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October 2013 l 31
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Americas, acknowledges that managed networks using the MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) mechanism for IP connections guarantee delivery of the data packets, particularly with DSP-based codec on the end. “That’s as solid and robust at the traditional T1/E1 circuits,” he says. “On a connection like that latency is not an issue because it’s going to be only around 5-10ms. But it is a problem with the open internet where you can’t fix the amount of inherent latency. There you might be talking about 100-300ms. But that’s not as important as it was once because very often broadcasters are delivering analogue signals as well as digital feeds and there is delay there anyway.” This way of working has led another leading codec manufacturer, Systembase, to introduce new firmware for its C500ip series codecs, to enable simultaneous IP streaming of audio to multiple locations. Managing director Andrew Steward observes that many radio stations send the digital signal to the transmitter and then have to pull out another feed from it for FM broadcast. “This keeps costs down but it does introduce more coding at the transmission end
and film streaming. As well as the distinction between AoIP over managed networks and the open internet, there is the difference between inter-studio or facility connections and remote connectivity for reporting and STLs. Johannes Rietschel, chief
executive of IP comms and control specialist Barix, says formats such as Ravenna, Dante and AVB are well suited to inter-facility applications but are not the right choice for dealing with the “outer world”. Among the technologies that are appropriate for remote connectivity, Rietschel says, are AACplus and the recently introduced Opus codec, an open, royalty-free unit suitable for interactive transmission of speech and music over the internet. Rietschel says both Opus and
AACplus are “good” and that the bandwidth is available. “By implementing new codecs with improved redundancy schemes, AoIP can be even smoother to use,” he observes. “The idea is to offer users the power of IP without them being exposed to its complexities.”
As AoIP becomes the basis of
more functions and techniques in broadcasting and professional audio on a networked basis, just
“By implementing new codecs with improved redundancy schemes, AoIP can be even
smoother to use. The idea
is to offer users the power of IP without them being exposed to its complexities” Johannes Rietschel, Barix
and doesn’t produce clean signals,” he explains. “If you stream linear audio over IP all the problems disappear. And with point to multi-point you can do the processing at the station.” Steward says good quality AoIP comes down to the connections and the speeds they use. “With managed circuits you can guarantee the bandwidth and know what you’re working with,” he comments. As public internet connections
improve in terms of speed and quality there is the opportunity for professional users to deploy AoIP without investing in a managed network, although there is still concern that these connections would lose the battle for bandwidth with music
as it is in the consumer world, perhaps it is more useful to think of it as either a means to an end – being part of distribution or intercom systems – or as an app that allows you to do something that would otherwise require a lot of hardware, as with the Luci Live IP broadcast connection. However it’s considered, on this evidence AoIP is going to keep reaching out into the audio market.n
www.axiaaudio.com www.barix.com www.bionics.co.uk www.clearcom.com www.glensound.co.uk www.rtsintercoms.com www.solid-state-logic.com www.systembase.com www.worldcastsystems.com
GLENSOUND GS-GC5 USB
A COMPANYmight believe firmly in a technology as the way ahead but sometimes the R&D effort and investment involved to develop it in- house can put the project back. The managing director of codec manufacturer Glensound Electronics, Gavin Davis, said in recent years that “linear audio over IP is the future” but the company had not produced its own contender in the AoIP market. That situation has changed now through a collaboration with Dutch software company Technica Del Arte, developer of the Luci Live IP codec for smartphones and PCs. The GS-GC5 USB is a variation on Glensound’s
established ISDN-based
commentary unit,
featuring Luci Live as well as MP2, AAC, AAC-HE, G711 and G722.
Featuring a four-channel mixer and four headphone connections, the GC5 takes all its audio I/O through USB ports. Glensound sales and marketing manager Marc Wilson explains that the company’s customers had been
asking
when its products
would be
available with IP. He adds that the decision was taken to work with Luci for the IP
software and designing a hardware interface that commentators would recognise. The GS-GC5 USB is scheduled to ship in November.
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