Tieline FAQ's

Welcome to the Tieline Technology Frequently Asked Questions page. If you have a question that does not appear on this page please click here and we will answer and enquiries you may have.

Please follow the below steps in order

Step 1) Click here to find out what codec type you have.

How do I get Support? | Legacy G1 and G3 |
POTS installation and Useage Tips | Legacy G1 and G3 |
What are the ten simple steps to connect Tieline codecs? (generic for every connection mode except 3G) |G3|
How do I set up a Tieline ISDN Link? | Legacy G1|
How do I set up a Tieline wireless link? | Legacy G1 |
How do i set up a wireless 3G link? |3G|
How do I set up a Tieline Leased line link? | Legacy G1 and G3 |
Why does one link quality reading look different to the other and what should I do? | Legacy G1 and G3|
Why can't I establish a POTS link? | Legacy G1 and G3 |
Why is no audio detected after a link has been established? | Legacy G1 and G3|
How do I restore to factory default? | Legacy G1 | G3 |
How do I upgrade my Tieline? | Legacy G1 and G3 |
How do I set up my audio input levels? | Legacy G1 | G3 |
Mobile telephone interference | Legacy G1 and G3 |
Consistent renegotiations | Legacy G1 and G3 |
Toolbox software does not detect the Tieline | Legacy G1 and G3 |
Will my software version talk to a Tieline with a different software version? | Legacy G1 and G3 |
I want to program my studio automation system to control my Tieline codecs | Legacy G1 and G3 |
Will my G3 codec connect to a G1 Legacy product? | Legacy G1 and G3 |

If you are in need of technical support please click here, complete the online form and we will contact you within 1 working day.

If you are in urgent need of help please contact our American or Australian head office during business hours from the below links.

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While the Tieline codec is a very reliable product, its performance will only be as good as the line that it is operating over. Proper precautions MUST be taken to ensure that only the Tieline codec uses the line. Remove these possible interference sources: DSL or ADSL Modems Other telephone handsets Portable phone base stations Unused parallel phone sockets Fax machines Computer modems Burglar Alarm systems Extension bells Line monitoring devices, such caller ID units All white goods: Coffee machines, fridges, air conditioners….etc

click here to read the "POTS Operation Precautions" for more information on this topic

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What are the ten simple steps to connect Tieline codecs? (generic for every connection mode except 3G)
Tieline G3 codec
Use the black rotary MENU SELECTOR (MS) to scroll through menus and press it to select menu items. If more detailed connection information is required, please see the ‘Quick Start’ section of each codec’s reference manual for more information.

Step 1. Disconnect power from the codec before installing any module into it.

Step 2: Plug power into the codec and attach any POTS, ISDN or Ethernet lines that are required.

Step 3: Turn on power to the codec and select Menu by pressing SOFTKEY 4. Then select [Load profile] to choose the type of connection to connect with (i.e. default profiles or any Custom Profile). Select the profile you want from the menu and press SOFTKEY 2 to load the profile.

Step 4: Use the black rotary MS to scroll to the connection you are using, i.e. [POTS1 Enter#] etc, until it is surrounded by the square brackets [ ].

Step 5: Plug your microphones and/or music sources into the codec and adjust the input gain, phantom power (default is off) and other audio settings by pressing SOFTKEY 1 Aud. (If you are not using a microphone at the codec you are dialing from go to step 7).

Step 6: The default input level setting is Line Level. To adjust input gains press SOFTKEY 1 with Aud displayed above it and scroll to and select [Input Gains]. Select the input gain setting you require for each individual input or select [All Inputs] to change all inputs simultaneously. Press the CLEAR button on the keypad twice to return to the main LCD screen. WARNING: Phantom power of 15 volts is always switched on for the TLR300B rack mount codec analog microphone input.

Step 7: Scroll until the square brackets [ ] surround the connection you will be dialing (eg. POTS1 Enter# ) and type the number/IP address for the connection via the keypad.

Step 8: Press the ENTER DIAL button on the codec to dial and connect.

Step 9: Repeat steps 7-8 if dialing a second connection.

Step 10: On an i-Mix G3 press the yellow CUE button to send audio over the communications channel. If you are using a field unit COMMANDER G3 codec, once both channels are connected hold down the MS for 2 seconds and a secondary activation menu will appear along the bottom of the screen. You will see CUE1 and CUE2 above HOTKEYS 2 and 3. (Please note that rack unit codecs and the TLG3 GUI rack mount codec control software have dedicated CUE buttons so you will not need to do this). Pressing the CUE key on either of the 2 microphone inputs will route audio from these inputs to the off-air bidirectional communications channel only. Audio being sent will be heard in the right side of both headphone outputs. Communications audio will be displayed on PPM 2. To return to the main menu hold down the MS for 2 seconds, or it will automatically return to the main menu after two minutes. For more information on the i-Mix G3 phone coupler, please see the codec reference manual.

How do I set up a Tieline ISDN link?

U.S.A. setup for Legacy G1 codecs
If you are in North America, you will need to program SPID numbers. The SPID (Service Profile ID) number will enable the telephone company and the matrix to communicate with each other. The SPID number can be obtained from the telephone company.

From the main menu entitled "pots mode" on the dialing unit, go to: [menu] >[ISDN setup] >[spid 1] then enter the number via the keypad and select "okay"

• Repeat for second SPID number
• Repeat for second unit (the unit receiving the call).
• Continue With the European Steps below.

European setup for Legacy G1 codecs
Enable ISDN on both units by:

• From the main "Pots Mode" menu, navigate through the menu system to [Menu] > [view config] > [Op mode] (and rotate the "Menu Selector" knob to "4:ISDN" and press in). Exit from the changes saved screen, to return to "ISDN Mode" screen.
• Repeat for the second Codec unit
• Dial the phone number of the line that the receiving codec is connected too, and press "Enter Dial" on the keypad.
• The receiving unit should automatically answer the incoming call; otherwise press the "Answer" key on the receiving unit.

How do I set up a Tieline wireless Link?

GSM Mode

Legacy G1 instructions
To set up both the local and remote Tielines for "GSM mode" simply navigate thru the menu system of the codec to:

[menu] > [view config] > [op mode] > [5: GSM DATA MODE]

After that, all that's required is to plug your Cell Phone into the "DATA PORT" of your codec and then dial the desired landline via the codecs keypad.

Note: Once connected In GSM mode the "Bit Rate" cannot be changed.

Cell Phone > Land line

Where GSM is not available, you can still create a wireless connection over your Tieline codec using your ear/mic handsfree wire. In Cell Phone mode, you can use all the facilities of your remote Tieline codec (ie microphones and headphones) and you can dial from the mobile telephone directly to a standard land line. You do not need to dial codec to codec. This is because Cell Phone mode is a normal analogue call.

Tieline's Legacy i-Mix G1, Commander G1 and Patriot G1 codecs feature a standard cell phone hands free interface via a 3.5mm jack located on the rear of each product. You can broadcast over any cellular network because the connection is made in normal telephone mode bypassing the modems and DSP compression system. Normal cell phone quality audio can be delivered over the link. It is easy to modify your own cell phone ear piece / hands free kit to interface with the Tieline codecs. All you need is the microphone wire of your hands free attached to the tip of the 3.5mm plug and the headphone wire attached to the ring of the connector (see wireless page for more). A battery option to support total wireless freedom is also available.

** Legacy G1 Commander and Express units built prior to 2002 are not capable of wireless interface but can be upgraded.

Legacy G1 instructions
To set up the Tieline for Cell Phone mode simply navigate thru the menu system of the codec to:

[menu] > [view config] > [op mode] > [mobile mode]

and plug the cell phone into the cell phone port of the rear of the codec via the modified hands free cable (see wireless page for instructions on how to modify the hands free cable). Please note however, when dialing in cell phone mode you must dial via the Cell Phone keypad not the Tieline codec keypad.

Cell phone mode allows you to connect over any wireless network including GSM, CDMA, 1XRTT etc. Please note however using any of these modes still limits the line quality to the 3 KHz mobile network limit.

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How do i set up a wireless 3G link?

Connecting your codec over 3G is very similar in principle to connecting over IP. The only difference is that you are wirelessly connecting to your ISP instead of connecting via a LAN. The connection procedure outlined for connecting to your 3G cell-phone provider/ISP is the same for all 3G connection profiles, i.e. mono, stereo, mono/IFB and dual mono program. Connect to your ISP/cell-phone provider and then use the Quick Start connection procedure for your preferred connection profile over IP.

1. Insert a Tieline USB module into your codec and then power up the codec.
2. Turn on your 3G cell-phone and wait 30 seconds before you connect the phone to the USB module via its USB cable (this cable should be available from your cellphone manufacturer).
3. Within 30 seconds a 3GIP1 connection should appear on the main codec connection LCD screen.
4. Scroll to this connection with the codec MENU SELECTOR and press SOFTKEY 3 Wiz and then select SOFTKEY 4 OK. Next select [Wireless Network ?3G/UMTS IP?] > [3G/UMTS IP Network ?select your network?] > [Auto Reconnect ?Disable?]. Scroll to your preferred ISP network provider and select this menu item.)
5. Press CLEAR several times to return to the main codec connection LCD screen. If 3GIP1> Press Enter is displayed, press ENTER/DIAL to connect to your 3G network. If 3GIP1> Enter # is displayed, dial the cell-phone number using the codec keypad and then press ENTER/DIAL to connect to your 3G network. This is because some cell-phone networks require you to dial this number to connect.
6. Once you have connected the codec connection will display 3GIP1> Cntd Goto IP
7. Now scroll to IP1 on the main codec LCD screen and connect using the Quick Start IP profile you have selected, i.e. mono, stereo, mono/IFB or dual mono. Type the IP address of the codec you are dialing. (Note: Use the * or # button on the codec keypad to enter the periods (.) in the IP address).
8. Press the ENTER DIAL button on the remote codec’s grey keypad to begin dialing. In many situations it is only possible to dial from the remote codec to the local codec with IP connections because only the studio codec is using a public IP address.
9. To negotiate higher bit-rates press “F2” then “3”; for lower bit-rates press “F2” then “9”. For best performance, the dialing codec should be used to renegotiate connection bitrates up and down. If you hear audio drop-outs the current bit rate cannot be sustained and should be renegotiated down. To disconnect, hang up your IP connection and then hang up the 3G connection.
10. To disconnect, hang up your IP connection and then hang up the 3G connection.
11. To change other 3GIP settings select SOFTKEY 4 OK and scroll to [Configuration] > [GSM/3G Setup].

Cell-Phone Warnings If you are unsure about the compatibility of a particular cell-phone, please see the ‘How do I connect over 3G with my Tieline Codec’ section of each codec’s reference manual, or contact Tieline at support@tieline.com for more information.

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• Wire up a Tieline Dryline (DL100) to the codec
• Power up the Dryline and the codecs by plugging them into the Mains wall socket and switching on.
From the main "Pots Mode" screen Go to:

Legacy G1 codec = [menu] > [view config] > [op mode] > [leased line mode]
G3 codec Instructions =(Assuming that the POTS module is in the left expansion slot) go to:
[menu] > [Config] > [POTS< Left setup] > [Leased Line Mode] then select "Enable" once this is done you will need to disable the dial tone. This is achieved by navigating to:
[menu] > [Configuration] > [POTS< left setup] > [Detect dial tone] and then select "Disable"


• Repeat for remote unit
• Press "Enter Dial" on one of the codecs
• Press "Answer" on the remote unit
• The codecs will negotiate and establish a connection.

Two line quality readings are provided on connection of your codecs. LLQ% shows the error rate of the line in relation to the exchange at your local end. RLQ% shows the error rate of the line in relation to the exchange at the remote end of your link. If there is a large difference, this shows the disparity in the connection to each telephone exchange at each end of your link. You may not be able to correct this.

Try the following (Legacy G1 and G3 Range)
If the Line quality readings are vastly different the following instruction may achieve better result:
Press "F2" followed by "6" on the unit's keypad. This is a shortcut to force the units to renegotiate.
Hang up and redial (might be a poor phone line)
Note: the higher the bit rate, the lower the line quality reading. E.g. If you are connected at 28.800bps with a an LQ70%, then raising the bit rate to 33,600bps will lower the Line quality rate.

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• Check all power, audio and telephone connections first.
• Check that there is audio registering on the PPM meter of your codec.
• Check the input level potentiometers are turned up.
• Ensure that the unit is set to the correct "op mode" for example "line level" (see "How do I set audio input levels" below)
• Check that the phone line is working by plugging a phone into it to see if a dial tone is present
• Check that the phone number dialed is correct (do you need a area code or a number to get an outside line?)
• Ensure that you are not connected across a digital PBX. (About 3% of digital PBX systems will either block modem connection or audio transfer between Tieline codecs.)

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Why is no audio detected after a link has been established?
If no audio is detected check the following:

• Check that there is audio registering on the PPM meter of your codec.
• Ensure input potentiometers are turned up
• Ensure cable connections are properly inserted
• Check that the input On/Off button is lit (switched on)
• Check that the correct gain setting has been configured for each input by pressing SOFTKEY 1 Audio > Input Gains.

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How do I restore to factory default?

G3 instructions:

Reset Settings:
To reset the current runtime profile (based on last user loaded profile) to factory defaults go to:

[menu] > [configuration] > [advanced menu] > [set sys defaults] > [runtime profile] > [set default runtime] then select "yes"

Reset all memory:
Warning restoring the unit to factory settings by "Resetting all memory" will erase all stored phone numbers and all other user settings (except country code).
To reset all the memory in the G3 menu system simply navigate thru the menu system as shown below.

[menu] > [configuration] > [advanced menu] > [set sys defaults] > [all profiles] then select "YES"

How do I restore to factory default?
Legacy G1 instruction:
There are 2 different ways of resetting the codec to factory default. If you want to restore the unit to factory default but retain the stored phone numbers, see the "Reset Settings" heading below. If you want to reset the unit completely see the "Resetting all memory" heading below.

Reset settings:
To reset the codec navigate from the "Pots Mode" main menu to: [menu] > [reset functions] > [reset settings] > [reset] then "exit" from the "Changes saved" screen.

Resetting all memory:
Warning restoring the unit to factory settings by "Resetting all memory" will erase all stored phone numbers and all other user settings (except country code).

To reset the codec navigate from the "Pots Mode" main menu to: [menu] > [reset functions] > [reset all memory] > [reset] then "exit" from the "Changes saved" screen.

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The instructions on how to download the latest software and upgrade your Tieline codec is available from the below hyperlink

Upgrades and Current Software Releases

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How do I set audio input levels?

G3 Instructions:

Press SOFTKEY 1 Audio > Input Gains. From this screen you have the option to set all the inputs at the same time or to set them individually. Select the input you want to change then scroll down the list to the input setting you desire.

Legacy G1 instructions:
You can set the audio input level by navigating from the "Pots Mode" main menu to: [menu] > [unit setup] > [ set input gain] , then select the required gain from the list. Select "Exit" from the changes saved screen.

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Cell/Mobile phones can cause interference to the G1 Tieline codecs. If the cellphone is located too close to the portable Tieline power supply, you will experience the GSM buzz induced into your Tieline audio channels. It is recommended that all cell/mobile phones be either kept away from the codec power supplies especially if you are using the codec in "cellphone" mode.

The new Commander and i-Mix G3 range of products have new power supplies which address this problem.

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A bad phone line can cause this problem. Try hanging up and redialing. Alternatively refer to the reset instructions FAQ entitled "How do I restore settings to factory default" or refer to the POTS operation precautions.

Contact Tieline for further help if required

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• Ensure that your serial cable is a "straight through" type.
• All serial cable connections (to the codec and computer) are secure.
• The codec is switched on
• The correct COM Port has been selected in the "Toolbox" software (note: try "auto detect")
• Check that you have the latest CPU software.
• Ensure you are operating ONLY Windows 98 or Windows 2000. Do not attempt to connect your Tieline codec to a Macintosh

Some other things to try:

• Rebooting the computer running the ToolBox software.
• Rebooting the codec by turning off and on at the mains.

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Commander G1 CPU versions less than 1.83 may have communication problems with newer G1 and G3 units. Should you find an old unit with outdated software, upgrade it to ensure that you are up to date with Tieline's ever growing technology and features (see the "upgrading your tieline" FAQ).

The Patriot and I-Mix G1 models do not have old software problems. As long as a commander G1 unit's version is 1.83 or above, the codec's will communicate regardless of the software versions installed.

Click here to find out about making a Legacy G1 to G3 connection

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It is possible to program your system to control the Tieline codec. Please contact Tieline for further information or a copy of the protocol document.

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Will my G3 codec connect to a G1 Legacy product?

Our G3 range of codecs are compatible with the G1 legacy products with the exception of the remote control feature and the MPEG Layer 2 algorithms.

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