NewsLetter

No 18, September 2004

Tieline News

You/Com is proud to announce that Tieline has chosen to launch its new G3 platform of products in Europe at IBC 2004 on the You/Com stand.
We all know that Tieline’s claim to fame is its range of POTS codecs. When the entire world was speaking of ISDN and getting accustomed to better audio quality, Tieline developed an algorithm, which delivers 15kHz over analogue telephone lines.
Time has not stood still on the Tieline premises. On the quiet they have developed a third generation codec platform called G3. G3 features a new powerful DSP processor, multi-algorithm stereo operation, remote control and built-in off-air communication at the touch of a button. The remote control goes so far that input levels of the field unit can be controlled from the studio.
The G3 codecs should be seen as a foundation on which to build and expand. Each codec now has two expansion slots, which accepts your choice of modules. These can be ISDN, POTS or wireless GSM. Every single one of these modules offers you 15kHz pure audio!
The product range now consists of two products: the Commander G3 (a 2-channel mixer) and the i-Mix G3 (a 6-channel mixer). Both devices can be split into a duplex programme channel and a separate duplex communication channel. Both can take live telephone calls in the field off-air and also on-air. The new platform has been successfully tested and tried at EURO 2004 in Portugal and the Olympic Games in Athens. Did you notice a glitch or a hitch?


Outside broadcasts … without delay!

For a complete solution for outside broadcasts the Hecom product range is the answer. Normally two systems are used in outside broadcasting. The one gives the reporter complete freedom of movement on the premises of an event. It consists of a reporter transmitter and a receiver in an OB van, including the talk-back channel. For this system You/Com has on offer the Diport portable reporter transmitter and a 19” receiver in the OB van.
The second system serves to connect the OB van to the studio. There are various possibilities to realise this. For instance by using an ISDN/POTS codec or even a satellite connection or alternatively a wireless connection in the UHF/VHF or 10GHz frequency band. For this latter system we dispose over a wide range of products and Hecom is once again supplier of the wireless systems. The VHF, UHF and 10GHz are affordable and reliable solutions. With a management system these systems can be managed and configured remotely.


Management and security of conference/co-ordination connections

You/Com has supplied communication systems, of which the connections are closely monitored and access is secured, to a number of broadcast stations. It concerns conference and communication connections, which are crucial for co-ordination purposes during radio and TV programmes.
The solution consists of 4-wire ISDN speech codecs (StudioSet), which set up a connection over a switched network (ISDN) and a network management system (KMS/60). The combination offers complete automatic monitoring of connections and in the case of failure, a back-up connection is automatically set-up. Likewise incoming calls are screened and only accepted if the call originates from a registered participant (whitelisting). The current version of the system can monitor and control 60 connections simultaneously.


MXTS – advanced multi-channel audio-to-DVB convertor

An ever-growing number of broadcasters plans to distribute their radio programmes over the DVB satellite or DVB terrestrial network. The You/Com-Headroom team recognised the need in the market for a more efficient way to feed audio signals into a DVB platform. This resulted in a unique product in the domain of audio-to-DVB conversion for satellite uplinks, namely the MXTS. The MXTS is an advanced solution, which converts up to10 stereo audio programmes into one ASI transport stream. This compact system implements a sophisticated technology, which avoids cascading and results in the improvement of the sound quality. If the contributing feed from a radio station comes from a remote location i.e. the feeding audio MPEG signal is transmitted over a digital leased line, the signal can now be fed directly into the X.21 input of the MXTS. The MXTS allows a combination of in total 10 remote or local feeds. The integration of Dolby digital 5.1 surround and RDS data is an option.


Expats listen via WebRadio

Thanks to Internet technology expatriates from Russia and the Ukraine living in the USA or Canada nowadays have the opportunity to listen to a large number of Russian radio stations. The beauty of the system is that although the Internet is used a PC is not required. David Moro, president of Russian Radio Network (RRN), attributes the success of this new “service” to the fact that listeners now have the choice between a large number of Russian radio stations for news and music programmes from their country of origin as well as the ease with which they can operate this WebRadio. Previously their choice of radio station was limited to only one . Subscribers to the RRN network have a WebRadio, which can be connected to a regular analogue telephone line (or ADSL). RRN is located in New Jersey, USA. The first rollout is taking place on the East Coast of the United States and Canada, but in actual fact this is not bound by location.


FunX: a youth station that spells only fun!

FunX is a multicultural radio station for the indigenous and foreign youth in the Netherlands. FunX makes use of an interesting format, which is that young people can influence the choice of music being played via the Internet. FunX plays a mix of Arab, hiphop, r&b, Latin, Suri-, Hindi- and Turk pop. Initially it started with a license for FM frequencies in Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and Amsterdam. The main studio is located in Rotterdam and connected to other remote stations via a 2-Mb star network. These remote studios are likewise connected to the transmitters with 2-Mb connections. These connections are used likewise for audio, data and LAN traffic. You/Com supplied the 2-Mb audio multiplexers for these connections, namely the TEAM MUX from the well-known codec manufacturer MusicamUSA (CCS). Seeing the rave reports, expansion to other major cities in Holland is to be expected.


Foreign correspondents move more freely

Following the positive experience of their offices in Washington, the editorial office of SWR Baden-Baden has decided to provide their other foreign correspondents with POTS codecs as well. Even though these offices have ISDN connections at their disposal, yet as soon as these correspondents step out of their office to visit other cities, it is quite difficult to find an ISDN connection or it is too costly. By equipping the reporters with a Tieline POTS codec they are able to set up a live connection to the studio in Baden-Baden from every regular analogue telephone live and at 15 kHz audio quality! The result is that the reporter has more freedom of movement and the editors have more up-to-date news. This trend is also noticeable in other radio stations. Even local reporters are discovering the added value of this new technology. After all there are still more analogue than ISDN lines.


Did you know that …

... the correspondent of RBB in Shanghai sends his live reports to RBB Berlin using a Tieline POTS codec?

... nowadays we supply more Bluetooth modules than cables in combination with our GSM reporter interfaces?

... the NetStar (MusicamUSA audio codec) is increasingly being used for live audio over IP connections via satellite?

... our partner Headroom supplies converters that transport one ASI Transport Stream over a single E1 (G.703) connection?

... there is also a converter (ASI MUX) which enables a video signal to be transmitted over 4 x E1 connections?

... back-up solutions for STL connections are our speciality?

... the Diport wireless reporter transmitter supports hidyn (Sennheiser) and dbx companding and one of these days Shure-U as well?

... L1 (regional station in Holland) has selected our Line Handling and Screening System as well as the corresponding ISDN hybrids (StudioSet) for its newly built station?

... radio stations are discovering the WebRadio which enables them to screen all radio programmes as well as different editions thereof both at work or elsewhere? A PSTN or LAN connection suffices.

... our Swiss partner, Videolink has supplied audio-to-DVB converters (XTS) to Swisscom?

... this very same Videolink, commissioned by TPC, developed a flight case which contains an integrated audio/video system to make live reports for radio or TV broadcasts by ENG teams that operate in the so called “mixed zone“ of large sport events?

... you can view this flight case as well as numerous other solutions during IBC on our stand or you can always visit our website?