Pro-Bel, the premier manufacturer of routing switchers, signal processing, master control, automation and control and monitoring technologies, announced that Chicago-based station Weigel Broadcasting has selected and installed Sirius router technology. Kyle Walker, Director of Engineering with Weigel, also purchased the brand new Vaild8 video/audio sync test tool from Pro-Bel’s Vistek range during the upgrade process.
Weigel, a family owned company, operates stations in Chicago, IL, Milwaukee, WI and South Bend, IN. The Chicago operation also controls the South Bend station from a technical standpoint with all the on-air switching processing handled via microwave from the central master control facility.
The Sirius router—central to the operation’s move to digital—is equipped 128 x 128 for video (16 x 16 is HD/SDI, 24 x 24 analog, the rest SDI) and 128 x 128 for audio (88 x 88 AES and the remainder analog). Walker adds, “Because these stations are syndicated, we don’t have to handle live news. We are doing cuts-only switching so we are able to use the output channels of the router under automation control as output channels for master control switching.”
During the station upgrade, complex audio sync issues were discovered. Walker purchased Valid8 to find out where the sync issues were occurring. He says, “Valid8 was a godsend. This thing is excellent. It is well worth the money and I would recommend it to anybody, even in small stations where it can be a ‘set and forget’ situation.”
In terms of the router technology, Walker highlights the clean onboard A/D conversion as a key reason for the purchase as well as the ability to upgrade it in increments of eight inputs or outputs.
Neil Maycock, President Pro-Bel Inc., concludes, “We have worked hard to provide true flexibility across our product range in order to satisfy the needs of stations of all requirements and sizes. We are particularly pleased that the power and cost-effectiveness of the Vistek Product Line is truly being recognized.”
