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Fig. 1: SNMP Manager and Agent Devices

The author is manager of WorldCast Systems Inc. in Miami.

Without question, the introduction of IP network systems into broadcast operations has had a generational impact on our industry.

Audio distribution (both in-house and across the Internet), IBOC/DTV broadcasts and Internet streaming are some of the ways IP networks have become essential in broadcast operations, and ATSC 3.0 is taking networked data on to the actual broadcast signal.

Along with new ways to reach our customers, IP networks offer benefits for engineers, like remote equipment management; reduced time and complexity of studio builds using AoIP; and TeamViewer connections with manufacturer support personnel.

And along with the more familiar interfaces with networked equipment like embedded websites or Telnet links, many networked devices support the Simple Network Management Protocol.

The SNMP standard is a set of rules that defines certain data points, or objects, in a piece of equipment that is connected to an IP network.

The protocol establishes a standard syntax that allows users to query that equipment via the network and receive the real-time values of those data objects. And in certain cases, the user can even change those values using SNMP, which can allow them to control the functions or settings of that equipment.

This article will attempt to explain at least the basics of the SNMP structure and capabilities, and how broadcast technical personnel could benefit by integrating the SNMP protocol into their overall facility control and management systems.

History and Definitions

The Simple Network Management Protocol was developed during the late 1980s as a way to facilitate communications with and control of distant network devices as the internet was burgeoning.

At the time, there were many protocols used to communicate with and control the routers and other network infrastructure. Around 1987, the protocol we know as SNMP was chosen by the market as a unified and efficient way to communicate with the hardware.

The earliest version of SNMP was called V1. Currently, the most commonly used versions are V2c, which added some new commands, and V3, which applies a somewhat more secure process to send the SNMP data back and forth across the network.

SNMP Devices

To clear a semantic point, the terms “Manager” and “Agent” refer specifically to the software modules running in each device that enable and support the transfer of data using SNMP. But for the purposes of this paper, the terms are applied equally to the hardware and software on each end of an SNMP message.

Also keep in mind that the device running the Manager application can also itself be an Agent, managed either by its own internal NMS software or perhaps by another Manager system elsewhere on the network. A Manager will normally send SNMP requests to the Agent on IP Port 161.

Object Identifiers (OIDs)

SNMP is simply a way to retrieve and set data points in a remote system. These data points, called Objects, are defined by the maker of that system, usually at the time of manufacture. The type of data presented by an SNMP object is very flexible — it could be an integer, a floating-point number, even a text/numeric string.

Each Object has a unique identifying number, which is used by the Manager and Agent systems to locate and deliver the requested data to the user. These numbers are called Object Identifiers, or OIDs.

A Manager will use the OID to request data from an Agent, and the Agent, in its response to the request, will include that same number along with its current value.

The OID is also used when the Manager device sends a SET command to change the value of a data point in the Agent, and also on those rare occasions when the Agent device is the one to initiate communications.

Object Identifiers are written with a specific (and rather old) syntax called Abstract Syntax Notation One, or ASN-1. A typical OID might look like this:

1.3.6.1.4.1.186.1.19.2.1.2.4.0

Management Information Bases (MIBs)

Fig. 2: SNMP MIB Structure

When a device with an SNMP Agent is manufactured, the designers will usually organize all of the OIDs for that device into a structured text file, called the Management Information Base, or MIB (see Fig. 2).

The MIB can be viewed as a “menu” that a user of NMS software can use to browse to and identify the OIDs associated with the desired data points in that Agent device. There are many software applications, called MIB Browsers, that will allow a user to examine these files, and most browsers display the MIB as a directory-tree type structure.

There are some exceptions. As we will see, some OIDs cannot be completely defined at the time of manufacture, and some makers of Agent equipment publish only “truncated” MIBs that refer to industry standard files (other MIBs or RFC files) to define their own structure and OIDs. More in a moment.

SNMP Commands

The commands and messages that pass between the Manager and Agent devices can be divided into three categories: Get commands, Set commands and Trap messages.

SET commands are perhaps the simplest. They are messages sent from the Manager device to the Agent, containing the OID for a particular data point, and the desired value to be set for that point.

This is the way a Manager can command the remote device to enable or disable functions or change a value, such as the frequency setting of a transmitter. No matter if the value of that particular object is an integer, a floating-point number, even a text/numeric string; the Set command is used in the same way each time.

The Trap messages also are simple. They are unique in that they are generated autonomously by the Agent and sent to the Manager. As you might guess from this characteristic, they generally are used to alert the Manager (and its users) to abnormal conditions in the Agent device that could negatively impact the performance or stability of the system.

Put simply, they are alarms. High CPU temperature, RF output failure, a hard drive approaching full status — these are examples of some of the conditions for which SNMP Agents might send a Trap message to a Manager.

Since SNMP was designed in the early days of connectivity, minimizing bandwidth usage was a high priority, which is why there is no default automatic acknowledgement for SNMP messages.

However, the critical nature of Trap messages has led many designers of SNMP Agent software to include optional settings that will cause the Agent to resend the Trap message until the Manager replies that the message has been received and understood. It is important to know that this acknowledgement handshake must also be supported by the NMS software. The standard port on which a Manager will “listen” for traps is IP port 162.

The Get command is certainly the most-used in SNMP systems. A Manager will send a Get command containing a specific OID to an Agent, and the Agent will “look up” the current value for that data point. It will then send that value in a message called a GETRESPONSE that also repeats the OID.

All versions of SNMP support these message types, as well as the GETNEXT command. GETNEXT is a command that, when repeated, will cause the Agent to methodically research and deliver data on each and every object that has been defined within its configuration (see Table 1).

Fig. 2: SNMP MIB Structure

In some Agent systems, data is defined in tables — for example, the connection status and speed of each port on a router. For these types of systems, the GETNEXT command is an easy way to retrieve a large number of data points without having to write multiple Get commands, each with the specific OID of a single object in the Agent. When the Agent returns a response to the Manager, the Manager can issue another GETNEXT, which causes the Agent to look up and deliver data on the next OID in its MIB.

An additional Get command, GETBULK, was introduced in SNMP V2c and is also supported by Version 3. The GETBULK command allows an NMS to request from the agent a large portion of a data table with one command. Again, this is done to minimize the need to send Get commands for each data point and so minimize the demands on programmers and network bandwidth.

The GETNEXT and GETBULK commands are used primarily for SNMP analysis and design by human operators, they have little to no use in a 24/7 monitoring system.

For each Get command received from a Manager system, the Agent device will return a GETRESPONSE. Or in cases where the structure of the Get command is improper, the Agent might return an error message.

There are several other types of SNMP messages that were defined in the V2c and V3 standards, including Inform, Notification and Report.

Inform is the mechanism by which an NMS can acknowledge SNMP Traps sent by an Agent. A Notification is a variation on the SNMP Trap message, created to share the same data structure as the Get and Set commands (the original TRAP messages as defined in V1 had a different structure). And the Report message is designed to allow different NMS systems on a network to communicate easily with one another about the status of the devices and network segments each is monitoring. Inform V2c messages are the most common alarm messages used today, and although they don’t have the same data structure of the original V1 alarm messages, they are still commonly called Traps.

SNMP Transport and Packet Structure (or “Down in the Weeds”)

SNMP communications can be carried out via a number of different transport protocols, but typically employ the User Datagram Protocol, or UDP, a simplex protocol with no built-in confirmation of messages traveling in either direction.

UDP is a transport protocol, operating in Layer 4 of the OSI model. SNMP itself operates in the Application Layer 7. UDP allows systems to communicate with each other without having to first establish communications ports and protocols.

Since an SNMP message (particularly the GETRESPONSE) can contain different amounts of data, they cannot be a fixed length. Instead, the data are defined as variable bindings.

An SNMP message packet follows the basic encoding rules, and the data contained in the variable bindings can be divided into three parts: type, length and data.

Fig. 3: Two Illustrations of SNMP Packet Structure (Click here to enlarge)

Type is a single byte that specifies the type of data being transported — octet, integer, string, etc. Length delineates the size or amount of data, in bytes; and Data is of course the data itself. It is noteworthy that the data can span multiple bytes (see Fig. 3). In such cases, the highest order bit is used as a flag to indicate that the data is being spread into two or more bytes, and only the lower 7 bits are actual data.

A message in SNMP will contain three elements — the SNMP version being used (V1, V2c or V3), the Community string, (or username and password for V3 messages) and finally the SNMP function itself — be it a Set request, a Get Response, TRAP, etc. This central part of the message is called the Protocol Data Unit, or PDU. The Community string is like a password that must be used to retrieve or set data points using SNMP (from V2c on).

This is absolutely no guarantee of security, as the strings are sent using open text on the network, so it would be comically easy for someone to intercept and read that information. SNMP Version 3 offers some more robust security, with data encryption and stronger passwords.

Practical Aspects of SNMP Management

Understanding an OID

When we look at an OID, we’re really seeing an address — a way to navigate through a MIB tree until we arrive at the specific data point in which we are interested. But the OID starts from a much broader viewpoint. To understand this perspective, we should examine the meaning of each of the numbers in a typical OID, for example:

1.3.6.1.4.1.186.1.19.2.1.2.4.0

The first six numbers in the OID will be the same for most OIDs in nearly every commonly encountered object. They are intended to allow traceability of the OID, as follows:

1 – Identifies the International Standards Organization, or ISO
3 – Specifies that this OID belongs to an ISO recognized organization
6 – Indicates the Department of Defense, creator of the Internet
1 – Confirms that this is an Internet OID
4 – Shows that this OID belongs to a private organization
1 – Tells us that this organization is a business enterprise

The next number identifies the manufacturer of the equipment to which this OID refers. In this instance, the 186 refers to Toshiba; this OID comes from a Toshiba UPS power system (see Fig. 4).

Fig. 4: MIB Tree for Toshiba UPS

After the manufacturer number, the remaining numbers delineate a path down the manufacturer’s MIB tree for that device. Each branch of that tree has a number assigned to it and by following the numbers down the MIB we come to the object specified by this OID.

After the manufacturer number 186, the 1 says it belongs to a piece of Toshiba equipment, the 19 indicates a Toshiba UPS system, the 2 specifies the Toshiba Industrial line of said systems, and the 1 identifies the particular software. This same software (and thus the same MIB) could be in use on any number of different models.

The SNMP name of the data object is upsEstimatedChargeRemaining, and from the description in the MIB browser we can see that it is an Integer type data point, from 0 to 100. In raw text form, the OID definition in the MIB would look like this:

upsEstimatedChargeRemaining OBJECT-TYPE
SYNTAX INTEGER(0..100)
UNITS “percentage”
ACCESS read-only
STATUS mandatory
DESCRIPTION
“An estimate of the charge to battery charge depletion
under the present load conditions if the utility power
is off and remains off, or if it were to be lost and
remain off”
::= { upsBattery 4 }

Note that the full OID is not present in the MIB file, only upsBattery 4. This is an example of a “Truncated” MIB. Truncating is used by manufacturers to avoid having to write complete OID numbers for each data point in the equipment with the associated costs in man hours and possible errors. So the OID is defined by naming the “branch” of the MIB that contains this data point, plus an integer to define the specific data point in that branch.

Imports

By examining the beginning of the Toshiba MIB, we can see that a number of “imports” are described:

DisplayString, TimeStamp, TimeInterval, TestAndIncr, AutonomousType
FROM SNMPv2-TC
enterprises
FROM RFC1155-SMI
OBJECT-TYPE
FROM RFC-1212
TRAP-TYPE
FROM RFC-1215;

SNMPv2-TC, RFC1155-SMI, RFC-1212 and RFC-1215 are “standard” of “community” MIBs published by the IETP and ISO that organize basic structural elements and methods such as data types, table structures, definitions, etc. By incorporating these standard files into their own MIB structures, manufacturers help ensure compliance with the standards while also saving themselves from having to write the full syntax of each OID in the MIB files for their equipment. As long as your browser or NMS software can import and integrate these standard MIBs, it should remain relatively easy to locate and use the OIDs you need.

An example of an OID from a different MIB (this one from an APT Horizon audio codec), looks like this:

1.3.6.1.4.1.22425.2.1.4
alarmTrap NOTIFICATION-TYPE
OBJECTS { sequenceNo, name, status }
STATUS current
DESCRIPTION
“This trap is sent when an alarm is either
set or cleared on the unit. The variable
bindings which are sent are:-
Sequence No
Alarm Name
Status of alarm.”
::= { horizonalarm 4 }

Note that while this MIB uses a truncated OID, the designers have included the full OID as a comment line before the object description, preceded by the double dash –. This convention helps make the MIB more legible to the human readers.

Regardless of structure, the MIB file serves only to indicate the correct OIDs for each data point. An address book, or map, if you like. If there is another way to obtain accurate OIDs, the MIB file itself may be unnecessary.

Special Cases

In many instances, the OIDs for a particular system can be defined and the MIB file published at the time of manufacture.

There are notable exceptions to this rule, such as systems where data objects can be created by the user after the equipment is delivered. One example group are facility control systems, where inputs, controls and analog information can all be integrated, polled and controlled by remote equipment using SNMP. Since the inputs and controls are sometimes software based, they can be created and altered as needed by the user, so their OIDs cannot be completely defined when the equipment is built.

For these types of data objects, two things are defined, the first being a “base” OID, which identifies a class of object (say a reading from an analog voltage input) in the software. Second, a table is built into that definition in the MIB that will allow something called an Index value to be appended to the base OID. Together, the base + Index value can identify a specific object in the Agent, even one that was created only moments ago.

As an example, here is the “base” definition of a user created button in WorldCast Systems’ Scripteasy software:

1.3.6.1.4.1.5299.15.42.1.10.3.4.1.3 : scripteasyActionsState
scripteasyActionsState OBJECT-TYPE
SYNTAX INTEGER
ACCESS read-write
STATUS mandatory
DESCRIPTION
“No description”
::= { scripteasyActionsEntry 3 }

Just above that definition of the base OID, the MIB file defines the Index table:

1.3.6.1.4.1.5299.15.42.1.10.3.4.1.1 : scripteasyActionsidScriptObject
scripteasyActionsidScriptObject OBJECT-TYPE
SYNTAX INTEGER (0..2147483647)
ACCESS read-only
STATUS mandatory
DESCRIPTION
“Scripteasy action button identifier”
::= { scripteasyActionsEntry 1 }

As each button is created in the software, a specific Index number is assigned to it and made visible to the user. So while the base OID for ‘a’ button in the software would look like this:

1.3.6.1.4.1.5299.15.42.1.10.3.4.1.3

The OID for a specific button would append the index value at the end:

1.3.6.1.4.1.5299.15.42.1.10.3.4.1.3.361

Integrating SNMP Management With Other Inputs

When we begin to formulate a plan to incorporate SNMP monitoring and control within a broadcast facility, we must remember that this protocol comes from the world of computers and IT, and thus we must be able to correctly interpret the information before we can use it.

In most cases, the object description in the MIB will give some indication. In other instances, a user might have to perform multiple Get commands and look at the raw values in order to understand the results. And depending on the data returned, it is sometimes necessary to perform some mathematical operation in order to provide data that can be easily interpreted by the users of the system.

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There are also hurdles on the path to integrating SNMP monitoring alongside more traditional broadcast facility control connections (GPIO, etc.). NMS systems do not normally have any capabilities for connecting with physical analog and status inputs, nor do they generally have any kind of relay outputs or control functions outside the SET command. For broadcast operations, users expect these functions plus robust monitoring and alerting, and even the capability to preform automatic actions based on the information received. Fortunately, there are several solutions on the market that can “bridge” the functions of an SNMP Manager with the more traditional capabilities of a facility control system so the users can monitor and control the entire length and breadth of their operations.

Summary and Conclusion

Just as IBOC, ATSC, AES and basic IP structure and languages were once little understood by broadcast engineers, there is growing recognition of SNMP as a useful tool. More and more manufacturers of transmitters and other broadcast equipment are including support for SNMP operations within their systems, and that is a trend that is not likely to change soon.

It is a powerful option, since it expands the user’s capabilities in two important ways. First, SNMP provides the ability to control and monitor more different types of equipment. Since SNMP is a standardized system, not only broadcast gear, but IT devices such as routers, servers, printers, etc. can be incorporated into the overall facility control plan. And second, the concept that the equipment being monitored can be remotely located from the facility control device, whatever it may be. This allows great possibilities for inter-site communications and being able to monitor a large network of sites and equipment that may be spread over great distances. With SNMP, anything you can reach over a network connection can be controlled.

With a proven record of easing engineering workloads and reducing downtime for broadcasters, anyone with responsibilities that involve IP networks should consider the Simple Network Management Protocol as a part of their facility monitoring and control toolkit.

The post Using the SNMP Protocol in Broadcast Monitoring appeared first on Radio World.

Scott Burnell lives in a world of application software. He is all about the apps.

The global Head of the Ford Developer Program is one of the key thinkers behind Ford’s SYNC dashboard communications, navigation and entertainment ecosystem, now in its fourth generation.

SYNC 4, available beginning in 2021 Ford vehicles like the F-150 and Bronco, allows a radio station app on a consumer’s smartphone to connect over Bluetooth and control audio sources and dashboard infotainment with cloud-based connectivity and voice recognition.

The onboard communications center is smart enough to learn tendencies and listening patterns in order to provide suggestions to a driver based on their listening profile.

SYNC-enabled station apps can read data such as RDS, signal strength and audio source, even while running in the background on a mobile device. When granted permission, these apps can even control a vehicle’s radio tuner, completing tasks such as switching from HD-1 to HD-2 and other multicast channels in HD Radio, or performing automatic switching from the OTA signal to stream as a vehicle drives out of the reception area.

SYNC was released in 2007, the same year as the first iPhone, and is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It allows for integration of Alexa Auto and navigation apps such as Waze along with automatic software updates over Wi-Fi.

Burnell created and launched the Ford Developer Program, which the company says is considered the first mobile application developer ecosystem in the automotive industry. In addition, he managed the creation of the SmartDeviceLink (SDL) open source connectivity platform that also has been adopted by Toyota, Mazda, Subaru, PSA and additional OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers.

According to Burnell, “I can’t write a lick of code, but I do throw out ideas to the innovators about a vision of what could be. I say, ‘Here are the tools. What can you do with it?’”

Burnell is skeptical about whether radio broadcasters have done enough to remain a dominant presence in the dash of next-gen vehicles. His message to radio station owners is: “You have to be able to deliver content the way consumers want to receive it and consume it.”

Radio World asked Burnell for an update on his views about broadcast radio’s future in the connected car and the pace of dashboard technological change.

Radio World: How do mobile apps of radio stations connect to SYNC 4?

Scott Burnell: AppLink is a feature of SYNC that allows the mobile app to connect over Bluetooth and communicate with SYNC. In-vehicle app integration requires the AppLink code to be integrated into a specific application. And then that application can register in the vehicle.

In the United States, iHeartRadio has been a longtime partner with their app and always willing to try out new features. We’ve worked with JacApps often. They did the first multi-station group launch with Greater Media (later acquired by Beasley) stations. In Europe, Radioplayer brings broadcast apps into the car.

RW: And every radio station with a smartphone app can enable it to work in SYNC 4 if they want to? 

Burnell: This is part of my personal frustration with the broadcast industry. Ford is offering individual stations the ability to have their app appear in the dashboard literally right next to the very entities they fear and worry about the most, satellite and streaming services, and they don’t take advantage of this opportunity.

RW: Consumer demand for entertainment options in the dash continues to expand along with the technology. How does Ford prioritize what goes in the dash and how it will appear?

Burnell: In the solution that we built, we do not have to decide. We are agnostic to what someone wants to listen to and how they want to listen to it.

There are features that we build. We do all the safety features, like lane keeping and cruise control. But when it comes down to the entertainment, having the open developer program and allowing any developer to work in that space, as long as it’s appropriate and they fit the criteria, then it’s the market that will decide.

So any radio station that wants to build an app to work in a Ford vehicle can, if it has our code in it. Then if a person hops in a Ford vehicle, the app just automatically works. So the market will choose if radio stations want to compete against a Pandora or Spotify in the vehicle.

Same thing with weather apps. We don’t say AccuWeather is the only way you can get weather in the vehicle. No, Weather Channel can be in there. Weather Bug or Weather Underground. It will all work in there. Whatever you use in your daily life, we want to allow you to bring your habits with you into the vehicle.

RW: You told us back in 2016 that broadcast radio had some advantages over music streaming services. That’s five years ago now. Is that still the case?

Burnell: I do, and let me clarify. Radio and the content that it delivers still have the exact same advantages. And by the advantages, I mean it is local. There is that local content and the human element. The jocks, the morning show folks and the sportscasters.

You look at all of those cool local and human elements, and they are missing from Pandora and Spotify. And then when you look at how to deliver that content. Broadcasters must deliver it in the way that people are consuming it. It doesn’t matter if you are delivering audio through the phone, tablet or over IP in the car. You have to be in all of those places.

RW: Radio broadcasters seem excited about hybrid radio, which allows for a radio tuner to switch from radio signal to an IP stream once it is out of listening range. Ford allows for that scenario?

Burnell: Yes. And it’s part of what I evangelize for mobile apps. Radio broadcasters need to adopt the technology that users engage with. If you are an AM broadcaster, good luck. There are not many kids running around with an AM tuner in their pocket. It’s part of the evolution.

So we do allow for audio switching if you are using a station app in the vehicle. The app can do it automatically so you don’t have to think “Oh now I need to switch to the stream to keep listening.”

RW: Speaking of AM. Now that the FCC has authorized AM radio stations to transition to an all-digital signal on a voluntary basis, what do you see as the future for AM in the car?

Burnell: I don’t have an official Ford opinion. Again, we always say we are agnostic to what people want to listen to and how they listen to it. But I know we would ask ourselves if that all-digital AM tuner kicks up the price for that piece of hardware in a new vehicle. We do think about those things all the time. AM radio really isn’t at the top of the list when people list reasons they are interested in a vehicle.

RW: During your appearance on Jacobs Media’s CES 2021 Virtual Tour earlier this year, you mentioned interactive advertising. How does that work with a radio station’s app?

Burnell: It’s all part of the development process and is an innovation idea at this point, but it could be a huge benefit. So a radio station app on a smartphone knows which station the tuner in the car is on. It can use GPS from the vehicle. Using some additional pieces of data in the car there are a lot of resources.

So if a radio station app on a phone and running, it’s connected to the head unit via Bluetooth.  The radio app knows the tuner is tuned to your radio station. It knows the ad order, so as the Burger King ad airs the app can send a notification of a special offer at Burger King to display on the SYNC 4 screen.

RW: You work in a technology space that demands constant innovation. How does that add to the complexities of your job at Ford?

Burnell: Well, I work in the automotive industry, which is extremely slow. The balance to all that is it is a three- to five-year turnaround to engineer a new vehicle or body styling change.

I’m working now on the next generation of SYNC, and in fact we just announced that Ford vehicles will be running Android as the operating system beginning in 2023; I’ve been working on that since February of 2020.

[Editor’s note: Once the Android integration occurs, consumers will be introduced to embedded Android apps running in the vehicle and will still be able to connect to SYNC through an Android smartphone for apps running on Android Auto. Ford’s new system will still be compatible with Apple CarPlay via a smartphone with Bluetooth.]

RW: And voice control in the car will be even more advanced with each generation of technology?

Burnell: Voice is a far better implementation than reaching and touching a screen and looking away from the road. We have done some integration with Alexa and will going forward with Google Assistant now that we are going to implement the Android operating system.

RW: Sounds like the autonomous vehicle will be the ultimate game-changer in terms of entertainment possibilities in the car?

Burnell: The trajectory is that the vehicle will become more like a living room with entertainment options. That is where it’s going. And with a lot of multitasking going on. There will be traditional media consumption going on but it will also have some unique capabilities. Like context-aware content.

And the whole passenger economy will further diversify and expand media usage in the vehicle.

RW: Is Ford banking on a more smartphone-like in-car experience for its customers?

Burnell: People want to bring what they are doing outside the car to the inside of the car. As they build these habits people don’t typically seek out different media options. People don’t seek out the radio in the car necessarily because they are not listening to radio outside the car.

Infinite Dial studies from Edison show the number of radios in American households dropping quickly. It’s a lot of smart speakers and smartphones now.

That’s the shot across the bow of radio broadcasters. (Broadcasters) say, “Wait, but we have been in cars for 100 years.” And that’s true, but the people buying cars right now don’t care about that. These are the people who watch Netflix on any device they want. They really don’t watch regular TV. They listen to music on Spotify on multiple devices and they don’t listen to the radio.

If consumers don’t build the habit of listening to the radio outside the car, they won’t develop the habit of listening to radio inside the car.

RW: So could Ford someday no longer include a conventional radio receiver in cars if demand for them drops?    

Burnell: I don’t work on the tuner side so I have no idea if that would ever happen. But if you think about it, every automaker and any technology or hardware provider is looking at the cost of installing every little piece that goes into a product, right down to every washer in a car.

We already have modems in the car and they are not going away because they are simply so important for the autonomous vehicle. If we have technology and hardware that can bring in an IP stream over cellular through a modem, and we have hardware bringing a FM radio signal through broadcast and they are doing essentially the same thing, which direction do you think car companies will evolve to? So (for broadcasters) to say they are just going to broadcast and it’s going to be a tuner in the car is shortsighted.

 

The post Burnell Is at the Center of Ford Dashboard Development appeared first on Radio World.

Tim Neese is president of MultiTech Consulting Inc., a multi-faceted broadcast technology consulting and contracting firm.

This article appeared in Radio World’s “Trends in Codecs and STLs for 2020” ebook.

Radio World: What’s the most important trend in the design and performance of codecs for remotes or STL?
Tim Neese: Most codec manufacturers are incorporating and continuously improving stream redundancy and error correction techniques that allow for significantly more robust connections.  These techniques allow codec users to take advantage of readily available transport methods and the public internet to make reliable connections for both remote program contribution and studio to transmitter links.

RW: How are today’s technologies solving problems in creative ways?
Neese: One of the most common issues is studio and transmitter sites that are unable to be linked via traditional RF point-to-point methods. This, combined with the ongoing sunsetting of the telco ISDN and T1 infrastructure, has propelled connection of these sites via the public internet to commonplace.

Today’s codecs and encoding algorithms have proven to be more than up to the task of making those connections viable and reliable.

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RW: What role are codecs playing in this new world of at-home broadcasting?
Neese: In the new world of broadcasting where, for some, every live segment is what was once considered a “remote” broadcast, the codec has become as essential as a microphone or pair of headphones. For many broadcasters, codecs are the “magic” device that has allowed them to continue normal programming in a completely remote fashion.

RW: How many ways are there of making connections? 
Neese: The number of connection transport methods has decreased in recent years.

Not long ago, it was possible to purchase codecs that could connect via POTS, cellular, ISDN, T1 and Ethernet. In some cases, all of these connections were available via a single codec.

As telcos have begun to phase out ISDN, T1 and traditional POTS circuits in favor of newer transport technologies, codec manufacturers have focused on these technologies as well.

While the traditional connection choices have decreased, newer technology connections have become available in more locations, via more methods and at lower cost than ever before.

For instance, data connectivity via mobile phones and devices is now as common as patch panels in facilities once were. Numerous codecs are able to leverage that connectivity via either a physical or wireless connection with the device or as a software application that runs on the device itself.

RW: What would you like manufacturers of these technologies to add or offer in future?
Neese: I would like to see more manufacturers include advanced security tools and options like firewalls, integrated VPNs and secure web configuration services within their codecs. That, I believe, would allow for more secure codec deployment via direct connection to public networks and provide even greater deployment flexibility for broadcasters.

 

The post Codecs Make More Robust Connections appeared first on Radio World.

Low-power TV stations in the United States must terminate analog TV operations by July 13. And that story has a radio twist.

Barring further FCC action, the date is expected to bring the end of FM6 stations — those television operators that use their audio frequencies below the FM band to create what are essentially radio stations, branded as such and audible to FM listeners.

These typically operate in large markets where FM spectrum is scarce. When they cropped up, Radio World and others humorously nicknamed these entities “Franken FMs” for the way their operators had stitched together TV and radio services to create something unintended by the Federal Communications Commission. Some proponents consider the term derogatory.

The FCC does have an open rulemaking proceeding about whether to allow operation of analog radio services by digital LPTVs as ancillary or supplementary services.

The LPTV Spectrum Rights Coalition wants the FCC to allow a dual digital LPTV and analog audio signal. Some broadcasters oppose that. [Read: “FCC Weighs the Future of FM6 Stations”]

As of now the commission has not issued a ruling, and we don’t know if it will. If it does not, the stations are presumably doomed.

This past week the Media Bureau reminded LPTV and translator stations that their digital transition date is approaching. By 11:59 p.m. local time on July 13, they must terminate analog television operations regardless of whether their digital facilities are operational.

“Stations that have not yet constructed a digital facility must cease analog television operations no later than July 13, 2021, and remain silent until construction is completed. If a station goes silent prior to completing construction of its digital facility, it may file a request for silent authority.”

The commission said that LPTV/translator stations that experience delays in completing digital facilities can seek a final extension of their digital construction permits, of up to 180 days, to be filed by March 15; but those stations must turn off their analog by July 13 regardless.

The post Goodbye, Frankens? TV deadline approaches appeared first on Radio World.

BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) has a new Vice President of Creative for its Latin arm.

Jesus Gonzalez will join the company as will oversee BMI’s Latin Creative team helping to sign and develop new talent, assist BMI’s family of songwriters and publishers and serve as a liaison between the Latin music community and the industry at large.

Based out of BMI’s Los Angeles office, Gonzalez reports to BMI SVP/Creative Alex Flores.

“Throughout his career, Jesus has forged strong relationships within the Latin music community as a songwriter and a music executive,”  Flores said. “His background gives him a deep understanding for both the artistic and business side of what we do, which is invaluable to our music creators, and his ability to forecast industry trends within the ever-growing Latin music space is second to none. I look forward to working with Jesus on developing new talent and supporting our incredible roster of Latin songwriters, producers, composers and music publishers.”

Prior to joining BMI, Gonzalez spent nearly seven years at Universal Music Group, where he was most recently SVP/Brands & Partnerships.

In that role, he spearheaded major collaborations between top Latin artists and global Fortune 500 companies, developed marketing plans around releases to amplify those partnerships and forecasted industry trends. During his tenure at Universal, he helped secure deals for internationally acclaimed performing songwriters, including J Balvin, Juanes and Luis Fonsi, with top brands such as Anheuser-Busch, Pepsi and Mastercard, to name a few.

Other roles include a stint as Vice President of Music Partnerships working with Rogers & Cowan, FRUKT and Octagon under the Interpublic umbrella, and he was the Principal partner at Maleco Music, a music and brand consulting agency.

As a songwriter, he is a voting member of the Recording Academy for the GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY Awards, and was a mentor for the 2020 Adweek Executive Mentor Program. Gonzalez received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Riverside.

“Spurious Emissions.”

It’s something the FCC takes seriously, and will issue a Notice Of Violation for any offense. This week, two notices in one day were issued, and as Wilkinson Barker Knauer attorney David Oxenford notes, both involve low-power radio stations.

It shows that even micro FMs are subject to policing.

Specifically, Oxenford says an FCC Field Office cited Low Power FM operators for using transmission systems that, in addition to transmitting signals on their authorized channels, were also emitting signals on other channels that posed the potential for interference with other users on those other frequencies – sometimes not even broadcast frequencies.

In one case, the FCC noted that it was the FAA that reported the interference.

“All broadcast transmissions have the potential for these spurious emissions on channels other than the ones for which a station is authorized, especially if a station is near other stations as frequencies can interact to produce these unintended emissions,” Oxenford says. “When constructing and operating any broadcast station, care should be given to ensure that these off-channel emissions are not of a signal strength beyond that permitted by the FCC rules as interference can occur and the FCC can potentially impose fines.”

Neither of these NOVs proposes a fine.

Rather, each asks for a response from the operator of the LPFM station and reserves the right to impose a fine depending on the response and any corrective action that is taken, Oxenford says.

It should be noted that the Commission rarely publishes these “routine” NOVs in its Daily Digest. But, it did so with these two notices.

“This publication may be meant as a warning to all stations to ensure that their transmissions are within the permitted limits to avoid any enforcement action, so consider yourself warned!” Oxenford concludes.

A digital low-power TV station serving Florida’s state capital and a sibling LPTV facility located in Auburn, Ala., are being spun.

It’s a Game Day decision. Really. That’s the name of the seller in this transaction.

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RBR+TVBR OBSERVATION

You never know where one can find the freshest ideas that can truly spark a radio station, making it vitally important — and fun — for its listeners.

One successful FM serving Canada’s biggest market has one that every AC, Classic Hits or Rhythmic “Old School” station should consider. Now.

Why? It demands appointment listening, audience engagement and involves something simply gratifying. When’s the last time one of your stations did that?

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In July 2015, a collection of 9 AMs, an FM and an FM translator were sold by what was left of the former Davidson Media Group. The buyer? A licensee controlled by Mark Janbakhsh.

He’s now in divestment mode, and has signed off on the sale of one of those AMs acquired nearly six years ago.

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As RBR+TVBR first reported on February 18, Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) not only completed its recapitalization effort and closed its previously announced offering of notes due 2026, but settled a court battle regarding its Series B Preferred Stock.

Further details regarding the company’s agreements with Series B shareholders are now known.

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