News from the Convention

NAB Announces 2008 Marconi Radio Awards Finalists
Washington, DC - Jul 14, 2008 - The NAB has announced the finalists for the NAB Marconi Radio Awards, which honor radio stations and on-air personalities for excellence in broadcasting. The winners will be announced Sept. 18 at the NAB Marconi Radio Awards Dinner and Show held during The NAB Radio Show at the Austin Convention Center.

The finalists are:

The NAB Marconi Radio Awards were established in 1989 and named after inventor and Nobel Prize winner Guglielmo Marconi.

Exhibitor Extra

AEQ Phoenix Studio, Phoenix Mobile
POTS codecs
Booth 521
Phoenix Studio is an IP audio codec, in a single 1U rack-mountable case, with stereo analog and digital inputs and outputs and universal power supply. Phoenix Mobile is an IP audio codec for portable use, with a digital mixer with four analog inputs, internal LI-ION battery, protective cover and 12Vdc power supply/charger. Both units have two slots for inserting optional communication modules: POTS, ISDN, X21, V35 and GSM. In addition to the main program and return, they can simultaneously provide a backup channel utilizing the optional communication modules. They have been designed to ensure interoperability with both present and future AEQ and third-party equipment. Therefore they are equipped with a great variety of encoding formats and can be upgraded to other formats as the market matures.

Continental Electronics 800Exp
Embedded exporter
Booth 501
Continental Electronics' 800Exp Embedded Exporter is a Next Generation, HD Radio exporter based on Embedded DSP Technology which translates into a more accurate and reliable HD Radio broadcast experience. Enclosed in a single rack unit box is all of the technology required to develop and manage complex HD signals. Control and monitoring is accessed through a standard Web browser and, since there is no hard drive or OS, system start-up is incredibly fast and stable. Continental’s 800EXP is compatible with IP based STL systems, both Aunidirectional or bidirectional, is field upgradable through its Web browser interface, and offers uncompromised reliability when paired with a Continental 802EX FM Digital Exciter using Continental’s dedicated Exporter to Exgine network processor.

Enco Systems RAMA
Stand-alone metadata appliance
Booth 412
RAMA meets metadata distribution needs in a small box. The completely solid-state disk-less hardware is noise-free and measures 7”×2”×41/2”. Configuration and control are done through an easy-to-use browser interface. With two network connections it bridges the gap between the outside world and an automation network. Padapult is at the heart of RAMA and allows users to create and distribute now playing information along with compelling messagecasting content by sending real-time text data to an RBDS encoder, HD Radio Importers, a website and other destinations – up to 10 total. RAMA is the first metadata delivery appliance for radio stations and networks, distributing network PAD/PSD data to affiliates on a real-time or store and forward basis. RAMA is also a remotely administered metadata tool allowing configuration of local stations' data feeds from any location.