The answer OP is looking for is literally in... the original publication of the timecode standard: ANSI C98.12-1975, which can be found in the July 1975 issue of Journal of the SMPTE. Indeed. The only thing is, not everyone has access to SMPTE documents... and someone might be forgiven for wonderin...

Master sync / timecode generators like our Evertz 5601MSC use a GPS reference, so not only is the video reference spot on for frequency, the time code is extremely stable. Nevertheless, at any given moment there will be some amount of error between the (drop frame) time code versus real time. The so...

Ouch. Networks are good for that sort of thing. They also like to run animated content when you need to check lip sync (or worse, a show like The View where everyone is talking at once and they never stay on one camera shot for more than a few milliseconds). My most recent heartstopper was with our ...

So, too, in answer to my own question, program distributors who have licenses would be within the Commission’s reach for EAS violations. Indeed: we are ultimately responsible for what goes out from our station, even if it is because of something the network does beyond our control. The most immedia...

The rule is very specific, so that response probably cemented the NAL using the "smartass policy". I'm thinking the timeline didn't help. 10/3/2018: ABC airs false tones (including time zone delay feeds). 10/4/2018: Stations complain to ABC. 10/4/2018, 7:19pm: ABC informs affiliates, "The Network h...

From a television station's perspective, we transmit (i.e., over the air) our program feeds; we also hand off ASI feeds to cable providers directly from the studio, without passing through the transmitter. I would expect that that our direct feeds would fall within the "otherwise sent" category. Jeff

The FCC just dope-slapped ABC to the tune of $395k for last October's broadcast of EAS-like tones during the Kimmel show. ABC's rather feckless response to the original inquiry was that there was a "misunderstanding that the use of the tone was permissible". I would have thought that pretty much any...

I've heard the interim transition model referred to more often as a "lighthouse", and there's a decent article that includes the notion. Unlike the analog-to-ATSC transition, it does not depend on adding any new stations to the market; instead, a handful of stations switch to ATSC 3.0 and add stream...

Our Syracuse hub had about 50% success: our station and two others received and relayed the test flawlessly. In three other markets neither LP send the test, so we had nothing to relay. The interesting thing is that in every instance, we have been receiving RWTs and relaying RMTs with no problem. Th...

This station is using an IP Link to feed their signal to the transmitter with no redundancy. The IP link was tested once earlier in the week, not retested. However corporate installed a new piece of network gear, and you guessed it. The IP stream is complete trash. The station has been publishing a...

<t>To clarify: firmware version 89-34 is a free update that is available now, and addresses issues with how time is handled. Although it is not necessary for the upcoming national test on August 7th, it will be necessary for FCC compliance starting August 12th. Stations really should be installing 8...

There are several manufacturers making IRDs that fit in an OpenGear chassis -- we have a number of Sencore AG4400 and AG5800 series cards, for example -- some are satellite receivers, some are 8VSB receivers, some take ASI feeds. You don't specify what sort of incoming signal you are taking -- if it...

Do you have a TC reader or a scope you can connect to the TC line at the Namedropper end to verify signal presence/quality? We feed ours with timecode and I don't recall having too much trouble with setup, although it has been almost 10 years ago. I will try to remember to look up our setup when I ...

Like RG and Mike, we print the ENDEC activity log every week and add it to that week's transmitter logs. We also have a weekly summary sheet for the operators to note the week's daily tower light observations, verify that outgoing EAS tests actually made air, and so forth -- and there is room to exp...

These folks make some nice made in USA antennas,, UHF and VHF types: https://store.antennasdirect.com/HD-TV-antennas.html We have a number of viewers who have used their antennas quite successfully -- but our market is all UHF. I could be wrong, but I don't recall any of their models extending down...