Electronic Media 

Published: 06-20-94 





HOW TEST EQUIPMENT CAN IMPROVE YOUR FACILITY



Byline: By Joe Fedele 



 In today's lean and mean business environment, budgeting

manpower in the most efficient manner is not always easy.

 But technology is making the art of repairing and maintaining

our facilities a bit easier by providing us with auto-mated and

semi-automated test gear.

 One thing that really impressed me at this year's National

Association of Broadcasters convention was the flurry of

activity in the test equipment market.

 Manufacturers have long been developing microprocessor-based

test gear that will minimize the amount of time spent making

routine and sometimes tedious measurements. This allows your

staff to concentrate on the real hands-on repairs that require

the personal touch.

 Automated test equipment is nothing new. Sound Technology and

Audio Precision have been making automated audio test equipment

for years.

  And manufacturers such as Magni, Leader, Tektronix and

Videotek have all introduced products in recent years with

comparable automated features.

 Newer gear can continuously monitor studio signals without you

even being in the same room as the equipment being tested.

 Several manufacturers are even offering remote access via

serial digital interface. This way you don't even have to be in

the same state to perform some levels of maintenance in parts of

your facility.

 Automated test equipment can be set up to constantly monitor

and evaluate all video levels throughout your plant.

 Measurements such as video setup, chroma, burst phase, timing

and luminance levels are just some of the many procedures that

can be performed without human intervention.

 And now even videotape machine manufacturers are getting into

the testing arena as well.

 Sony and Panasonic each have their own versions of videotape

recorder monitoring systems that can automati-cally provide the

status of tape machines.

 The systems include a ``red flag'' that warns you when machines

begin to operate out of tolerance.

 I was particularly impressed with Sony's automated Library

Management System diagnostic system.

 That software will access VTRs in remote locations and provide

a constant status report on the machines' operation and working

parameters.

 Another interesting Sony product was a setup panel that will

adjust up to 16 color monitors.

 By mounting the panel on the control room counter top, all your

monitors can be adjusted while you remain  comfortably seated at

your desk.

 This eliminates the need to crouch, stretch, squint or kneel

while making

critical and sometimes very subjective adjustments. Your

technicians will really appreciate that.

 Flexibility such as this will give your technical staff the

freedom to chase real problems while feeling somewhat confident

that ``someone'' is watching thestore.

 Many of the new products can save you money on test equipment

because many of them combine the functions of several pieces of

gear all in one unit.

 So now you've improved your facility's signal quality, reduced

overall manpower needs, cut your capital expenses, and provided

yourself with a substantially more reliable plant.

 There is only one problem. You have to buy this equipment

first.

 You may now be laughing, wondering why I even mention the

obvious. But test equipment is the one item that is always

overlooked and always cut when capital budgets are put together.

 It never ceases to amaze me how station managers, news

directors and production managers can always find money for more

VTRs, paint systems and graphics equipment, but mention the

words ``test gear'' and they all ignore you.

 Keep in mind that one day all those toys will need to be

fixed.