Among different issues he helped develop the well-known Audimax and Volumax processorsBy Paul Mclane ⋅ Published: October 13, 2021 Henry “Hank” MahlerInfluential media engineer Hank Mahler has died.Among his contributions to the published trade, he was a part of the group on the CBS Technology Center in Connecticut that designed and constructed the CBS Laboratories Audimax and CBS VoluMax, two audio processors that grew to become broadly utilized in radio and TV.His passing, on Oct. 5 on the age of 84, has been famous by his colleague Bob Seidel, the previous CBS vp of engineering and superior expertise in addition to former president of SMPTE.Seidel distributed an obituary and appreciation, describing Henry Mahler as an icon.According to Seidel, Mahler additionally helped develop the primary audio loudness meter for measuring human notion of loudness. And he stated most of the audio curves specified by the International Telecommunications Union approximate the unique CBS Loudness Meter design from the early Sixties.“Hank additionally acquired a patent for growing an audio meter able to indicating 60 dB of audio vary whereas the standard VU meter shows roughly a 3rd of that vary. Hank additionally labored on the CBS 360 Record / Player, which was a stereo self-contained stable state audio recorder.”Mahler went on to be concerned in quite a few vital TV, video and cinema applied sciences, together with growing the well-known TV colour bars used for calibrating analog colour programs. Our sister publication TV Tech has a writeup about his work.Seidel additionally supplied a private reminiscence:“Many a vendor dreaded having their tools evaluated within the CBS Engineering Lab, as a result of Hank would inevitably uncover points that required them to ‘return to the drafting board.’ However, in the long run, when the tools handed Hank’s muster and acquired the CBS Engineering Lab ‘Good Engineering Seal of Approval,’ it was a world-class product and was acknowledged by the trade as being high of the road in its class.“If you needed to remain on Hank’s good aspect, you’d by no means intrude along with his espresso breaks, which he would announce VERY loudly in his deep baritone voice, ‘COFFEE.’ The lunch time volleyball video games on the CBS Laboratories in Stamford, Conn., turned Hank right into a jovial, however fierce competitor. There have been many CBS Lab colleagues that fell prey to Hank’s sensible jokes, and so they reciprocated by sending him a faux termination ‘pink slip.’ His workplace was plastered, not along with his technological accomplishment, however with household pictures, indicating what was vital in his life,” Seidel wrote.“Hank’s most adorable qualities have been his humble nature, participating smile and willingness to make use of his huge engineering data to coach his fellow engineers. He will probably be missed by his rapid household and by his CBS Family who had the privilege of working with him for over 60 years.”Danbury Memorial and Cremation additionally has posted an obituary. SubscribeFor extra tales like this, and to maintain updated with all our market main information, options and evaluation, signal as much as our publication right here.
Hank Mahler Dies, Was Innovator for CBS Technology Center
