An unprecedented installation on all RFO sites

The same Radio-Assist 7 system installed on each site From Tahiti to Pointe-à-Pitre, each French overseas Department and Territory now owns the same digital-audio tools within the same architecture. The new Radio-Assist 7 version which is faster and more reliable covers the whole working process of the radio station. From production to broadcast, each activity is represented: acquisition, editing of sound documents, planning, broadcasting, administration. Completely developed under Windows NT, one of Radio-Assist 7's main trump cards is to offer a simultaneous access to several products : from a single application the user records, edits or prepares a playlist. The whole process of modelling, grid editing and playlist manufacturing is borne by a single software : Feder-All. All the radio actors communicate with each other from production to broadcast. Several users can simultaneously access the playlist manufacturing from production stations. " Music-All's" latest version, Radio-Assist's music planning tool, brings a series of new and extremely flexible functions to schedulers. This integration which is synchronous with the Air-DDO broadcaster brings immediate efficiency and makes organisation and use in studios much easier.In addition to new functions, Radio-Assist 7 uses new technologies to meet security, management and automation needs within radio stations. The new Radio-Assist 7 range mainly aims at combining the evolution of radio with the latest technical advances (integration of a SQL engine, integration of DSP functions, development of a personalized database, development of transfer automata, access management to database etc).

Evolution towards a system of archiving and exchange

The project of archiving and exchange of audio documents between all RFO centres shows Radio-Assist 7's ability to anticipate the future. The archiving principle requires two skills : the automatic conversion of audio documents (mpeg 2 into mpeg 3 for instance) and the automatic management of transfers. These two automata, Media Management and Dispatcher, already exist in the Radio-Assist 7 range. Dispatcher is a very powerful multi-format export automaton which can convert and export audio files directly from one base to any destination. In the same way, a sound is automatically reintegrated by a production station as soon as a user selects an archived sound. Media Management handles the whole data traffic within a system. Its role is to carry out automatically the monitoring and the transfer of files from one field to another. For instance, when an element is given the RTA label (Ready To Archive), the file is automatically pasted on the archive server. The running of Media Management is totally transparent. It guarantees the user access to the required documents wherever they are located in the system. The Media Management automaton facilitates the creation of various fields specialised according to activity (production, broadcasting, archiving). Each field has its own structure : servers, database and so on. This activity separation generates several independent subsystems and thus ensures a better reliability of the whole.

Training for a successful installation

Parallel to the installation of these new tools, numerous training events took place. The aim is to become familiar with Radio-Assist 7's new environment. A lot of time is dedicated to practice, to reference exercises and also to radio specific editing. NETIA's training service offers several training programmes adapted to each user category : journalists, deejays, technicians, schedulers, administrators and maintenance. In groups of three or four, every user benefits from a global presentation of the system, then from a detailed training on the software that he will be using. Thanks to these training courses and to the easy use of the stations, users become quickly efficient and creative. The administrator and maintenance training is very convenient for radios and allows each RFO centre to master its digital-audio system.

Radio Vaticana adopts Radio-Assist 7

Adopting Radio-Assist 7 within a radio means considerable improvements in the system performance. The integration of a SQL 7 engine for the management of the database offers a highly flexible use and particularly accelerates the searching and the consulting of documents which are stored in a major database. Owing to the DSP functions (Digital Signal Processing) and to a software optimization of the machines specifically designed by NETIA's R&D team, Radio-Assist 7 shows conclusive results as far as fast processing is concerned (conversion, creation of masters, ect). Radio-Assist 7 is also endowed with new functions for each stage, particularly regarding planification and broadcast. The reconciliation function operated by Music-All, Radio-Assist 7 music planification tool, ensures a precise monitoring of all the actual broadcasting which is automatically taken into account for the music programming computation.

Radio-Assist 7 as a teaching aid

To organise its digital audio training sessions, the CIRTEF will be using NETIA Radio-Assist 7 technology with a full production system. There are a number of reasons for this choice. Radio-Assist has a modular structure which is of definite educational use in a general initial approach to an integrated digital audio system. Each interface is ergonomically designed to be rapidly understood by its users who, uninhibited by technical constraints, are free to pursue more creative occupations. The next session - "Creating for radio - documentary and fiction" - is scheduled in Burkina Faso, with producers and technicians from Burkina, Ivory Coast, Benin and Senegal. In France, several technical institutes (Bordeaux, Tours and Angers) have already chosen Radio-Assist for their training courses in radio work.

Tailor-made maintenance contracts

In addition to the guarantee, NETIA proposes a number of maintenance contract formulas. NETIA maintenance services for the hardware and software it supplies and installs cover remote diagnosis and repair and, if required, on-site intervention. NETIA has a commitment to detect and correct any anomaly and ensure the system is in proper working order.

Apart from restoring its software, NETIA maintenance contracts offer a number of other options such as preventive maintenance (regular on-site visits to check that the system is running properly).

Depending on the contract chosen, the customer will have:

• A priority call number

• Immediate 24/7 assistance by phone

• Remote troubleshooting

• On-site troubleshooting within guaranteed deadlines

• New software updates for no extra charge

Not many customers want to cope with digitisation by themselves and prefer to have such close and regular collaboration with NETIA technicians. NETIA systems installed the world over are forever evolving with the release of new versions. Several new customers have recently joined the ranks of those who rely on NETIA: SBS (Australia), Isehara (Japan), Sporting News (USA), BBC (UK), RAI (Italy), Radio France (France)?

Insider, on-air monitoring via intranet

The first version of Insider was released in 1998 and as with all NETIA products it is constantly being improved. Its main purpose is to find and play any file in the database. The multi-criteria search function gives virtually immediate access. INSIDER allows items such as incoming feeds to be listened to as they are actually being recorded. Without leaving their desks Editors can consult playlists in advance and validate them as RTB. The latest version has a really clever function for presenters allowing monitoring synchronised with the on-air broadcast. For some programmes, the presenter will be in the studio while the technician is in the control room. The technician has to keep the presenter constantly informed on how the broadcast is progressing. With INSIDER, the presenter has exactly the same view of the state of the broadcast as the technician. In "Synchronous" mode, on-air monitoring is refreshed in real time. This is a tremendous gain for presenters, especially because all metadata are accessible. INSIDER is also a tool for exchanging data. More and more radio stations have local studios spread around the country. With one click of the mouse, INSIDER can transfer files from a local database to a remote one. This is a highly flexible tool which is easy to install on any computer equipped with a standard sound card and an internet browser. The latest version will soon be installed at Bel RTL in Brussels.

In Brief

• NRD, NOREA Radio Danmark, one of the 20 regional radios of the Danish Christian Organisation, has just selected Radio-Assist 7 mainly for the very ergonomic interface of each range tool. This first step heralds the display of a complete networked solution for the 20 Danish radios. After LUMI radio NOREA is the second to choose for Radio-Assist 7. Together with our distributor Soundware, the Danish Christian Organization, is planning to set up a complete networked solution for all their small radio stations.

• Mauritius: The private radio station Radio Plus has taken delivery of a Radio Assist 7 Quickplayer. QUICK PLAYER is a very simple but efficient broadcasting system (hardware and software). It combines the ability to record, produce and broadcast simultaneously.

• Croatian Radio (HRT, Hrvatska Radio Televizjia) broadcasts three radio services of national importance from eight regional stations - Sljeme, Dubrovnik, Knin, Osijek, Pula, Rijeka, Split and Zadar. On average 215 hours of programme are broadcast each day. Croatian Radio 1 and 2 offer news, documentary, light entertainment and sport programmes, while Croatian Radio 3 offers more serious programmes, both intellectual and spiritual. HRT maintains its confidence in Radio-Assist 7 with an order of 27 audiodigital workstations. CS COMPUTER SYSTEMS D.O.O, NETIA's distributor in Zagreb, is congratulating itself on the strong collaboration between the HRT, CS and NETIA teams.

• Radio France keeps working with NETIA on its digitisation process. Radio France is the leading national radio group. In 1999, the Radio France management launched a vast digitalization programme over its entire network. France Info, a permanent news channel, as well about ten local radios are now fully equipped with NETIA's Radio-Assist range. Early this year four new installations started in Besançon, Bayonne, Poitiers and Metz.

• The latest version of Stream In 7 is specialised in offering a wide selection of encoding formats such as Real Video, MPEG4, WAVE. Stream In s a hardware and software solution for automatic broadcasting over the internet and is designed for those radio and television stations who wish to broadcast live or prerecorded programmes.

• In February 2002, the first site entirely designed and produced by NETIA for the casino and gaming industry went on line. This portal gives access to a wide range of information and marketing tools, including online conferencing, chatrooms, documentary e-business, secured payment and so forth ( www.egamingpro.com).

In-House News : NETIA and EVS Paris at Aubervilliers

The new premises of NETIA Paris and EVS France are more spacious: a large showroom, a training room, technical rooms and offices for Sales team and Operations department. Parc d'Affaire EMGP 45, Avenue Victor Hugo Bât 269 93 534 AUBERVILLIERS Cedex. Tel : 33(0)1 49 37 97 67 Fax : 33(0)1 49 37 97 68

NETIA in the world : A new NETIA's distributor in Netherlands

Gerrit de Jonge BV Oranjestraat 5 NL-4571 HN Axel Netherlands represented by Evert de Jonge, director Tel.: +31 115 56 27 10 Fax: +31 115 56 48 49

Exhibitions where you can meet NETIA

AES in Munich, Germany - From 10th to 13th May Stand 3B06

Koba in Seoul, South Korea - From 23th to 26th May BMA Corporation's stand

Broadcast Asia in Singapore - From 18th to 21th June Stand 4H4-01.

IBC in Amsterdam, Netherlands - From 13th to 17th September

BIRTV in Beijing - From 22th to 25th August