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What is the best AM processor on a budget?

M

martin-sphinx

Inactive
Inactive User
I may be able to stretch to $2k but really would love something for $1k. What is your recommendation. It doesn't need to be DSP but I would like to remote control it over the internet.

M
 
Omnia ONE AM all the way. You should be able to pick one up for a little over 3k. Sell the coffee pot or some office chairs to help pay for it. You'll thank me later.

I would strongly suggest that you avoid PC-based "solutions".
 
Basically all new competitive processors are going to be using Intel/AMD for DSP now... uninformed opinions against this change are going the way of the buffalo. Look at modern engineering, in each industry where the CPU has been applicable. The biggest losers are the last to adapt. History speaks for itself.

The effects of the massively improved development environment a CPU platform offers is already readily apparent in this industry, and will become even more so very soon. 8)
 
richard.vanderveen said:
amisdead said:
I would strongly suggest that you avoid PC-based "solutions".
Click to expand...
Why? Please explain?
Does this mean one should stay away from PC based automation for example?
Click to expand...

Perhaps this statement is meant to be more of a suggestion of using a solution with its own embedded operating system rather than something that depends on, say the Windows operating system? It would be assumed that a dedicated piece of hardware wit its own operating system has a much greater reliability than something cobbled together with PC-like hardware and operating on an OS which must deal with a vast combination of hardware and software (i.e., drivers) where things are more likely to go wrong.
 
Group,

Digital audio processing has always been done using some form of a microprocessor. DSP chips are really dedicated heavy-lifting processors designed for math intensive functions like we use for audio and video.

In today's marketplace, audio processing is easily done on just about all conventional CPUs. It boils down to your comfort level with the firmware platform. If budget is a consideration, there are options out there that will work.

-Frank Foti
 
Most computers you can find are really not built for the long haul. (Yes, you can buy some exotic gaming machine, but what you get from Dell or HP is not designed to run for five years). I wouldn't want to rely upon them for my station's programming. Besides--buy a computer for $600, then buy a good sound card for $500 then buy the software--just about as much as buying the stand-alone processor.
 
Maybe a used Optimod 9200 would fit the bill? With the latest firmware, the 9200 was finally able to match the 9100's loudness and audio quality (although only in mono).

CRL processors can also provide really kick-a$$ audio on AM, although they require a good bit of tweaking to get the sound just right.
 
My 2c - get a Vorsis VP-8...we have one at our AM and I love the way it sounds. Keeps up with our competition running 9200's very nicely.
 
Bill DeFelice said:
Perhaps this statement is meant to be more of a suggestion of using a solution with its own embedded operating system rather than something that depends on, say the Windows operating system? It would be assumed that a dedicated piece of hardware wit its own operating system has a much greater reliability than something cobbled together with PC-like hardware and operating on an OS which must deal with a vast combination of hardware and software (i.e., drivers) where things are more likely to go wrong.
Click to expand...

Yes, that is exactly what I was suggesting.
 
amisdead said:
Omnia ONE AM all the way. You should be able to pick one up for a little over 3k. Sell the coffee pot or some office chairs to help pay for it. You'll thank me later.
I would strongly suggest that you avoid PC-based "solutions".
Click to expand...

I am thinking AMISDEAD is taking a shot at PC based processors like Breakaway. Dont totally disagree. Audio is our final product we are selling so it has to be good. I like the dedicated box built to serve one purpose, process audio. But another poster makes the valid point that we rely totally on computers to run our automation systems! Thats why I have a hot standby automation computer loaded and ready to go when, not if, the main computer dies! There is another thread regarding the anticipated release of the Breakaway processor in its own box as a standalone unit.

But I will agree with his choice of processors. I waffled back and forth between the Vorsis and Omnia1AM but chose the Omnia. I am very happy with it.
 
"Thats why I have a hot standby automation computer loaded and ready to go when, not if, the main computer dies!"

I'm glad I'm not the only one that has a warm backup in place. In our case, we're automated talk, so I have two computer running 24/7 in different areas of the building. If one croaks, a Broadcast Tools silence sensor kicks after about a minute and a half and swaps the audio over directly to automation computer #2. That way if the console goes down (unlikely), the audio switch gets goofed up somehow (not real likely), or something goofs up on playout of the automation, we have audio pretty quickly on the air. Then the silence sensor hits a closure on the remote control and lets me know what's wrong. Even though our system is highly reliable, it's still a computer and they aren't to be 100 percent trusted. As inexpensive as computers are, I say "why not?".
 
OKC, darn right. I also keeps a backup of each station on the machines for the other stations. That way, when something craps out, it's just a matter of transferring the files back into the "fixed" computer.
 
As a representative of the Department of Redundancy Department, I wholly agree.

-- Doc
 
Good engineering these days is having a way out of your problems by planning ahead. So many good solutions are out there to prevent being off the air for not much real money. Strictly from a technology standpoint, there never has been a cooler time to be in radio. Lots of redundancies that are affordable, automated fixes, and remote admin via smart phones can make a talk station with a staff of nine people (support folks included) sound like NYC if a guy plays the smoke and mirrors right. Music radio with less than three real employees can sound like a staffed real station, yet it's radio in a box. The challenge of keeping radio relevant with modern technology helping out is honestly what I enjoy the most these days.
 
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