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Monday, March 18, 2024

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Nikon to Acquire Cinema Camera Manufacturer RED

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 09:18:00 -0400

Nikon has announced entry into an agreement to acquire 100% of the outstanding membership interests of RED.com, LLC. According to Nikon, RED will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nikon, pursuant to a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement with Mr. James Jannard, its founder, and Mr. Jarred Land, its current President, subject to the satisfaction of certain closing conditions thereunder.

Since its establishment in 2005, RED has been at the forefront of digital cinema cameras, introducing industry-defining products such as the original RED ONE 4K to the cutting-edge V-RAPTOR [X] with its proprietary RAW compression technology. RED's contributions to the film industry have not only earned it an Academy Award but have also made it the camera of choice for numerous Hollywood productions, celebrated by directors and cinematographers worldwide for its commitment to innovation and image quality optimized for the highest levels of filmmaking and video production.

Nikon said this agreement was reached as a result of the mutual desires of Nikon and RED to meet the customers’ needs and offer exceptional user experiences that exceed expectations, merging the strengths of both companies. Nikon's expertise in product development, exceptional reliability, and know-how in image processing, as well as optical technology and user interface along with RED’s knowledge in cinema cameras, including unique image compression technology and color science, will enable the development of distinctive products in the professional digital cinema camera market promising an exciting future of product development that will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in film and video production.

SMPTE and the IMF User Group Have Joined Forces

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 09:13:00 -0500

SMPTE has joined forces with the Interoperable Master Format (IMF) User Group (UG), a worldwide forum for end-users and implementors of the IMF family of SMPTE Standards.

The IMF User Group was launched in 2016 under the auspices of the Hollywood Professional Association (HPA). HPA Executive Director Phil Kubel notes, “HPA is proud to have been the home of the IMF UG and its important work for the past 9 years. As they take this next natural step, we look forward to seeing the exciting work ahead for the group and our colleagues at SMPTE.”

“We are honored to become the home for the IMF User Group and thankful to our colleagues at HPA for all they’ve done to administer the user group to this point,” says SMPTE Executive Director David Grindle. “Community organizations, like IMF UG, are vital to keeping our standards updated with the feedback from those using the systems.”

IMF is a family of SMPTE Standards (SMPTE ST 2067) that simplifies the storage of all the audio-visual content needed to create different versions for distribution to multiple territories and platforms in one package. The IMF package itself can be used for B2B content exchange between content owners, post facilities, and distribution platforms. IMF is a component of content fulfillment and has enabled the building of simplified delivery and processing systems for versioning. IMF played a role in the transition from tape-based to file-based workflows in television and streaming. It is now the preferred UHD media delivery format for multiple content providers.

The IMF UG brings together content owners, service providers, retailers, and equipment/software vendors to promote the use of IMF. The group hosts member meetings, organizes public events including workshops and plugfests, and publishes best practices. Members have the opportunity to contribute to the long-term roadmap of IMF.

“IMF is a true example of how a standard was developed in one organization, deployed into the industry and then gathered a community of users via the HPA and now SMPTE,” says SMPTE President Renard T. Jenkins. “As a longtime member of the UG and SMPTE, I am excited that the user group and the standards community are coming together to continue its growth and further its development.”

FCC Approves Regulatory Changes for More-Powerful WMAS Systems in U.S.

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 09:03:00 -0500

The Federal Communications Commission has adopted new rules to allow a new, more spectrally efficient wireless microphone technology to operate. Wireless Multi-Channel Audio Systems (WMAS) use spectrum more efficiently than currently available narrowband microphones, meaning more microphones can be used without allocating more airwaves. The rules will permit WMAS to operate on a licensed or unlicensed basis, while preserving the existing spectrum rights of others that share those frequencies.

Wireless microphones, which operate under the FCC’s technical rules for Part 74 low-power auxiliary station devices and Part 15 unlicensed devices, can be found in a variety of settings, including theaters and music venues, TV and film studios, educational institutions, conventions, corporate events, houses of worship, and internet webcasts. The new rules will allow WMAS to operate in the broadcast TV bands and 600 MHz duplex gap on both a licensed and unlicensed basis, and in other Part 74 LPAS frequency bands on a licensed basis.

WMAS will enable more wireless microphones to operate in the spectrum available (i.e., more microphones per megahertz of spectrum), which provides additional options when more microphones are needed. The rules do not alter the existing spectrum rights or expectations regarding spectrum access and availability as it relates to other authorized users that share the frequency bands with wireless microphone operations (including, for example, broadcast licensees, Wi-Fi, and white space device users).

Compared with conventional wireless-microphone systems, WMAS offers higher spectral efficiency — the ability to transmit more audio channels within a limited block of RF spectrum — as well as greater interference protection for other wireless services sharing the same spectrum.

In a statement during the Open Commission Meeting, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel pointed out, “When a new technology comes along with the potential to improve the efficiency of wireless-microphone operations, we’re going to take a second look. That’s why, a few years ago, we issued a rulemaking to explore this new type of technology known as Multichannel Wireless Audio Systems, or WMAS, [which] can significantly improve the efficiency of wireless-microphone operations. … That’s a spectrum win-win.”

FCC Makes AI-Generated Voices in Robocalls Illegal

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 09:06:00 -0500

FCC logoToday the Federal Communications Commission announced the unanimous adoption of a Declaratory Ruling that recognizes calls made with AI-generated voices are “artificial” under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). The ruling, which takes effect immediately, makes voice cloning technology used in common robocall scams targeting consumers illegal. This would give State Attorneys General across the country new tools to go after bad actors behind these nefarious robocalls.

The rise of these types of calls has escalated during the last few years as this technology now has the potential to confuse consumers with misinformation by imitating the voices of celebrities, political candidates, and close family members. While currently State Attorneys Generals can target the outcome of an unwanted AI-voice generated robocall—such as the scam or fraud they are seeking to perpetrate—this action now makes the act of using AI to generate the voice in these robocalls itself illegal, expanding the legal avenues through which state law enforcement agencies can hold these perpetrators accountable under the law.

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act is the primary law the FCC uses to help limit junk calls. It restricts the making of telemarketing calls and the use of automatic telephone dialing systems and artificial or prerecorded voice messages. Under FCC rules, it also requires telemarketers to obtain prior express written consent from consumers before robocalling them. This Declaratory Ruling ensures AI-generated voices in calls are also held to those same standards.

The TCPA gives the FCC civil enforcement authority to fine robocallers. The Commission can also take steps to block calls from telephone carriers facilitating illegal robocalls. In addition, the TCPA allows individual consumers or an organization to bring a lawsuit against robocallers in court. Lastly, State Attorneys General have their own enforcement tools which may be tied to robocall definitions under the TCPA.

FCC Proposes $3.5 Million in Fines on Miami Pirate Radio Operators

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 10:28:00 -0500

The Federal Communications Commission today proposed fines against five Florida-based pirate radio operators under the Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act (PIRATE Act) totaling over $3,500,000. These actions stem from the FCC’s first sweep of the Miami area under the PIRATE Act.

Pirate radio is an unauthorized transmission of radio signals on the frequencies in or adjacent to the FM and AM radio bands. Pirate radio operations pose public safety risks, including causing harmful interference to licensed radio stations which transmit public safety emergency alert messages. Operating a pirate radio station is illegal under the Communications Act of 1934 and subject to the FCC’s enhanced enforcement capabilities enacted by Congress in the PIRATE Act of 2020. Under the PIRATE Act, the FCC can fine pirate radio operators up to (inflation-adjusted amounts of) $119,555 per day and a maximum of $2,391,097.

Today, the Commission proposed the maximum penalty allowable under the PIRATE Act, $2,391,097, against Fabrice Polynice for allegedly operating a pirate radio station known as “Touché Douce” during 22 days in 2023. Polynice is one of the longest operating pirates in the Miami area having previously been issued forfeiture orders in 2013 and 2018. The FCC also proposed fines of $358,665—the maximum penalty for three days of violations in 2023—against three additional pirate radio operators: Brindley Marshall, Wilfrid Salomon, and Cameron Brown. All three individuals have been operating pirate radio stations for years and have received multiple warnings to cease their unauthorized broadcasting. Lastly, the FCC proposed a forfeiture of $120,000 against Abdias Datis for operating a pirate radio station during three days in 2023.

The proposed actions, formally called Notices of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture, or NALs, contain only allegations that advise the parties on how they have apparently violated the law and may set forth proposed monetary penalties. The Commission may not impose greater monetary penalties in these cases than the amount proposed in the NALs. Neither the allegations nor the proposed sanctions in the NALs are final Commission actions. The parties will be given an opportunity to respond, and the Commission will consider the parties’ submissions of evidence and legal arguments before acting further to resolve the matter.

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Daily Tech Term

Active Crossover

Class of electronic filters designed specifically for use in audio applications, especially hi-fi. Commonly used loudspeaker drivers are incapable of covering the entire audio spectrum with acceptable loudness and lack of distortion by themselves. Thus, crossovers serve the purpose of splitting the audio signal into separate frequency bands which can be handled by individual loudspeaker drivers optimized for those bands. A combination of multiple drivers each catering to a different frequency band is the design pattern for most hi-fi speaker systems. An audio crossover may also be constructed mechanically and is commonly found in full-range speakers, portions of whose cones/dust caps/whizzer cones are decoupled at progressively higher frequencies. Another use of crossovers is multiband processing, in which the audio signal is split into bands, which are adjusted (equalized, compressed, echoed, etc) separately. After the adjustments, the individual bands are mixed together again. Some examples are: multiband dynamics (compression, limiting, de-essing), multiband distortion, bass enhancement, high frequency exciters, noise reduction (for example: Dolby A noise reduction

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Weekly Tech Tip

 

The ABCs of Multimeter Safety from Fluke

Where safety is a concern, choosing a multimeter is like choosing a motorcycle helmet, if you have a “ten dollar” head, choose a “ten dollar” helmet. If you value your head, get a quality helmet. The hazards of motorcycle riding are obvious, but what’s the issue with multimeters? As long as you choose a multimeter with a high enough voltage rating, aren’t you safe? Voltage is voltage, isn’t it?

Not exactly. Engineers who analyze multimeter safety often discover that failed units were subjected to a much higher voltage than the user thought he was measuring. There are the occasional accidents when the meter, rated for low voltage (1000 V or less), was used to measure medium voltage, such as 4160 V. Just as common, the knock-out blow had nothing to do with misuse - it was a momentary high-voltage spike or transient that hit the multimeter input without warning.

To protect you against transients, safety must be built into the test equipment. What performance specification should you look for, especially if you know that you could be working on high-energy circuits? The task of defining safety standards for test equipment is addressed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). This organization develops international safety standards for electrical test equipment.

The good folks at Fluke have put together a truly informative and important guide on the subject. It describes in full detail the how's and why's of the subject and how to get the job done and stay safe every time. You can read the entire paper here.

Fluke Scopemeter 2Ch 200MHZ 2.5 GS/s CAT IV Rated Color - Americas

 

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