TRANSKRYPCJA 🔗
WEBVTT
1
00:00:02.919 --> 00:00:07.599
This is the RBR TVPR in Focus podcast. Here's your host,
2
00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:12.160
Radio and Television Business Report Editor in Chief Adam R. Jacobson.
3
00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:15.160
Hello, and welcome to the in Focus podcast, which is
4
00:00:15.199 --> 00:00:19.039
presented by dot FM streaming social podcast broadcast. Get a
5
00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:21.679
dot fm domain name by heading over to get dot fm.
6
00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:25.839
Today and today we continue our preview look at the
7
00:00:26.039 --> 00:00:32.119
CES twenty twenty six Mega Conference and Expo in Las Vegas. Yes,
8
00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:37.479
that's the Consumer Electronics Show, and the anticipation, if you will,
9
00:00:38.039 --> 00:00:42.759
from broadcast media is extremely huge. We've heard a little
10
00:00:42.799 --> 00:00:46.679
bit about AI in all of its forms. Now we're
11
00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:49.240
going to hear a little bit about what CEES might
12
00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:54.000
bring from a broadcast technology perspective by having a conversation
13
00:00:54.159 --> 00:00:58.079
with Ray Mickleus. Ray is the vice president of Technology
14
00:00:58.119 --> 00:01:03.240
at Gateshare and he joins us from Quincy, Illinois. CEES
15
00:01:03.479 --> 00:01:07.239
twenty twenty five in the NAB Show are once again
16
00:01:07.480 --> 00:01:12.599
highly anticipated events from broadcast media, which is eagerly looking
17
00:01:12.599 --> 00:01:16.280
at new products to bring greater efficiencies and improved back
18
00:01:16.400 --> 00:01:20.079
end technology to the forefront. We understand that the coming
19
00:01:20.159 --> 00:01:23.000
year we'll see gates Air take a starring role in
20
00:01:23.079 --> 00:01:26.920
servicing FM radio station owners with new products and service needs.
21
00:01:27.040 --> 00:01:29.519
So I'm wondering what in the nutshell where you can
22
00:01:29.560 --> 00:01:32.040
share when it comes to FM and the things that
23
00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:36.079
Gates is working on. In the next twelve months, we.
24
00:01:36.040 --> 00:01:39.560
Have both on the you know, content delivery side, we
25
00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:44.959
have our interplex products as people go to IP delivery,
26
00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:51.040
so we'll be accepting that line out with a bunch
27
00:01:51.079 --> 00:01:56.680
of new boxes with new feature sets. So, you know,
28
00:01:56.959 --> 00:02:01.359
we've been working a couple of years now on replacing
29
00:02:02.079 --> 00:02:09.879
obsolete components. Ever since uh COVID happened. The semiconductor people
30
00:02:09.919 --> 00:02:14.199
are are more than happy to obsolete their device as
31
00:02:14.280 --> 00:02:17.719
much quicker than they had in the past. But in
32
00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:21.360
doing so, you know, we get more processing power. UH.
33
00:02:21.400 --> 00:02:26.240
So we're adding additional feature sets into you know, the
34
00:02:26.280 --> 00:02:32.120
interflex boxes that we have, you know, so all the
35
00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:39.039
different CODECX different standards will be integrating. Maybe like wheat
36
00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:45.400
Net for example from Wheatstone is on our roadmap. We've
37
00:02:45.439 --> 00:02:48.240
come out with you know, ant X Bridge, which is
38
00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:54.479
a new ant X space UH product. We're coming out
39
00:02:55.000 --> 00:02:57.680
with some stort and forward on the interplex so that
40
00:02:59.159 --> 00:03:02.599
particularly with you know the issues with the satellite delivery,
41
00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:07.840
we're building a system whereby you can keep the spot
42
00:03:07.879 --> 00:03:13.919
load and alternative content on our device. If something happens
43
00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:18.599
with connection, it'll actually play from a from a downloaded playlist.
44
00:03:18.759 --> 00:03:23.800
So trying to keep radio stations on air. That was
45
00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:30.520
a customer driven request. And then on the f M side,
46
00:03:31.639 --> 00:03:40.439
we're replacing the controllers and control screens on all our
47
00:03:40.560 --> 00:03:45.159
Fax products. Again it would give us more horse power.
48
00:03:46.120 --> 00:03:49.840
One of the things that customers are asking us is
49
00:03:51.319 --> 00:03:55.879
giving them more network security, and we couldn't do some
50
00:03:55.919 --> 00:04:00.159
of you know, what they're requesting from us with the
51
00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:04.560
processors that we had. So we'll be releasing a whole
52
00:04:04.599 --> 00:04:11.240
new suite of security software updates with our new controllers. So,
53
00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:15.800
you know, trying to meet customer demand, uh, for customers
54
00:04:15.800 --> 00:04:18.319
who are using our radio products for sure.
55
00:04:18.600 --> 00:04:20.959
And I'm sorry you said fast products.
56
00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:25.120
FACTS FACTS is our model family f big S, big A,
57
00:04:25.399 --> 00:04:26.079
big X.
58
00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:28.600
FACTS like a Fax machine and just wanted to make
59
00:04:28.639 --> 00:04:29.399
sure I heard.
60
00:04:29.240 --> 00:04:34.800
You, Frost, and so, you know, just trying to keep
61
00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:40.079
our products modern. In addition, you know, we've completed the
62
00:04:40.199 --> 00:04:47.199
development of our cost effective f M line from fifty
63
00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:48.560
watts to three and.
64
00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:51.879
A half kill a wats. It's the ground up build
65
00:04:52.360 --> 00:04:58.920
new exciter. Uh so those for those who are a
66
00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:01.839
cost contract hire, if you will, we now have an
67
00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:12.000
alternative to provide both domestic and international customers smaller footprint,
68
00:05:12.480 --> 00:05:16.720
higher efficiency. I think we're touching seventy eight.
69
00:05:16.600 --> 00:05:22.920
Percent
Load full transcript
efficiency with our new product line, which is outstanding,
70
00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:29.879
So pretty happy with the results of that and our
71
00:05:29.879 --> 00:05:32.439
final three and a half kill a lot will fill
72
00:05:32.480 --> 00:05:34.439
out the line and that that will be available for
73
00:05:34.519 --> 00:05:36.600
shipment in quarter one.
74
00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:41.079
At CES Gates Air will be enveloped in the ATSC
75
00:05:41.120 --> 00:05:43.959
three point zero story which is still unfolding for broadcast
76
00:05:43.959 --> 00:05:47.839
television now the coming year could see a lot in
77
00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:53.199
terms of eventual sunset of ATSC one point zero that
78
00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:56.240
could truly push the new broadcast TV standard forward in
79
00:05:56.279 --> 00:05:59.759
a big way and do a lot for Gates Air. Now,
80
00:06:00.199 --> 00:06:03.319
the developer and manufacturer standpoint, what can you share with
81
00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:07.480
respect to CEES ATSC and some of the work that
82
00:06:07.519 --> 00:06:09.680
gets here is going to be doing in this space.
83
00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:14.360
Well, you know, we're kind of in the background, right
84
00:06:14.399 --> 00:06:17.720
We have a modulator the supports ATSC three to zero,
85
00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:22.279
and you know we do participate in the Business Advisory
86
00:06:22.319 --> 00:06:26.079
Council to three dot zero, so you know, whatever they
87
00:06:26.079 --> 00:06:29.319
come up with we have to implement in our modulator.
88
00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:37.759
We just finished the the DPS feature, which is an
89
00:06:38.120 --> 00:06:42.399
alternative to GPS. It's carried by the three OUTO signal
90
00:06:43.160 --> 00:06:47.319
and that is being tested by the AKSC three group
91
00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:52.839
and a couple of pilot customers. The big thing we're
92
00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:57.040
working on now is what they call my bow, which
93
00:06:57.079 --> 00:07:03.600
allows much greater bandwidth for within.
94
00:07:03.319 --> 00:07:07.680
The PC, and that's MIMO M I m O.
95
00:07:08.759 --> 00:07:12.600
Yeah, big M big I, big M big O.
96
00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:13.600
Okay, thank you.
97
00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:20.160
It's and it is actively being going to be tested
98
00:07:20.199 --> 00:07:25.519
by the Brazilians in the first half of twenty twenty five.
99
00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:32.360
A highly complex development that we are currently We've done
100
00:07:32.439 --> 00:07:37.160
the software work and it's currently under early testing, so
101
00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:42.240
we want to be ready for the Brazilian opportunity and
102
00:07:42.360 --> 00:07:47.000
MIMO is a requirement. Again. It further enhances the value
103
00:07:47.160 --> 00:07:51.519
of three dot zero in that it carries more bits,
104
00:07:52.639 --> 00:07:57.639
whether it's for you know, allowing the station to sell
105
00:07:57.680 --> 00:08:02.319
off bandwidth or to carry you know, four K material
106
00:08:02.720 --> 00:08:09.120
and or to carry additional programs. For the Brazilian market especially,
107
00:08:09.160 --> 00:08:13.399
it's highly attractive to some of the major broadcasters down there.
108
00:08:14.040 --> 00:08:17.240
Is Gateshare actively involved in discussions with groups such as
109
00:08:17.240 --> 00:08:20.920
the ATSC is working at all with the NAB in
110
00:08:21.040 --> 00:08:25.000
terms of discussions in Washington and what could be happening
111
00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:28.399
at the FCC with a new chairman that could be
112
00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:32.120
more eager to have a firm sunset date for ATSC
113
00:08:32.200 --> 00:08:32.919
one point zero.
114
00:08:33.480 --> 00:08:37.399
Yeah, we do that indirectly. I know that, For example,
115
00:08:38.519 --> 00:08:42.519
we've got a call from their representati asking us, you
116
00:08:42.519 --> 00:08:45.399
know what our view of how many of our transmitters
117
00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:49.759
are running through dot all within the domestic space. We've
118
00:08:49.759 --> 00:08:54.440
shared some data with them, and I believe that those entities,
119
00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:58.480
whether it's NAD or ATSC three, are going to go
120
00:08:58.759 --> 00:09:04.360
to the FCC see if uh they they'll buy into
121
00:09:04.399 --> 00:09:10.159
a sunset that for ATSC one. You know, I think
122
00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:14.480
they're preparing to go in. I don't know how successful
123
00:09:14.559 --> 00:09:18.240
they'll be, but you know, any support they need from us,
124
00:09:18.279 --> 00:09:24.120
we would be more than willing to uh provide. But
125
00:09:24.200 --> 00:09:27.960
I do know that they are planning their plan of
126
00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:33.440
attack if you will to go right. But other than
127
00:09:33.480 --> 00:09:37.919
you know, market uh implementation data. That's that's been the
128
00:09:37.960 --> 00:09:42.679
extent of our our participation in that effort.
129
00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:47.440
One last question for you. Then I'm gonna have to
130
00:09:47.519 --> 00:09:50.559
go because I got a deadline to hit. Okay, Gates
131
00:09:50.600 --> 00:09:54.039
are a care program. It launched in June. It's continuance
132
00:09:54.120 --> 00:09:57.679
roll out. Look, we see the widening gaps and engineering
133
00:09:57.720 --> 00:10:02.240
skill sets because you have retirements, and you have reduction
134
00:10:02.360 --> 00:10:06.519
in force, and you have perhaps a recruitment concern as
135
00:10:06.519 --> 00:10:10.240
well when it comes to certain companies and their desire
136
00:10:10.320 --> 00:10:14.639
to have on prem individuals with this level of knowledge.
137
00:10:14.679 --> 00:10:18.200
So what can you share about the continued development of
138
00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:23.519
this enhanced managed services program because certainly, you know, this
139
00:10:23.679 --> 00:10:27.080
widening gap is something that we perhaps haven't really talked
140
00:10:27.080 --> 00:10:28.919
about as much as we should.
141
00:10:29.679 --> 00:10:35.600
Yeah, so you know, Phase one of our implication was basically,
142
00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:41.200
you know, on site services preventive of maintenance, on site
143
00:10:41.240 --> 00:10:46.759
preventive maintenance engagements. As you know, we have av or
144
00:10:46.840 --> 00:10:50.519
gates there university where we'd run you know, even basic
145
00:10:50.679 --> 00:10:54.879
RF training uh here in Quincy, and we can't take
146
00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:58.960
it on the road. In fact, it's funny we're having
147
00:10:58.960 --> 00:11:02.720
a class Todaybody mentioned that this was the first class
148
00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:06.840
where we actually had some younger people in training.
149
00:11:07.080 --> 00:11:07.799
That's nice.
150
00:11:08.360 --> 00:11:13.919
So our second phase we're about to pilot is we've
151
00:11:13.960 --> 00:11:19.600
developed a network operating center here in Quincy and we'll
152
00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:24.679
be providing twenty four to seven monitoring of you know,
153
00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:26.919
any customer who wants to sign up for the service.
154
00:11:28.039 --> 00:11:31.559
And on top of that, if we do see a problem,
155
00:11:32.679 --> 00:11:38.879
we will dispatch people or and or parts. So based
156
00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:41.679
on you know, monitoring twenty four to seven, we can
157
00:11:41.799 --> 00:11:47.679
more proactively with our resources service some of the RF
158
00:11:47.759 --> 00:11:53.399
plants that our customers want us to. So we're hooking
159
00:11:53.480 --> 00:11:57.440
up our first five customers here early in twenty twenty
160
00:11:57.480 --> 00:12:02.480
five and hope to get a lot of sign ups
161
00:12:02.840 --> 00:12:07.159
through next year. You know, we've built a system whereby
162
00:12:08.039 --> 00:12:11.000
anything that any alarm that comes in, any problem that
163
00:12:11.039 --> 00:12:16.720
our system notices, we actually notify one of our twenty
164
00:12:16.720 --> 00:12:22.600
four to seven resources here and they will be passed
165
00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:27.639
to immediately get an action plan to retro you know,
166
00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:31.519
rectify any of the situation we might encowent. We with that,
167
00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:34.679
I want to thank you, Yes, yeah, no problem.
168
00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:36.960
And with that we want to thank you the listener
169
00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:39.840
for tuning into this radio and television business report in
170
00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:44.159
Focus podcast. It was presented by dot fm, streaming social
171
00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:47.759
podcast or broadcast get a dot fm domain. Ame heading
172
00:12:47.799 --> 00:12:51.039
over to get dot fm today and joining us from Quincy,
173
00:12:51.080 --> 00:12:55.399
Illinois again, Ray Nileus at Gateshair in Boca Raton, Florida.
174
00:12:55.639 --> 00:12:59.159
I'm Adamar Jacobson on behalf of the staff and management
175
00:12:59.240 --> 00:13:03.240
at stream Line Publishing's Radio Inc. Magazine and the Radio
176
00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:07.159
Intelevision Business Report, which you have very merry Christmas, Happy
177
00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:11.759
Honica Mary Kwanza, and a happy all the best for
178
00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:18.240
a very strong and very peaceful and powerful twenty twenty five.
179
00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:19.879
Take care, We'll see you next time.