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Gorman-Redlich EAS-CAP1

P

PeterTripp

Gorman-Redlich offers a unit called the EAS-CAP1 that can apparently be fed into existing EAS units to meet the new requirements.

It also appears that one unit can serve multiple group stations, even in different states, because the existing EAS units will choose which CAP alerts from the EAS-CAP1 unit would be fed to which stations.

They state that no functionality would be lost by adding the EAS-CAP1 unit to an existing EAS unit. That claim is difficult to verify because they also say that all CAP equipment remains untested in the real world.

At $1350 list, this unit costs far less to add to existing EAS equipment than buying a whole new CAp ENDEC. Does anyone have any further insight into this?

Thanks.
 
Basically what these CAP add-on units do is function like and additional EAS monitor source for your current EAS. The CAP requirements now send alerts through the internet to your new CAP add-on box. The box receives it and converts it to the old EAS standard and sends it out as audio. That audio feeds into your old EAS box as say Monitor #4. (#1 NOAA, #2 LP1, #3 TV station, #4 CAP converter). This will trigger your old EAS box with an alert just the same way the NOAA radio would. So, you will be CAP compliant and it saves you some money.

But on a side note. The new CAP-EAS boxes are so much nicer to work with, I would just bite the bullet and get a new unit.
 
Gorman has had the CAP converter ready since last (2010) NAB. The above explanation is basically correct, but the CAP converter has to also listen to your standard EAS sources as well as Internet. Internet monitoring is included in the CAP converters, but it is not a requirement for stations to have an Internet connection. If one of the new alerts is detected from any of the audio or Internet sources, the CAP converter transcribes the message into standard EAS format and passes the alert along to your old box. The CAP converter also has to have a text-to-speech converter which is part of the new requirements. If your EAS system is still in good shape, then a CAP converter can keep you legal at a relatively budget price.
 
Kmagrill said:
Gorman has had the CAP converter ready since last (2010) NAB. The above explanation is basically correct, but the CAP converter has to also listen to your standard EAS sources as well as Internet. Internet monitoring is included in the CAP converters, but it is not a requirement for stations to have an Internet connection. If one of the new alerts is detected from any of the audio or Internet sources, the CAP converter transcribes the message into standard EAS format and passes the alert along to your old box. The CAP converter also has to have a text-to-speech converter which is part of the new requirements. If your EAS system is still in good shape, then a CAP converter can keep you legal at a relatively budget price.
Click to expand...

Yep, your right, my bad. I had looked into them when we were deciding whether to convert or upgrade. We bought the new boxes instead. But I guess I forgot all the audio sources feed the converter instead of the old EAS. Thanks for the correction. :)
 
I've decided to bite the bullet and buy new ones Depending on your needs, I think you can get a new CAP version for as little as $2000. More likely though you will more features, so figure more money. That said, I still think it is worth it. Current EAS boxes are only capable of storing and relaying a two minute message. Right now, the National Weather Service seems to ignore that limitation all the time and frequently gets cut off, just when they are getting to the important part. As I understand it, CAP has no such time limitation. If you use a converter, and the message is over 2 minutes, I suspect it will re-launch more duck-farts and start a new alert on your old EAS machine. That will get real old, real fast

Then there is the printer.... The two EAS boxes I look after have built in printers. While that seems like a good idea, in reality, they are a service nightmare. If you let them run out of paper (Oh, that's never happened...) they are a bitch to thread, especially when the box keeps going off during a round of severe storms. Of course, that's when they unexpectedly spew out 30 yards of paper and all of a sudden, you have to reload them. Did I mention the ribbon? It’s also a pain in the posterior to change.... It's almost worth the extra money to not have to deal with that.

All the new units can store your logs electronically, which you can off-load onto a computer where you can burn a CD, store them on your hard drive, print a paper log or whatever. I'm led to believe that the FCC will accept an electronic log as long as it contains a digital signature showing that you reviewed them. They also have multiple USB ports and Ethernet connections (some more than one) so connecting a printer or to a network should be easy.

For the extra money, I think you get enough value to justify the cost. It will also help you keep up with the next edict from FEMA, the FCC, your state or some new and unforeseen governmental force. You know that they will keep tweaking on this system every time some government agency thinks of a new way to defy the laws of physics. CAP and EAS is not going away, and resistance on your part is futile. All of the new boxes I've seen are software upgradable by just downloading the new parameters. Hopefully, that will be a relatively simple process. We'll see.

Let’s also think about how old your current box is. One of mine is about 15 years old. The other is about ten years old. How much longer should I expect them to work? Not long, I suspect. Putting a new converter on a 15 year old EAS box is a bit like the "hundred dollar saddle on a ten dollar horse."

Now the big question is which one? Digital Alert Systems or Sage?
 
For us, Digital Alert Systems won out. Very nice, very well supported and promptly updated EAS units and they do CAP well. Worth the money. Our old Gorman-Redlich (an engineer friend calls them Gorman-Redneck) units never totally worked correctly.
 
I have the new Sage (will be installing it this weekend), and it also is a nice box. The program audio can be routed through it via XLR connectors--so if the box goes toes up while you are sipping margaritas in some exotic location you can walk an operator though bypassing it. The Digital Alert systems use terminal blocks for program audio ins and outs (the kind where you shove the bare wire into the hole and tighten a little screw).

However, for my other studio--with two stations--I like the Digital Alert because it can be more easily interfaced into my studio switching system than the Sage. My present EAS turns on a pair of Broadcast Tools 2X1 switchers for messages, then kicks back to the "default" position--so the audio doesn't need to run through the EAS box.

The Sage can be set up as a shortcut on your local network, and the operators can just pull it up to send the RWT. If you leave it minimized it will also pop up a message when an alert comes in. Supposedly it will support a list of HP printers through the back panel USB connection--it wouldn't work with my Brother printer--but then it's easy to print off the internal log through a network printer.

I haven't gotten the CAP feature to work--if it is even available. Supposedly NWS has CAP alert pages for each state, I think I have those programmed in for the two states we serve, but I haven't gotten any messages yet. I may have something set up wrong.

It will send e-mails out when alerts are received, that I do have working.

BTW--getting back to the original thread--I will have an almost new Gorman-Redlich for sale (purchased last qtr 2009). Half the new price, & since I'm only 45 minutes from the factory, will deliver to them for re-programming if you want. If any of you folks deal with penny-wise and pound foolish ownership this (with the G-R Cap converter) may be an option--especially where the present EAS decoder is on the way to the grave.
 
The digital alert systems are superior for our purposes. They are currently the only units on the market that can feed multiple stations i.e. 5 for each endec, and do so in three ways. Simultaneously, sequentially or at random starts. My six stations would scream at simultaneous, and if sequential, a station would have to wait for each other station to end. An alert could be delayed for 15 minutes or so. The random starts mean I can start it immediatley on station A, 10 seconds later on station B, 15 seconds after receipt on station C, delete it on station D, and start it a minute later on station E, while letting automated station F automatically forward it after 5 minutes. Any combinations like that are possible. We bugged Sage, TFT and Digital alert for this feature. KAS is the only one who came through. At the NAB show, Sage promised one that would do that by next year, but for now offer only simultaneous or sequential. No way in hell would I even consider one of the add on to existing old technology boxes, since most of them are pretty wron out already and even if not that bad, the full functionality would not be available.

BIll Croghan, CHeif Engineer, Lotus Las Vegas.
 
We went with the Digital Alert for many of the reasons already mentioned. Also, I like the internal radios - ended up cheaper too in the end! Talking to the FEMA guys at the NAB show, they would only say that CAP gear should pass their certification test process. Sage and Digital Alert Systems apparently have. Has the GR product? I'd be careful not to expose yourself with equipment without the new certifications. I'm not sure a CAP converter is even an option anymore if it hasn't passed testing ???.
 
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