MONTHLY REPORT: 24 April 2012 COMPILED BY: Vuyo Wiseman Nkunzi MONTOR: Sifiso Amen Zwane
OVERVIEW During this month I have learnt a lot of things, start from how the SABC Nelspruit is structured and the SABC mandate. From the first day we started with the orientation, I know all the studios and people within the organisation. Technically Im familiar with the equipment used in Broadcasting, ranging from power supplies, power cables, audio cables, data cables, network cables, all types of connectors, mixers, hybrid, ISDN (Integrated service Digital Network), patch panels. I also know how to assemble and to disassemble a computer, how to add users and share information within the LAN. My mentor also taught me soldering techniques, and to be professional in everything I do. We also maintained studios and to ensure that they are in good working condition. Every week we test all the equipment in the studio. Electrical and Electronic safety rules are very important when it comes to testing.
GENERAL SAFETY RULES Electrical and Electronic circuits can be dangerous. Safe practices are necessary to prevent electrical shock, fire, explosion, mechanical damage and injuries resulting from the improper use of tools. Perhaps the greatest hazard is electric shock. A current trough the human body in excess of 10 milliamperes can paralyze the victim and make it impossible to let go of the live conductor or component. It is very important to be familiar with general safety rules before you can work with any circuit or any equipment. The following is the list of safety rules every technician should be familiar with: 1. Always follow procedures 2. Use service manual as often as possible 3. When in doubt do not act, consult operation manual of that particular equipment or circuit or you can ask your supervisor. 4. Do not work when you are tired or taking medicine that make you feel drowsy. 5. Investigate before you act. 6. Do not work around damp or wet places with wet shoes or clothing. 7. Avoid wearing rings, bracelets or similar metal items when working around open electrical circuits. 8. Do not work in poor light. 9. Use approved tools, equipment and protective devices. 10. Never assume that the circuit is off double check it with equipment that you are sure is operational. 11. Keep the equipment in good working condition.
POWER SUPPLIES UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) is an Electrical apparatus that provides emergency power to a load when input power fails, typically mains. This is one of the powerful tools ever invented in human kind because it provides instantaneous or nearly instantaneous protection from input power interruptions by means of one or more attached batteries and associated electronic circuitry for low power users or by means of diesel Generators. UPS is typically used to protect computers, data canters, telecommunication equipment and other electrical equipment where an unexpected power disruption could cause injuries, fatalities or serious business disruption and data loss. In the case of broadcasting station or an organisation like SABC UPS is used to provide a ride-through in the event of power loss, there is also a diesel Generator which start automatically when there is a power failure.
CABLES Power Cables and Power plugs
Colour coding is crucial when it comes to power cables, you miss or swap a connection can cause a serious problem or can lead to fatal injuries. L Live (brown) N- Neutral (Blue) PE Protective Earth (Green and yellow)
IEC power Cables (Male and Female)
Three Pin power Plug (230v)
These cables and connector are used in portable devices, mobile tools, mechinery and household equipments. DATA CABLES Ethernet cable Token ring cable Coaxial cable Fibre optic cable
CONNECTORS 1 Shield (uninsulated wire) 2- Red wire 3- Black wire
XLR Male connector
XLR Female connector XLR (also known as Mic cables), refers to a three pin connector. These are widely used in microphones as well as in some speakers and other devices, like CD players. They are generally male and female as shown in the above diagram. The connection to these connectors can be XLR to XLR, XLR to stereo Jack, and XLR to RCA etc.
Stereo Jack
Mini Stereo
Mono Jack
Mini Mono Jack
TRS connectors (Tip Ring Sleeve), these are also called stereo plugs or headphone jacks. As shown in the diagram we have Stereo and mono Jacks. Wiring a stereo Jack (shown in the diagram below)
Red wire is connected to a tip Black wire is connected to a sleeve Uninsulated is connected to the shield
Wiring a mono Jack Red wire is connected to the tip. Black and uninsulated wire are combined and connected to the shield.
RCA RCA connectors are used to connect CD players, DVD players and TVs. RCA are colour coded. White is the left audio channel Red is the right audio channel Yellow is for video channel Wiring RCA connector
Red is connected to the tip Black and unshielded wires are connected to shield.
RJ45 RJ45 is a standard type of connector for network cables. RJ45 connectors are most commonly seen with Ethernet cables and networks. RJ45 connectors feature eight pins to which the wire strands of a cable interface electrically. Standard RJ-45 Pinouts define the arrangement of the individual wires needed when attaching connectors to a cable.
As shown in the diagram starting from extreme left the first colours are Orange and white, followed by Orange, Green and white, Blue, Blue and White, Green, Brown and White and lastly Brown. This is how this is connected with the Ethernet cable.
RJ11 RJ11 connectors are used with telephone cables; they are very similar to RJ45, the difference is RJ11 connectors are smaller and slightly narrower than RJ45.
BNC Male
BNC Female
BNC connector also known as bayonel Neil connector is a miniature quick connect/disconnect RF connector used with coaxial cables. It features two bayonet lungs on the female connector. Mating is achieved with only a quarter turn of the coupling nut. BNC are ideally suited for cable termination for miniature to submaniature to coaxial cables e.g. (RG 58, RG 59, and RG 179-316). It is used with radio, television and other radio frequency electronic equipments, test instruments and it was once a popular computer network connector.
Speakon Connector Speakon connectors are used to connect loud speakers to amplifiers.
RS232 Connector RS232 is a traditional name for a series of standards for a serial binary ended data. It is commonly used computer serial port.
EQUIPMENT FOUND IN A STUDIO Mixer CD players Hybrid ISDN Tape/CD recorder Dalet machine Patch panel Microphones Computer Telephone Mini Disc recorder Maratz
Mixer: this is a heart of the studio because all the other equipments like Microphones, Music players, computers, hybrid, ISDN etc. are connected to it. Its where all the signals from these devices are combined. A number of aspects of these signals can be adjusted, including volume. ISDN: (Integrated service Digital Network) is a set of a communication standards for simultaneous digital transmission of voice, data, video and other network services over the traditional circuits of a public switched telephone network. The key feature of ISDN is that it integrates speech and data on the same lines.
