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Tieline offers Wireless IP Remote Broadcasting via 3G Broadband Cellular Sometimes finding new technology to improve the product our radio operations use can be likened to going to the dentist. At times the visit is painful and we walk away regretting the root canal we just endured. However, there are many times we leave the office with a gleaming smile on our faces and a sense of pride that we came away with something accomplished. The latter example is the case with a recent demo we tried at Clear Channel St. Louis. I have to say, I’ve done nothing but smiled since trying the Commander G3 codec from TieLine Technology. In February our engineering team decided to embark on a mission to find an IP-based technology that would work for our remote broadcasts. Between the various engineers and remote technicians in the St. Louis group, we tried several different boxes from different manufacturers. In all of our testing, we were beginning to lose hope that we’d ever find a box that would do all of the following well:
In typical fashion, the last codec we tried measured up to our challenges and restored our faith that IP audio codecs truly are the way of the future. While a couple of the boxes we experimented with performed very well when connected to a wired broadband connection, none but the TieLine performed excellently when used over the Verizon EVDO network available in St. Louis. To perform our tests we ran each codec through the Verizon Broadband EVDO network via a Kyocera KR-1 router at various remote locations. Sometimes we returned to that location on various occasions to see if the experience was a fluke. Typically, we took each codec out with one of our more demanding morning shows. In most cases, it was “Tony Scott and the New Breakfast Crew” on KMJM. In their case, they interact with live telephone calls, take musical guests on a whim, and use a new location every week. To us, this was a perfect “proving-ground” for a codec. The first time out with the Tieline was a brilliantly simple experience for everyone involved. For lack of a better phrase, the codec just worked. The delay was low enough for phone calls and it sounded great on the air via the wireless IP connection. There was very little “glitching” even when the connection on the other boxes had dropped out before. The remote technician and the talent came back to the studio that morning singing the praises of the G3. He was thrilled that he didn’t have to pull out a laptop to see what was going on with the codec. Every test that followed carried the same result. In this business, we know it’s the little things that sometimes matter the most. In our case, the Tieline is a great solution for us because it is easy to use, works with a variety of transmission mediums, sounds great on the air (and doesn’t conflict with the HD Radio algorithm,) and most importantly will stand the tests of time and the road. There will be no teeth-pulling on our part to buy another system in the future. Christian Vang
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