Remote Broadcast Solutions for Sports Live Events Aaron

Remote Broadcast Solutions for Sports & Live Events Aaron Read : WEOS, HWS Derek Jones : WGLS, Rowan Making your broadcast sound like the pros…or BETTER: the pros and cons! Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/ College Broadcasters, Inc – Fall 2008 Conference

Whad’ya Got Now? n n Does the name “Max-Z” sound familiar? Some other, similar, telephone-based device? These devices are often simple to use & durable, but provide TERRIBLE audio quality. It’s no good to broadcast a game if listeners tune out b/c they can’t understand the sportscaster! Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

Technology Marches On n Recent years have seen two major “themes” of remote broadcast methods emerging. Both are thanks to the Internet ¨ The IP- or POTS-Codec Method ¨ The Laptop+Webcast Method ¨ Also: ISDN, Marti RPU, Fiber Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

The POTS Codec Method n POTS = Plain Old Telephone Service ¨ Think n Dedicated hardware uses a regular phone line to make a “data call”. ¨ Ever n fax machine or dial-up modem hear this sound before? Some examples: ¨ Comrex Access, Bluebox, Vector, Matrix, Hotline ¨ Tieline Commander, i. Mix ¨ Telos Xport Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

POTS Codec Plusses n n n Telephones are everywhere! Most sports arenas have a POTS line. Sound quality generally is much better than telephone audio. Audio is low-delay / bi-directional Works well with existing broadcast gear Relatively easy to use – does require training. Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

POTS Codec Minuses n Requires a true POTS line, these are getting rarer thanks to Vo. IP, PBX, Centrex ¨ EASY TO MISUNDERSTAND!!! n “Sure we’ve got a phone for you!” n Oops, it’s a PBX and therefore USELESS n Need an ATA (Analog Terminal Adapter) ¨ Broken copper, bridge taps, wet lines can all wreak havoc and are difficult to fix. n POTS Codecs are expensive: $2000 -$6000 for a pair is not uncommon. Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

POTS Codec over cellphones n n Some older models had “POTS over Cellphone” Worked great, but required GSM C. S. D. ¨ CSD = Circuit-Switched Data ¨ Only offered by T-Mobile, AT&T (Cingular) n n GSM CSD is rapidly being phased out by telcos in favor of 3 G / IP. Don’t buy a POTS codec based on CSD! Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

The IP Codec Method n n As POTS gets trickier, and internet-overcellphone gets more common, IP Codecs have exploded! Use IP-based audio & thus work over the internet. ¨ Wired n ethernet, Wi-Fi, 3 G cellphone, dial-up modem Some examples: ¨ Comrex Access / Tieline i. Mix G 3 or Commander G 3 / Telos Zephyr Z/IP / Audio. TX STL-IP / Musicam Suprima / APT Worldcast / AEQ Phoenix Mobile / Marti Digital Cellcast Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

IP Codec Plusses n Tend to be very flexible, often can connect via multiple means ¨ Frees you from tyranny of the remote location’s telco. It’s not perfect, but it’s REALLY nice. n n n Audio can be near-CD quality. Low-delay, bi-directional means live conversations between remote and studio. Fairly future-proof…IP audio is here to stay as an overall concept (thanks to Vo. IP) Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

IP Codec Minuses n Extra flexibility = more complicated to use. ¨ Training required / Need tech-savvy users. ¨ Can be very unreliable – proper setup and integration on BOTH ends of the network is essential ¨ Internet is inherently unreliable in general – you never feel “safe” about your connection. n IP Codecs are expensive: $3000 -$8000 for a pair is not uncommon. Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

The Laptop + Webcast Method n n Surprisingly common – esp. in commercial radio. Take a laptop with some internet connection to the site. ¨ n n n 3 G/Internet-Over-Cellphone via PCMCIA card or USB. Use Shoutcast or Windows Media Encoder to encode a webcast feed of your game audio. Play the stream using a regular computer @ studio. IFB is done via cellphone, or just through training. Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

Webcast Method Plusses n n n Bang for the buck: Very cheap if you already have the computer / laptop. Shoutcast software is free. 3 G internet card is useful for lots of things besides just this. Audio quality CAN be CD-quality, typically it’s not that good, but is still quite good (much better than a telephone anyways) Flexibility of a laptop lends itself to audio conditioning (compression/EQ) prior to encoding. Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

Webcast Method Minuses n n One-way audio with high delay (10 to 100 seconds) so no bi-directional audio. Usually not as reliable. ¨ Webcast algorithms not designed to maintain connection no matter what. n n n Usually no pro audio on laptops. Laptops more fragile (in general). BTW – not safe to use laptop for web surfing while encoding. Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

Webcast Method: Barix Boxes n Purpose-built Shoutcast boxes. ¨ n Instreamer & Exstreamer Excellent devices for permanent audio feeds (stadiums, meeting halls). Esp. over campus LAN. ¨ Not bad over public internet, either. ¨ n n n Physically small & tough: metal case, no moving parts, no HDD or PS fan to fail, no OS to hack. Designed to recover automatically from power failure or loss of stream. ~$500 -$600 for a In-/Exstreamer pair. www. barix. com Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

Smartphones & Skype n Skype is free Vo. IP software. ¨ Works entirely over internet. ¨ Skype. OUT/IN allows calls to/from phones. Subject to internet connectivity, but generally better audio quality. n Many 3 G smartphones can run Skype. n ¨ i. Phones / i. Pod Touch won’t natively, but there’s ways to do it (Fring, et al) Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

Other methods: ISDN Integrated Systems Digital Network n n n ISDN uses special digital phone lines. Very mature, reliable technology…CD-quality audio w/ low delay (bi-directional!) Commonly used by NPR stations. ISDN is being phased out by telcos for IP. Codecs are expensive ($2000 -$5000 pair) Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

Other methods: Marti RPU Remote Pickup Unit…not always by Marti, but Marti is very common n RPU is a FCC-licensed transmitter system typically around 450 MHz w/ 30 watts ¨ n n (FM band is 87. 9 -107. 9 MHz) One-way only, but zero delay Range = 5 - 20 miles w/LOS Mature, reliable technology. Gear is expensive & it’s a hassle to obtain license. Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

Other methods: Fiber. Optics n n Physically limited by location of fiber. Fiber is often pretty common on campuses ¨ Campus n n IT typically likes fiber; provide better support. Near-bulletproof reliability. CD-quality audio, bidirectional, near-zero delay. Expensive: fiber codecs run $4000 -$6000 / pair Ideal for permanent installs: stadium, meeting halls, STL One example: Sundance Systems’ FIBOX www. lightwavesys. com Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

Going old school – plain POTS Working on a budget? n Need dirt-simple technology? n Needs to be universally understood? n Don’t care quite as much about audio quality? n n. POTS is for you! Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

Plain POTS – tips & tricks n Like POTS Codecs – you need to make sure you’re getting a true POTS line. ¨ n Ask for a line for a fax machine or computer modem. Not an “office phone”. Some POTS devices will work with office phones. JK Audio has several: THAT (Telephone Handset Audio Tap) ¨ Innkeeper PBX (handset hybrid) ¨ www. jkaudio. com ¨ Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

POTS mixers – do it right! n n n Lots of mixers with POTS interfaces, mic mixers and headphones all builtin. Perfect for sports and other remotes. JK Audio Remote. Mix Sport Marti GX 500 ¨ Older: Zercom Max-Z & Comrex Buddy Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

POTS mixers with cellphones! n n n Despite even lower audio quality, the flexibility & freedom are NICE. Frees you from any local telco worries. Some mixers support bluetooth connection to your cellphone. (JK Audio Bluepack, other JK Audio) Helps ensure best-possible audio. ¨ Review in Radio World by CBI’s own John Devecka/WLOY ¨ n Ideally – get a mixer that can handle cellphones as well as landlines. (Conex FJ 500, Circuitwerks MICTEL, etc) Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

All Sports NUMBER ONE Problem n AUDIO LEVELS OVERLOADING! n Sportscasters get excited and tend to shout. This distorts audio / sounds bad! ¨ REALLY n bad on regular POTS or cell. Invest in a mic processor / limiter! ¨ Rolls CL 151 ¨ Behringer MDX 2600 ¨ Presonus COMP 16 n Even an inline -10 d. B pad helps! Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

The Engineer’s Toolbox Case Study of WEOS n WEOS does MANY live events/sports. Often two at once (WEOS & WHWS) So we have SEVERAL tools at our disposal. ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ n Comrex Access: Boswell Field, Cozzens Field, Mc. Cooey Field, Bristol Gym, lectures @ Albright Auditorium, live concerts from The Smith, and many sports games on the road. Comrex Vector: Mc. Cooey Field, many sports games on the road. Fiber: (via old Comrex Buddy Mixer) Boswell Field, Bristol Gym. Fiber: STL, also incoming RPU feeds from the RX antennas. Barix Boxes: lectures @ Geneva Room, City Council meetings, lectures @ MPR in Student Center. Telos Xstream ISDN: Geneva City Ice Rink, The Smith Opera House. Marti RPU: commencement, random remotes (Congressman’s speech), random on-campus events, hockey backup. Total count? 1 Access, 1 Vector, 1 Xstream ISDN, 1 Zephyr Portable ISDN, 2 Marti RPU’s, 3 Barix boxes, 5 Fiber links (4 permanent, 1 floating)… …and it’s not enough for all the events we do! Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/

Q & A – plus some URL’s for you n n n n n www. comrex. com www. telos-systems. com www. tieline. com www. aptx. com www. musicamusa. com www. audiotx. com www. shoutcast. com www. lightwavesys. com www. martielectronics. com www. aeqbroadcast. com n www. jkaudio. com www. rolls. com www. bswusa. com www. z. Zounds. com www. presonus. com www. fring. com www. skype. com n www. weos. org or wgls. rowan. edu n www. friedbagels. com/blog n n n ¨ n Aaron’s blog – contact him here www. friedbagels. com/cbi/ ¨ Download these slides: www. friedbagels. com/cbi/