Upgrading from one engine to another can be a daunting task, but it can also be a great opportunity to improve the performance of your radio station. Recently, we had the chance to upgrade an AEQ Capitol engine to a Forum engine for Ebru Somali Radio, and we’re excited to share our experience with you.

Here is a step-by-step guide on the process we took to switch from the Capitol engine to the Forum engine and the challenges we faced along the way. We hope that our experience will help you if you’re considering an upgrade.

• Switching off the Existing Capitol Engine: The first step we took was to turn off the existing AEQ Capitol engine and replace it with the Forum engine. This was a fairly straightforward process that involved disconnecting the cables and carefully removing the old engine before installing the new one.

• Discovering Port Mismatch and Making Changes: However, as we began to connect the new Forum engine, we discovered that some of the ports did not match on both engines. For example, the analog output was connected to the Capitol engine via a male DB15 connector while the Forum engine used a female DB15 connector. We made the necessary changes to ensure compatibility, and we repeated this process for all other connectors that were not compatible.

• Changing Fader Modules and Labeling: Next, we changed the fader modules and labeled them according to the old setup, which used the Forum configuration. This step ensured that the faders would function as they did previously and that the radio station’s staff could easily navigate the new system.

• Mapping AVRA Playout to Forum via DANTE: We then mapped AVRA Playout to Forum via DANTE, a virtual card that connects Dante slot cards to the AVRA server. This process was smooth, and we were able to integrate the new engine with the existing setup seamlessly.

• Testing Mics and Monitor Speakers: We tested the mics and monitor speakers, and we were pleased to find that the audio was clear without any hum. This was a crucial step, and we were relieved that everything was working as it should.
• Phone System Challenge and Temporary Solution: However, we did face one challenge. The radio station’s telephone system was not compatible with the Forum engine, as it did not have a card slot for a hybrid that supports telephone calls. We worked around this issue by using a temporary solution until the new engine arrives. The station’s staff was aware of the situation, and they were satisfied with the temporary solution.

Overall, our experience upgrading from an AEQ Capitol engine to a Forum engine was positive. We encountered a few challenges, but we were able to overcome them with careful planning and problem-solving.

If you’re considering upgrading your radio station’s engine, we hope our experience has given you some useful insights and tips. At Britt Broadcast we’re always happy to share our knowledge and expertise. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our experience upgrading to the Forum engine, please feel free to contact us. We’d love to hear from you!