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Turn channels on after power failure

shaund

shaund

Hi everyone,

Question for you all.
Recently while I was out of town our studio building lost power and we had some dead air until the morning jock came in, which confused me because I'd tested everything I could think of in the past to make sure it would come right back up after power loss. After killing the breakers at our studio at 3am this morning, I found the missing link- the console! Turns out our three automation channels weren't turning back on.

So, my question is- how can I get these three channels to turn back on after a power failure? It's a Auditronics, built circa 1980. I noticed that the power supply has a three "COM" connections (pos, neg, ground)...can I maybe do anything with those?

Thanks for reading,
Shaun
 
I second the UPS. We have large, rack mount APC's in all of our control rooms. They keep everything essential to operation on for the 3-5 seconds it takes for the generator to fire up.

They have ran the studios for up to 10 minutes before. They also have an ethernet module, so you can check health, etc... from your office or home.
 
UPS is the first choice...but for stations too cheap to spring for a UPS (yes, they exist), hard wire the remote "ON" command for the console's automation channel. That's worked for me as well.
 
Thanks for your responses! I was thinking a UPS too-- I found one laying around, but it needs a new battery. I was just thinking there might be some simple solution that everyone besides me knows about...I know I'm not the only one with this issue. I'll just spring for a new battery.

Thanks! Much appreciated.
 
We use the Auditronics 2500 series consoles--the channels can be remotely turned off and on. Of course, you need to leave the faders up!

We use the automation system to turn the channels on and off. Now, the board is on a UPS, and we have a generator, but in the event of some weird failure (some UPsupplies have been known to shut off AC if their circuitry fails--even with main power still on), if the automation is running it will eventually catch up and switch most of the programming back on.

With I-phones, this can also be done remotely.
 
Why not get a Broadcast Tools switcher and when nobody is in the studio, the automation bypasses the board and goes direct to air. I did/do this on all of my installations for two reasons. 1) You don't run into these issues when the power burps in the middle of the night and 2) it makes working on the main studio a lot easier when you can shut the board down.

You can also VNC into the automation computer and control the switcher if need be.
 
Well, we do have a switcher, but it switches audio over to our second studio, where all the automation channels are also available. That's what I use when we have to do work in the studio.

I think having the jocks manually switch the switcher over every time they enter and leave the studio would cause problems...I have a hard enough time getting them to look out the window at the tower lights, haha. I like the idea though.
 
shaund said:
Well, we do have a switcher, but it switches audio over to our second studio, where all the automation channels are also available. That's what I use when we have to do work in the studio.

I think having the jocks manually switch the switcher over every time they enter and leave the studio would cause problems...I have a hard enough time getting them to look out the window at the tower lights, haha. I like the idea though.
Click to expand...

Use a switch with a light in it. I used to work at a facility that had a similar set up. The last operator out enabled the switch and the first one in the next day disabled it. When it was enabled, the switch was lit up. You couldn't miss it.

R
 
Why not just program the automation system to do all the switching? If the live jock leaves at 10pm every night and a the mornings don't start until 6am, set up the automation to switch to the studio.

What system are you currently using for automation?
 
shaund said:
I think having the jocks manually switch the switcher over every time they enter and leave the studio would cause problems...I have a hard enough time getting them to look out the window at the tower lights, haha. I like the idea though.
Click to expand...

Even if they "forgot" you could remote in and switch it if your automation had VNC access.. but as others have suggested.. You could also program a command in the log at the end of their shift to do the same thing.. When I worked at Clear Channel many years ago we always switched automation direct via the switcher by passing the console when no one was in the studios.
 
From Clear Channel to non-comms, that's how I've set it up. Why have the board, a potential point of failure, in the air-chain when you don't have to. Hell, I programmed NexGen to start a coffee maker from a contact closure that in turn, flipped a 120V relay to start a coffee maker for a morning jock at 5:15. It's not rocket science to program a macro or GTL command to switch the studio to the router.
 
All five of our studios have a relay bypass. The automation channels feed the board during live/local operation, but when the jock ends the show, the bypass is switched. The board is then totally free to be used for other purposes, including production.

And there should always be an external switch for the automation channels, like a Broadcast Tools unit. If the automation computer croaks or chokes, the network channel will remain on the air.
 
WNTIRadio said:
From Clear Channel to non-comms, that's how I've set it up. Why have the board, a potential point of failure, in the air-chain when you don't have to. Hell, I programmed NexGen to start a coffee maker from a contact closure that in turn, flipped a 120V relay to start a coffee maker for a morning jock at 5:15. It's not rocket science to program a macro or GTL command to switch the studio to the router.
Click to expand...

If you're concerned about using multiple automation outputs this way, get a switcher that allows you to mix two or more inputs together to the output. I have used the Sine Systems (now Armstrong) ACU1 for this purpose but I believe the newer Broadcast Tools do the same thing. Then just split the automation ouputs to the switcher inputs (Channels 1,2,3 perhaps), put the studio Program output on 4 and put the Production Studio Program Output on 5.

We did this and added our Comrex and Tieline remote units on inputs so we can switch remotes using VNC right from the remote broadcasts.

Most of these switchers use a serial port for control and have closures for tally. Many automation vendors have the command codes already written for the most popular switchers.

It's like having a third "studio" to go to.
 
Most automation systems, if using an ASI or similar sound card, can take the mix of channels 1,2,3 and put it on output 4. I do that in all the installations (AV, NexGen, iMediatouch, Simian) so only one input has to be occupied by the automation.

If your card(s) can't do that, Broadcast tools makes this nifty little unit:

http://www.broadcasttools.com/view_product.php?pid=114
 
I guess my main point (aside from freeing up the studios) was that using an external switcher allows the automation computer to be taken out of service briefly and the network keeps playing. I don't much like the concept of being dependent on a sound card in the computer for the actual audio routing.
 
Most automation systems, if using an ASI or similar sound card, can take the mix of channels 1,2,3 and put it on output 4. I do that in all the installations (AV, NexGen, iMediatouch, Simian) so only one input has to be occupied by the automation.
Click to expand...

To clarify my statement of "input", I meant on the switcher.

Like Bill, I never want the network audio, if there is any, running though a sound card. Too many eggs in one basket.
 
Ok, thanks everyone. I didn't realize that everyone else has one! I'm going to work on getting funds to purchase one. Thanks!
 
WNTI...

I thought of doing that at one point. I decided against it as I took more rooms to AES.

I have 3 channels on each board. One for AvAir playout, one for AvSat Playout, One that is the raw network feed. I have each channel wired to the Audiovault, so I can login and remote control them if needed.

The switchers I use come before the card, but I always have a pot labeled 'Emergency' in each room that can pass the network.

This setup has never failed me (knock on wood), but, I may think about looking at some AES switchers.
 
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