By Brian Galante
RAYMOND, ME. — In Greek mythology, Apollo signified prophecy and healing with an ability to see into the future. Dielectric’s new Apollo software adapts that lore for a new advanced analytics platform to be introduced at the 2023 NAB Show.
As Dielectric sees it, Apollo will help TV and radio engineers take quick and decisive action on current problems, and take preventative actions that eliminate potentially disastrous situations in the future.
Apollo, which Dielectric previewed at NAB Show 2022, accurately detects anomalies in RF systems for TV and FM broadcasters. The advanced analytical software is an extension of RFHAWKEYE, Dielectric’s IP-based remote RF monitoring solution. RFHAWKEYE’s software suite integrates Apollo to help users quickly analyze and formulate site data into actionable reports. These reports can be customized to prioritize important system information and performance trends over selectable time periods.
Apollo brings a managed services offering to their portfolio. Dielectric will house Apollo in its new network operations center (NOC) and provide reports to customers on a quarterly basis that offer performance insights, communicate alarm instances and actions taken, and provide maintenance suggestions intended to reduce system failures and increase performance. Dielectric customers are also provided remote access to Apollo to generate and review system and performance data at any time.
“Apollo allows us to create a detailed performance record using the real-time data collected through RFHAWKEYE. With this information, we work with the customer to evaluate any degradation that has taken place over time and in some cases, recommend preventive maintenance to eliminate catastrophic failures and improve service,” said Jay Martin, Vice President of Sales at Dielectric. “We will provide insights into the problems we see and recommend specific actions to take, and also deliver this information within executive summaries that are quick to digest and easy to understand.”
Martin notes that Apollo will bring strong value to customers with multiple transmitter and tower sites. One example is how Apollo will observe and capture VSWR measurements from multiple sites connected to RFHAWKEYE’s monitoring platform, and identify any degradation over a specific timeframe. That includes specific instances of when a problem crosses a threshold, and how these can be avoided in the future.
“Apollo shines in multi-site situations where customers can create a centralized Apollo experience,” he said. “Apollo will provide maps of multiple sites, and users can drill deeper into the data for any site on that map. The reduction in labor will be exceptional for these customers as Apollo removes the burden of manually visiting, inspecting and developing reports for each station. This is a very user-friendly tool for every customer from the single-site owner to networks with large, national footprints.”
NAB Show 2023 takes place from April 16-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Dielectric exhibits at Booth W3601.
