How IP Codecs are Transforming Radio Remotes The compact-yet-mighty technology powerhouse known as the IP codec has proven itself invaluable for in-the-field radio station remotes. Now, an innovative technology iteration on the horizon may be giving some stations a powerful new competitive advantage. Brought to you by 1 – HOW IP CODECS ARE TRANSFORMING RADIO REMOTES ENGINEERING EXTRA INTERNATIONAL EDITION AMÉRICA LATINA LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Or consider the LPFM radio show host On page 5, a veteran engineer with whose wide-ranging travel necessitates more than 25 years of experience that he find a broadcast system that explains how IP remote codecs are effectively fits into a carry-on case facilitating everything from station — and that ensures low latency for call- remotes to play-by-play sports coverage — ins and reliable high-quality audio. even when other stations run into myriad connection problems at the same locale. The answer for both — and myriad oth- ers — is remote IP codec technology. Then, on page 7, an international broad- Broadcasters have found that remote caster shares how it attempted to use IP codecs are simple to operate and IP codec technology to broadcast one configure, offer a wide range of IP con- of the year’s biggest sporting events nection options, and effectively enable halfway around the world. And on page remote broadcasts. 8, a local radio station shows how the biggest impact can sometimes be made But the next iteration of the technol- just by taking a walk. ogy is offering new possibilities. A new breed of technologies is serving If audio-over-IP is the broadcast network as more than just IP codecs. Today, infrastructure of the future, then the new studio-in-a-box options are of- functionalities within today’s new remote fering the ability not only to facilitate IP codecs may be the ticket to getting a remote broadcast but also to offer there. Read on to learn more. adio stations that turn to IP for streaming, recording, and playback reliable, flexible, remote broad- functionality as well. Paul McLane R casts are finding something new Editor in Chief/Editorial Director on the horizon. Can live remotes be enhanced using Radio World advanced record/play/stream/control While it’s well known there is inherent functionality within an IP codec? This value for radio stations that use flexible ebook, from Radio World and Tieline, CONTENTS IP networks to operate portable codecs will explore that possibility by reviewing: for remote radio broadcasts, new • How remote IP codec technology is 3 “Ask Noah Show” Chooses Tieline advanced features may cause some being deployed successfully in the field; ViA for Global Remotes stations to pay closer attention. • Why IP is often the network of choice for broadcasters looking for reliable and 5 Cumulus Chooses ViA for Yes, there are a cadre of IP codecs that high-quality audio connectivity; Live Remotes are simple to operate and configure. • What type of advanced functionality And yes, they are giving new freedoms is now being deployed in real-world 7 Crocmedia Broadcasts the Big to radio stations looking to effectively broadcasts. Game with Tieline ViA and reliably enable remote broadcasts. On page 3 of this ebook, a radio show 8 Australia’s Nova Breakfast Show Walks to Work — Live Take a look at the Australian media host describes how an IP remote co- company Crocmedia, which has been dec helped him set up remote broad- 9 More Than an IP Codec - And tasked with covering the biggest game casts from all over the world — and Why That’s a Boon for the in football every year for the last six years even manage to work in one of the Modern Radio Station — and to bring that coverage 9,000 miles trickiest connection spots he’s ever back home to listeners in Australia. encountered. 2 – HOW IP CODECS ARE TRANSFORMING RADIO REMOTES REPRINTED FROM ENGINEERING EXTRA INTERNA TIONAL EDITION “Ask NoahAMÉRICA LA TINAShow” Chooses Tieline ViA for Global Remotes He’s traveled all over the world and has set up far-flung broadcasts from the likes of Sydney and Amsterdam. So why is the most challenging broadcast from a local lake? And what can be done about it? By Noah J. Chelliah, Host, “Ask Noah Show” GRAND FORKS, N.D. —In 2017, the “Linux Action Show,” the lon- gest-running Linux podcast, ended. As the former host, I knew I wanted to continue creating content about Linux and open-source technologies. I decided to approach a local LPFM station with an idea: a call-in talk radio show focused on these topics that I would host. In just a few weeks the “Ask Noah Show” was born and had an air date, but there was one big prob- lem: I still had my company to run, and that meant frequently being on the road or flying all over the country, sometimes with little or no notice. ON AIR I needed a broadcast system that would fit in a carry on case, with low latency to facilitate call-ins, and to do a remote broadcast from the Later that night, I was on my com- (most important) reliable high-quality hotel. The station’s engineer sent puter doing research about the audio. It needed to be something me an email with the firewall and company when I noticed a link to I could have up and running in 10 router modifications they wanted. As try the gear for free. Up until this minutes. I knew what I wanted; I just I watched how simply and effectively point, I had assumed that hardware didn’t know if it existed. that radio host pulled out his Tieline IP codecs were the same as Ipdtl or Commander G3, plugged a head- SourceConnect Now. (I was wrong.) The answer fell into my lap while set in, and went live in under two A few days later, I had codecs in our doing my day job. A hotel was facil- minutes, I knew I had to learn more studio connected to our console, itating another radio station’s talent about Tieline. with our show going over it. I was 3 – HOW IP CODECS ARE TRANSFORMING RADIO REMOTES REPRINTED FROM ENGINEERING EXTRA INTERNA TIONAL EDITION sold. I sent the audio sample to my consists of a mic, a pair of head- can’t have the guy telling you what producer and spent the next 15AMÉRICA LATINA phones and the ViA in a Pelican technology is best using second minutes trying to convince him that, 1510 case. class gear to do the show. yes, I was in fact outside the studio. I was remote. That’s what sold me. I’ve traveled all over the world. The “Ask Noah Show” airs Tuesdays at I’ve done remote broadcasts from 6 p.m. (CST) and is streamed live on I’m a sucker for high quality; I can Sydney, Tokyo and Amsterdam, as the internet at asknoahshow.com hear the quality difference between well as all over the US. The most . The show continues to grow, but it the Tieline system and the software challenging broadcasts, though, would have likely never gotten off codecs. It’s really a curse, once are from my lake retreat. If you put the ground if it weren’t for my mobile you hear how pristine the audio is your phone at just the right angle broadcast kit with the Tieline ViA at from the Tieline products. I sat up you can get LTE, but to say that it’s the heart. at night with my wife and tried to spotty is a gross understatement. convince myself that Skype was The ViA and Tieline’s Music PLUS You can see me talk about Tieline’s “good enough.” I tried to convince codec handle it like a champ. I’ve ViA remote codec at myself that we could live with one of done hours of broadcasting with https://youtu.be/6CkKku1JAe8. the many WebRTC software-based some of the worst internet anywhere codecs. Once you hear the quality of in the country and the studio has the Tieline, it’s a splinter in the mind never had to drop me. My Tieline ViA and you can never go back. keeps me on the air; it’s that simple. PURCHASING After my initial success with the Tiel- The truth is the purchase decision ine system, KEQQ(LP) purchased a “Once you hear the for an expensive piece of gear like Bridge-IT XTRA and a Commander that goes a lot further than making G3 for all of their on-air personalities quality of the Tieline, a good product. The support team to remote broadcast as well. The it’s a splinter in the at Tieline has been fantastic. Jacob “Ask Noah Show” is now broadcast Daniluck patiently answered my live from Altispeed Technologies in mind and you can numerous emails and phone calls. a studio that I handcrafted with my He and I must have gone through team. never go back.” 10 scenarios until I finally landed on purchasing the ViA. The LPFM station also purchased —Noah J. Chelliah a Bridge-IT for my custom studio to Host, “Ask Noah Show” With redundant Ethernet ports there connect to the radio station. I still do is never a concern about a reliable about half of my broadcasting using connection at one of the multiple the Tieline ViA, either on-location or Linux events I broadcast from. During my hotel room when traveling. the summer, the built-in WiFi chipset lets me connect to a WiFi hotspot My listeners have no idea I’m remote and broadcast the show from my RV unless I tell them.