By Brian Galante
AMSTERDAM — Thomason Broadcast-owned GatesAir last week formally introduced a new high-efficiency, low-power offering for two product lines that “offer insights into the changing requirements for RF infrastructure.”
In particular, low-power radio and TV broadcasters are the focus of these new “solutions.”
At IBC2024 in Amsterdam, GatesAir unveiled its third entry to its IMTX Intra-Mast series, which consolidates miniature transmission modules inside a common chassis with minimal infrastructure.
GatesAir also showcased the two latest models for its Flexiva GX family of FM transmitters, one that is new to IBC attendees.
GatesAir says it added to both lines in response to global customer demand for high-efficiency, low-power solutions “that solve problems, reduce costs and reliably operate over the long term.”
The new IMTX 2+0 model places two UHF modules into an ultra-compact chassis that come configured as low-power transmitters, transposers or gap fillers to address specific TV coverage needs, often for challenging scenarios.
The Flexiva GX line adds 2kW (GX2K) and 3kW (GX3K) models that fill out the low-power end of the FM transmitter family.
“Five years ago, GatesAir laid the groundwork for a new era of low-power innovation with three key new product lines: the PMTX-1 outdoor weatherproof series, the MultiD Series of multicarrier DAB systems, and the IMTX Intra-Mast series,” said Ray Miklius, Vice President of Technology at GatesAir. “Through the unique vision of our European engineering team, these TV and DAB systems shed new light on the possibilities of transmitter design while solving existing problems and preparing customers for future opportunities in content delivery. The spirit of these high-efficiency designs are found in our Flexiva GX line in ways that best serve the FM market. All four award-winning lines will be on our IBC stand, and we’re excited to share the benefits of our latest IMTX and GX products.”
Meanwhile, GatesAir’s new IMTX 2+0 system adds a two-channel option to its Maxiva IMTX 2+0 Intra-Mast series, offering the same benefits as its six- and eight-channel siblings but with some clever twists. All three IMTX systems include a stacked array of transmission modules securely built into a chassis and pre-configured to provide TV service or fill coverage gaps where signal penetration is a challenge.
IMTX systems are especially useful for populated urban areas with tight housing densities, or to establish a localized transmission point to serve rural or underserved communities.
The IMTX 2+0 substantially reduces the form factor to a 13.35” x 6.7” x 12.58” form factor.
Same as previous models, the IMTX 2+0 offers vertical air convection flow within the chassis, complemented by a series of small fans. A DVB-S/S2 satellite receiver option is available as well as GbE (TS over IP), ASI, T2MI, and SMPTE-310M inputs.
The IMTX 2+0 is the first IMTX system with a built-in N+1 architecture that solidifies on-air protection for broadcasters through a parallel redundancy layer. N+1 systems, especially popular in Europe, support automatic failure to a secondary system that provides the same functionality and performance. The IMTX 2+0 design is built for redundancy across channels, with automatic failover between a main and backup chassis and through a single, simple connection between the corresponding modules.
The initial rollout will serve UHF channels, with VHF and DAB radio versions to follow as market demands dictate. All IMTX transmission modules can deliver up to 70 W of average DTV power.
Then there is GatesAir’s Flexiva GX line, which now includes five low power models from 50 W to 3 kW, with the new GX2K 2kW model receiving its IBC debut.
New for IBC, GatesAir enhanced the GUI for all six GX models, including integrated audio playback and a supporting playlist manager. Options include GPS receivers for SFN support, and GatesAir’s Intraplex IP Link 100e (IPL-100e) module.
The IPL-100e integrates within Flexiva GX transmitters, enabling direct IP connectivity of FM audio and data from the studio. The IPL-100e also provides support for optional integrated professional ten-band audio processing software.
