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Diport 10/3 - new VHF reporter transmitter

Hecom, the relatively new Dutch manufacturer of reporter transmitters, has completed the Diport 10/3. It is the ideal replacement of the Sennheiser SER20’s, which as you will recall, are no longer being produced. Not only does it replace them, but it is also compatible with the SER20’s. The nifty construction, a small, solid one-piece aluminium housing guarantees a long life and excellent shielding from noise. This VHF transmitter with talk-back receiver is a very welcome full duplex wireless solution for the roaming reporter. You/Com has been appointed European master distributor of these units.

What would a POTS codec be doing in a bar?

Journalists who are daily en route with their POTS codec, have been making remarks which we hadn’t previously heard from ISDN codec users. But what do you think of the experience of Wim Rigter, correspondent of AVRO in Holland: “For a discussion on a current topic I can drop into the nearest pub. I install my POTS codec on the corner of the bar, connect it to a telephone or fax line and can start interviewing the barman or any bystanders immediately and do a live report. The great advantage is that the news is really hot.” Nobody notices that these live contributions are being transmitted from such an informal background and at perfect audio quality. This kind of reporting clearly wins in spontaneity.

If you don’t believe it, phone us!

The sound quality of a normal telephone is only 3,5 kHz. Since Tieline has brought the Patriot and Commander POTS codecs to market, one can now transmit 15 kHz over the very same analogue telephone lines. The only difference is that you need other equipment. Those of you who don’t believe us, are more than welcome to give us a call and arrange a time to do a test.

Would you like more info on POTS?

By now we all know that POTS stands for Plain Old Telephony Service and PSTN for Public Switched Telephone Network. Since POTS codecs have become so popular, we have noticed that the interest in information on POTS connections in various countries has increased. To questions such as “which connector is used in Poland, Canada or Liechtenstein?” or “what is the dialling tone in Belgium, South Africa or Taiwan?” you can find the answer and other useful information on http://kropla.com/phones.htm.

IRT stamp of approval

The world’s only portable, digital radio transmitter, the renowned ReporterRadio, has undergone lengthy testing at the German IRT, Institut für Rundfunktechnik, and has acquired its stamp of approval in December 2002. Isn’t it high time that you invested in a digital transmitter?

The much appreciated You/Com SET2 now with USB

The SET2 as successor to the ReporterSet has found its place in the market. You/Com has added a number of options to the SET2 such as an international sound module, an integrated battery charger and a Bluetooth module for communication using a mobile phone. The requirement for a USB connection to a PC (laptop), however, also became apparent to us. Via this USB connection it is now possible to use the SET2 as an audio source for recordings on a PC. If so required, these reports having been edited on the PC, can be played out live over ISDN using the USB port.

Mobile phone for a live report?

The Bluetooth option for the SET2 has already been mentioned above. Undoubtedly you’ll recognise this situation: a shortage of connections during a sports event or a press conference, or even worse no connection available at all. For these situations, the Bluetooth option can bring relief. You can make a wireless connection between your mobile phone and the SET2. The advantage is, that you canwork with a professional microphone and headphone and at the same time use the mixer in the SET2.
As soon as ISDN becomes available again, you are able to continue working at a higher quality.

Delay? Low delay? You/Com SET2 offers “almost no delay”!

During a meeting of the Schule für Rundfunktechnik on ISDN/audio codecs the topic was: “Audio coding algorithms, what more do we need?” Next to interesting introductions by technology specialists the approximately 60 participants also were given information by suppliers of audio codecs, such as You/Com. One of the aspects of coding algorithms is its delay, which is a nuisance during communication connections. It results in laboriuos communication and is particularly annoying during two way conversations. The total delay is determined by various factors such as the characteristics and implementation of the algorithm as well as the possible bundling of channels. Fortunately even better solutions are becoming more readily available. The SET2 for instance with its 4SB ADPCM algorithm is growing in popularity and now reduces delay to 10 msec. We have called this “almost no delay” to avoid confusion with AAC low delay, which in practice always still has a delay of approximately 50 msec.

Universal Tools for Audio Communication over X.21 links

In the world of audio communications there are often special requirements for the data connections to be used. Headroom Broadcast, telecom specialist in Germany, has made some "universal tools" that could be of great help in such situations. The X.213, for example, is a tool for the handling of X.21 signals. Split, switch, monitor, do whatever you like. The module has six freely programmable X.21 ports. Ideal for multiplying one audio signal to five users, making a dual 1-to-2 data switch, or for local monitoring and back-up applications.

Another useful tool: the RS MUX

Headroom developed a flexible and an attractively priced multiplexer, dedicated to audio communications applications. In most situations only a synchronous link is available, such as an Nx64 kbps leased line. Strange as it may seem, it is often not so easy to find a suitable and yet economical multiplexer, when you want to transport a number of asynchronous signals such as RDS data, or control signals for remote management, or new services like DRM (Digital Radio Mondial, digital audio in AM radio bands). And you are able to assign a specific bit rate to each async channel, even in small steps. Truly unique on the market!

CCS at AES

CCS (Musicam USA) is still the most important manufacturer in the world of audio codecs and You/Com is her most successful European partner. During AES CCS will demonstrate the latest developments such as the NetStar and SuperLink on stand 2422.

NetStar: IP/ISDN audio codec

Maybe CCS is not the first codec manufacturer with an IP codec, but it certainly is coming with a very complete unit supplied standard with AAC and AAC Low Delay. To keep it straightforward there are only 2 versions: with and without controls on the front panel. The codec is bi-directional, on both ISDN and IP networks. Ask us for a brochure on this “star”.

SuperLink: modular audio codec

Another codec from the CCS series, the SuperLink, is gaining in popularity. The SuperLink has a modular construction. The modules are partly from the TEAM 2Mbit/s codec/multiplexer. Speaking about “super”, just as the TEAM, the SuperLink has an extremely low delay namely a mere 1 msec for linear audio signals over 2 Mbit/s networks.

Line Handling System for Sweden

From our reseller, Tranzicom, in Sweden we received an interesting order for the news and current affairs department working for the whole of Swedish Radio. It will consist of a pair of StudioSet ISDN hybrids with AES/EBU ports and the LHS/4 Line Handling System. This combination of equipment has proven to be a valuable solution for talk show and newsroom applications. The fact, that the software of the LHS/4 will be customised for optimal interworking with the DHD consoles in use by Swedish Radio, makes this project a special one!

Tailormade for RTV Noord Holland

The two 8-line talk show systems, which we will be supplying for the new studios of RTV Noord Holland in Amsterdam are also tailor-made. Each system will consist of 4 StudioSets including a special execution of the LHS/8 Line Handling System. For an optimal adjustment to the Klotz digital matrix, which will be installed in the new studio, the StudioSet ISDN hybrids will have digital interfaces. The LHS/8 on the other hand will be delivered in a very special version, namely the keyboard will form an integral part of the Klotz console.

Why change to an ISDN hybrid?

An ISDN hybrid is a telephone hybrid based on modern technology and clearly offers an improvement in sound quality compared to its analogue predecessor. To change over to an ISDN hybrid is particularly useful if:

• you are installing a digital telephone exchange, so that a digital 4-wire connection is created with the telecom infrastructure;
• mobile phones are often used. A mobile phone is actually a digital 4-wire system and when using an ISDN hybrid an end-to-end 4-wire connection is made, with all the accompanying advantages;
• if “hands free” telephones are used by external participants during editorial meetings. The excellent channel separation restricts acoustic feedback to a large extent.

The You/Com StudioSet offers excellent speech audibility as a result of louder reception with less noise and hardly any echo.

Did you know that …

• RTV Noord Holland is counting on 8 StudioSets and 2 Line Handling Systems, for both communication purposes as for incoming telephone calls in the building of its new radio studios?
• RTV Noord Holland in the meantime has also ordered 17 CCS SuperLinks?
• the popular, multi-cultural, youth radio station, FUN-X, has consciously chosen 6 SuperLinks?
• our Czech Partner, Audiopro, has supplied a set of Tieline POTS codecs to BBC Prague so that they can do on location reports from any telephone connection?
• there are also POTS codecs at MDR (Dresden), SFB (Berlin), Radio Rijnmond (Rotterdam), RTV Noord (Groningen) and many other radio stations?
• the You/Com SET2 has been supplied to the following Dutch stations: NOS (Langs de Lijn and Sportjournaal), RTV Oost and Omroep Gelderland?
• nowadays the SET2 is being supplied with an auto-detect system, so that the unit itself detects the incoming algorithm and automatically adjusts itself to it?
• this means that no one with a SET2 need lift a finger to accept an automatic call?
• NDR (Hamburg), Domradio (Cologne), Polskie Radio (Warsaw), DRS (Bern) and Latvia TV (Riga) also use the SET2?
• Sonifex has integrated the You/Com StudioSet in its codec management system ARC Multi-Master?
• our GSM reporter interfaces are being sold like hot cakes?

Test numbers for reporter equipment

For a number of years You/Com has offered its customers the facility to check their reporter equipment via an ISDN connection. Users of the ReporterSet, ReporterMate and SET2 can phone the following number: +31 15 251 0216. There is a continuous audio signal on this ISDN number namely ISO.MPEG 64 kbit/s 24 kHz. Simultaneously the received signal is returned with a delay, so that one can judge whether the entire connection is functioning properly. A similar facility is now also available for the Tieline POTS codecs, on the (analogue) telephone number +31 15 251 0781.