axia President Michael Dosch says that an inexpensive Ethernet switch has switching power equal to a TDM router 20 times its cost. Haven't seen the article? We've archived it for you at http://tinyurl.com/57ckk .


* SURROUND SOUND GETS A "WOW" AT THE CONCLAVE: Last week, Omnia President Frank Foti went to The Conclave in Minneapolis to speak about how HD Radio can benefit radio's future, and in particular about the competitive advantage Surround Sound will bring to FM IBOC stations that implement it. Broadcasters hearing Frank's presentation were amazed at the marketplace potential and sheer sonic impact of 5.1 Surround through FM. Radio magazine covered the event; read what they observed at http://tinyurl.com/4pb4k .


* HOT TOPIC: AUDIO LOGGING. Many nations have had laws for years that mandate program logging for radio stations, and the FCC is now pondering whether the US should do the same. If your station is thinking about audio logging, consider ProFiler, the logger/skimmer/remote aircheck software from Telos. It runs on a regular Windows PC, can log up to 8 mono (or 4 stereo) channels concurrently, offers secure remote playback of audio logs and even realtime audio over an IP connection, and costs lots less than dedicated hardware devices. Visit www.telos-systems.com/profiler/ to read more.


* READERS WRITE US: Mark Seignious, Broadcasting Professor at NorthWestern College's KTIS-FM Minneapolis (http://ktis.nwc.edu/), writes us about ProFiler: "Profiler is a fabulous tool. The ease of retrieving airchecks is amazing. I can instantly access airchecks with my on-air staff... It's hassle-free. I don't have to worry about the talent putting a tape in a cassette machine and making sure that the whole thing works; I just call up the time of the show on my computer, and bingo! It's there."


* VERMONT PUBLIC RADIO CHOOSES OMNIA-6EX: From our US Sales Director and Roving Engineer, Kirk Harnack, we hear that Vermont Public Radio (www.vpr.net) installed an Omnia-6EX HD+FM audio processor at their Mount Ascutney transmitter site for WNCH, which has just debuted the new "VPR Classical" service. Kirk reports that, using the Omnia-6's Classical preset as a starting point, they were able to complete the processing setup in under two hours. The 6EX's dual processing paths will also come in handy when VPR implements HD Radio in the near future. See www.omniaaudio.com/06ex/ to find out why Omnia-6 has become the choice of top broadcasters in major markets around the world.


* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: Most engineers I know love old radios. Come on, admit it: you've got a Packard-Bell 5FP tucked away in the garage, haven't you? Visit Don Adamson's Antique Radio Page at http://members.aol.com/djadamson/arp.html and you might find the transistor you carried with you as a kid. Ah, the batteries I wore out falling asleep with the radio on...

* SERIES 2101 TALKSHOW SYSTEM GOES LIVE IN LA: Over the past several weeks, Clear Channel's Los Angeles radio stations (which include KIIS-FM, KBIG, KYSR and KFI) have been moving into their new condolidated facilities. With around 20 broadcast studios and voiceover stations, they needed a broadcast telephone system that could handle the immense anticipated call volume, could be centrally controlled, and was reconfigurable to suit changing needs. Clear Channel chose the Telos Series 2101, the world's only whole-plant broadcast phone system. Series 2101 is scalable: it can handle just a couple of studios and phone lines, or as many 32 studios and 120 phone lines. Sound interesting? www.telos-systems.com/2101/ for more info.


* SERIES 2101 IS THE (W)TOP: Another Series 2101 Talkshow System makes its bow in the US Capitol at Bonneville's Washington, DC station cluster, which includes legendary News/Talker WTOP and WGMS-FM (two of the top-five rated stations in the Washington market). Series 2101 uses PRI phone lines to provide crystal-clear digital calls and greatly reduce wiring infrastructure. If you've been wondering about using ISDN for talk shows, we've got an excellent White Paper by Telos founder Steve Church that will answer your questions; read it at www.telos-systems.com/techtalk/isdntalk/ .


* FRANK FOTI TO SPEAK AT THE CONCLAVE: Last week, Omnia President Frank Foti went to the Radio & Records convention in Los Angeles to let broadcasters hear how FM will sound in 5.1-Channel Surround Sound. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with listener comments like "I can't believe how great this sounds!" "Stereo is gonna really sound lousy now." "Think of what my production director could do with this!" If your PD or OM missed us at R&R, tell them to be sure to attend Frank's upcoming session with Don Kelly at the Conclave in Minneapolis entitled HD Radio: "Digital Viagra for AM & FM!", which will include a demonstration of 5.1 Surround for FM. See http://tinyurl.com/32v56 for more details.


* HD RADIO's "WOW" FACTOR: "Imagine that your radio is pumping out immersive digital surround music and cinematic production effects, the sort of thing that you hear in a well-equipped movie theater or on a state-of-the-art home surround set-up. Wouldn't you think this to be a much better way of introducing the benefits of digital radio broadcasting to the public than the "improved stereo" message HD Radio offers now?" That's the question Telos founder Steve Church asks in his new Radio World Guest Commentary. We invite you to read it at http://tinyurl.com/23f6l , or download it from the Telos website at www.telos-systems.com/news/ .


* RADIO TALKS WITH TELOS: Telos Talkshow Systems have long been favorites of broadcasters everywhere, in markets big and small. Here's a selection of clients who've just inaugurated new Telos broadcast phone systems:

• Clear Channel's WHO-AM, Des Moines, Iowa, with a Telos ONE Hybrid.

• Clear Channel's KSTE, Sacramento, California, with a TWOx12 Talkshow System.

• Renda Radio's WJGO, Cape Coral, Florida, with a ONE-x-Six Talkshow System

• First Broadcasting's KSPL, Sacramento, California, with a ONE-x-Six Talkshow System

To find out why broadcasters prefer Telos Talkshow Systems, visit www.telos-systems.com/products/  .


* COMING TO A TOWN NEAR YOU: Here's a list of some upcoming appearances by Telos / Omnia / Axia:

• Kirk Harnack presents Axia Livewire to SBE Chapter 118 in Montgomery, Alabama on July 8.

• Frank Foti joins iBiquity's Don Kelly to show 5.1 Surround for HD Radio at the Conclave in Minneapolis, July 17th.

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: Remember "Monitor", NBC's long-running weekend radio anthology program? Well, a lot of people still do, and we've found a tribute site with photos, stories and airchecks that will bring it all back to you. Visit www.monitorbeacon.com for a blast from the past.

eNews from Telos / Omnia / Axia, June, 2004

* AXIA AUDIO LIVES: We heard from many attendees that the Axia display was the most visited place in the Radio Hall at NAB, and nearly as popular at AES. The Axia name and logo were unveiled for the first time at these events, and the crowds took notice... as did the press. Our favorite photos from the NAB show are on display at Japan's Tech-Ex website -- notice the caption on the third photograph, underneath the picture of Axia President, Michael Dosch.

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* NAB VISITORS' COMMENTS ABOUT AXIA: "I think that you folks did a terrific job with this system." "It's a great idea. This is very well done." "I am impressed with the look and feel of what you have put together. We'll have a lot to talk about back [at headquarters]." And just one more: "I really love it. It's great!" But tradeshow visitors aren't the only ones singing the praises of Axia. Read on...

* AXIA USERS SPEAK: A few quotes from Axia clients: "It's a great product, and in fact I have already recommended it to our company's regional engineer," says John Riccio, CE of Clear Channel's Ashtabula, Ohio station cluster. "Installation is a tremendous time and material saver over conventional studio wiring," asserts Mark Manolio, CE of Cleveland State University's WCSB-FM. And Marc Johnson, CE of WEGL-FM at Auburn University, tells us that "The equipment was straight out of the box and on the air in a matter of hours. The installation could not have gone smoother... Our operators enjoy the capabilities and flexibility that [the] Axia system provides." Read more here .

* AND DID WE MENTION? From the URL above, you've probably figured out that Axia's brand-new website is active. Here you'll find the information you seek about Axia - how it works, what you can do with it, how it can benefit your station. We'd love to hear your feedback on AxiaAudio.com: send your comments to Inquiry@AxiaAudio.com   .

* WHAT IS IP-AUDIO? Imagine sending dozens - even hundreds - of digital stereo audio signals between rooms, studios or even buildings using Ethernet. Uncompressed, linear PCM audio, with extremely low delay. To find out how it all works, and about Livewire, the technology that powers Axia audio networks, read the informative white paper by Steve Church, "Ethernet For Studio Audio Systems," at www.Axiaudio.com/tech/ .

* NEW AXIA PARTNERS: Some major names in the broadcast community are teaming up with Axia. Digital delivery system leaders Enco Systems and Scott Studios are providing playout systems that are Axia-compatible. Radio Systems' StudioHub+ modular connection components plug 'n play with Axia components. And broadcast facilities provider Balsys Technology has become an Axia integrator. Want to be a partner? Visit www.AxiaAudio.com/partners/ to find out more.

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: Audio networking, of course, is nothing new: AT&T implemented the first crude audio bridge at the tail end of the 19th century. For history buffs, Thomas White's excellent "United States Early Radio History" website has a wonderful recounting of the development of the earliest radio networks; you can find it at http://earlyradiohistory.us/sec019.htm .

* TIME HAS COME TODAY: Can't put it off another day. We've had an incredible response to our Zephyr 10th Anniversary Celebration bundle offer - the one that can save you $1,800.00 or more on the purchase of a complete Zephyr Remote Bundle, with the award-winning Zephyr Xstream and Zephyr Xport. But all good things come to an end, and so must this offer: June 30 is your last day to take advantage of these Birthday savings. Check out www.zephyr.com and then call your Telos dealer before time's up.

* YOU'RE SURROUNDED: Chances are you've heard the latest buzz: Surround Sound for FM HD Radio; discrete, 5.1-channel audio that can be broadcast in the HD Radio channel and decoded by the home or car listener for the full multichannel experience. You may have heard the Telos / Omnia 5.1 demonstration at the NAB Convention (http://tinyurl.com/32o55); in their current issue, Radio magazine gives a Technology Honor "Pick Hit" award to Multi-Channel IBOC Audio. And Kenwood has stated they plan to implement 5.1 for FM HD Radio in their calendar 2005 model radios.

* WHY MULTICHANNEL HDFM MAKES SENSE: Telos' Steve Church and Omnia's Frank Foti recently authored a position paper explaining why 5.1-channel broadcasts make sense for FM HD Radio: "Listeners get something compellingly new and interesting. They already know about 5.1 from their exposure to home theater and could readily imagine the benefits of having that experience in their cars. FM radio stations again take the lead in offering a superior audio technology... Programmers and production directors get to create cinematic high-wow-factor promo pieces to breathe new life into programming." Sound interesting? Read more at www.telos-systems.com/techtalk/ .

* PD'S SPEAK 5.1, TOO: Telos Systems' Denny Sanders was a Program Director and air talent for many years at Cleveland's legendary WMMS and WMJI. He lays out the facts about 5.1 from a PD's perspective, letting your programming people know exactly why multichannel FM is worth paying attention to. His paper, called "5.1 Surround: For Real On Radio?" is also at www.telos-systems.com/techtalk/ ; download it for your programming folks today.

* A CHANCE FOR YOUR PROGRAMMERS TO HEAR FM 5.1: If your PD, MD or OM is going to the Radio & Records Convention in Los Angeles next week, tell them to look for the Omnia 5.1 Demo just behind the lobby bar at the Beverly Hilton. With Frank Foti at the helm, they can hear exactly how 5.1 will sound on their FM station, from music to production to station jingles. Heck, we'll even buy 'em a beer for stopping in to listen.

* WOR CHOOSES OMNIA FOR AM HD RADIO: When a legendary station like New York's WOR chooses a new audio processor, that's news... especially when they switched from another brand. In a recent Radio World User Report, Tom Ray says "Do we like the Omnia 5-EX on WOR? Definitely... Foti hit a home run with this processor. I put it into the rack with a spot welder, and if he thinks he’s going to get this one back, he’s sorely mistaken." What makes Omnia-5EX HDAM so special? For starters, it's the world's only AM processor that can process Conventional AM and Digital AM signals at the same time. For another, it sounds great! Find out more about Omnia-5EX HDAM at www.omniaaudio.com/o5am/ , then read Tom Ray's article here.

* COMING TO A TOWN NEAR YOU: Here's a list of some upcoming appearances by Telos / Omnia / Axia:

• See Telos, Omnia & Axia at Broadcast Asia in Singapore, June 15-18, Hall 1, Stand 1G21.

• Kirk Harnack demonstrates Axia Livewire at Central Ohio SBE Chapter 52's monthly meeting, June 17th at WBNS-TV in Columbus.

• Frank Foti demos 5.1 Surround for HD Radio at the Radio & Records Convention, June 23-25 at the Beverly Hilton, Los Angeles.

• Kirk Harnack presents Axia Livewire to SBE Chapter 118 in MOntgomery, Alabama on July 8.

• Frank Foti joins iBiquity's Don Kelly to show 5.1 Surround for HD Radio at the Conclave in Minneapolis, July 17th.

* LINK OF THE WEEK: With all the buzz about 5.1 for FM and multi-channel audio in general, a great portal to learn more is www.quadraphonicquad.com . Originally begun as a forum for collectors of quadrarphonic recordings, it's now a clearinghouse of information on multi-channel music releases, be they DVD-A, SACD or DTS. You'll find plenty of information on the state of modern Surround (and some interesting discussions on the fine points of older multichannel formats as well).

eNews from Telos / Omnia, April, 2004

* From Steve Church, writing from Hanover, Germany:

"I just got back from CeBIT, the huge tech product exhibition. Of course, I was keeping my eyes peeled for anything interesting to broadcasters. The focus of the show is computing, telephony, networking, and digital photography, so you have to look a little 'sideways' to see developments that are useful to our world. Here's what I thought was hot..."

• I listened to the new "spatial audio coding" from Fraunhofer - the MP3 and AAC inventors. This is very new and fresh from the lab and was not on public display. But they had a 5.1 loudspeaker setup to demo MP3 Surround, so I got them to play some test material privately from the spatial coding work. Wow!! Full fidelity, and sounding like full discrete channel separation. Very impressive. I can hear you asking, "Why is this interesting for us radio guys? We don't have any way to transmit enough bits for 5.1, do we?" Well... here is the big news: Combine this spatial audio technology with the HD Radio codec and it would all fit within the 96 kbps we have there! Can you imagine how your station would sound with surround in car? Your production director would no doubt go wild with multichannel promo pieces...

• Fraunhofer was also showing their "wave field synthesis" system. Going waaay beyond 5.1 surround, the demo setup had 160 loudspeakers! This is not just a bunch more channels - the idea is that you can move around in the listening space, and the image remains stable owing to the massive DSP power "rendering" the "audio scene". You don't have the "sweet spot" like you have with stereo or 5.1 - rather, you feel like you are very much in the middle of the original acoustic space. They are promoting this for cinema applications, but I was imagining a truly immersive discothèque experience.

• VoIP telephone was everywhere. Certainly this is the big story in phones this year. The computer network people are moving into this area in a big way. Cisco made it the focus of their stand, for example. Their system works just fine, but some of the other outfits had gear that was not ready for primetime - too much delay and/or bad fidelity. This tech can work, as the Cisco stuff demonstrates, but there is a lot of room to get it wrong, it seems.

• Third generation mobile phones are finally starting to appear. These have video and fast data capability. At Telos, we haven't thought much of the idea of using 1st-gen phones as remote tools because you just can't get the bits for enough fidelity - not much you can do with 14.4kbps, even with the best codecs. But the 3G networks may offer us a way to get decent quality. Stay tuned.

• DAB is widely considered to be a dud in Europe. Radios have been expensive and the programming uninteresting. It was looking like broadcasters would just shut it off eventually. But - surprise - DAB is finally starting to take off in the UK. The Asians are now offering cheap(er) mass-market radios, and a few Brittish makers have high-end receivers. All seem to be selling at a reasonable pace nowadays. Not sure why the UK has picked up on this, while the other countries haven't.

• JVC has introduced... wooden cone loudspeakers. They claim wood has an "energy absorption and transmission profile" superior to paper, plastic, and aluminum. The only examples they had were 4" drivers attached to a mini stereo system, which was not working - so I was not able to evaluate the claim...

• IBM is still selling mainframes, but they call them 'high-performance servers' now. And they are not now blue, but black. Very impressive to look at, but I wouldn't want to pay for one. IBM's stand was so big, there was a bridge on the second level to cross over the aisles below. A bit out of place in the button-up atmosphere, they had a bunch of stuffed penguins in the their cafe - guess you Linux-fans can imagine why.

• On the other end of computing were a proliferation of PC cases - perhaps a 1000 variants - and coolers. Lots of blue LEDs, neon-ish lamps, and windowed boxes for teenagers to impress their friends with. "Tuning" has come to computers - and it looks to be all the rage. "Overclocking" seems to be another big thing. At one stand, I saw a Pentium running at 5 GHz - with water cooling to keep it from becoming a heap of warm plastic goo...

• Rivaling computer cases for variety and abundance were digital photo cameras. They were everywhere, in all shapes, sizes, pixel counts, and prices. When a train like this is rollin' fast like this, *on it* is infinitely better than *in front* of it... I'd hate to be Kodak or Fuji these days.

CeBIT is amazingly big - something like 6x the NAB. When I was not peering and poking my fingers at the cool products, I was thinking how vast is the human imagination and ability to invent. All the tremendous variety on display was the result of arranging the few base materials found on or under the surface of the Earth in novel ways. While some humans - guided by extreme political or world views - want to destroy, many, many others want to create. That, for me, was the truly the most important story of the show.

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* TWOx12 - ON AIR LEFT, RIGHT & WORLDWIDE - Is there anything about which Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly and Al Franken could agree? YES! The TWOx12 Talkshow System! New TWOx12 users include Ryan Seacrest, The Washington Journal, CNBC, and Air America. Radio France is standardizing their on-air phone operations with TWOx12 systems. YLE Radio in Finland is using TWOx12 as well. Other broadcasters standardizing on TWOx12 and Zephyr Xstream include TRT, Macedonian Radio, and CBC. 

* TELOS / OMNIA ON THE ROAD: Kirk Harnack is building frequent flyer miles while going to:

• NAB Convention, Las Vegas, April 17-22, 2004

• SBE Chapter 42, Orlando, FL, May 5, 2004 <http://www.sbe42.org/>

• SBE Chapter 35, Louisville, KY, May 11, 2004 <http://www.sbe35.org/>

• SBE Chapter 91, Lansing, MI, May 19, 2004

• SBE Chapter 102, Grand Rapids, MI, May 20, 2004 <http://www.broadcast.net/~sbe102/>

• SBE Chapter 55, St. Louis, MO, May 27, 2004 <http://www.broadcast.net/~sbe55/> 

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #23 - Audio level-setting. Every audio device, whether it's analog or digital, has an audio noise floor and an audio clipping level. Good engineering practice dictates that we set audio levels into and out of each device such that we enjoy the maximum performance each has to offer. If you've ever watched "The Price Is Right" on TV, you have an idea of how level-setting is best accomplished. If the audio level is too low, it gets lost in the noise (other low-price guesses). Too high and the audio is clipped, creating awful distortion (and losing our turn in the game). So, we want to adjust our audio levels such that we're using all the available voltage or bits, without running out of either. Most analog devices show us audio level using VU meters. Digital devices have peak-reading meters. It's important to note that these different meters show us different things. A VU meter does not indicate peak level - we must mentally add some "headroom" to accommodate for peaks. A peak-reading meter does indicate peak levels. No fudge-factor is necessary. The peak level shown is, indeed, the highest audio level present. No headroom" above that peak level is needed, as long as the peaks never try to exceed full scale, or 0 dBfs.

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: One more "find" from Steve Church at CeBIT - A Digital Swiss Army Knife. www.swissbit.com/hauptea82.html?nv=2261&spr=2

eNews from Telos / Omnia, March, 2004

* Streaming, Logging, Listening - Groups are adopting ProFiler. ProFiler will not only log station audio to hard drive, it will also stream live audio at standard bit rates over private or public IP networks. One PC in a market, plus a couple of ProFiler cards and software, is all it takes to log a station cluster's audio. Programming executives can listen to live audio from any station and compare what's airing now with past days' programming - checking for trends or problems. You can log some shows at a high bit rate for making daily promos, while other dayparts can be either logged or not logged at low bit rates for spot verification. ProFiler is a private logging and streaming solution, designed to assist PD's, traffic departments, and engineers check on current and historic station audio. See more at www.telos-systems.com/profiler .

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* ISDN ENVY: What would you pay for ISDN - when you want it and where you want it? Broadcast engineers in the Los Angeles, CA, area are getting full ISDN service for "about $30 per month!" Installation is generally a flat $250 fee with just a 5 day lead time. At a recent SBE meeting in Burbank, engineers described how easy, convenient and reliable ISDN service is from Verizon, their Local Exchange Carrier (LEC). It turns out that in Los Angeles, Verizon operates an "Entertainment Division" which handles all kinds of circuits related to the entertainment industry. Pricing is quite reasonable and business is brisk. "ISDN remotes with Telos Xstreams are commonplace," according to Dennis Martin, Chief Engineer for Emmis' KZLA and KPWR. Helpful information about ISDN is on Telos' Tech Talk page... www.telos-systems.com/techtalk/ . More information about ISDN is linked from www.telos-systems.com/techtalk/links.htm .

* THEY'RE EVERYWHERE: Remote Broadcasts with Zephyr Xstream: Congratulations to more members of the Telos Zephyr and Xstream family! Some are new members and others are adding to their fleet of ISDN and POTS connected Xports and Xstreams. Telos welcomes new additions at the British Broadcasting Company; KKBT, Los Angeles; KMPS, Seattle; KZOL, Fresno; KDKA, Pittsburg; KTHX, Reno; KTNQ/KLVE, Los Angeles; WHB/Royals Radio Network, Kansas city; WKTU, New York; Cumulus, Nashville; KKDA, Dallas; and the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg. (If you're passing out cigars, I'll be at the Telos/Omnia display at NAB in Las Vegas.)

* TELOS / OMNIA ON THE ROAD: Kirk Harnack is building frequent flyer miles while going to:

• NAB Convention, Las Vegas, April 17-22, 2004

• SBE Chapter 42, Orlando, FL, May 5, 2004 <http://www.sbe42.org/>

• SBE Chapter 35, Louisville, KY, May 11, 2004 <http://www.sbe35.org/>

• SBE Chapter 91, Lansing, MI, May 19, 2004

• SBE Chapter 102, Grand Rapids, MI, May 20, 2004 <http://www.broadcast.net/~sbe102/>

• SBE Chapter 55, St. Louis, MO, May 27, 2004 <http://www.broadcast.net/~sbe55/>

• Steve Church will be presenting and demoing Livewire, Zephyr Xport and Xstream, and Omnia processing at a seminar held with Noretron Broadcast Oy in Helsinki, Finland, Thursday and Friday March 25 and 26. <http://www.noretron.fi/> 

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #22 - RTFM! - At Telos and Omnia, "RTFM" means "Read The FREE Manual". All Telos and Omnia equipment manuals are available for free download, any place there's an Internet connection. Save them to hard drive. Put them on your own network server. You can even print one out - or just the page(s) you need. Telos manuals are linked from www.telos-systems.com/support/manuals.htm . Omnia manuals are linked from www.omniaaudio.com/support/manuals.htm . These manuals are all in Adobe PDF format. Manuals for our "legacy" equipment are scanned. Manuals for newer equipment are fully searchable (which is good, because they're BIG).

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: EUonline is a Journal of Public Radio Technology from National Public Radio. Access to many items requires registration. Some articles are availble without registration. http://www.npr.org/euonline/index.html .

eNews from Telos / Omnia, February, 2004

* LIVEWIRE GOES LIVE: The very first radio station with Telos Livewire technology has signed on: WEGL-FM at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. Auburn is so happy with their Livewire-connected studio and Telos SmartSurface control surface that they've constructed a web page with photos of the installation, and a video as well! Visit wegl.premiersounddj.com  to see the pix and vid.

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* BIG BOY RELIES ON XPORT AT POWER 106: Emmis' KPWR-FM is the Number-One-rated station in Los Angeles, so even though morning show host Big Boy needed time away to recuperate after surgery, he didn't want to miss a single day on the air. Problem solved: Big Boy's engineers equipped him with a Zephyr Xport, which allowed him to do his morning show from the comfort of his hospital room! Xport is the perfect on-the-go remote codec: aacPlus coding delivers 15kHz audio over any POTS phone line; an ISDN option lets you use Low Delay MPEG AAC for even more superior quality. There's a built-in two-pot mixer for mic and line inputs - you can even connect to a laptop using the Ethernet port and send digital audio directly into your Xport. To find out more, browse www.zephyr.com .

* SPECIAL SAVINGS ON ZEPHYR XSTREAM & XPORT: If you'd like to put Zephyr Xport to work at your station, there's no better time than now. We're celebrating Zephyr's 10th birthday by offering special pricing on Zephyr Xstream/Xport bundles that will put the latest coding technology to work for you and save you hundreds of dollars at the same time. Visit www.zephyr.com for details. We've extended this special offer until June 30th, but don't put off ordering - demand is heavy.

* NEW OMNIAS HAVE INDUSTRY BUZZING: Last issue we announced our new Omnia-5EX processors for AM and FM. Both processors incorporate Omnia-s unique dual processing structure: You can process your conventional AM or FM audio streams PLUS HD Radio, DAB, DRM, satellite or other digital streams - all in the same box! (Omnia-5EX HD+AM especially made folks sit up and take notice: it's the world's ONLY audio processor that can process for digital AM broadcasting.) Radio magazine made mention of this, as did Radio World, and the newsgroups have been buzzing as well. You can read more about Omnia-5EX HD+AM at www.omniaaudio.com/o5am/ , and Omnia-5EX HD+FM at www.omniaaudio.com/o5fm/ .

* NEW OMNIA-6EX PRESETS FOR DOWNLOAD: From time to time, our DSP engineers, working with our clients, perfect a new processing preset for specific format applications. We've just added the latest to our Omnia-6 Preset Gallery - a preset for eclectic stations whose programming includes rock, jazz, talk, r&b, etc. If you own an Omnia-6, check out the Preset Gallery by visiting www.omniaaudio.com/o6ex/ - just click "Download" from the left-side menu.

* TELOS / OMNIA ON THE ROAD: Meet our representatives at these upcoming events:

• National Religious Broadcasters Convention (www.nrb.org), Charlotte, NC, February 15-17, 2004

• SBE Chapter 85, Oklahoma City (www.broadcast.net/~sbe85/), February 25, 2004

• NAB Convention (www.nab.org), Las Vegas, April 17-22, 2004

• 116th AES Convention (www.aes.org), Berlin, May 8-11, 2004

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #21 - This week's question: "I just upgraded my Zephyr Xstream to the latest software version, and now I can't use the HTTP administration feature - the Xstream's webserver is asking for a password. Why did this show up all of a sudden, and what do I do?"

----->ANSWER: The older versions of the Xstream browser control allowed anyone to connect and change settings. The new version increases security by requiring a password to enter. Connect to your Xstream again and use the password "Telos" (without the quotation marks) to enter the control screen. Password is case sensitive.

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: In his wanderings across the World Wide Web, our founder, Steve Church, occasionally happens on some truly unbelievable websites. His latest "find" is Altmann Micro Machines, who offer an amazing product: a lacquer which, when applied to amplification ICs, purports to remove harmonic overtones from being generated, invoking instead a warm, "tube" sound. Visit www.altmann.haan.de/tubeolator/ to read the details. (Don't laugh too hard.)

eNews from Telos / Omnia, January, 2004

* OMNIA INTROS WORLD'S FIRST DUAL-PURPOSE PROCESSOR FOR ANALOG & DIGITAL AM: Over the years, Omnia audio processors have been responsible for a lot of "firsts:" first 96 kHz digital broadcast audio processor, first multi-band look-ahead limiter, first six-band broadcast limiter, first non-aliasing composite clipper, and more. Now, as reported in Radio magazine, Omnia leads the pack again with the world's first AM/Medium Wave audio processor capable of processing for digital broadcasts! Omnia-5EX HD+AM comes standard with twin parallel processing paths: one for conventional AM and Medium Wave broadcasts; the other for DAB and HD Radio. With Omnia-5EX HD+AM, you can have the advantage of giving your AM station an immediate audio upgrade for your conventional signal, while "future-proofing" your audio chain for digital broadcasting. For more details, see our press release.

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* ...AND A NEW DUAL-PURPOSE FM PROCESSOR TOO: There's a new Omnia for FM, too: the Omnia-5EX HD+FM. Like its big brother, the Omnia-6EX, it features the market-winning signature sound that's the choice of more Top 100 FM stations in the US than all other brands combined. It's also packed with new processing algorithms, more user controls, more pure clear highs and deep, phat bass than ever before. And of course, Omnia-5EX HD+FM also has the unique dual processing structure for conventional and digital FM that is making Omnia the talk of the industry. Read more at www.omniaaudio.com/news/ .

* THINKING ABOUT HD RADIO?: Omnia's President, Frank Foti, knows HD Radio inside and out. He's made a thorough study of just what's required for a radio station thinking about taking the leap into digital broadcasting, and has laid out the requirements in a new HD Radio Checklist. You can read it online or download the free PDF from the Omnia website .

* MICHAEL REAGAN GETS XSTREAM: As we celebrate the 10th birthday of the Telos Zephyr, the ranks of Zephyr users continue to swell with well-known names. The latest personality relying on a new Zephyr Xstream is Talk America Radio Network personality Michael Reagan. Mr Reagan's shows are heard not only on Talk America affiliates, but also by subscribers of XM and Sirius Satellite Radio, so pure, clean audio quality is paramount. Zephyr Xstream also lets you connect to the widest possible variety of 3rd party codecs, thanks to the wide variety of coding choices: MPEG AAC (MP4), Low-Delay AAC, Layer 3, Layer 2, and G.722 . Visit www.telos-systems.com/zephyr/ to learn more.

* SPECIAL SAVINGS ON ZEPHYR XSTREAM & XPORT: Would you believe that there are now more than 10,000 Zephyrs, Zephyr Xstreams and Zephyr Xport codecs in studios and remote kits around the world? We're celebrating Zephyr's 10th birthday by offering special pricing on Zephyr Xstream/Xport bundles that will put the latest coding technology to work for you and save you hundreds of dollars at the same time. Visit www.zephyr.com for details.

* TELOS / OMNIA ON THE ROAD: Meet our representatives at these upcoming events:

• SBE Chapter 47, Los Angeles, February 10, 2004 

• National Religious Broadcasters Convention, Charlotte, NC, February 15-17, 2004 

• SBE Chapter 85, Oklahoma City, February 25, 2004 

• NAB Convention, Las Vegas, April 17-22, 2004 

• 116th AES Convention, Berlin, May 8-11, 2004

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #20 - BEATING THE ELECTRIC KILLER: One thing you can count on during winter storms is lightning strikes. Are you prepared? Even if you think you are, there are some things about surge suppression you may not know. For instance, did you know that uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) may not protect against surges? Or that once a surge suppressor has done its job, it needs to be replaced? For a comprehensive look at protecting your valuable gear against nature's little power spikes, read our White Paper www.telos-systems.com/techtalk/surge.htm .

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: If you rebuild old gear, you're eventually sure to run up against obsolete transistors that must be replaced. The University of Washington has compiled a fast, easy-to-use online cross-reference: simply poke in the ID of the old transistor, and the newest equivalent is supplied. Bookmark www.ee.washington.edu/circuit_archive/parts/cross.html .

* SPECIAL SAVINGS ON ZEPHYR XSTREAM & XPORT: Would you believe it's been 10 years since the first Telos Zephyr debuted? Now there are over 10,000 Zephyrs, Zephyr Xstreams and Zephyr Xport codecs in studios and remote kits around the world. We're celebrating Zephyr's 10th birthday by offering special pricing on Zephyr Xstream/Xport bundles that will put the latest Zephyr technology to work for you and save you hundreds of dollars at the same time. Visit www.zephyr.com  or details.

* PRIVATE RADIO BOWS IN TUNISIA: And Telos and Omnia are there. Radio Mosaique FM, Tunisia's first privately-operated radio station, signed on recently with a signature sound sculpted by an Omnia-3fm audio processor and a host of Telos broadcast phone gear, including a TWOx12 Talkshow System. Read more about it at www.telos-systems.com/news/ .

* MAJOR LEAGUERS CHOOSE TELOS: Zephyr Xstream and Zephyr Xport have proven irresistable to major sports franchises, who insist on Zephyr to help ensure great-sounding, reliable play-by-play broadcasts. Recently we told you about Rich Eisen's new Zephyr Xport, used on "NFL Total Access" on the NFL Network; the San Diego Chargers likewise rely on Zephyr Xstream and Zephyr Xport in their remote cases. Major League Baseball likes Zephyr too: The Arizona Diamondbacks recently ordered a Zephyr Xstream MXP remote codec with four-input mixer. Visit www.telos-systems.com/zephyr/ for details on these award-winning codecs.

* aacPlus IN THE NEWS: As reported in Radio World Online (http://tinyurl.com/ypovn), RealNetworks Inc., makers of RealPlayer software, revealed at CES that they have become the newest licensee of aacPlus coding technology, joining Apple, Samsung and other big names. Of course, aacPlus is at the heart of Zephyr Xport, the portable POTS+ISDN codec that delivers 15 kHz audio over ordinary POTS phone lines. Hear the difference Xport with aacPlus coding makes -- click www.telos-systems.com/aacplus/ to compare for yourself.

* TOP SFO STATIONS CHOOSE ZEPHYR: Lots of Zephyr activity in San Francisco lately, where ABC Radio's #1-rated News/Talk powerhouse KGO just received a Zephyr Xport and 4 Zephyr Xport codecs; across the dial, Univision's KSOL gets 5 rack-mount Zephyr Xstreams and a portable Zephyr Xstream MXP for use in on-location remote broadcasts.

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #19: The start of the new year is a good time to make sure your Telos and Omnia software is up to date. If you haven't checked lately, there's an easy way to find out if your software is current: click www.telos-systems.com/support/software.htm for a complete list of Telos and Omnia products and their most current software versions.

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: Lightning strikes aren't the only thing that can play havoc with a broadcast facility's power systems - sometimes the problem comes right from the utility! Longtime LA radio engineer Paul Sakrison recounts how a utility failure nearly took Infinity's KFWB off the air, and how near-disaster was averted. Visit www.sakrison.com/radio/KFWB3.html to read the whole story.

eNews from Telos / Omnia, November, 2003

* KUDOS FOR OMNIA-6EX: "We've had Omnia-6EX on the air for a couple of weeks. It's wide, loud and clean... I've never heard the bottom end sound like this! Wild 100.3 has never sounded better," says Dan Kieley, Program Director of Infinity Broadcasting's KRBV-FM (Wild 100.3/Dallas). He's not the only one singing the praises of the latest Omnia: we've received lots of raves (from folks who won't let us print their names for competitive reasons)... here are just a couple: "We won't be using the HD Radio processing for a while, but Omnia-6EX makes our analog signal sound better right now!" "I have never heard anything as clear and open as this... you fellow really trumped yourselves with this one." "Classical listeners tend to disike processing; Omnia-6EX is very subtle... we can process for better in-car listening without them noticing." Read about Omnia-6EX here.

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* FREE SOFTWARE UPDATES FOR XSTREAM, XPORT, TWOx12: For new subscribers who may have missed last week's announcement, there are new software updates for owners of Zephyr Xport and Xstream, and for Telos TWOx12 Talkshow System users. New v2.02 software adds G.722 coding to Xport; v2.71 software gives Zephyr Xstream the latest low-bitrate-optimized Low Delay AAC algorithms from Fraunhofer, and v3.26 software updates TWOx12 systems to the latest Telos control code. If your gear is connected to the Internet, just use the update function from the front panel menu; if not, download the updates from www.telos-systems.com/support/software.htm .

* NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE BUYS XPORT: Broadcasters are really taking a shine to Zephyr Xport, the POTS+ISDN codec with aacPlus coding that gives stunning 15 kHz remote audio over analog or ISDN connections. The latest "Big League Broadcaster" to become an Xport believer is the NFL Network, who will use their Xport for Rich Eisen's "NFL Total Access" show; they took delivery of their new Zephyr Xport this week. Hear the difference Xport with aacPlus coding makes -- click www.telos-systems.com/aacplus/ to compare aacPlus with MP3

* ELECTRONIC INK: Telos and Omnia made news recently in Radio World (www.radioworld.com) with the announcement of our new Omnia A/X audio processing software for Windows (http://tinyurl.com/u3fh) and our addition of G.722 coding in Zephyr Xport (http://tinyurl.com/u3m3). Our thanks to Radio World for helping spread the word!

* aacPlus IN THE NEWS: According to reports from Radio magazine (www.beradio.com), XM Satellite Radio now has over 1 million subscribers (http://tinyurl.com/u3oj). That's a whole lot of people... and when they listen to XM, they hear programming encoded with aacPlus (sometimes called MP4, or High-Efficiency AAC). They're not alone, either: Digital Radio Mondiale also uses aacPlus, and iBiquity's new HDC codec incorporates the Spectral Band Replication technology that is at the heart of aacPlus. Find out more from our White Paper, "So What's The Big Deal About aacPlus?" at www.telos-systems.com/techtalk/allaboutaacplus/ .

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #18: This week's question: "Our station's talkshow system is based on the Telos Direct Interface Module. I can only dial out from the hybrid Bank 1 (top row) on the Switch Console that is connected to my Direct Interface Module; is there a way to dial out from hybrid Bank 2 as well?" "

--->ANSWER: Yes. First, make sure your Direct Interface Module is running the latest software version (v1.48). This software version includes a "Dial Last Bank" feature, in which dialing takes place on the most recently selected hybrid bank. Then, make sure that the BCD switch is set to #9 (instead of #6 as previously required). See your User's Manual for switch setting instructions; if you've misplaced yours, you can download it free from www.telos-systems.com/support/manuals.htm . If you need to upgrade your system to v1.48, just call Support at +1 216-241-7225.

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: A debate has raged for years among broadcasters regarding which Top 40 station should hold the title of "All Time Best." West Coasters favor KHJ; in the North it's WLS or CKLW; but New Yorkers think the crown should go to "Musicradio 77, WABC!" We take no sides in the issue, but our Denny Sanders loves the WABC tribute site at http://musicradio.computer.net/ . Be sure and check out the weekly music surveys - every issue from 1960 to 1982!

eNews from Telos / Omnia, October, 2003

* NEW OMNIA-6EX AUDIO PROCESSOR DEBUTS: "We've had Omnia-6EX on the air for a couple of weeks. It’s wide, loud and clean... I've never heard the bottom end sound like this! Wild 100.3 has never sounded better," says Dan Kieley, Program Director of Infinity Broadcasting’s KRBV-FM (Wild 100.3/Dallas). Omnia-6EX is the "future-proof" FM processor -- not ready for HD Radio yet? That's alright - your Omnia-6EX will be ready when you are: its unique parallel processing structure routes audio from the mixer section to separate output stages for Digital FM (HD Radio, DAB, Eureka-147) and conventional FM. The FM section receives distortion-controlled final limiting with pre-emphasis, and has an upper-frequency response of 15 kHz; the DAB section uses a multi-band Look-Ahead final limiter to precisely control peak output and has user-selectable frequency response all the way up to the full audio bandwidth of 20 kHz. Get more details here.

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* ZEPHYR XPORT ADDS G.722: Zephyr Xport, the portable POTS+ISDN codec with aacPlus coding, has won praise for its ability to send 15 kHz audio to any Zephyr Xstream using either ordinary POTS phone lines or, optionally, ISDN. Now, Xport becomes even more versatile with the addition of G.722 capability! When outitted with the ISDN option, Xport can now connect to any Zephyr Xstream using Low-Delay MPEG AAC for clear, clean low-delay remotes... OR connect with any 3rd-party ISDN codec using G.722 coding. Read more at www.telos-systems.com/news/  .

* aacPlus AND DRM HEARD FROM USA: 20 US broadcasters began digital broadcasting using the Digital Radio Mondiale system last weekend, according to Radio World. The DRM system relies on aacPlus coding - the same coding found in our Zephyr Xport POTS+ISDN codec - to transmit superb audio at low bit rates. You can get a taste of what aacPlus sounds like compared to traditional Layer 3 coding by visiting our online comparison page at www.telos-systems.com/aacplus/ . 

* SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR ZEPHYR XSTREAM AND XPORT OWNERS: Zephyr Xport users can get the new G.722 functionality, free, simply by upgrading to new Zephyr Xport v2.02 software. Zephyr Xstream users - there's new software for you, too, with new MPEG AAC-LD algorithms straight from Fraunhofer Labs that are optimized for even better quality at low bit rates. If your Zephyr has a connection to the Internet, just use the update function from the front panel menu; if not, download the updates from www.telos-systems.com/support/software.htm .

* NEW SOFTWARE FOR TWOx12, TOO: TWOx12 Talkshow System users also have a software update waiting for them: Version 3.26 software updates your TWOx12 to the latest Telos control code. Use your front-panel update function, or download the v3.26 updater from www.telos-systems.com/support/software.htm .

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #17: This week's question: "I am currently running four Desktop Directors with my TWOx12. Can I add a fifth?"

--->ANSWER: You certainly can. All TWOx12 software versions since v2.XX support up to eight Desktop Directors. Of course, you'll need additional interface for them, since TWOx12 comes from the factory with four DD jacks. To do this, order and install a second Desktop Director card (Dual "S" card p/n #1701-00022) in your 2x12. You'll also need an Extended Power Supply (p/n #2091-00001) for each additional Desktop Director. To purchase these items, contact your dealer at www.telos-systems.com/dealers/ or if there is no dealer in your country, call us directly at +1 216-241-7225

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: Occasionally engineers run up against the need for an obscure tool of some sort. Specialty Telecom tools and acessories can be especially tough to source -- Multiline caller ID? Telephone RFI filters? Telos' Rolf Taylor has a source you might check out for hard-to-find Telecom stuff: www.sandman.com . Your Editor especially likes the "Ringing Phone Magnet" (See "Accessories, Part 2.")

* ZEPHYR WINS AT NHK: Big news from Japan this week, where NHK (www.nhk.or.jp/) -- the Japan Broadcasting Corp., Japan's most respected public broadcaster -- has purchased 4 Zephyr Xstream ISDN Transceivers. According to spokespeople, the big factors were Low Delay MPEG AAC (which lets remote talent interact with studio folk without that annoying "cell phone" time lag) and the simplicity of using Zephyr Xstream. Read more at www.telos-systems.com/news/ .

* IS YOUR REMOTE SOFTWARE UP-TO-DATE? Remote control of on-air processing has become a "must-have" for many broadcasters, especially when the transmitter site is located far away or in an inaccessible area. It's essential that you have the latest version of Omnia Remote software to take advantage of all the remote capabilities of your processor; for the latest versions, go here and click "Latest Software".

* LIVEWIRE GETS RAVES AT NAB: Steve Church's "Ethernet For Studio Audio Audio Systems" workshop at NAB was well attended, and traffic to our Livewire Demonstration Suite was brisk; the idea of live audio networking over IP seems to really ignite a spark in broadcast engineers. "This makes perfect sense... why didn't I think of it?" and "This will save us tens of thousands in routing equipment alone" were just a couple of the comments we received. If you didn't make the show, you can sign up for Livewire information updates at www.telos-systems.com/livewire/ ; we'll immediately email you a free eBrochure with detailed information on this exciting technology.

* NEW ARTICLE ON HD RADIO PROCESSING: "Audio processing can be a great tool in the broadcast environment. Sadly, it can be misused too... when it’s abused on conventional FM and AM signals, distortion occurs. In the HD realm, misuse will generate exaggerated coding artifacts." Frank Foti talks about how to get the best out of HD Radio in a new article published in September's Pro Audio Review. Read it here.

* FRANK FOTI TO SPEAK AT AES IN NEW YORK: The "Who's Who" of Audio Processing (according to Radio World, www.rwonline.com/dailynews/one.php?id=3740) includes Frank Foti, who will be participating in the "Audio Processing for Broadcast" session at the upcoming AES show in New York this week. Telos' Greg Shay will also be participating in a Tutorial on Audio Networks; check your show schedules for times and places.

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #16: This week's question: "When I conference two or more callers on a single hybrid, I sometimes get a 'hum' that seems to be a result of the conferencing operation. Is this in my hybrid? How do I fix it?"

--->ANSWER: The hum is probably in the phone lines themselves, not in the hybrid, and is most likely the result of mixed line polarity. All lines must have the same polarity where they enter the Telos interface. Here's what happens: As with any electrical circuit, phone lines have one positive and one negative leg. In times past, the standard was strictly adhered to, but the Telcos rarely pay attention to polarity today, so sometimes the polarity of a line may change suddenly, when the Telco "cuts over" to a new cable. Another cause is using a mixture of different types of RJ11 modular cables; the usual cable reverses the polarity but there are cables floating around that don't do this, and when mixed with the other type can cause this problem.

To fix the problem, determine which line, when added to a conference, produces hum. Reverse the polarity of the problem line, and your audio will be clear and clean.

* ATTENDING NAB? SEE STEVE CHURCH: NAB attendees, don't forget that Telos Founder Steve Church will be kicking off the "Digital Radio Certification Workshop" at NAB on Thursday morning. Steve will be helping broadcasters consider the benefits of using established network protocols to network the dizzying variety of digital and analog sources found in the typical broadcast facility, with what's sure to be a lively Q&A session afterward. We hope you'll take time to attend; time and place are as follows:

DIGITAL RADIO CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP "Ethernet For Studio Audio Audio Systems" 9:00 AM, Thursday, October 2 Pennsylvania Convention Center, Room 201B

* DOWNLOAD OUR FREE WHITE PAPER: If you aren't attending NAB but would like to find out more about how Ethernet can be used to transport live audio around broadcast plants, check out Steve Church's White Paper on the subject. You can read and/or download it free.

* AN NAB INVITATION FROM TELOS: You can see Livewire, the award-winning Telos system for Live Audio over Ethernet, in a personal demonstration at the Telos Hospitality Suite at NAB. Drop by and we'll answer all your questions about this remarkable new standards-based audio networking technology. Here's where we're at:

TELOS LIVEWIRE SUITE: Hampton Inn 1301 Race St, Philadelphia Suite 218
Hours: October 2, 1:30 - 5:00 P.M. October 3, 9:00 A.M - 12:00 Noon

* OMNIA-6 VERSION 7.0 SOFTWARE: We're pleased to announce a major new software upgrade for Omnia-6 audio processors - Version 7.0 software, loaded with all sorts of new capabilities and features to help you craft your station's "signature sound." Dan Kieley, Program Director at Infinity's WIld 100.3 in Dallas, Texas (US Market #5), told us "Wild 100.3 has never sounded better. It’s wide, loud and clean... and I've never heard the bottom end sound like this!" Contact Omnia for details on obtaining your upgrade.

eNews from Telos / Omnia, September, 2003

* ZEPHYR XSTREAM TAKES OFF: Lots of broadcasters received new Zephyr Xstream ISDN Tranceivers this week, including those listed below. Why is Xstream so popular? Visit www.zephyr.com and find out.

• Viacom's MTV Networks takes delivery of 2 Zephyr Xstream rackmounts 
  and an Xstream MXP portable

• Walt Disney World gets 2 Xstream rackmounts for the Disney Radio Studios

• Entravision's San Jose, California HQ purchased 17 Xstream rackmounts 
  and 4 Zephyr Xport codecs

• Wall Street Journal Radio gets 3 Xstream rackmounts

• Entercom's Seattle, Washington cluster (KIRO, KBSG, KNDD, KMTT) bought 
  5 Xstream rackmounts

• Westwood One's Tom Leykis Show gets an Xstream rackmount

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* MAD FOR OMNIA: Athens, Greece's MAD TV broadcasts rock 'n roll throughout the Greek Isles, so audio quality is important for them and their viewers. It's no surprise that they chose Omnia to upgrade their audio: "Only with Omnia-6 did we have the tools to help us construct the perfect sound," says General Manager Anderas Kouris. Visit our press room to read more.

* IN THE MAILBAG: "We purchased Omnia to improve the bandwidth and loudness of our signal. Everyone said it would (especially engineers who had used it). I found the product to be exactly as advertised. It's the best processor by far!" That quote is from Dave Lingafelt, President and General Manager of WXRC-FM in Newton, North Carolina, after the purchase of his new Omnia-6fm. Dave traded in his old on-air processing as part of our "Trade-In, Trade-Up" offer, so he also gets a new Omnia-3 *free* for doing so. 

* BROADCASTERS BUZZING ABOUT SBR: Now that iBiquity has formally announced its new HD Radio codec (HDC, short for "High Definition Codec"), the listserves and trade publications have been filled with rave reviews about HD Radio's 20 Hz - 20 kHz frequency response and the clarity of HDC (see this link for a summary). While iBiquity isn't saying exactly what HDC is comprised of, they have said that SBR (Spectral Band Replication) is part of the mix -- the same technology that's part of the aacPlus coding Telos uses to achieve amazingly clean, clear audio in the Zephyr Xport POTS + ISDN codec. Industry insiders agree that SBC is a pretty signficant breakthrough in coding technology (which is why Telos uses it). We've prepared a special White Paper to get you acquainted with SBR and aacPlus. Read and download it for free at www.telos-systems.com/techtalk/allaboutaacplus/ .

* OMNIA IS A TV STAR: "Omnia-6CD solved all of our on-air processing problems." High praise from Alain Charest, Director of Engineering at Montreal's MusiquePlus and Musimax, serving more than two million Quebecois daily with music television programming. Charest, determined to wring every last drop of high-quality audio from tiny TV speakers, found that Omnia-6CD, our high-end audio processor designed for recording studios, helped him do just that. Charest told us "we were able to make small television speakers deliver 'kick-ass' hi-fi sound!" Read the entire story here .

* STEVE CHURCH TO SPEAK AT PHILLY NAB: A reminder for attendees at the upcoming NAB Radio Show: join Telos' Steve Church for "Ethernet For Studio Audio Systems," part of the NAB Digital Radio Certification Workshop, to be held on October 2nd. Ethernet will be the next "big thing" for interconnecting studio complexes large and small. How will it work? Steve's workshop will help make it all clear. 

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #15: This week's question: "What are the telephone numbers for Telos' Zephyr test line, and how should my Zephyr be set up when calling the test line?"

--->ANSWER: The test line is set up to transmit Layer 3 Dual/Mono at the 32 kHz *sample* rate. You can use either the 56 or 64 kbps *bitrate* settings, because an answering Zephyr will adapt to either bitrate when it connects; however it will not adapt to the *sample* rate -- so make your Zephyr's sample rate is set to 32 kHz. Original Zephyr and Zephyr Express units should have their receive codec mode set to L3 Stereo at either 56 or 64 kbps and 32 kHz sample rate. Zephyr Xstream units must have their receive mode set to L3 Dual / Mono at either 56 or 64 kbps bitrate and 32 kHz sample rate.

The Test Line numbers are +1-216-781-9310 and +1-216-781-9311. The test line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and frequently receives receives heavy usage, so if you receive a busy signal on the first try, wait a few minutes and try again.

* BROADCAST LINK OF THE WEEK: Occasionally, remote broadcasts take you to some pretty distant locales. And if you've ever had to track down a contact at a telephone company in a nation outside your own, you know what a chore it can be. Telos' Rolf Taylor told us about "Goodman's Bookmarks," a site that -among other things - lists contact information for 67 International telco providers. Check out www.gbmarks.com/intl.htm .

eNews from Telos / Omnia, August, 2003

EDITOR'S NOTE: Following recent press coverage of digital radio issues, Telos has been inundated with calls and e-mails from broadcasters wanting to know more about recent developments in MPEG audio coding, particularly AAC. So this issue of eNews is dedicated to pointing our readers at some articles, news items and product applications which may be of particular interest.

* THE KING IS DEAD, LONG LIVE THE KING: There's no doubt that the big buzz in the audio coding community these days is about MPEG AAC - the heir apparent to MP3 technology. With MP3 now a decade old, it's natural that broadcasting is searching for the next jump up in coding efficiency and audio quality. MPEG AAC seems to be "it": Canada's Communications Research Centre (www.crc.ca) performed double-blind testing of MP2, MP3, AC3, PAC and AAC coding and declared AAC the winner: "The highest audio quality was obtained for the AAC codec." Read the CRC's findings for yourself at www.telos-systems.com/techtalk/00222.pdf .

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* WHY AAC IS BETTER THAN MP3: "The idea that led to AAC was to start fresh... to combine the best work from the world's leading audio coding laboratories. The result was quality indistinguishable from the original," writes Telos President Steve Church. MPEG AAC is in fact 30% more powerful in terms of coding efficiency than MP3 - resulting in better audio at much lower bit rates. Steve's entire paper is found at www.telos-systems.com/techtalk/aacpaper_2/ and features tons of in-depth details about how MPEG AAC delivers superior sound. (By the way, MPEG AAC is incorporated in every new Telos Zephyr Xstream - see www.zephyr.com .)

* WHAT IS SPECTRAL BAND REPLICATION, AND WHY DOES IT MATTER? Spectral Band Replication, or SBR, is a technology that works with existing codecs - like MPEG AAC - to allow even more efficient coding at low bit rates by removing parts of the encoded audio prior to transmission and then reconstructing the removed parts at the far end. SBR combined with AAC is called aacPlus, and it has 30% more coding power than "plain" AAC - which as you remember is itself 30% more efficient than MP3. aacPlus has been called "the most efficient low-bitrate codec on Earth." Telos' Rolf Taylor has explored the intricacies of aacPlus and has written an excellent paper entitled "So What's The Big Deal About aacPlus?" Read it at www.telos-systems.com/techtalk/allaboutaacplus/ .

* AAC, SBR AND DIGITAL RADIO: If aacPlus and SBR sound familiar to you, it's probably because they've been all over industry publications lately. XM Satellite Radio chose aacPlus last year as the backbone of its satellite transmission system; Digital Radio Mondiale has just signed on throughout Europe using aacPlus (www.rwonline.com/reference-room/iboc/02_arw_drm.shtml), and iBiquity has just announced the identity of their new "mystery codec" for AM HDRadio - "HDC", which uses SBR technology and was developed in conjunction with Coding Technologies (www.codingtechnologies.com), the same company responsible for aacPlus. In fact, iBiquity's Jeff Jury was quoted in Inside Radio (www.insideradio.com) as saying that the new "Spectral Band Replication" codec is "a huge step forward, and others concur: Radio World's Guy Wire cites very complimentary reviews of the new iBiquity codec (www.rwonline.com/reference-room/guywire/gw-08-28-03.shtml).

* HEAR aacPlus FOR YOURSELF: aacPlus is so good, in fact, that we've chosen it to power our new Zephyr Xport POTS+ISDN codec - the award-winning portable with mixer that sends full 15kHz mono audio to your Zephyr Xstream ISDN Transceiver using an ordinary POTS telephone line. We've set up a special Xport Demonstration Line so you can hear just how good aacPlus sounds over ordinary POTS phone lines. Just dial our Demonstration Line with your Zephyr Xstream; Details and instructions are at www.telos-systems.com/xport/ ; click on the banner that says "Hear Xport With aacPlus Now!"

* THE BUZZ ABOUT AAC: In his User Report for Radio World, Michael Black writes "Audio quality was outstanding. aacPlus provides great fidelity... [We] were amazed to hear how good the Xport sounded using POTS." Jefferson Pilot's Gary Blau, in a post to BNet (www.broadcast.net) said that "aacPlus is the future"; and Bob Orban writes in his paper "Maintaining Audio Quality in the Radio Plant" that "Advances beyond AAC will take considerable time to develop and will offer only incremental improvements in data rate."

eNews from Telos / Omnia, July, 2003

* WE GET LETTERS: "Whenever I'm in a competitive market and given the charge to make our properties the leader in on-air presence and clarity, there is only one choice - and you're it!" That's from Geary Morrill, Technical Manager for Fairfield Broadcasting. He purchased a new Omnia-6fm for WQLR-FM, and is taking advantage of our Omnia-6 "Trade In, Trade Up" offer to exchange his old Optimod for a new Omnia-3fm. 

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* TELOS IN THE NEWS: This month's (July 2003) issue of Radio features two Facilities Showcases: NPR's new West Coast Facilities in Culver City, and Clear Channel's new consolidated studios in Cleveland. We're pleased to note that both of these excellent facilities feature Telos telephone and ISDN equipment: 1A2 Talkshow Systems, high-performance Telos ONE and Delta 100 POTS hybrids, and Zephyr Xstream ISDN Transceivers with MPEG AAC. You can check out these articles at http://beradio.com/browse_back_issues/index.htm#issue .

* LISTEN TO ZEPHYR XPORT LIVE: By now you've probably heard all about Zephyr Xport, the award-winning portable codec with mixer that sends full 15kHz mono audio to your Zephyr Xstream ISDN Transceiver using an ordinary POTS telephone line. The secret to this amazing performance lies in the custom DSP modem tech Telos developed for Xport, and in its use of aacPlus coding - the same coding method chosen by XM Satellite Radio and Digital Radio Mondiale. Now you can hear the quality of Xport audio by dialing our Zephyr XPort Demonstration Line with your Zephyr Xstream. Details and instructions are at www.telos-systems.com/xport/; click on the banner that says "Hear Xport With aacPlus Now!"

* "JUST ZEPHYR IT TO ME": Since 1993, Telos Zephyr has become one of the most successful digital broadcast products ever. In fact, over 70% of broadcasters in North America alone trust Zephyr daily for reliable transmission of critical audio. Here are just some broadcasters who've received new Zephyr Xstream codecs over the past two weeks:

* Talk America Radio Networks * WKCR, Columbia University * WKYS, Washington DC * WLOL-FM, Minneapolis * WZGC, Atlanta * KTAR, Phoenix * WQOK-FM, Raleigh * WSYW, Indianapolis * KEX, Portland, Oregon * KZAB, Los Angeles * WYSP, Philadelphia * Texas Christian University * Studio 306, Toronto

Visit www.zephyr.com for more information on the Zephyr Family of audio transceivers.

* OMNIA USER SPEAKS: "My best audio experiences have started with Omnia." That's what Cameron Adkins, Engineering Manager for Citadel Broadcasting's WKDF-FM in Nashville, Tennesee, told us recently. Along with dozens of others, Cameron has just taken advantage of our "Trade In, Trade Up" offer by purchasing an Omnia-6 audio processor -- and now, we're sending him a FREE Omnia-3fm. You can get a free Omnia-3fm too: for a limited time, purchase a new Omnia-6fm or Omnia-6HDFM and we'll give you a FREE Omnia-3fm (with the trade-in of your old on-air processor). For details and trade-in forms, visit www.omniaaudio.com/special.htm . But hurry - this offer will end soon.

* aacPlus AUDIO CODING IN THE NEWS: Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM), the European digital radio consortium, just launched its service during the recent World Radiocommunication Conference in Geneva (see Radio World's article at www.radioworld.com/reference-room/special-report/04a_rw_drm.shtml ). DRM uses aacPlus audio coding as its codec due to its low-bitrate versatility; aacPlus has been called "the best low-bitrate codec on Earth." That's exactly why Telos put aacPlus in Zephyr Xport - the world's only POTS codec with aacPlus. Find out more about aacPlus and Zephyr Xport at www.telos-systems.com/xport/ .

* REMOVING THE "SWISHIES": Coding artifacts and transcoding (cascading layers of compression/decompression that can occur in today's digital transmission chains) are on everyone's mind lately. In the July 16 issue of Radio World (www.rwonline.com), Sirius' Mark Kalman suggests that "carefully pre-processing audio... can improve the delivered sound quality." As the company that introduced Layer 3 (MP3) technology to the world, Telos / Omnia agrees; in fact, Frank Foti has written two white papers on the subject: "Audio Processing for DAB and the Internet" and "Broadcast Signal Processing & Audio Coding: Are We Trying to Mix Oil And Water?" 

* FRANK FOTI GUESTS AT CONCLAVE: This Friday, July 18th, Omnia's Frank Foti joins Susquehanna's Max Turner to helm the "IBOC Nuts & Bits" breakout at the 2003 Conclave at Marriott City Center in Minneapolis. Engineers, encourage your programmers to attend this session explaining the "technology [of] HD Radio, and the potential impact that it will have on our industry." Visit www.theconclave.com for more details.

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #14: This week's question: "My talkshow screeners like to use headsets. Can I use them with my TWOx12 / Series 2101 Desktop Directors?"

--->ANSWER: Yes, and it's very easy. Many brands of externally amplified headsets can be connected in line with the Desktop Director handset. If you prefer to use "Direct Connection" headsets (those that have no external amplifier), each Director is equipped with an RJ jack specifically to accommodate them. Telos has tested several different models; for more detailed information, please refer to Telos Technical Bulletin #071003 entitled "Headsets for use with the Telos Desktop Director," found at www.telos-systems.com/support/csb/TCSB-071003.pdf

* SO, WHY UPGRADE TO OMNIA?: Brad Hart, CE for Jefferson-Pilot's Denver stations, just upgraded to Omnia-6fm on Churban-formatted KQKS-FM, and he has this to say: "The PD loves it. He would strangle me if I pulled it out... The Omnia 6 has truly made a huge difference in the way KQKS sounds." Read what others are saying about Omnia.

* GOING DIGITAL? CONSIDER ETHERNET: That's the title of Steve Church's recent Guest Commentary in Radio World. "Today's Ethernet is not your Grandfather's Ethernet," he writes, and he's right: modern Gigabit Ethernet "could scale from very small (two terminals connected to each other) to thousands of channels for the most sophisticated facility." Read more about the upside of Ethernet over traditional hard-wired studio networking methods; download the full article here.

* EDUCATIONAL STATIONS CHOOSE TELOS: Collegiate radio facilities continue to standardize on Telos telephone and ISDN equipment. This week, Boise State University (Washington) gets their new TWOx12 Talkshow System; Montana State University gets a Telos ONE digital telephone hybrid, and the University of Wisconsin at Madison receives their new ONE-x-Six Talkshow System. Educational broadcasters tell us they prefer Telos because in addition to better on-air quality, students get training on the same equipment they'll later encounter in "real world" radio stations.

* TELOS / OMNIA SPEAKS: Be sure to mark your calendars for these upcoming appearances by Steve Church and Frank Foti:

• Friday, July 18th, Omnia's Frank Foti joins Susquehanna's Max Turner for "IBOC Nuts & Bits" at the 2003 Conclave at Marriott City Center in Minneapolis. Programmers will hear "an open and understandable discussion about the technology, processing for HD Radio, and the potential impact that it will have on our industry." Visit www.theconclave.com for details.

• Telos founder Steve Church will be at the NAB Radio Show in Philadelphia October 1-3, hosting a Digital Radio Certification Workshop on Ethernet for Studio Audio Systems. Visit www.nab.org/conventions/radioshow for information on the show.

* FACTORY RECONDITIONED EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE: From time to time, we receive inquiries from our clients asking whether the Telos and Omnia gear used at trade shows, demonstrations, etc. is available for sale. The answer, normally, is "no," but from occasionally some reconditioned items do become available -- and now is one of those times. If you're interested in finding out about Telos or Omnia products that have been "zero-timed" and reconditioned by the factory, click here to see what's available. Quantities are extremely limited, so when they're gone, they're gone.

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #13: This week's question: "Do you have any tips on how to save money on phone installation charges?"

---> ANSWER: As a matter of fact, we do. Here's one: you can order 3 POTS lines on a single 6-pin 6-position miniature modular jack. Request "USOC RJ25C"; if the order taker doesn't understand, have them look it up. What you will get is a single jack, wired as the following:

* Pins 1 & 6 = Tip & Ring line 3 * Pins 2 & 5 = Tip & Ring line 2 * Pins 3 & 4 = Tip & Ring line 1

Not to leave out ISDN users: If you're ordering ISDN BRI in the USA or Canada, have the Telco install a 4-position 6-pin miniature modular (RJ11 style) jack rather than an 8-position 8-pin miniature modular (RJ45 style) jack. A number of Telcos charge extra for the "special" R45 style jack, and since it's a two wire interface there is no need for it.

* BROADCASTING LINK OF THE WEEK: If you're like us, your interest in the history of our industry's technology borders on obsessive. In that spirit, this week's link is to the Early Television Foundation and Museum, an Ohio organization dedicated to preserving, in working form, the history and apparati of TV's beginnings. Their site has lots of information on the invention of television, and features photographs of their collection (which includes such important pieces as a 30-line, mechanical-scan TV built by British pioneer John Logie Baird in 1928). Click www.earlytelevision.org and bathe in the warm glow of the phosphor tube... (Thanks to Bob Gonsett's CGC Communicator for the link)

eNews from Telos / Omnia, June, 2003

* CUMULUS MEDIA LOVES OMNIA-6FM: Check out page 49 of Radio World's (www.rwonline.com) June 4th US issue for an excellent review of Omnia-6 by Cumulus Media's Corporate Director of Engineering, Gary Kline. "When it comes to creating a competitive advantage for programming and management," says Gary, "probably the most important tool in my audio toolbox is the Omnia-6fm processor." Mr. Kline knows his way around an airchain: he's responsible for nearly 270 radio stations across the US. If you haven't yet seen his review, we've archived it at here.

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* TELOS GETS EDUCATED: Lately we've lots of college and high school radio facilities reaping the benefits of Telos telephone and ISDN equipment. They tell us that in addition to better on-air quality, students get training on the same equipment they'll later encounter in "real world" radio stations. This week, WJSL/Houghton College (New York) and Neodesha High School (Neodesha, Kansas) take delivery of Telos ONE-x-Six Talkshow Systems; WBAR/Barnard College (New York), KAPU/Azusa Pacific College (Los Angeles), WNKU/Northern Kentucky University (Highland Heights) and WNCU/North Carolina Central University (Durham) all receive Telos ONE hybrids.

* NEW TELOS/OMNIA DISTRIBUTORS: We welcome our newest representatives, TQT Electronics in Viet Nam, and T.E (PNG) Ltd. in New Guinea. Visit www.telos-systems.com/dealers/ and www.omniaaudio.com/dealers/ to find the Telos or Omnia distributor nearest you.

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #12: This week's question: "Can I share the telephone lines used by my TWOx12 between 2 studios, or am I limited to just one studio?"

---> ANSWER: This has been a highly requested feature for TWOx12, and our latest software release (v3.20) does indeed allow you to implement this feature. Dual Studio Mode gives you several ways to share your TWOx12 between two studios.

In Dual Studio, mode each studio controls one of TWOx12’s two hybrids. Users can choose to evenly divide incoming lines between two studios, share all incoming lines between both studios, or custom-assign individual lines to specific studios. To download the software update, visit the "Support" section of the Telos website, or go directly to the TWOx12 page at www.telos-systems.com/2x12/ and choose "Software Updates" from the sidebar menu.

* PARIS GETS TWOx12: Skyrock (www.skyrock.fr), the French broadcasting giant, has just purchased four Telos TWOx12 Talkshow Systems -- the only multi-line broadcast phone system that works directly with either ISDN or POTS telephone lines. Clients like Skyrock and Talk America tell us they love TWOx12 because of the clear, clean caller audio provided by ISDN phone lines and our exclusive Digital Dynamic Caller EQ -- DSP processing that adapts to and "sweetens" callers so they sound their very best. Find out about the advantages of TWOx12 at www.telos-systems.com/2x12/ .

* MORE TWOx12 IN THE NEWS: This month's Radio magazine spotlights Cumulus' new studio complex in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, touching on the challenge of consolidating four stations into a single facility. Prominent in almost every facility photo is Telos TWOx12 Multi-Line Talkshow gear. "The programming department demands high quality telephone calls... so we incorporated the Telos TWOx12 ISDN [system] into each of our studios," writes Cumulus' Dave Supplee. Several Zephyr Xstream ISDN transceivers reside in the new Harrisburg complex as well; read the article and see the pics at http://beradio.com/ar/radio_bridging_digital_divide/index.htm  .

* PUBCASTER GETS OMNIA: Radio Kansas (www.radiokansas.org) becomes the most recent Public Radio broadcaster to upgrade processing to Omnia-6fm. From Hutchinson College in Wichita, Radio Kansas' three signals provide News, Classical and New Age programming to more than one million Kansas residents. Why did this public broadcaster choose Omnia-6fm? "We demo'd it, and liked its smooth sound," says Director of Engineering Ric Jung. 

* OMNIA-SG GOES TO SEOUL: 10 Omnia-SG standalone digital Stereo Generators have been purchased by the Korean Broadcasting System, South Korea's national broadcasting service. KBS is the nation's key radio outlet, with 25 radio stations providing network programming to 48 million potential listeners. KBS' new Omnia-SGs will allow them to control audio processing from the network head-end, keeping FM stereo generation where it belongs - at the transmitter. If you've been looking for a way to keep audio processing easily accessible, at your studio, while maintaining optimal stereo generation, perhaps Omnia-SG is your solution. 

* COMING SOON TO A TOWN NEAR YOU: Telos/Omnia will be making multiple appearances around the US and Canada in the coming weeks:

• Tuesday, June 10th, Kirk Harnack hosts the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the Society of Broadcast Engineers at Telos/Omnia HQ in Cleveland with a discussion of HD Radio issues. Email sbe70@broadcast.net for information.

• Thursday, June 19th, Omnia's Frank Foti leads "Processing For Programmers: Hold Your Listeners Hostage", at the Radio & Records Convention in Beverly Hills, California. See www.rronline.com for details.

• On Friday, June 20th, Omnia's Frank Foti and Mary Ann Seidler will be at Nautel's annual Vendor's Day event in Hackett's Cove, Nova Scotia. Email info@nautel.com to find out more.

* STEVE CHURCH TO SPEAK AT NAB RADIO SHOW: Telos founder Steve Church will be among the noted speakers at the NAB Radio Show in Philadelphia in October, hosting a Digital Radio Certification Workshop on Ethernet for Studio Audio Systems. With all the attention our new Livewire audio-over-Ethernet technology (ftp://ftp.telos.cc/telos/brochure/LivewireBrochure-150.pdf) has been getting, this is one session you'll want to attend. Visit www.nab.org/conventions/radioshow for information on the show.

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #11: This week's question: "What's the best setting for input levels on my Omnia-6 and Omnia-4.5 audio processors? I want to make sure I'm getting the best performance possible."

--->ANSWER: With normal program audio, the Left and Right Input Gain controls should be adjusted so that the horizontal input bargraph meters are hitting about -12 dBFS on peaks. Remember, these are true peak-reading meters, so be sure and use real audio program material rather than steady-state tones.

The Master Drive control (located after the input bargraph meters) should be left at 0.0 dB if the reference 0VU level of the equipment feeding the Omnia is +4 dBu. This will provide optimum headroom throughout the Omnia. The Master Drive will need to be adjusted if your system s reference level is not +4 dBu. For example, a setting of -4.0 dB would be used if your reference level is +8 dBu and +4.0 dB if your reference level is 0 dBu. This control may also need to be adjusted if the input audio feeding the Omnia is pre-processed or if you wish to bypass the WB AGC section and have too little gain reduction in the multi-band AGC section.

Once set properly, you should see between 10 and 15 dB of gain reduction on the WB AGC gain reduction meter with normal program audio at your 0VU reference. It is normal for the WB AGC gain reduction meter to continue to show gain reduction even when the WB AGC section is bypassed.

eNews from Telos / Omnia, May, 2003

* MR XSTREAM GOES TO WASHINGTON: Washington, D.C.-based Radio One has purchased a Telos Zephyr Xstream MXP (with built-in mixer) to produce its programming for XM Satellite Radio. Radio One's Satellite One division programs five XM channels with music and talk programming, and plans to use their Zephyr Xstream for remote broadcasts. XM consulting engineer Ed Bukont tells us "We intend for the unit to be a 'Jack-of-all-remotes.' It will be used for both music and speech remotes, as well as a loaner to talk show talent. The idea behind the Xstream purchase is that we can make [remotes] as simple as possible [using] one box, without an engineer." With the friendliest user interface in the industry, could Zephyr Xstream help simplify your remotes? Browse www.zephyr.com to read more and instantly download our eBrochure.

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* OMNIA-6FM GAAN NOORDEN: The latest addition to our International list of Omnia users is The Netherlands' Radio E-FM, Eindhoven, broadcasting with a new Omnia-6fm. Simon Poels of Radio E-FM writes "We are finally happy with the sound and loudness! ...The remote software is a blessing. I could sit back in my living room, with my laptop, and listen for hours, making minor adjustments to the settings in the studio." What else do users say about their Omnias? Read more comments online.


* I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU MAN AND ZEPHYR: From our file of "Unusual Uses for a Zephyr" comes this note from Mike Cofferon of Broadcast Technical Solutions Ltd., Ireland's Telos/Omnia distributor: "You may be interested in knowing I proposed to my Fiancee over two Telos Zephyrs. She was in the Newsroom of Dublin's FM104 & I was checking the Zephyr in the 'On Air' studio of Atlantic 252 based at Trim, Co. Meath. I asked her to do a voice check and then just slipped in the question at the end." So, how did the ISDN proposal go over? "Obviously confused, she said yes," says Mike. Got a story about how you use your Telos or Omnia gear? We'd love to hear it; e-mail clark@telos-systems.com . 


* TELOS / OMNIA MANUALS ONLINE: We receive calls nearly every day from clients wishing to order new copies of lost or disfigured manuals (side note: Zephyr manuals make lousy soldering-tip cleaners). While we're always glad to mail you new copies, you can save the time and expense of ordering printed manuals by downloading them instantly, free of charge, from our websites. Manuals for Telos products are found at www.telos-systems.com/support/manuals.htm ; for Omnia users it's www.omniaaudio.com/support/manuals.htm .


* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #10: This week's question: "I just ordered a new Zephyr and I need to order ISDN. Do you have any pointers on how to do this?"

--->ANSWER: Here are a few tips you might find useful:

i) Always order ISDN in writing.

ii) Always use the most recent Telos ISDN order form 
for your product. These are available in the Tech Talk 
section of our web site, at www.telos-systems.com/techtalk/ .

iii) Ask the Telco to fax you an order confirmation including 
information on your SPIDS (if any) and Telephone Numbers.

iv) Arrange to be at the site with your Telos gear when the 
installer arrives. Don't let the installer leave until you 
can place and receive calls on both "lines".

ISDN users in the US should note that there are still a few isolated areas where ISDN is not available. In this case, you should be able to get "Switched 56" service to use with your Zephyr family product. If you need to use a mode that uses two "B" channels, you would need two of these "Switched 56" lines; see your Telos equipment Users Manual for more on this topic. 

* CUMULUS CHOOSES OMNIA AND BGS: Cumulus Broadcasting, the 2nd-largest broadcaster in the US with more than 260 radio stations, has chosen to standardize on Omnia audio processing. Gary Kline, Cumulus' corporate Director of Engineering, says "One of the reasons for the success of Cumulus is the high quality of product we produce... Omnia and BGS have also become successful by providing high quality products." Cumulus will purchase its Omnia gear exclusively through Broadcasters General Store. Read the whole story here.

* CUMULUS PREFERS TELOS, TOO: While making Omnia their chosen audio processing platform, Cumulus has also named Telos Systems as a "preferred supplier" of ISDN codecs and broadcast telephone systems. Little wonder: Telos pioneered the application of Digital Signal Processing to telephone hybrids, and the Zephyr ISDN Transceiver has become the industry standard -- the most successful digital broadcast product ever. Find out more about the Zephyr family of advanced remote broadcast tools and browse the full line of Telos phone gear.

* BROADCASTING FROM EUROVISION? Here's a special note for stations who will be taking Zephyrs to the Eurovision song contest in Riga, Latvia on May 24. We've had a few people ask us if Latvia has ISDN, and if it works with Zephyr. The answer to both questions is: Yes. The telephone network is fully modern and your Zephyr will operate perfectly with it. Not only do we have a number of Zephyr users in Latvia, we have a Telos office in Riga that happens to be about 200 meters from the Eurovision site.

The contact for technical information or for ordering an ISDN line (for accredited journalists) is:

Lavkinaitis Harijs
Eurovision Technical Manager 
Harijs.Lavkinaitis@ltv.lv 
Phone: +371 7200150

Mr. Harjis tells us that there will be some ISDN lines in the press center; you can order more by contacting him. And if you'd like to contact the Telos office in Riga while you're there, we are at 33A-15A Valdemara Iela, telephone +371 750.5580.

* OMNIA ROCKS ROMA: Rome, Italy's Radio Globo is using their new Omnia-6fm to rock the Eternal City. Radio Globo is the #1 most-listened-to local station in Italy's capital city, so when it became time to upgrade their processing, they chose Omnia to help maintain their competitive edge. In fact, a number of important Italian broadcasters rely on Omnia: Radio Flash, Idea Radio and Modena Radio City, to name a few. Who else uses Omnia? Find out here.

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #9: This week's question: "I am currently running four Desktop Directors with my TWOx12 talkshow system. Can I add a fifth Director?"

--->ANSWER: Yes, you can. Since Version 2.O software, TWOx12 has supported up to eight Desktop Directors. In order to provide interfaces for the fourth through eighth Directors, you will need to install a second Desktop Director card (Telos part #1701-00022); you will also need an Extended Power Supply (Telos part #2091-00001) to power each new Director. To purchase the cards and/or power supplies, contact Telos directly at +1 216-241-7225; you can also obtain them from any authorized Telos representative. 

* FUN RADIO LINK: Broadcast.net's Barry Mishkind, long known to Radio World readers as "The Eclectic Engineer," maintains The Broadcast Archive, an excellent resource devoted to "collect and preserve historical and current information, graphics, printed materials, and whatever else can be accumulated to help radio enthusiasts, researchers, and students find information on the background and history of the industry." You'll find useful engineering software, a little bit of humor, and a whole lot of historical info. Browse www.oldradio.com .

* OMNIA GETS CROWNED: Recently Omnia partnered with Crown Broadcast, makers of innovative FM transmitters, to produce an Omnia audio processing card that can be installed directly into Crown transmitters. At the NAB in Las Vegas, the results of this partnership - the Crown/Omnia DP3 Audio Processor - won the Radio World "Cool Stuff" award for its unique implementation. Now Crown FM and FMX transmitter owners can have genuine 3-band, 48kHz Omnia audio processing built-in to their transmitters. How's that for close-coupling? Read the whole story here .

* EMMIS SELECTS TELOS: As part of Emmis Communications' buildout of new facilities for their five-station cluster in St. Louis, Missouri (Arbitron market #20), they chose Telos Talkshow Systems and ISDN Transceivers. The showcase facilities, housed in the renovated St. Louis Union Station complex, features nearly every Telos POTS telephone system, including ONE-x-Six Multiline Talkshow Systems, ONE+ONE Dual Hybrids, and Direct Interface & 1A2 Multiline Talkshow Systems. The studios are profiled in the April issue of Radio Ink. magazine, we've also archived it here under "Clippings" for your reading pleasure.


* TALES OF Z-100: As the original Chief Engineer of New York's legendary Z-100, almost no one knows more "behind-the-scenes" stories than Omnia's Frank Foti. So when Radio & Records prepared to honor Scott Shannon's induction to the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame, they asked Frank to tell some of his stories. If you missed the April 20th issue of R&R, no worries - you can read it here.

* NEW TALK SYSTEMS TO DENMARK: Radio Danmark, the national radio network of Denmark, has purchased several Telos ONE-x-Six Multiline Talkshow Systems to upgrade their broadcast telephone systems. The ONE-x-Six delivers clean, clear caller audio with advanced auto-nulling capabilities, Digital Echo Elimination and selectable caller ducking, as well as a host of other features. Find out more about the world's most affordable six-line broadcast phone system at www.telos-systems.com/1x6/ .


* IS YOUR SOFTWARE UP-TO-DATE? To get the most out of your Telos and Omnia purchases, make sure your gear is running the latest software releases. To quickly verify the latest releases for both Telos and Omnia products, just browse our online Software Version Checker .


* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #8: This week's question: "I just received my new Zephyr Xport, and it sounds fantastic! However, I can connect to my own Zephyr Xstream, but not some others. Also, I'd like to connect my Xport to Classic Zephyrs (you know, the black ones); is this possible?"

--->ANSWER: Good questions! Zephyr Xport takes advantage of advanced aacPlus (in POTS mode) and MPEG AAC-LD coding (in ISDN mode) to deliver its superior sound; this connection with Zephyr Xstream is possible because of the enormous increases in DSP capabilities over the last couple of years -- DSP resources that weren't available when the Classic Zephyr was designed. Because of this, original Zephyrs are not able to be updated for use with Zephyr Xport.

The reason your Xport won't connect to certain Zephyr Xstreams is likely that those Xstreams have not yet been updated to the latest software version. Only Zephyr Xstreams running v2.5.X software (or later) can "talk" to Zephyr Xport. Upgrading to the latest software is easy and free; if the unit to be updated is connected to the Internet via its Ethernet port, simply use the "update software" command from Zephyr Xstream's front panel. If no Internet access is possible, just download the latest software and update the Xstream using a local computer with an Ethernet connection.
 

eNews from Telos / Omnia, April, 2003

* BIG NEWS FROM NAB, PART 1: If you were one of the many who visited the Telos / Omnia booth at NAB, you saw Livewire, the new Telos technology for conveying live, uncompressed broadcast audio over Ethernet; if you didn't make it to NAB, you've probably heard about it. The judges for Radio magazine and Radio World certainly did; Livewire earned both a "Cool Stuff" award _and_ a "Pick Hit" for it's innovative new approach to networking the broadcast studio. For more information, read our press release at www.telos-systems.com/news/ .

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* BIG NEWS FROM NAB, PART 2: Omnia garnered a second Radio World "Cool Stuff" award in conjunction with Crown Broadcast for our "Omnia Inside" project, which provides genuine Omnia audio processing as an integral part of Crown's FMX series of LPFM transmitters. No fuss, no muss - simply power up and select a preset to get that clean, clear "major-market" Omnia sound. Read more by browsing Crown's website.

* LIVEWIRE EXPLAINED: Want to find out the details about Livewire? Telos founder Steve Church and Director of R&D Michael Dosch both presented excellent, in-depth White Papers at NAB on the subject. Read "Ethernet for Studio Audio Systems" and "A Network-Enabled Radio Console Architecture" for a look at the technology and philosophy behind Livewire.

* VERSION 3.0 SOFTWARE FOR TWOx12 TALKSHOW SYSTEMS: A free software update is available for the Telos TWOx12 Talkshow System, and we're pleased to announce that among its many features is one TWOx12 owners have clamored for: the ability to manage phone lines for two separate studios. Users can choose to use TWOx12 in traditional 12-line, single studio mode, or new Dual-Studio mode, which allows division or sharing of incoming lines between two studios. Users can install the new software by using the front-panel update feature (if your TWOx12 is on an Internet-connected network) or download it here.

* OMNIA REDUX: We've noticed that during the rush to NAB, things sometimes get lost in the shuffle. So, at the risk of repeating ourselves, we'd like to present again some news we didn't want to let slip by: In 2000, the highest-billing radio station in the US used Omnia audio processing. In 2001, it happened again. Now, for the third consecutive year, Omnia users top the BIA list (www.bia.com) of the biggest revenue generators in America. One on each coast, as a matter of fact: New York's WLTW-FM and Los Angeles' KIIS-FM, both confirmed fans of Omnia audio processing, accounted for more than $125 million in revenue for 2002! Read the whole story here .

* TELOS AND OMNIA IN THE NEWS: Twice, in fact. Be sure to check out the April 23 issue of of Radio World magazine; on Page 10 you'll find Frank Foti's "Audio Processing Primer for HD Radio", an in-depth examination of processing issues from an HD-Radio perspective. And in the April issue of Radio magazine, see Page 30 for Rolf Taylor's "What's In An Interface?", a plain-language explanation of the various ISDN interfaces in use around the globe. (You can also read it online at http://beradio.com/ar/radio_whats_interface/ ).

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #7: This week's question: "I have a Zephyr designed for use outside of North America. Can I use this product in the USA and Canada?

--->ANSWER: Yes, with a small amount of work. Most Zephyr family products sold outside the USA have only a single 8-pin (RJ-45 style) "S" interface. To use these in the USA, you'll need an external NT1. Luckily, most Telos Zephyr rental partners can provide NT1s.

* OMNIA USERS IN THE GREEN: In 2000, the highest-billing radio station in the US used Omnia audio processing. In 2001, it happened again. Now, for the third consecutive year, Omnia users top the BIA list (www.bia.com) of the biggest revenue generators in America. One on each coast, as a matter of fact: New York's WLTW-FM and Los Angeles' KIIS-FM, both confirmed fans of Omnia audio processing, accounted for more than $125 million in revenue for 2002! Read the whole story here .

* FROM THE MAILBAG: We love it when our clients call or e-mail us. The latest missive comes from Jeffrey Gill of Autumn Hill Studios in Franklin, North Carolina: "You can count me as a rabid Telos fan. This new Zephyr Xstream is terriffic! I got the rack version with the mixer in it (a Zephyr Xstream MXP - Ed.). I can use one Zephyr to send from any of our four voice booths, and in dual mode we can do two feeds at once from one codec!" Zephyr is the most popular family of ISDN transceivers in the world. Find out why Zephyr owners are so enthusiastic by visiting www.zephyr.com .

* TELOS GETS (DIGITAL) INK: Last week, Radio World Online previewed one of the exciting new products we'll be unwrapping at the NAB Convention in Las Vegas: Livewire, a revolutionary new approach to networking broadcast studios. If you missed their story, you can read it at www.rwonline.com/dailynews/one.php?id=2852. Be sure to visit us at NAB in Booth N2618 to see this fascinating new technology for yourself. If you aren't attending NAB, be sure to sign up for information at www.telos-systems.com/livewire/ .

* ISDN FOR STL: We've received inquiries from stations wondering about the feasibility of using Zephyr/ISDN connections to replace marginal line-of-sight transmission links. Here's a broadcaster who's done it: Nashville's WAY-FM Media Group, whose network is heard in seven states around the Southwest, uses two Zephyr Xstream ISDN Transceivers running MPEG AAC coding to deliver perfect stereo audio to their local transmitter. "This is the best our station has ever sounded," according to Chief Engineer Jim Turvaville. MPEG AAC is the coding method adopted as an ITU standard for delivering "indistinguishable output from source" at 128 kbps. Read more about MPEG AAC in the "Tech Talk" section of the Telos website at www.telos-systems.com/techtalk/aacpaper_2/ , and read more about WAY-FM's Zephyr implementation at www.telos-systems.com/news/ .

* LISTEN AND COMPARE HD RADIO AT NAB: Omnia is pleased to announce that we will be providing visitors to our NAB booth with a demonstration of HD Radio using our newest audio processor, Omnia-6HDFM. This will be a great opportunity to hear, firsthand, the difference between Analog and Digital FM radio. Be sure to to visit the Telos / Omnia booth at NAB and hear the difference for yourself!

* SPEAKING OF NAB: We wouldn't dream of missing it. You can see all the new Telos and Omnia gear at NAB 2003, Las Vegas, 5-10 April, Booth N2618. And don't forget that Steve Church, President of Telos Systems, and Michael Dosch, Director of Product Development, will each give papers outlining Audio over Ethernet technology at the NAB session entitled “Radio Audio Forum,” Tuesday April 8, from 1-5:30PM.

* USEFUL LINK OF THE WEEK: If you're like us, attending NAB can be somewhat... overwhelming. There's so much to see, and it's easy to get turned around. Radio Magazine (www.beradio.com) has made navigating the Show a bit easier with their FASTtrack program, which puts the entire NAB exhibitor's list and their show floor locations into a handy application for your PDA. There are versions for Palm and PocketPC users, and the download is free at http://fastrack.beradio.com/fasttrack_download/index.htm .

eNews from Telos / Omnia, March, 2003

* ZEPHYR XPORT NOW SHIPPING: Zephyr Xport, the highly-anticipated POTS + ISDN codec, recently began shipping to clients all over the world. Zephyr Xport is a portable companion to the industry-standard Zephyr Xstream ISDN transceiver; with its custom modem and superior aacPlus coding technology, Xport has gathered much praise for its ability to deliver FM-quality audio using just a standard POTS phone line. Zephyr Xport has an available ISDN option as well . . . making it the perfect field codec for whatever type of phone line is available at your remote site. Find out more by reading our press release at www.telos-systems.com/news/ .

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* A TWOx12 FOR EACH COAST : What do Los Angeles' #1-rated Country station and the State University of New York's New York Network have in common? Each have recently purchased TWOx12 Multi-Line Talkshow Systems from Telos. Emmis Communication's KZLA-FM has just fired up TWOx12 in their Burbank facility, while Sony is set to install a TWOx12 system in NYNet's Empire State Plaza studios which are slated to open in May. TWOx12 has become popular due to its extremely clear, consistent caller audio - just one of the benefits of using ISDN for call-in lines instead of POTS. Users also love the icon-based visual call management, which takes the guesswork out of fast-paced talkshow production. Find out more at www.telos-systems.com/2x12/ .

* OMNIA-6 PRESETS, REDUX: A couple of weeks ago, we announced that new processing presets for Omnia-6 audio processors were available for download from our website. Since that time, these downloads have proven extremely popular! So, we'd like to mention for the benefit of our newest eNews subscribers that new presets for Classical, Jazz, Talk and Hit radio formats can be downloaded free of charge; just choose "Presets" from the "Downloads" menu.

* WE JUST CAN'T WAIT TO GET ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Telos and Omnia will be attending both the Audio Engineering Society convention in Amsterdam, and the National Association of Broadcasters Spring convention in Las Vegas. We look forward to seeing you! Here's where we'll be:

>> 114th AES Convention, Amsterdam, 22-25 March, Stand 2714
>> NAB 2003, Las Vegas, 5-10 April, Booth N2618

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #6: This week's question: "I have a Zephyr product that's configured for use in the USA. Can I use my Zephyr in other countries?"

ANSWER: You certainly can. ISDN in the USA and Canada uses the 2-wire "U" interface (the 4-pin "RJ-11 style" connector on the unit), so in Canada your Zephyr will connect the same as it does in the USA.

In most other countries, the Telco will provide an on-premises NT1 (called a DSU in Japan), so you'll interface to your Zephyr using the 4-wire "S" interface (the 8-pin "RJ-45 style" connector). You will also need to set the TELCO setting in your Zephyr's menu to the correct setting.

Since the instructions for Europe apply to most countries worldwide, a good starting place is our Customer Service Bulletin entitled "Using the Telos Zephyr in Europe with the U.S. Terminal Adapter", found at www.telos-systems.com/support/csb/TCSB-010499.pdf . You'll also find Bulletins with specific information for using Zephyr in Japan and Australia at www.telos-systems.com/support/csb.htm .

Questions about your Telos or Omnia gear? E-mail support@telos-systems.com  or support@omniaaudio.com  for quick response.

* COOL LINK: Web portal About.com hosts an interesting sub-site dedicated entirely to inventors, inventions and this history of inventing. Navigate to http://inventors.about.com/ for an alphabetical index to biographies of famous inventors, and feature articles on inventions from ball points pens to the water cooler.

* OMNIA FOR HD RADIO: The new Omnia-6HDFM has got a lot of people talking lately. Omnia-6HDFM processes both HD Radio and FM-Analog audio at the same time - ensuring seamless, great-sounding transitions in the analog-to-digital blend mode of HD Radio receivers. Since Omnia-6 employs modern 96 kHz, 24-bit sampling, it's the only US-built audio processor that can support HD Radio's full 20 kHz bandwidth. Best of all, if you own an Omnia-6fm, you can easily upgrade it with HD Radio functionality without sending it back to the factory. For details, read our press release, and visit the Omnia-6HDFM page.

* NEW OMNIA-6 PRESETS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD: Our audio software gurus have been working overtime, crafting new presets suggested by Omnia-6fm users. You can now download the fruits of their labor, which include new presets for Classical, Jazz, Talk and Hit radio formats. To access the free downloads, click here and choose "Presets" from the "Downloads" menu.

* GET EXHIBIT PASSES FOR NAB: If you want to see what's new at NAB and need guest passes, go to www.nab.org/conventions/nab2003/ and click on "Exhibits only registration with a guest pass." Enter code MJ0688 to obtain your complementary admission. Note that these passes are good for exhibit halls only and do not include entry to seminars or other discussion roundtables.

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #5: This week's question: "My talent monitors off-air, and they tell me their voice sounds different in their headphones since we switched to digital processing. Is there anything I can do?"

ANSWER: All digital devices in your audio chain create delay; some more, some less. Delay in small amounts can "color" the sound a DJ hears when listening through headphones. Excessive delay can render it impossible to monitor in this fashion. Here's what we've found:

* 1-3 ms: Undetectable delay.
* 3-10 ms: Shift in voice character audible to person speaking.
* 10-30 ms: A slight echo turning to obvious slap at 25-30 ms.
* 30-50 ms: Disturbing echo, disorienting the announcer.
* >50 ms: Too much delay for live monitoring.

We have measured the propagation delay of Omnia-6fm (the amount of time it takes for the audio signal to travel from the input to any output) at approximately 9 ms at 1 kHz. This is enough for a slight voice-character coloration to be audible to the person speaking, but not enough to be a problem for talent monitoring off the air.

One thing we've found is that phase relationships play a part in how talent perceives the "color" of their voice in the monitors. If you are an Omnia-6 or Omnia-4.5 owner, here's a tip: try both settings of the "Invert Both" parameter in the "Input" menu and ask your talent which they prefer. One of the two settings will put what they hear in their headphones more into phase with what they hear through bone conduction. Use the one they prefer; all talent monitoring off-air using the same feed will most likely prefer the same one. This parameter changes the phase of both channels at once (similar to reversing pins 2 & 3 on both channels' Input XLR connectors). After adjusting this setting, most talent gets used to the "new sound" within a few breaks.

Questions about your Telos or Omnia gear? E-mail support@telos-systems.com  or support@omniaaudio.com  for quick response.
 

eNews from Telos / Omnia, February, 2003

* WELCOME TO OMNIA COUNTRY: During our preparations for last week's Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, we confirmed that many of Country Radio's leading stations -- like top-rated KPLX-FM in Dallas, WKHX-FM in Atlanta and WYGY-FH/HD (the US' first HD Radio Country station) have already upgraded to Omnia audio processing -- and more are doing so every day. Click Here for the rest of the story.

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* NAB IS ON THE HORIZON: Telos Systems President Steve Church has a special note for everyone attending (or wondering whether they should attend) Spring NAB.

"As we approach the annual pilgrimage to lovely Las Vegas, a lot of people have been asking us if we think the show is going to be as big this year as in the past, with everything that is going on in USA and the world. Seems to be the number one pre-show topic from probing journalists, who have heard that some long time exhibitors will not be on the floor and that others are cutting back."

"From our end, we can tell you that not only will we be at the NAB in our usual strong force, but that we'll be introducing a tantalizing new technology and a family of studio gear built around it. People to whom we’ve spilled some beans tell us that this could be the most important development we’ve ever offered to the broadcast biz. Who knows? But it sure was fun and exciting to invent and we need a physical place to set it up and demonstrate it to you. We'll be right by the main entrance to the audio hall. For this one, web and paper alone probably will not be enough to convince! So the Telos team and I are hoping that you are among the fortunate who get to make the trip and see the new goodies. Not to mention, connect with old friends, enjoy the parties, badger the vendors (hey, that’s what we’re there for!), marvel at how a desert can grow so much bright green grass, etc."

If you do plan on coming to NAB, you might want to add to your agenda the Tuesday afternoon, April 8th session called “Radio Audio Forum.” Steve and Michael Dosch, our head of Research & Development, will be giving papers that tell all about this exciting new technology.

* NEWS FROM ALL OVER: NPR's Washington, D.C. headquarters just purchased five new Zephyr Xstream ISDN Transceivers. Bonneville's WDRV-FM/Chicago ordered an Xstream, too; so did Hollywood's voiceover casting specialists, Voicecaster.com . What makes Zephyr Xstream so popular? Perhaps it's the crystal clear audio delivered with state-of-the-art MPEG4-AAC coding, or maybe the ease of Web-enabled remote control, or maybe it's the fact that Zephyr is the "universal codec" -- in use worldwide wherever exceptional audio quality and mission-critical performance are required. Find out more about Zephyr Xstream and it's new companion, Zephyr Xport -- the portable POTS + ISDN codec -- at www.zephyr.com .

* WE GET INK: Italy's MilleCanali Magazine recently reviewed the Omnia-6fm audio processor and proclaimed it "La Stella" -- "The Star." To read their complete review in Italian, click here . Dozens of top Italian Radio and TV broadcasters use Omnia to grab and hold their listeners, like the Radio Globo Network, DeeJay TV's satellite music network, and Rome's Radio Flash. Who else uses Omnia? Click here to find out.

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #4: This week's question: "I replaced my classic Zephyr with a brand-new Zephyr Xstream. The Xstream sounds fantastic, but I can't seem to receive incoming calls on Line 2. What am I doing wrong?"

--->ANSWER: Zephyr Xstream requires that your 7-digit Directory Numbers be entered in the "Tel" menu for this function to operate. Press the "TEL" button twice, then enter your 7-digit telephone numbers in the "MSN/DN 1" and "MSN/DN 2" fields.

If your Directory Numbers are set up correctly and you still have problems with incoming calls, you might need to change the "TELCO" setting to match a different type of telephone switch. Press "TEL" three times to change this setting; if you have a "Nortel DMS Custom" ISDN line you must use the "DMS Cust." setting. If you have a "National ISDN 1" or "National ISDN 2" ISDN, use the "Natl. I-1" setting. If in doubt, try the other setting to see if it solves your problem. Don't forget to reboot your Xstream after changing MSN/DNs or TELCO settings.

* USEFUL LINK: The engineers at Salem Radio Labs have developed some really useful software for broadcasters using the GNU/Linux operating system to power their facilities. The latest is Call Commander, a "high-performance call screening and management system" that is free under the GNU Public License, and works with Telos TWOx12, ONE-x-Six, 1A2 and Direct Interface Talkshow Systems. If you've been wishing for Linux-based call screening software, check out www.salemradiolabs.com .

* WINDY CITY SOUL: The latest major broadcaster to install a Telos Series 2101 Multi-Studio Talkshow System is Clear Channel, who chose Series 2101 for its 7-station cluster in Chicago. Dan Mettler, Clear Channel's Regional Engineering Manager, loves the flexibility Series 2101 gives him: [We can] put any station into any studio, and quickly reassign the station's call-in lines to that studio." Series 2101 is used by such major broadcasters as XM, Sirius, Virgin Radio, Radio One, Infinity Broadcasting and CSPAN; it uses T1 or E1 lines and is scalable to fit your needs: up to 120 lines across 32 studios! Want to find out more? Read our news release at www.telos-systems.com/news/  .

* GET READY FOR HD RADIO: More and more broadcasters are readying themselves for HD Radio, and Omnia is ready too. Omnia-6HDFM is a precision audio processor with a unique dual architecture that routes audio from the mixer to separate, simultaneous conventional FM and HD Radio output stages. While the FM side processes audio using the proven, market-dominating algorithms of the Omnia-6fm, the HD Radio side delivers full 20 kHz bandwidth and employs a special look-ahead final limiter designed to condition audio especially for bit-reduced encoders. For more about Omnia-6HDFM, read Frank Foti's special letter.

* WE GET INK: Radio World Online has noted the sale of Telos TWOx12 Talkshow Systems to Wisdom Radio at www.rwonline.com/dailynews/one.php?id=2617 . Look for more coverage of Wisdom Media in upcoming Radio World issues... Legendary KIIS-FM/Los Angeles Chief Engineer Mike Callaghan has written a review of his Omnia-6fm for Radio Guide. If you haven't seen it, click here to read the complete article.

* WEEKLY TECH TIP, #3: This week's question: "The Telephone company said I need to provide an "IOC Code" when ordering ISDN or there will be a "custom configuration" charge. What are they talking about?"

--->ANSWER: IOC stands for "ISDN Order Code," sometimes referred to as an "ISDN Capability Package". Telos equipment supports IOC codes. (In fact, we supported them before most of the Telcos.) You should ask for IOC Capability Package "S". Also visit www.telos-systems.com/techtalk/isdn_order.htm to download complete, updated ISDN order forms for Telos Zephyr and talkshow systems.

* WISE CHOICE BY WISDOM RADIO: West Virginia's Wisdom Media has picked Telos TWOx12 to power the talkshow segments aired on Wisdom Radio, the Health-and-Wellness channel beamed to thousands of listeners daily over Sirius Satellite Radio. What makes TWOx12 unique? The ability to use digital phone lines for incredibly clear, clean caller audio, and exclusive Status Symbols call-handling icons, to start. Read more at www.telos-systems.com/news/ .

* WE GET LETTERS: Our quote of the week comes via e-mail from Jay Stevens, Operations Manager/Program Director of KEDG-FM in Alexandria, Louisiana: "My Omnia is kicking a** -- no one can come close." Apparently Jay is happy with the results his Omnia-6fm is delivering! Do you have comments about your Telos & Omnia gear? Write clark@telos-systems.com and let us know.

* PARLATE ITALIANO? Telos Zephyr Xstream is the world's most popular ISDN transceiver, thanks to its rock-solid reliability, leading-edge MPEG AAC and Low Delay AAC-LD coding, and ability to connect to almost any third-party codec. The latest glowing review comes from Italy's Millecanali Magazine (www.millecanali.it); Our Italian-speaking readers can view it at www.telos-systems.com/news/default.htm#Clippings .

* WEEKLY TECH TIP: This week's question: "I love my TWOx12. It sounds fantastic, but some of my callers are too loud or too soft. What do I do?"

---> ANSWER: First, make sure you are running the latest version of TWOx12 software, which contains our latest AGC algorithms. If you are running TWOx12 Software earlier than v2.0, we recommend that you download the latest version (v2.08) from our web site at www.telos-systems.com/support/software.htm . Then, adjust your AGC setting. A good beginning value for your AGC is "12". Higher values increase the levelling action of the AGC, pulling loud callers down and boosting softer callers. Conversely, a lower AGC value decreases the amount of gain control, resulting in more apparent gain disparity between callers.

* OMNIA-6 GETS EXTREME: "We need an energetic, exciting sound... we decided that Omnia-6fm had the best sound and the most features of all the processors tested." So says Lauri Tuisku, Technical Director for Finland's Radio eXtrem, the Dance/Rock format of Radio Finland. Read more about it here. Who else is using Omnia? Find out here.

* TELOS TALKSHOW SYSTEMS MOTOR ON IN THE MOTOR CITY: Millions of listeners tune in each day to ABC Radio's Mitch Albom, author of the New York Times Bestseller "Tuesdays With Morrie." Mitch's daily show originates from the studios of legendary WJR-AM Detroit, where callers reach the air courtesy of a Telos 1A2 Talkshow System with Telos 100 Delta DSP hybrids, controlled with Assistant Producer call screening software. Telos Talksow Systems are the choice of major personalities such as Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Laura Schlesinger, Bruce Williams, Bill O'Reilly and many more. TO find out more about the Telos 1A2 Talkshow System, visit www.telos-systems.com/1a2/ .

* FORGET YOUR PASSWORD? One of the most-asked questions at Omnia Technical Support has to do with password security on Omnia audio processors. "How do I reset my security passwords, and what do the different security levels do?" We've put the answers to these questions and more into a handy online document that covers security issues for all Omnia audio processors; just click here for these and other useful tips.

* HD RADIO IN THE PUBLIC EYE: As HD radio begins to enter the mainstream conciousness, stories educating the consumer about digital broadcasting are increasing in print and electronic media. As an example, we point to the clipping sent to us from the Jackson, Mississippi, Clarion-Ledger concerning the digital conversion of AM Talk station WJNT-AM. We've archived it for you here. By the way, that's an Omnia-3am audio processor displayed prominently in WJNT's equipment rack.

* COOL LINK : Our fascination for old broadcast gear and consumer electronics knows no bounds. If you're like us, check out this week's Cool Link, "Total Rewind," submitted by Dennis Michaels of Glastonbury, England. "Total Rewind" showcases home video technology, from the early German TelDec discs and RCA Selectavision machines to the present. www.hypernova.co.uk/total_rewind/ .

eNews from Telos / Omnia, January, 2003

* VIVE LA FRANCE!: We are pleased to welcome SAVE DIFFUSION as Telos / Omnia representatives in France. Since 1988, SAVE has earned a deserved reputation as one of France's foremost broadcast equipment suppliers, with NRJ, Towercast, Groupe Europe and RTL among their well-known clients. Paul Guibouret, General Manager of SAVE, tells us that they will be showing Telos and Omnia products at the upcoming Radio Operator’s Exhibition in Paris from 2 to 5 February; visit their website at www.savediffusion.fr . For a complete list of Telos and Omnia representatives in over 175 nations, see www.telos-systems.com/dealer/ and www.omniaaudio.com/dealers/ .

* OMNIA DOMINATES NATION'S CAPITOL: This week we received the good news that Washington, D.C.'s WPGC-FM topped the Arbitron ratings in the just-released Fall, 2002 survey - for the 6th consecutive book - adding to the lengthy list of market-leading radio stations who rely on The Omnia Sound. 2 of D.C.'s Top 3 FM stations are Omnia users - as are 8 of New York's Top 10 FMs, 7 of Chicago's Top 10, and 8 of the Top 10 in Houston. To read the full text of our press release, browse click here.

* 4FM PURCHASES OMNIA.SG: The 4FM Group (www.4fm.be), one of Belgium's largest broadcasters, has just purchased 16 Omnia.sg digital stereo generators for use in their extensive FM network. Omnia.SG is a standalone digital stereo generator that lets you keep stereo generation at the transmitter (where it belongs) and audio processing at the studio (where it's convenient). Could Omnia.SG make life easier for you? Click here to find out.

* COOL LINK OF THE WEEK: As a child of the '60's, I grew up fascinated by the grainy black-and-white television images of Earth sent back by Apollo astronauts. Today's orbital imagery is much improved; check out this fantastic image of Earth at night as seen from the orbital Space Station, courtesy of NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day website: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0011/earthlights_dmsp_big.jpg . It's a big image (almost 400k), but the view is definitely worth the wait.

* ZEPHYR COMES TO UNIVERSITY OF IOWA: Universities and other educational facilities have enjoyed the ease of sending high-quality audio over ISDN with Zephyr for years; college athletic departments are particularly fond of them for airing play-by-play of sporting events. University of Iowa's WSUI is the latest to reap the benefits of Zephyr Xstream MXP, with its built-in four-channel stereo mixer. “I couldn't be more pleased with the results from the Zephyr Xstream," says Chief Engineer Jim Davies. To read more, visit www.telos-systems.com/news/  .

* CNBC PURCHASES TELOS ONE+ONE HYBRIDS: Our friends at Dale Pro Audio in New York City tell us that CNBC, the business news channel of NBC News delivered to over 80 million homes in the US and Canada, has purchased 18 ONE+One dual telephone hybrids; this increases CNBC's ONE+One total to 80. The units will be installed in new facilities in New Jersey to provide IFB to reporters and anchors. The versatile ONE+ONE dual telephone hybrid is perfect for high-quality conferencing and distance learning as well; it combines two Telos ONE DSP hybrids with a mix-minus matrix in a single convenient rack-mount chassis. To learn more about the Telos ONE family of all-digital telephone hybrids, download the eBrochure at www.telos-systems.com/one/  .

* SEE YOU AT THE SHOW(S): Telos & Omnia will be visiting several broadcasting conventions in the month of February: - February 7-11, see us with Broadcaster's General Store at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention, Nashville, Tennessee. - February 18th, Telos' Kirk Harnack teams with Al Salci of Sierra Automated Systems to present "The AES Primer" to the Michigan Association of Broadcasters in Lansing, Michigan. - February 19-21, see the Telos / Omnia exhibit at the Country Radio Show in Nashville, Tennessee.

* QUOTE OF THE WEEK: From Domagoj Zaric, Technical Manager, Radio Vallis Aurea, Pozega, Croatia: "We recently bought an Omnia-3fm and we were really shocked what that thing can do. We are now the small, local FM station with the biggest sound around. You really did a great job!" Every day, more broadcasters switch to Omnia audio processing to gain the competitive edge. Who else is using Omnia? Click Here to find out.

* FREE HD RADIO PRIMER ONLINE: Last week, we told you about our new White Paper called "Audio Processing & HD Radio" which explores the differences between traditional RF broadcasting and its digital counterpart. It was a popular download... so popular, in fact, that sheer volume took our server offline. We've beefed things up now, and we're glad to say that you can download this informative free White Paper by Clicking Here.

* TO IP OR NOT TO IP: Networked broadcast audio is becoming a common buzzword these days, and it seems no technical gathering is complete without a discussion of its merits; comments on the issue by Telos founder Steve Church and other industry leaders featured in Radio World's 2002 IP Supplement are worth reading to gain a better understanding of the issue. If you missed this article, we've archived it here, along with other interesting magazine reprints.

* COOL SITE: Over the past decade, broadcasting and computing have becoming inextricably intertwined; many engineers are also "code jockeys" or do double duty as IS managers. As with anything, the computing world has developed its own lexicon, and "The Jargon Dictionary" is a humorous yet accurate compendium of such, complete with etymology. You'll find it at http://info.astrian.net/jargon/  .

* NUMBER ONE IN NEW YORK: You may remember how, in December, we released our survey of the Top 10 rated US markets, which showed that major broadcasters are upgrading to Omnia audio processing at a record pace. (If you missed this story, click here to read all about it.) Now we've learned that New York's Number One radio station, WLTW-FM, has placed #1 in the Arbitron Ratings for the 5th consecutive book -- using Omnia audio processing! We congratulate our friends at WLTW, and invite you to read more.

* TELOS CABLE GUIDE REFERENCE ONLINE: Sometimes, the hardest part of installing new phone gear can be constructing cables with modular connectors. Was that the red with white trace on Pin 1, or the white with red trace? To help simplify things, Telos has a new Customer Service Bulletin, "Modular Cable Guide - Reference for modular telephone connectors used in Telos products", with descriptions of the modular connectors commonly used in Telos hybrids and talkshow systems. Download it free by clicking here.

* HD RADIO SEMINARS: Is your station or group thinking about HD Radio? You can get a head start by attending one of two presentations on Digital Audio Processing for HD Radio. One is at the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters (TAB) Convention in Nashville, Tennessee and is part of a day-long HD Radio conference on Tuesday, January 14, at the Maxwell House Hotel. A second session will take place in Columbia, South Carolina, at the SCBA Winter Convention on Thursday, January 16, at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Columbia. Visit www.tabtn.org or www.scba.net for information on how to attend.

* FREE HD RADIO PRIMER NOW ONLINE: Omnia Audio has been involved in testing and development of HD Radio since -- well, since before it was called HD Radio! Lately, we've been receiving lots of questions about what needs to be considered when setting up a processing chain for digital broadcasting. Frank Foti's new white paper, "Audio Processing & HD Radio" explores the whys and wherefores of processing for digital transmission. Read and download it by clicking here.

* TELOS IN THE NEWS: The December issue of Radio Magazine highlighted the newly-built studios of Talk America Radio Networks, home to personalities like Barry Farber, Bruce Williams and more. You may have noticed, in photos of the studios, the Telos Zephyr Xstream codecs and TWOx12 Talkshow System featured prominently in the equipment racks. “We’ve had a lot of comments on the improved audio quality since we moved into new studios. Certainly our Telos TWOx12 is a big part of that,” says Jerry McDonald, assistant engineer and recording studio consultant. “And we’re using Telos Zephyr Xstream codecs – about twelve of them – to bring in show hosts from around the country.” If you missed the article, you can read it online at http://beradio.com/ar/radio_new_talk_town/index.htm .

eNews from Telos / Omnia, December, 2002

* OMNIA IN THE NEWS: Recently we issued the results of our survey of the Top 10 rated US markets, which showed that major broadcasters are upgrading to Omnia audio processing at a record pace. It seems our findings shook a few people up! In case you missed it, Radio World Online has devoted a special page to this topic, at www.radioworld.com/reference-room/special-report/marketing_claims.shtml . 

* LETTERS FROM THE FIELD: Here's a letter we received from Steve Legerski, Operations Director at Salem Communications' WKNR, Sportstalk 850:

"Recently Sports Talk 850 WKNR in Cleveland, Ohio purchased the new Zephyr Xstream. As an active 24/7 sports talk station we take WKNR on the road a LOT to create both ratings and revenue. The Zephyr Xstream allows WKNR to serve both masters without any worries. The unit is compact (we just flew to Las Vegas and our remote engineer was able to carry the Zephyr Xstream onto the plane) and it is versatile. Most importantly, the sound is clean and the unit is dependable. Looking to create ratings and revenue without any fumbles? Look to the Zephyr Xstream. Read all about Zephyr Xstream at www.zephyr.com .

How do you use your Telos and Omnia gear? Send your stories to clark@telos-systems.com  .

* OMNIA DOMINATES MUNICH: Broadcasters everywhere are switching to Omnia audio processors; the latest two are Munich, Germany's privately-owned Radio Arabella and Radio Charivari -- making Omnia the processor of choice on 4 of Munich's Top 5 FM radio stations. Who else is using Omnia? See for yourself by clicking here.

* FREE SOFTWARE UPGRADE FOR TWOx12 USERS: Version 2.08 software is now available free for users of Telos TWOx12 Talkshow Systems. If your TWOx12 is connected to the Internet, simply choose the "Update" menu option; if not, visit www.telos-systems.com/support/ .

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* THE HD RADIO SIGN-ON ROLLS ON: Radio One flipped the switch on HD Radio at its Detroit, Michigan Urban/AC outlet, WDMK - with the help of Omnia-6 audio processors. In fact, WDMK uses *two* Omnia-6s: one for FM, and one for HD Radio. Read what Ken Wallace, Radio One’s regional Director of Engineering has to say by clicking here.

* BEATING THE ELECTRIC KILLER: One thing you can count on during winter storms is lightning strikes. Are you prepared? Even if you think you are, there are some things about surge suppression you may not know. For instance, did you know that uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) may not protect against surges? Or that once a surge suppressor has done its job, it needs to be replaced? For a comprehensive look at protecting your valuable gear against nature's little power spikes, read our White Paper here.

* RADIO ONE SIGNS ON "HD RADIO" WITH OMNIA: Radio One's Detroit, Michigan flagship WDMK-FM (www.1027kissdetroit.com) flipped the switch on DAB service using an Omnia-6dab digital audio processor. Omnia-6dab is the only IBOC audio processor that can handle the DAB entire audio spectrum from 20Hz to 20kHz; read more here.

* KASU-FM PURCHASES ZEPHYR XSTREAM: Arkansas State University will soon have two shiny new Zephyr Xstream ISDN Transceivers, which will be used to broadcast live concerts held at various venues around the ASU campus. Powerful MPEG AAC coding helps ensure that remotes are of the very highest fidelity, whether rock, jazz, bluegrass or classical. Read more about MPEG AAC and download the new Zephyr Xstream eBrochure at www.telos-systems.com/zephyr/ .

* OMNIA-6FM GOES ON-AIR IN JAPAN: One of Japan's top FM radio stations, Shizuoka's K-MIX, has just chosen Omnia-6fm to give their listeners the ultimate in clean, clear audio. Other Omnia installations in Japan include the Sony Corporation's Tokyo headquarters, Radio Hikone FM, and USEN, the Tokyo-based cable radio company. To see a partial list of Omnia's worldwide users, click here. 

* Top Broadcasters Upgrade to Omnia: A recent survey of America's largest and most competitive markets (#1 to #10 Arbitron rated) reveals that over half of the Top 100 highest-rated FM stations in the US have selected Omnia audio processing -- including New York's WLTW, the highest-rated FM in the #1 market, and KIIS-FM, America's highest-billing radio station (according to Duncan's American Radio). To find out more about one of the main secrets to these stations' success, click here.

* Telos Talkshow Systems go to India: As India's radio industry continues to privatize, important broadcasters are choosing Telos talkshow systems to upgrade their facilities. India's largest multimedia publishing group, India Today (www.indiatoday.com), have chosen Telos TWOx12 talkshow systems for their Radio Today FM service, heard in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. You can find out more about TWOx12 at www.telos-systems.com/twox12/ ; read our White Paper, "ISDN for Studio Call-In Talk Systems" for an in-depth look at this revolutionary technology.

* Omnia is Everywhere: Following the sale of 70 Omnia-6fm audio processors to EMF Broadcasting (www.emfbroadcasting.com), Omnia now powers the Sacramento, California-based K-LOVE and Air 1 Christian music networks. The K-LOVE and Air 1 network is heard in 34 states stretching from Atlantic to Pacific, and on the Internet. Read more by clicking here .

* Red Hot Zephyr? We note with satisfaction that Radio & Records Online reports the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Zephyr Song" has achieved Number 1 on their "Triple A" music chart this week -- it seems everyone appreciates high quality audio.

* DAB in the News: Recently, Telos / Omnia President Frank Foti helped turn on HD Radio at Susquehanna Broadcasting's WYGY-FM in Cincinnati, Ohio - the first full-time DAB station east of the Mississippi. If you missed the November 20th Radio World article, click here to read the clipping.

* Cool Quote: "I am impressed by the sound quality [of the Zephyr Xstream], especially the return feed. By far the clearest of the equipment I have used." Chuck Ingram, Producer, University of Cincinnati Basketball, WLW-AM

>>> Useful Link: Kartoo is a Web search engine that displays results as a graphical neural network. Sure, it looks odd, but it's interactive controls and dynamic search capabilities are very cool. Try it at www.kartoo.com  .

eNews from Telos / Omnia, November, 2002

* There's Grease All Over That Zephyr Xstream: Birach Broadcasting's WGOP, Washington D.C., is the new home for syndicated personality Doug Tracht - better known as the Greaseman. When building Doug's new studios, WGOP chose Zephyr Xstream as their ISDN codec because of its reliability and clear, clean audio. Read more about Zephyr Xstream and the new Zephyr Xport POTS codec at www.zephyr.com .

* Hot New Omnia Software: Did you know that new Omnia-6 and Omnia-4.5 software is available? Make sure you are up-to-date by clicking here . You'll find the latest software versions, information on how to update, and the latest remote control downloads.

* "We purchased an Omnia-6 to change from an Optimod to a more competitve processor. We are on the air with the Urban presets. The Omnia was a trouble free installation...very user friendly." -- Jay Stevens, Operations Manager, Kiss 106.9 (KEDG-FM), Memphis, Tennessee.

* Omnia-6 users: Do you have the latest software? Version 6.1.5 is now available for Omnia-6. Call or e-mail Omnia Customer Support for details -- please click here for contact information.

* Sony Pictures' Playboy Studios have purchased a Telos Series 2101 Multi-Studio Talkshow System. Series 2101 is the only comprehensive solution for managing broadcast-quality phone lines within large facilities, and uses ISDN PRI telephone lines to control up to 120 calls across 32 studios. Visit www.telos-systems.com/2101  for full details.

* "Thanks to Telos, my life is Paradise." Fred Holub, Chief Engineer at Infinity's KLSX, Los Angeles, relies on Telos Zephyr for his station's numerous remote broadcasts. See www.zephyr.com for details about the new Zephyr Xstream and Zephyr Xport codecs.

>>> Telos and Omnia have been ardent supporters of the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame since inception -- after all, we can walk there from our Cleveland HQ! The world's greatest repository of Rock memorabilia and knowledge can be seen and searched online at www.rockhall.com . And if you visit the "secret studio webcam link" at www.rockhall.com/radiostudio/ , you can see, in the rightmost equipment rack, the Zephyr Xstreams and TWOx12 Talkshow System relied on by visiting air personalities from around the world.

eNews from Telos / Omnia, October, 2002

* "The more I listen to it, the better I like it.” That's what users are telling us about Omnia-4.5am, the newest Omnia audio processor for AM and medium-wave broadcasters. Read more about it and download our Electronic Brochure by clicking here .

* Los Angeles' KCRW-FM, home of "Morning Becomes Eclectic" and Public Radio International's "To The Point", has purchased a Telos Series 2101 Talkshow System. Series 2101 is tailor-made for large broadcasting facilities; it can handle up to 120 callers using PRI telephone lines. Visit www.telos-systems.com/2101/  to find out more.

* Omnia-6fm debuts in Roma! Italy's Radio Globo (www.radioglobo.it), the #1 hit radio station in Rome, now uses Omnia-6fm for audio processing. Find out why top broadcasters around the globe choose Omnia-6: Click here for FAQs, electronic brochures and more.

* Crawford Broadcasting's KBRT-AM is the latest Los Angeles station to put Omnia-3am on the air, and its sound is getting rave reviews. Omnia-3am sounds smooth, mellow and full while giving AM stations incredible clarity and loudness. Find out more and download the e-Brochure here.

* Software Updates: Telos TWOx12 and ProFiler users, get your free software updates at at www.telos-systems.com/support/software.htm   While you're there, use our Software Version Checker tool to make sure all your Telos and Omnia products are up-to-date.

* According to Graham McHutchon, senior sound supervisor at BBC News, the Telos Zephyr Xstream is “in a class of its own, the only codec really worth having for main broadcast ISDN.” Read the entire article in the September edition of Radio World International, or visit www.telos-systems.com/news/xstream.htm .

* Omnia-6dab is on the air: Susquehanna's WYGY-FM in Cincinnatti, Ohio commenced full-time IBOC operation last week after the installation of their new Omnia-6dab audio processor. "Bring on the HD radio receivers. Thanks to Omnia-6dab, we are ready," says Norm Philips, Susquehanna's Director of Technical Operations. Read more about Omnia's DAB involvement by clicking here .

* Check out Omnia's brand-new website at www.omniaaudio.com ! The new omniaaudio.com is packed with details about Omnia products, including technical information, the latest Omnia Remote software, downloadable User's Manuals and much more.

* New York's legendary 710/WOR is raving about their Telos TWOx12 Talkshow System. "Our TWOx12 POTS systems sounds so good, you'd think it was ISDN," says Tom Ray, WOR's Directory of Engineering. "The audio quality of the TWOx12 is second to none." Read about the revolutionary TWOx12 at www.telos-systems.com/2x12/ .

>>> Convert is one of those little utility programs that make you wonder how you ever did without it. Want to convert pounds to milligrams? Joules to watt-hours? Degrees to radians? Convert does all this and LOTS more, and it's free! Download it at www.joshmadison.com/software/convert/  .

eNews from Telos / Omnia, September, 2002

* Greater Media is the latest purchaser of a Telos Series 2101 Multi-Studio Talkshow System, to integrate telephone in their newly built Detroit studio cluster. Broadcasters with large market clusters find Series 2101 ideal for managing large installations with lots of on-air and production rooms. To learn more, visit www.telos-systems.com/2101/ .

* Telos TWOx12 Talkshow System users: Version 2.02 Software is now available. If your TWOx12 has an Internet connection, simply choose "Software Update" from your System Settings menu. You can also download the installer package from www.telos-systems.com/support/software.htm .

* When technical help is needed, who should you ask first? Telos' Marty Sacks shares his opinion in a Radio World Guest Editorial. Click Here to read the entire article.

>>> Cool Radio Link: If you love old radio gear like we do, you'll love www.amradios.com . This site sells everything from authentic refurbished radios and replicas to modern retro versions. Great photo gallery. "Caution: High voltages in old tube radios can cause harm and/or death."

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eNews from Telos / Omnia, August, 2002

* What do Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly have in common? Even though these two radio conservatives go head-to-head for listeners around the U.S. every day, each one uses Telos Talkshow Systems for the clearest, cleanest caller audio. Visit www.telos-systems.com/2x12/default.htm to find out more about the latest in sophisticated digital talk equipment.

* Now Shipping! Telos ProFiler, the automated program archiving system, is being shipped to clients this week. This versatile software logger lets you store up to four stereo audio streams as time-stamped MP3 files for efficient storage, easy compilation of airchecks and quick sharing via e-mail or FTP. Find out more at www.telos-systems.com/profiler/default.htm .

* Omnia-6fm has just debuted on a well-known Infinity station in San Francisco (sorry, we can't reveal their call letters). Why have so many top-rated stations in major markets switched to Omnia-6? Click here to see what users are saying.

* How much does radio like our TWOx12 Talkshow System? Well, All India Radio liked it so much, they purchased 20 for use at Radio City FM's New Delhi studios. TWOx12's powerful digital signal processing delivers clear, clean caller audio - and connects to POTS or ISDN phone lines for maximum fidelity. Find out more at www.telos-systems.com/TWOx12/default.htm .

* Omnia-6fm owners: Get a Video Tutorial from Frank Foti on setting up your Omnia-6. Click here for a modem-friendly video stream.

* See us at the Show: Telos and Omnia will be showcased in Seattle at the NAB Radio Show, September 12 - 14. Visit the Broadcast Electronics, Broadcaster's General Store and Harris Broadcast booths to see what's new.

>>> Fun Radio Link: There's been a lot of strange audio devices over the years... anyone remember Sony's Elcaset? RCA Nuvistor tubes? Quadraphonic headphones? We recently found a page paying homage to the MacKenzie Repeater, a prehistoric forerunner of today's instant-access playback boxes. Check it out at www.reelradio.com/reports/mackenzi.html . What other odd radio gear do you recall? Let us know.

eNews from Telos / Omnia, July, 2002

* Series 2101 and TWOx12 Users: Version 2.0 software is now available for download! Version 2.0 offers several new features and performance enhancements. Get it for free at www.telos-systems.com/support/default.htm .

* "Telos/Omnia continues to advance the art of processing." That's what Greg Savoldi, Director of Engineering for Clear Channel's Columbus, Ohio region says in his Omnia-6fm User Report for Radio World. Read the whole article by clicking here.

* Telos and Omnia welcome Sound & Vision Pvt. Ltd. as our official representatives for Sri Lanka. Find a complete listing of Telos dealers at  www.telos-systems.com/dealer/default.htm and Omnia dealers by clicking here.

* As broadcasters discuss DAB, audio compression and choice coding algorithms has become a hotly debated topic. Read why we believe MPEG algorithms to be optimal for DAB, as outlined by Telos' Rolf Taylor (and printed in the July 17 issue of Radio World) at www.telos-systems.com/techtalk/compression.htm .

* Omnia-3fm comes to Japan at Radio Hikone FM, a new radio station in Japan's Shiga prefecture. Construction is nearing completion and sign-on is slated for September, 2002. Hikone FM chose Omnia-3fm for its "high quality and cost effectiveness." Find out about the advantages of Omnia-3fm by clicking here.

* ISDN is an incredibly useful broadcast tool... that can sometimes be hard to understand. To help you navigate the ins and outs of ISDN, we've compiled a helpful Telco and ISDN Glossary that defines everything from "AMI" to "X.21". Bookmark www.telos-systems.com/techtalk/isdngl.htm .

>>> Useful Website: www.whatis.com . Information Technology is filled with three-letter acronyms and newly-coined phrases. To find out what a computing-related phrase really means, try this useful site. It'll help you figure out everything from AAUI to ZV Port, and then some.

eNews from Telos / Omnia, June, 2002

* Bonneville's St. Louis cluster has chosen Telos TWOx12 equipped for ISDN service for their new studios. "The audio quality is phenomenal - better than we expected - and a real improvement over POTS lines," according to Marshall Rice, Chief Engineer. "I'm very pleased we went this direction." Read how TWOx12 can improve your phones at www.telos-sytems.com/twox12/default.htm .

* Attending Broadcast Asia? See Telos and Omnia at the Team 108 booth, June 18-21, 2002, at Suntec Singapore Convention Centre. See www.broadcast-asia.com for show details.

* Zephyr Xstream users: are you up to date? Current Zephyr Xstream software is version 2.1.1p . If you haven't upgraded yet, get the free update from www.telos-systems.com/support/default.htm .

* Program syndicator Talk America has installed Telos TWOx12 Talkshow Systems in their newly-completed New Jersey studios. "We’ve had a lot of comments on the improved audio quality," says Assistant Engineer Jerry McDonald. Read more at www.telos-systems.com/news/press/Talk_America.pdf .

* Announcing ProFiler, the automated program archiving system from Telos. Capture your station's programming using industry-standard MP3 technology, annotate it, and play it back on demand. 
Do away with clunky VCR loggers - store weeks worth of audio logs on a single CD-R! Visit www.telos-systems.com/profiler/ for details.

eNews from Telos / Omnia, May, 2002

* Bonneville's St. Louis cluster has chosen Telos TWOx12 equipped for ISDN service for their new studios. "The audio quality is phenomenal - better than we expected - and a real improvement over POTS lines," according to Marshall Rice, Chief Engineer. "I'm very pleased we went this direction." Read how TWOx12 can improve your phones at www.telos-sytems.com/twox12/default.htm .

* Attending Broadcast Asia? See Telos and Omnia at the Team 108 booth, June 18-21, 2002, at Suntec Singapore Convention Centre. See www.broadcast-asia.com for show details.

* Zephyr Xstream users: are you up to date? Current Zephyr Xstream software is version 2.1.1p . If you haven't upgraded yet, get the free update from www.telos-systems.com/support/default.htm .

* Program syndicator Talk America has installed Telos TWOx12 Talkshow Systems in their newly-completed New Jersey studios. "We’ve had a lot of comments on the improved audio quality," says Assistant Engineer Jerry McDonald. Read more at www.telos-systems.com/news/press/Talk_America.pdf .

* Announcing ProFiler, the automated program archiving system from Telos. Capture your station's programming using industry-standard MP3 technology, annotate it, and play it back on demand. 
Do away with clunky VCR loggers - store weeks worth of audio logs on a single CD-R! Visit www.telos-systems.com/profiler/ for details.

* Telos and Omnia welcome DSE Co., Ltd. and Said Bin Saad Trading Est. as our official representatives for Saudia Arabia. Find a complete listing of Telos dealers at  www.telos-systems.com/dealer/default.htm and Omnia dealers by clicking here.

* If you listened to a World Cup broadcast, chances are you heard it transmitted on a Telos Zephyr ISDN Transceiver. Did you know Zephyrs are the world's most-used broadcast codec? Read about the new Zephyr Xstream and Zephyr Xport at www.zephyr.com .

* Omnia-3fm debuts at Japan's Radio FM Hikone! More and more broadcasters around the world are discovering the Omnia Advantage... clean, clear sound and dial-dominating loudness. Find out more about Omnia-3 by clicking here.

eNews from Telos / Omnia, March - April, 2002

* Our new Zephyr Xport POTS codec, introduced at NAB, won TWO major awards: The Radio World Cool Stuff award, and the BE Radio Pick Hit award! Visit www.telos-systems.com/xport/ and find out why everyone who saw it is talking about this major advance in POTS codec technology.

* We had tons of visitors to our NAB booth. If you were one of them, Thank You for coming! If you weren't able to come to NAB, you can catch up on all our new product announcements and demonstrations by visiting our online press room at www.telos-systems.com/news/ .

* Want to see exciting Omnia technology that's on the horizon? NAB visitors were blown away by Omnia-A/X, our new Windows(r)-based audio processing software for Web streaming, audio workstations and computer-based audio editors. Imagine actual Omnia DSP algorithms - running on your PC! Click here to find out more.

* WAY-FM Media Group (www.wayfm.com) based in Nashville Tennessee, has chosen Omnia-4.5fm for their flagship Nashville FM station. Jim Turvaville, Director of Engineering for WAY FM Media Group says "I'm looking to standardize on Omnia processing at all our full power sites. My PD, Doug Hannah, is tickled with the Omnia-4.5." To find out more about the newest member of the Omnia family, click here.

* Milan, Italy's DJ-TV (www.deejay.it) processes their satellite music channel with Omnia-6! To read more about Omnia-6, click this link.

* Zephyr Xstream users can now download the brand-new v.2.0 User's Guide. Manuals, software updates and more are available at www.telos-systems.com/support/ .

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