Increased Quality, Less Bandwidth Shane Toven on how codecs are becoming more powerful and useful rural areas were limited. Once IP connectivity started becoming more ubiquitous and there were an increasing number of IP codec options on the market, Radio World: What’s the most I took advantage of that to execute important trend you see in the design some very complex remotes, one of and performance of codecs for which involved live events at two remote or STL use for radio broadcast different venues, and full talkback facilities? facilities between the studio and Shane Toven: I see a trend toward the two venues. combining multiple codec chanThe latest application for codecs nels in a single unit. This helps with at my current facility has been conconsolidation of facilities where verting multiple channels of audio multiple content streams and on the AoIP network at the studio locations are involved. I also see to encoded audio for carrying codecs becoming more powerful as Shane Toven. “The biggest advantage of a across lower bandwidth links. This newer and more efficient encoding software-based solution is ease of use and conversion is done entirely inside options are available. reduction in hardware costs.” the codec itself without any actual The most exciting development transition to AES or analog audio. Livewire I/O on one that I see is increasing quality with less bandwidth usage. interface, codec I/O on the other interface. It really makes As broadcasters shift toward consolidating more facilities for a very nicely integrated solution. and interconnecting remote talent, this will be an important consideration for balancing quality versus bandwidth cost. RW: What role are codecs playing in this new world of at-home broadcasting? RW: How are today’s technologies solving problems in Toven: Codecs have been critical in this role, though not creative ways, or being deployed in your own facilities? in the traditional hardware sense. Some broadcasters Toven: Codecs have been an invaluable tool for me, have chosen to deploy hardware codecs for this purpose, going all the way back to the original POTS codecs. but many others are using services such as CleanFeed Unfortunately, ISDN was not an option in rural Minnesota or ipDTL. Both have advantages and drawbacks, but the where I started my career. I purchased a Comrex Vector biggest advantage of a software-based solution is ease of at my first station when that technology became availuse and reduction in hardware costs. I could also envision able. It made a significant improvement in the quality of a scenario where the codecs themselves become an interemote broadcasts when the options for connectivity in grated software component of a virtual infrastructure. Your smartphone becomes your codec and the talent can work from anywhere with very little hardware. Shane Toven, CSRE CBNT, is senior broadcast engineer at Educational Media Foundation.
The most exciting development that I see is increasing quality with less bandwidth usage.
RW: How have AoIP technology developments been reflected in the look and function of codecs? CONTINUED ON PAGE 35
TRENDS IN CODECS & STLs Radio World | July 2020
29
