[EAS] Sage update coming in Sept.

[Sean Donelan]

On Fri, 19 Jul 2019, bdcst wrote:
> All doable today but at what cost?  That's the rub.
>
> EAS boxes were never a necessary component of a radio station to generate a 
> signal
> or to provide saleable programming.  They do not add significant value to a 
> broadcast station,
> only expense.  These days with software defined products I suppose much of 
> the
> ENDEC could be directly incorporated into a more useful product such as an 
> audio
> processor or even a transmitter's exciter!

You sound like the stage manager at a local community theatre I used to 
volunteer as the "tech guy."  The new theatre automation system required 
hiring a "licensed fire alarm installer" to interface the theatre 
automation system and the building fire alarm system.

The (very) long-time stage manager complained bitterly about the cost.  He 
kept proclaiming loudly, "I'll turn on the house lights myself if there is 
a fire, why do I need to pay for that gosh-darn (he didn't say gosh-darn) 
fire alarm interface."

Even community theatres have complex theater automation systems for shows, 
and its no longer a simple thing to "turn on the house lights" when the 
fire alarm goes off.  Fortunately, the automation interface between fire 
alarm systems and theater automation systems is relatively standardized.
The fire alarm interface started as a simple triggered GPIO, but is now 
more complicated with alarm, alarm reset, supervisory fault, etc.

Licensed fire alarm installers still cost alot to hire.

And the building code inspectors won't let you open, if you don't.