2wcom reports certain quality requirements are increasing. Compatibility, audio quality, flexibility, simplicity and transmission robustness are the current top five buzzwords and the demand for software-based or virtualized solutions is growing. Broadcasters want solutions that support studio-to-studio, studio-to-transmitter links and cross-media tasks.

Taking the challenge to harmonize old and new technologies and navigate to the next generation of audio, 2wcom recently launched its Linux-based 4audio IP series to ease the daily work of network operators. It comprises products including the IP-4c four-channel codec, IP-8e eight-channel IP / MPEG encoder and MoIN Multimedia over IP network server. Each device is available as hardware or virtualized software and all will be on display and explained on stand at IBC 2019.

The new series assures outstanding flexibility in application by supporting studio-to-studio and studio-to-transmitter links as well as broadcasters’ increasing cross-media tasks.

Critical Compatibility

High-level compatibility is especially of importance in mixed networks and expanded infrastructures. For this purpose, all major protocols for internet interoperability such as Ravenna, Livewire+, Dante or SRT are supported. Harmonization of data exchange between the protocols is done by standards such as EBU N/ACIP Tech 3326, AES67, SMPTE ST 2110, SMPTE 2022-7, NMOS and Ember+. To easily exchange data in mixed networks the solutions offer protocol transforming e.g. from Livewire+ to Ravenna when transmitting from a studio site to the headend.

Eying the upcoming cross-media tasks, customers benefit from an integrated transcoding feature, which allows the provision of all main codec algorithms, according to requirements. For high quality and low latency of real time applications, this can mean PCM to Opus. For economical needs, such as dealing with low bandwidth or uploading files to a station website transcoding to, for example, AAC profiles (even AAC xHE), Enhanced aptX or Ogg Vorbis is possible.

The flexible management of recorded audio content enables to combine individual audio streams into multichannel streams. Facing e.g. events, this can include audio from the stage, sideline or grandstand, or even speaker comments. In local studios, the decoder solutions offer audio/data exchange capabilities for regionalization of the received main-stream. To ensure the precisely synchronized routing of different streams between linked networks and a good latency management, Moin, IP-4c and IP-8e support the Precision Time Protocol (PTPv2).

In addition, all solutions assist the teams on-site in daily operation. In case an event requires further temporary channels, a corresponding channel activation scalability is possible. Pre-configuration of hardware and software for operation, management and control is provided via an easy-to-use web interface and remotely via SNMP, Ember+ or JSON.

A multi-layer concept ensures transmission robustness. Hardware devices are equipped with up to two in- or external power supplies. Protection against IP packet loss offers Pro-MPEG FEC or Reliable User Datagram Protocol, which is more effective and more economical in means of bandwidth. Further redundancy is achievable by transmitting two streams or different audio qualities in parallel. In case of interruption of the main-stream, IP packet losses can be recovered by picking them from the second stream or the respective receivers switch seamless to the next audio quality.

The new 2wcom DAB-4c converter provides several features to navigate through the time of switchover until a new homogenous system is installed. The device allows to receive data signals from legacy ETI and EDI multiplexers at the same time and to convert the signals respectively to the EDI/ETI transmitters in the field. As a high-density solution the device offers four ETI outputs and four ETI bidirectional interfaces (in/out) to increase the number of ETI outputs if e.g. ETI mirroring is needed. Moreover, it is equipped with two Ethernet data interfaces in and out.

To ensure high compatibility the solution accords to specifications such as ETSI EN 300 40, ETSI TS 102 563 V1.1.1., EN 300 799 or ETSI TS 102 693 V1.1.2 and supports Uni- / Multicast (IGMPv2/v3) as well as UDP/DSP. The DAB-4c is fully configurable via web interface or remotely via SNMP trap (get & set). In addition, the device offers real time statistics and monitoring of the main DAB+ parameters and on-air monitoring at transmitter sites is possible by an optional DAB tuner.

Versatile FM, RDS and MPX Solution

2wcom's full featured FM/RDS and analog/digital MPX over IP product line is undergoing a monumental change. All existing established products including C02 RDS encoder, S02 stereo generator or the analog/digital MPX over IP codecs FMC01 will be replaced by the new state-of-the-art 4audio MPX product series. Due to a new software oriented and Linux based scalable concept it is possible for technicians and decision makers to configure devices fitting to the respective requirements in just one 19’’ 1RU rack unit, saving costs and rack space.

2wcom’s 4audio MPX products provide a variety of sophisticated new features simply activated by software. The device is equipped with inputs for analog/digital MPX, analog audio, AES/EBU and Audio over IP. As a result, the stereo generator now also supports all common standards and protocols for Audio over IP streaming, control and status.