By Tom Hartnett

Codecs Make More Robust Connections

Technology brings us more locations via more methods at lower cost than ever

Tim Neese is president of MultiTech Consulting Inc., a multi-faceted broadcast technology consulting and contracting firm. broadcasters, codecs are the “magic” device that has allowed them to continue normal programming in a completely remote fashion.

Radio World: What’s the most RW: How many ways are there of important trend in the design and making connections? performance of codecs for remotes or Neese: The number of connection STL? transport methods has decreased in Tim Neese: Most codec manufacturrecent years. ers are incorporating and continuNot long ago, it was possible to purously improving stream redundancy chase codecs that could connect via and error correction techniques that POTS, cellular, ISDN, T1 and Ethernet. allow for significantly more robust In some cases, all of these connections connections. These techniques allow were available via a single codec. codec users to take advantage of As telcos have begun to phase out readily available transport methods Tim Neese. “Data connectivity via mobile ISDN, T1 and traditional POTS circuits and the public internet to make reliphones and devices is now as common as in favor of newer transport technolable connections for both remote patch panels in facilities once were.” ogies, codec manufacturers have program contribution and studio to focused on these technologies as well. transmitter links. While the traditional connection choices have decreased, newer technology connections have become RW: How are today’s technologies solving problems in available in more locations, via more methods and at creative ways? lower cost than ever before. Neese: One of the most common issues is studio and For instance, data connectivity via mobile phones and transmitter sites that are unable to be linked via tradidevices is now as common as patch panels in facilities tional (RF) point-to-point methods. This, combined with once were. Numerous codecs are able to leverage that the ongoing sunsetting of the telco ISDN and T1 infraconnectivity via either a physical or wireless connection structure, has propelled connection of these sites via the with the device or as a software application that runs on public internet to commonplace. the device itself.

Today’s codecs and encoding algorithms have proven to be more than up to the task of making those connecRW: What would you like manufacturers of these tions viable and reliable. technologies to add or offer in future? Neese: I would like to see more manufacturers include RW: What role are codecs playing in this new world of advanced security tools and options like firewalls, inteat-home broadcasting? grated VPNs and secure web configuration services Neese: In the new world of broadcasting where, for within their codecs. That, I believe, would allow for more some, every live segment is what was once considered secure codec deployment via direct connection to public a “remote” broadcast, the codec has become as essennetworks and provide even greater deployment flexibilitial as a microphone or pair of headphones. For many ty for broadcasters.