IP AUDIO
for Studio to Transmitter Links
Typical Use Cases
2
Digigram offers an extensive range of Studio to Transmitter Links (STL) solutions, from PYKO - the most affordable yet reliable solution - to IQOYA *LINK and IQOYA *SERV/LINK topping the range with N/ACIP interoperability capabilities, +24dBu audio quality and multiple failover methods.
Table of Contents
PYKO
>>> P 4-7
IQOYA *LINK & IQOYA *SERV/LINK >>> P 8-9
Typical use cases >>> P10-15 3
PYKO
An affordable yet trustworthy STL or SSL solution? With PYKO, Digigram solves the dilemma, adds an entry-point IP audio STL. For many broadcasters, securely streaming audio from the studio to the transmitter or to another studio requires bulletproof reliability without raising costs. To address this issue, Digigram is now offering a serious yet affordable solution with PYKO-in and PYKOout. PYKO devices will either convert analog to high-quality MP3 or PCM IP audio streams (PYKO-in) or output IP audio streams from a WAN, the Internet or from locally stored audio files (PYKO-out). Unlike other ‘prosumer’ streaming devices, PYKO has been designed for professional and broadcaster-friendly operation from the ground up: n PCM
or MP3 on standard RTP/UDP streaming fanless hardware n Internal & external USB memory for backup audio file and playlist storage n Digigram-grade audio quality (+18dBu and balanced I/Os on terminal block connectors) n 8 GPIOs and RS232 for advanced features such as transmitter-side controls or RDS transport n Rack mountable n Robust
>>> Full specs available at www.digigram.com/pyko 4
MULTI DESTINATION STL
STUDIO RDS
RS232 32
RDS
PYKO-IN
GPO G P PYKO-OUT PYKO KO KO-O O-O -OUT UT
GPI
wan
RDS
PYKO-OUT PY YKO KO-O O-O OUT UT
Audio
PYKO enables you to create STL links in: n Unicast (from a studio towards one transmitter site), n Multicast (from a studio towards n transmitter sites: note, however that multicast connection requires a VPN (Virtual Private Network), as the Internet does not accept multicast) n Multi-unicast (a studio towards six transmitter sites in MP3)
GPIO
RS232
You can as well create a gateway allowing TCP or UDP transport of additional data between 2 PYKOs thanks to tunneling on the serial RS232 port. This feature can be used, for example, to transmit RDS data from the studio to an transmitter. A broadcaster may have the need to transport these data also in multi-unicast (the same way as for the audio) – this can be done in UDP from a studio towards four transmitters.
PYKO enables you to transport more than just audio: PYKO allows you to use tunneling, i.e. that the GPI1 of a PYKO-in at the studio will trigger GPO1 of a PYKO-out on the transmitter site.
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REDUNDANCY FOR 100% ON-AIR TIME
ter
cas
web
SHOUTCAST USB storage
RTP
RTP
PYKO-IN PYKO-OUT
wan When dealing with STL links, the question of redundancy must be addressed. PYKO responds to this question with its priority table: In case the primary stream coming from the studio disappears, PYKO will switch to a Shoutcast backup stream (or another RTP stream). This Shoutcast stream plays the same radio program as the main stream (webcasting of the main program). Moreover, PYKO-out provides an additional fail-over solution through its internal and external USB interfaces, allowing you to plug a USB memory stick with pre-recorded playlists. You can of course prioritize these fail-over solutions in any order they best meet your needs!
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Streams priority list 1/ PYKO-in stream 2/ shoutcast stream 3/ USB stored playlist
Mono STL connections with confidence monitoring
STUDIO
PYKO-IN
wan
PYKO-IN KO-IN G P GPIOs
Montoring of the return feed (from tuner at transmitter site)
PYKO-IN device becomes a de mono in / mono out device m
TUNER
For typical AM radio needs, a mono stream is sufficient. Broadcasters may switch from the PYKO stereo mode to a full-duplex, bidirectional mono mode. This can easily be done through the simple PYKO hmtl configuration pages.
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IQOYA
With IQOYA, Digigram offers a range of hardware and software solutions that changes the way broadcasters hear IP audio transport. More than just point-to-point solutions, IQOYA devices and software constitute the elements of a highly flexible and manageable professional IP audio infrastructure for contribution, delivery and distribution.
Interoperability, IQOYA solutions developed by audio quality, agility Digigram are Visiblu®-based. 3rd PARTY DEVICE
FluidIP
VISIBLU BLU U ENABLED LED APPLICATIONS ATIONS
WAN FluidIP
IQOYA VISIBLU ENABLED DEVICE
FluidIP
IQOYA IQOY A APPLICATIONS
IQOYA
Visiblu is the Network Audio Operating System developed by Digigram. When used in conjunction with Visiblu enabled solutions developed by Digigram Development Partners and Digigram’s audio management system, broadcasters can enjoy remote resources monitoring and integrated management.
Based on Digigram’s FluidIP IP audio codec engine
Visiblu includes FluidIP™, a rock-solid N/ACIP (EBU Tech 3326) compliant IP audio codec engine developed by Digigram. - N/ACIP interoperability capabilities with third-party IP codec devices - Connectivity to Axia Livewire™ networks - Unrivaled robustness, QoS optimization, stream integrity and audio quality
A robust stream
- Jitter & packet reordering management - Loss of packet compensation: FEC schemes/error concealment - Network failure detection and switch
Audio Compression Algorithms
PCM linear 8/16/20/24, ITU G.711/722, ISO MPEG-1/2 Layer I, II and III Optional algorithms: MPEG-4 AAC, MPEG-4 AAC-LD, MPEG-4 HE-AAC v2, AAC-ELD 8
IQOYA *LINK Rock-solid 2-channel IP audio codec with multiple fail-over options Since the STL or SSL cannot suffer from any dropout, Digigram offers the IQOYA *LINK, a 2-channel IP Audio Distribution Codec using FluidIP™ with multiple fail-over options, and built on a rocksolid, dedicated hardware platform. Broadcasters may of course re-order the fail-over backups (IP, SD memory, NAS, audio input) as they want. Should anything happen on the device, a simple SNMP, SMTP history log file will help them track the problem. Note also that the IQOYA *LINK can send a stream back to the studio in another audio format for logging or monitoring purposes.
FTP server
web browser
SNMP client
configuration
alarm trap
playlist update
Automation Software
Display & Keypad
IQOYA *SERV/LINK Multiple stereo or multichannel IP audio codec in a single, versatile box When multiple Studio to Transmitter links (STL) or Studio to Studio links (SSL) are required in a single location, IQOYA *SERV/LINK leverages on a single processing device hardware resources, thus facilitating deployments and keeping costs at a reasonable level, compared to several stacked stereo “boxes”. The grouping of several distribution codecs instances also allows for advanced features such as program crossfades or program backups sharing that would simply be unachievable with multiple, independent codecs.
>>> Full specs available at www.digigram.com/iqoya 9
AN STL LINK YOU CAN TRUST: FAILOVERS
STUDIO
Fail-over solutions
wan
2nd IP network connection local input local backup on SD card hardware bypass (power failure) local backup NAS hard drive
Since dropouts or failures are no options for an STL, IQOYA*LINK offers a particularly robust solution. First of all, the platform has been designed and built on rock-solid, dedicated hardware. The heart of the system complies with the AEC-Q100 standard, ensuring the processor provides maximum reliability. And as it is most vital for a radio station to always have sound on-air, IQOYA *LINK provides several fail-over solutions. n 1.
Two network interfaces offer the broadcaster for example a reliable MPLS-type primary IP connection, and a second, ADSL-type one for a backup stream in case the first network connection fails. n 2. In the pretty unlikely event of loss of both streams on the two network ports, or in case of program silence on the stream, IQOYA *LINK can switch to a backup playlist stored on an SD/SDHC card or to a local NAS (Network Application Server). The contents of this playlist can be remotely updated anytime through FTP from the automation software for instance. 10
n 3.
In case of loss of the main network stream, IQOYA *LINK can switch to the audio input. Broadcasters may use this feature and hook an FM satellite receiver or an FTP-mirrored program on a PC to this input. n 4. Since a power supply failure is not 100% unthinkable, the IQOYA *LINK offers a series of hardware relays that will bypass its audio inputs (analog or digital) to the audio outputs.
MONITORING THE STL LINK
program
STUDIO monitoring
wan
tuner
With an STL application underway, it may be of interest to monitor the audio that actually leaves the transmitter site. IQOYA *LINK allows for creating a bi-directional STL link, making it possible to plug a tuner into the audio inputs of the IQOYA *LINK on the transmitter site and to return the stream to the studio for confidence monitoring. Moreover, it is possible to define a different format for the return feed, such as, e.g. higher compression in order to use less bandwidth on the network. 11
HANDLING LOCAL INSERTS, COMPLEX SYSTEMS
studio A
wan
local inserts
studio B
Thanks to its visiblu core, IQOYA*LINK has the unique possibility to manage crossfades between programs. 1/ Program switching IQOYA *LINK can switch from one IP stream to another directly on the transmitting site. An example: IQOYA *LINK decodes a stream coming from the local radio in the morning, and switches to the national radio at noon for the news program. This switch is done delicately through a smooth crossfade.
2/ Spot insertion The SD card can not only be used for backup purposes, but also to play jingles: a national program can be broadcast on several transmitter sites, and on these transmitter sites, the ‘localization’ can be done through spot insertions via a crossfade. The triggering of crossfades can be controlled either through TCP commands or scheduled GPIs.
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jingle stored on a SD card triggered by TCP commands, remote GPI or scheduler
BRIDGING AXIA LIVEWIRE™ TO/FROM WAN IP
LIVEWIRE network
IP (RTP)
wan A radio using an AXIA system will need a gateway from Livewire™ (LAN only) to standard open IP to be forwarded to the transmitter site over a WAN. An IQOYA *LINK with its two network interfaces is just ideal to perform this task: On the first network interface, IQOYA *LINK can directly receive a Livewire stream to then transmit the audio on IP in N/ACIP format on the second network interface connected to the WAN.
DIGITAL RADIO, PROGRAM MULTIPLEX SCHEDULER program STATION 1
wan
with Scheduler
r ode
enc
xer
iple
Mult
STATION 2
program
For digital radio, be it DAB, DAB+ or T-DMB, several radio programs are carried per multiplexing. In many cases, certain radios will share the same program in one multiplex throughout the day. A radio station 1 for example will broadcast from midnight to noon, while a radio station 2 will air on the same multiplex channel from noon to midnight. In this case, the two radios will share the same encoder instead of installing an individual one for each of the two stations. IQOYA *LINK, will manage the time-sharing by means of its embedded scheduler and will directly crossfade the two IP streams according to the schedule. 13
MULTIPLE CODEC INSTANCES AND FAILOVERS
STUDIO n programs
n programs GPI
GPO
wan
IQOYA*SERV/LINK allows for creating multiple stereo or multichannel STL links.
Fail-over solutions local input local backup on SD card local backup NAS hard drive
These kinds of links have to be extremely sturdy. Redundant power supply Local jingle stored on SD Therefore – just like on the IQOYA*LINK - several triggered by; - TCP command, backup solutions exist to take over in case of stream - remote GPI, - or scheduler loss or program silence on the audio stream. - switch over to the local audio inputs - switch over to a backup playlist stored on an SD card or an NAS. - secondary backup IP network connection Each codec of the IQOYA *SERV/LINK can have its own fail-over list and priorities. Several codecs on the same rack, nevertheless, require a rock-solid platform. A redundant backup power supply is optionally available and can be added to the system. And by the way, the SD card can also be used to play local spot jingles at transmitting site.
HANDLING HETEROGENEITY STUDIO
program
programs
programs
wan program
14
Now, when it comes to STL applications, the requirements on the studio side often differ from the transmitter site: While several programs have to be broadcast from the same studio to a more or less important number of destinations only one program has to be decoded on the transmitter site.
This is why the IQOYA range offers such a great flexibility on platform choice (*LINK or *SERV/LINK, at studio or transmitter site) in order to put you in a situation to best meet your needs. And on case the number of programs to be managed increases, just add sound cards to the IQOYA/SERV*LINK platform. And – last but not least – as the IQOYA *SERV/LINK meets the requirements of the N/ACIP standard, you can stream at any time towards a third party N/ACIP codec and thus avoid problems of compliance and interoperability.
COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION FOR MULTIPLE STL
STUDIO
program
programs
RS232
RS232
GPI
wan
GPO
program
RS232
GPO
program
RS232
GPO
RDS
One single PYKO-in can transmit a program towards six destinations in unicast or an unlimited number of targets in multicast. In case a radio station needs to send several different programs towards multiple transmitter sites (and where the network does not support multicast, typically Internet) or it has to air several different programs, it becomes necessary to deploy several PYKO-in. For economical reasons it may be interesting to install a IQOYA *SERV/LINK, which will be able to transmit many programs towards a very great number of destinations. Thanks to the outstanding performances of IQOYA *SERV/LINK, it is possible to tunnel a great number of RS232 for RDS for example as well as GPIOs for control. Note that in this case the stream will be either MP3 or PCM.
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Copyright © 2009 Digigram. All rights reserved. No portion of this document may be reproduced without prior written consent from Digigram. The copyright protection claimed here includes photocopying, translation and/or reformatting of the information contained in this manual. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, Digigram is not responsible for errors and omissions, and reserves the right to make improvements or changes in the products and programs described without notice. Digigram, IQOYA, FluidIP, PYKO and Visiblu are registered trademarks or trademarks of Digigram. Other trademarks are property of their respective holders.
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