Press Release - September 2020
WorldCast Systems, a leading supplier of advanced broadcast solutions for customers across the globe, is pleased to announce that the Ecreso FM 3kW transmitter has just been approved by ARD for use within the network of German public broadcasters. The ARD or “Arbeitsgemeinschaft der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland” is the Association of Public Broadcasting Corporations within Germany. ARD’s engineering teams set rigorous specifications that manufacturers must comply to in order to sell to any ARD broadcaster.
The Ecreso FM 3kW joins other Ecreso transmitters which had already been approved to meet the necessary specifications defined by the organization. These include the compact range which spans power levels from 100W to 2000W, the N+1 system, and the Ecreso FM 5/10kW.
Gregory Mercier, Director of Product Marketing at WorldCast Systems explains, “The ARD specifications are acknowledged to be among the most demanding in the industry. We are honoured that this organization has once again approved an Ecreso transmitter and proud that our product meets their standards for efficiency, reliability and robustness. In addition to the nearly 2 000 Ecreso transmitters already broadcasting in Germany, we look forward to continue meeting the needs of German broadcasters with this new solution.”
The Ecreso FM 3kW is a fully digital transmitter for analog FM and is the newest product in WorldCast Systems’ Ecreso portfolio. Engineered to meet the needs of the most demanding network operators and stations, it combines reliable performance, efficiency, and state-of-the-art innovation into a compact, yet modular 3U chassis design.
It includes a built-in redundancy on the system’s power supplies, fans and power amplifiers. In the event of a MOSFET loss, the Ecreso FM 3kW will continue broadcasting with more than 1500W on air, and for an unlimited time frame. Designed for easy maintenance, it is built with hot swappable power supplies (up to 3) and fans (4). Should one of these modules fail, the Ecreso FM 3kW stays on-air at nominal power.
The Ecreso FM 3kW is also the most efficient transmitter on the market with up to 76% efficiency and includes SmartFM - a worldwide patented algorithm that reduces transmitter energy costs by up to 40%.
Ecreso FM 3kW is a perfect reflection of Ecreso standards and includes a full set of advanced on-board features such as a user-friendly web interface with powerful maintenance and diagnostic capabilities, an MPX/Composite over AES input, a dynamic RDS encoder, a digital stereo encoder, a 5-band audio processor, a direct-to-channel digital modulator, GPIOs, and many others. Unique on the market, Ecreso FM transmitters come with a standard 3-year or optional 10-year warranty.
However, before APTmpX, there remained one challenge: how to manage the relatively high IP data rate of a composite signal without affecting the MPX/composite transmission?
"With APTmpX, we provide a perfect solution for FM MPX/Composite transmission without deconstruction of the existing composite signal. APTmpX not only enhances our portfolio for MPX solutions, but also marks a milestone in the transition to an MPX/composite environment. We are committed to high quality, low latency, and minimal complexity and this solution meets our brand’s quality standards. In the end, the user benefits from significantly lower hardware and distribution costs while maintaining the station sound.” Hartmut Foerster, APT Product Manager.
