“The AV world is always evolving — new codecs, formats, hardware, and software. I thrive on continuous learning and staying ahead of the curve. The Technology Director role at Dakota Media Access keeps me constantly involved. Unlike some tech work that stays behind the scenes, AV work often has immediate, visible results — like a successful live stream on local television or over the Internet.
After thirty years at the State of North Dakota, many involved in technology, including local and wide area networking and enterprise architecture, I retired young. The constant change was wearing on me, and I thought I deserved a more relaxing lifestyle. My wife, Cheryl, thought different and quickly volunteered me to help Community Access TV with video camera shoots.
Volunteering lasted a few years until one day when Mary Van Sickle, DMA’s longtime Executive Director, asked if I knew anyone in Information Technology that might be interested in working part time. I don’t think she was thinking of me, she was just seeking my input. In the end, she got me.
We covered a lot of ground over the next sixteen years that I’ve been here. Among them included moving from standard definition to high definition television with a 4:3 inch aspect ratio to 16:9; the growth of the Internet; inclusion of smart phones and social media; the movement from component to composite to S-video to SDI to Ethernet cable types; the transition from video tape to digital recorders and players; the inclusion of closed captioning in video; and on and on.
The many years of the Dakota Film Festival and the creation of our radio station, Radio Access, added to the adjustments. Over time, I’ve learned that the changes in technology aren’t what wear me down, they are what keep me going.
AV work often involves working with teams — I really like teaming up with others and helping them figure things out — that’s a big part of why working in tech at DMA is so rewarding.”
-Phil Miller