Experience with the Broadcast Warehouse V3 FM Transmitters
The TX150 V3, TX300 V3 and TX600 V3 FM Transmitter Units were first experienced by me in 2018
They're an all-in-one Processing, RDS and FM modulation 2U unit.
Resources
For maximum information refer to the fm-transmitter.com website instead of the regular manufacturer website broadcastwarehouse.com
I have found there to be more spec sheets, manuals, firmware etc. there.
Firmware
Yes, in the same way that televisions have firmware nowadays so do the V3's.
Firmware versions starting with a 1 seemed to only be available by request from BW.
Firmware versions 2 and onwards are available on the website.
Contact support for any betas which may be available
Instruction Manuals
An early instruction manual was applicable to Version 1 firmwares.
A newer instruction manual relates to Version 2 firmwares.
The newest instruction manual may relate to Version 3 firmwares.
Firmware Update Process
Assuming the initial set up is done, and you have the TX and PC on the same LAN, open a web browser and open the transmitters web interface.
You'll need the firmware file unzipped. I would only carry this out onsite in person. Expect the process to take you off air for 5 to 10 minutes.
Some of the updates I have done hang at the end of the second stage. The screen says 'Upgrading 2nd Stage... #". If you have the hash symbol on screen for a few minutes, I found that it is necessary to power cycle the unit so it would proceed to 'Upgrading 3rd Stage...".
I find for good measure a further reboot helps to link up all the settings between the web interface and the unit.
Autumn 2019 and FW v3.0 was released. I was unable to upgrade the firmware with the web interface on Windows 10 with Chrome, Edge, or Internet Explorer. It was suggested to try from Mac environment, and with Safari it worked first time. Strange.
Summer 2020 and FW v3.2 was released. This will be the last main release, aside from any bug fixes or security updates, with the unit going end of life. The release notes warn it may take many attempts to install!?!?!
Web Interface
The web interface is the easiest way to configure the device, and renders fine on a small screen too.
I have occasionally, on some of the early firmwares, found that after a time the web interface doesn't load, but ping is fine - a reboot restored access - but this does take you off air for a couple of minutes.
A full list of system commands (handy if you use telnet or serial access) can be seen in a web browser by going to:
http://IP/api/getparameters.js
An xml view list should be displayed on screen.
If you haven't yet logged in to the web interface you'll need to authenticate, either by regular logon or via http command:
http://IP/api/auth?password=pass
Then the unit will respond.
Handy Commands
get meters.pafwd
get meters.parev
get transmitter.power
get rds.dsn[1].psn[0].pi
get rds.dsn[1].psn[0].ps
get rds.dsn[1].psn[0].ms
get rds.dsn[1].psn[0].af
get rds.dsn[1].psn[0].pty
set rds.dsn[1].psn[0].ps TheBrand
RF Power Commands
get meters.pafwd
get meters.parev
get transmitter.power
However it is not recommended to use set transmitter.power 50
Instead use set transmitter.set_power 50
Using set transmitter.power 50 will change the output power, but it will revert to the ‘set power’ when it re-reads the config, which it does when the AIO boots. Sometimes the AIO, or part of it, does reboot to fix some error state it’s detected.
RS-232
You have to decide between talking to the RDS module only, or only the main system board.
PTY setting
Code | Euro PTY | get / OK | set rds.dsn[1].psn[0].pty |
---|---|---|---|
0 | (none) | NONE | none |
1 | News | NEWS | news |
2 | Affairs | AFFAIRS | current_affairs |
3 | Info | INFO | information |
4 | Sport | SPORT | sport |
5 | Education | EDUCATION | education |
6 | Drama | DRAMA | drama |
7 | Cultures | CULTURE | culture |
8 | Science | SCIENCE | science |
9 | Varied Speech | VARIED | varied |
10 | Pop Music | POP M | pop_music |
11 | Rock Music | ROCK M | rock_music |
12 | Easy Music (M.O.R. M) | EASY M | easy_listening_music |
13 | Light Classics Music | LIGHT M | light_classical |
14 | Serious Classics | CLASSICS | serious_classical |
15 | Other Music | OTHER M | other_music |
16 | Weather | WEATHER | weather |
17 | Finance | FINANCE | finance |
18 | Children | CHILDREN | childrens_programmes |
19 | Social Affairs | SOCIAL | social_affairs |
20 | Religion | RELIGION | religion |
21 | Phone In | PHONE IN | phone_in |
22 | Travel | TRAVEL | travel |
23 | Leisure | LEISURE | leisure |
24 | Jazz Music | JAZZ | jazz_music |
25 | Country Music | COUNTRY | country_music |
26 | National Music | NATION M | national_music |
27 | Oldies Music | OLDIES | oldies_music |
28 | Folk Music | FOLK M | folk_music |
29 | Documentary | DOCUMENT | documentary |
30 | Alarm Test | TEST | alarm_test |
31 | Alarm | ALARM! | alarm |
Technical Notes
RDS dynamic data note.
If using 7860 type aerial or have VSWR issues try this.
Some known issues
The RDS TA switch has screen shots and instructions, but is not visible in the web interface in V2 firmware
It should be coming soon
There is a suggestion to use the front panel to set this trigger, but I found it crashes the unit.
RS232/Telnet can't cope with spaces, for example, if your station name is 'Brand FM' and you issue the command:
set rds.dsn[1].psn[0].ps Brand FM
the response is Brand
since everything after the space is lost - this is a bigger problem for rt.
On boot up the PTY looks right, but is not included in the (transmitted) RDS, can be set manually with telnet command, or you can change to something else in the web interface, and change it back to what you want, and that gets it going.
Over the summer of 2019 the product web page had the strange line "Integrated Static RDS is now standard on-board" added, acknowledging, or hinting at known issues with Dynamic RDS updates.
The RDS Ethernet ports don't seem to work, Magic RDS reports communications error. I think it may need to run without Bi-Directional.
Web UI Audio Meters are unreliable, especially AGC, use the front panel for better readings.
Firmware Version 3.0 notes
As touched on earlier, I had problems updating the firmware in the web interface. Not sure if it's a windows or browser issue.
Using a Mac laptop and Safari it went through first time for me. Strange.
The issue with PTY on boot up looking right, but is not included in the (transmitted) RDS, is still present.
Using the system board, over RS232, RDS commands for now playing seem a lot better. There's a new format using quotation marks.
For example
set rds.dsn[1].psn[0].rt "Now playing: Dreamland - Pet Shop Boys Featuring Years And Years"
the response is Now playing: Dreamland - Pet Shop Boys Featuring Years And Years
This hasn't been in production for long, so not sure if it will be okay long-term.
If your playout is Myriad and you use OCP the square brackets cause some conditional fun. This may save you some time:
set rds.dsn[1].psn[0].rt "[(Firmware Version 3.2 notes
As mentioned earlier, the firmware release notes warn 'Unit may not accept upgrade to this version on a first try, a few attempts may be required'.
I think I was quite lucky, I uploaded the firmware, waited some time, removed then re-applied the power and it went through first time for me.
The issue with PTY on boot up looking right, but is not included in the (transmitted) RDS, is STILL present.
The other advised known issue is that RDS Ethernet 2 interface no longer works.
Something to be aware of is that Dynamic RDS updates to RadioTEXT which are sent using the main board system commands, e.g.
set rds.dsn[1].psn[0].rt "Now playing: Dreamland - Pet Shop Boys Featuring Years And Years"
WILL render in the web interface in the RT box - something which BW weren't aware of.
If you send Dynamic RDS updates of RadioTEXT using other methods (i.e. Direct RS232 and/or Ethernet 1) then these will NOT be updated in the web interface.
Using the system board, over RS232, RDS commands for now playing seem to stop working after around 4 DAYS. RadioTEXT updates will show in the web interface, but aren't radiated in the RDS stream.
You can get them working again by issuing http API commands to turn off the RS232 port, wait a few seconds, then turn on with:
http://192.168.1.123/api/SetParameter?id=system.rd232d.active&value=off
http://192.168.1.123/api/SetParameter?id=system.rd232d.active&value=on
This buys you a little bit of time - could be 24 hours if you are lucky - but a FULL REBOOT is needed to achieve several days of working. Since the RS232 port has failed, hopefully you have some network connectivity and can issue the reboot command:
http://192.168.1.123/api/SetParameter?id=system.reboot&value=yes
My experience is that these transmitters are no good if you want to have good uptime, RadioTEXT which shows information about the tracks played, and are only able to have RS232 connectivity between the station playout/information systems and the transmitter site.
Further, there seems to be some sort of memory leak or bad TCP stack, as the Ethernet also becomes unresponsive after a few days or weeks, depending on volume of data transferred over serial.
The on-board RDS
I found on a forum some information about the RDS. Rather than a traditional chip-based hardware, the RDS encoder is software/code based.
From what I can tell, the protocol is called 'READBEST'.
Readbest version 1.4 is contained within BW Firmware version 3.2. There have been newer versions of Readbest, such as 1.5 and 1.6
The information in the Implementation Manual is for version 1.5
The next generation of Magic RDS software, Magic RDS 4, can communicate in Readbest protocol, in order to get the best out of the on-board RDS.
Looking forward for better Transmitter communications uptimes and modulated RDS...
Due to the transmitter continuously locking up the RS232 and Ethernet, I'm intending on decomissioning the built in RDS, and moving to an external standalone encoder.
SD Card
With the lid off, it is understood that the front panel/board has an SD memory card with the system on.
I think if you get in to trouble, you can make a folder called 'update'
Put the latest firmware file in, and I think rename it to update.dat
Power up and keep your fingers crossed.
Of course if during office hours contact support for exact information!
Do you need parts?
Has the fan has stopped spinning (nearest the RF output) ?
If jammed or failed, this is a Sunon PMD2408PMb1-A 38mm deep 80mm 24v fan.
I got one from DigiKey.
https://www.digikey.co.uk/en/products/detail/sunon-fans/PMD2408PMB1-A-2-GN/1249291
Work In Progress
More information may be added as experience continues.
Views are just my own etc. no responsibility or liability accepted etc.