RADIO on the ROAD The Business Case for Remote IP Codecs These portable, rugged, and stable systems offer increased bandwidth connectivity, and connection flexibility. Here’s a guide to understanding their value from stations that are using them as well as tips for assessing which remote IP codec fits the bill. Brought to you by ENGINEERING EXTRA INTERNATIONAL EDITION AMÉRICA LATINA LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Here’s Why Radio is Turning to IP for Remote Broadcasts Just ask Crocmedia, whose show hinged • Why IP is the network of choice for on the chemistry the announcers have broadcasters looking for reliable and with one another. As the hosts bounced high-quality audio connectivity comments instinctively off one other, the • Why radio stations are choosing to remote codec in Houston connected deploy IP audio codec technology in the faultlessly to the distribution codec back field in Melbourne. “It never missed a beat,” • How new IP codec systems are helping Biagioni says, “and delivered imperceptibly stations cover both remote and major low latency audio over IP for several hours events of broadcasting.” On page 3, the general manager of an AM The IP-based systems used by Crocmedia station in Crookston, Minnesota, reveals and other radio broadcasters are helping how this technology has improved audio stations to cover major league sporting quality, cut costs, and provided the flexibility events on the world’s stage, to deliver to connect via multiple networks as needed. play-by-play high-school basketball games, and to provide a lifeline to remote towns in Likewise, on page 4, the Black Star the US and Australia. network shares how indigenous radio programming is being broadcast to 15 rocmedia Broadcasting knows This ebook from Radio World and Tieline remote communities in North Queensland, all too well the pressures of radio will look at some of those real-world Australia—despite the regularly flooded Cbroadcasting on the big stage. examples and explore both the challenges cellular network on-site and concerns over that radio broadcasters are facing and the battery life in the Australian Outback. As an Australian broadcaster flying 14,000 benefits to transitioning to remote IP audio miles to cover the year’s ultimate football codec technology. Entercom Communications shares on game, concerns over connectivity, reliability, page 5 how IP audio codec technology security and cost were paramount. There For broadcasters who have made the came to the rescue during the World was no bigger test for George Biagioni, transition, the strengths of investing in an Series when the sports talk station Crocmedia IT broadcast engineering IP-based networking technology are clear. KCSP(AM)—the flagship station of the director, than when he decided to road Crocmedia points, for example, to the Kansas City Royals—was unable to estab- test a portable IP codec package on technology’s multiple connectivity options. lish anything better than a POTS-quality radio row in Houston in February 2017. “We can stream using USB modems, connection out of state. Wi-Fi, or Ethernet connections, so every With two broadcasters in Texas and an- option is covered,” Biagioni says. The ex- Finally, on page 6, in “Selecting the Right other announcer back in Melbourne, “we tended battery capability of the ViA codec Remote IP Codec for Your Station,” needed very low latency audio communi- that Crocmedia uses is also key. our partner Tieline presents its perspective cations between Melbourne and Houston on the remote IP codec opportunity in a to make it work,” Biagioni says. “We are constantly doing live remote sponsored white paper that details the key broadcasts, and [this technology] offers product capabilities that any radio station The solution ensuring this success are the flexibility we require to stream from should consider as they evaluate this new new IP-based networking technologies dozens of locations,” Biagioni says. technology. Read on to learn more. crowned by remote IP audio codecs. Today, legacy networking technologies like For radio broadcasters, IP remote codec POTS and ISDN are making way for IP, technology has moved to the forefront. Paul McLane which is proving to be a predominant way This ebook will offer guidance on: Editor in Chief/Editorial Director to transport remote broadcast audio. Radio World 2 RADIO ON THE ROAD—THE BUSINESS CASE FOR REMOTE IP CODECS REPRINTED FROM ENGINEERING EXTRA INTERNA TIONAL EDITION KROX GoesAMÉRICA LATINA Live ViA Tieline Ease of use and reliability keep the signal on the air. By Chris Fee, President/General Manager, KROX(AM) CROOKSTON, Minn. — I have always worry about in the age of disappearing been passionate about sports; and radio phone lines. Not having to deal with our has been in my blood since I graduated telco as much has also been welcome. from Bemidji State University in 2000 With IP, we are saving on telephone line after studying mass communications and costs and sound better on our remotes, coaching. I started my radio career at which only helps sales. KROX(AM) with part-time announcing while in high school and college, and The ViA codec is a tremendous upgrade to after graduating college, I came home to anything we have used. We added an FM work full-time. I love doing play-by-play translator over a year ago so people are sports commentary for basketball, football, Scott Kleven (left) and Frank really noticing the difference when we use Fee doing a high school volleyball, hockey, wrestling, baseball and hockey game using the VIA. the ViA and i-Mix compared to sport mixer softball, which is my passion. games over a phone line or cellphone. dec to a Wi-Fi access point, and we have Four years ago, I bought the station from successfully streamed live from various Since we started using the Tieline codecs my father. schools and colleges. In places with- many listeners have told us that our out phone lines, a LAN or Wi-Fi, I have broadcasts have improved and now sound CONNECTIONS even used the hotspot on my phone to crystal-clear, and that’s awesome. We At KROX, we have been using the Tieline broadcast the game and it is crystal clear, also had an advertiser tell us our remotes i-Mix G3 mixer/codec for about five years, studio-sound quality. It is amazing. sound great. and while sports mixers are good pieces of equipment and sound good, the i-Mix Although I wasn’t familiar with the codec So far we have used ViA for play-by-play and now the ViA codec are on another initially, I was able to make a connection to sports coverage, live remotes from stores, level when it comes to quality. They make our Commander G3 studio codec quickly Christmas concerts and other live events it sound like you are calling the game from and easily. The touchscreen clearly displays throughout the year. It’s trouble-free every the studio. send and return PPMs, and you can swipe time we take it out and we are talking to view connection info and IP statistics. about buying another one already. In reviewing Tieline’s ViA, I’ll start by say- ing it’s nice and compact and easy to use. We connect in stereo over IP and send a For information, contact Dawn Shewmaker The touchscreen and menus are a step up mix-minus from the studio to our an- at Tieline USA in Indiana at (317) 845-8000 from the i-Mix and are simple to navigate nouncers at the remote site. We stream or visit www.tieline.com. and intuitive. The input and headphone using Tieline Music with a bitrate of at controls are also easy to access and least 64 kbps when we connect over adjust. wired IP and when the wireless network supports that bitrate. CONTENTS I don’t have a technical background but ViA is so simple to configure I can do it Tieline’s automatic jitter buffer settings al- 3 KROX Goes Live Via Tieline on my own. We had our engineer do the low us to talk to the studio in real time. The initial setup with the i-Mix G3 and when auto jitter adjustment measures network 4 Black Star Launches Cooktown we got the Tieline ViA we just dialed and capability to reduce latency to the lowest Radio Station with ViA it worked. level the network can reliably support. Total latency is never more than 100 ms. 5 Tieline Hits Home Run for The ease of using the ViA is second to Entercom KC none, and the ability to use its built-in I love broadcasting over IP. It is pretty Wi-Fi, an IP LAN or a phone line at a much foolproof, and we have never had a 6 Selecting the Right Remote IP venue covers all our options. A couple of drop or anything while using IP. It makes Codec for Your Station seconds is all it takes to connect the co- life a lot easier and is one less thing to 3 RADIO ON THE ROAD—THE BUSINESS CASE FOR REMOTE IP CODECS REPRINTED FROM ENGINEERING EXTRA INTERNA TIONAL EDITION Black StarAMÉRICA LATINA Launches Cooktown Radio Station with ViA By Gerry Pyne Gerry Pyne is General Manager of Queensland Remote Aboriginal Media (QRAM), which runs the Black Star radio network and transmits indigenous radio programming to 15 remote communities in far North Queensland, Australia. I started my career as a technical officer with the main telco in Australia in the late 1970s, before completing electronics and electrical engineering qualifications and moving into community radio in Victoria, and then commercial radio in north Queensland.