Remote Broadcasting in Your Browser The ipDTL service takes on a higher profile during pandemic By Paul Kaminski A subscriber of the service can send a link to another location, where that link is opened in a browser and a bidirectional studio quality audio link would then be established. ipDTL has additional capabilities: With the proper configuration, the subscribing user can also connect to legacy ISDN codecs (where still available) and even connect to a voice grade telephone. With SIP protocols and using a sip.audio account from In:Quality, a subscriber can also connect to hardware codecs (e.g. Comrex, Tieline, Telos, JK Audio) that are configured for Opus connections. It is also compatible with G.722 and G.711 over IP. There is a video angle as well, VP8 and H.264. And it lives on Windows, Mac, Linux and ChromeOS computers.
Paul Kaminski, CBT, is a longtime Radio World contributor. Working from home or remote studios is in “normal” times a challenge for broadcast and voiceover talent. When one factors in a pandemic lockdown and the ensuing scramble to move studio-quality audio back and forth, a service like ipDTL can make that task less of a challenge. The ipDTL service has been enjoying more attention during the pandemic but has been around for several years. It comes from In:Quality, which “operates a worldwide network for the real-time transmission of professional audio.” The company says its users include the BBC, New York Public Radio, NPR and Global Radio. The service is based on the open source Opus codec. Founding Director Kevin Leach, a former radio host and BBC sound engineer, says ipDTL runs smoothly on any modern computer: “If you can browse the internet smoothly on your computer, then you can run a stable ipDTL connection.”
SUBSCRIPTION LEVELS
There are three levels of ipDTL annual subscriptions: Bronze users can send one connection link, Silver users two and Gold users may send up to four simultaneous connections. A version allowing six connections is in the late stages of testing. The Gold subscription also includes basic video functionality. Prices start at $15 per month. Subscribers get a sip.audio address (XXXXX@sip.audio), which allows SIP-enabled devices to talk to the subscriber. How does this work in the real world? I tested the service recently during a virtual NAB Show demonstration with Leach. There are some caveats from my experience.
ipDTL screen image.
TRENDS IN CODECS & STLs Radio World | July 2020
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