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1
Remote Broadcast Solutions for Sports Live
Events

• Aaron Read WEOS, HWS
• Derek Jones WGLS, Rowan
• Making your broadcast sound like the prosor
  BETTER the pros and cons!

2
Whadya Got Now?

• 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.
• Its no good to broadcast a game if listeners
  tune out b/c they cant understand the
  sportscaster!

3
Technology Marches On

• 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 LaptopWebcast Method
• Also ISDN, Marti RPU, Fiber

4
The POTS Codec Method

• POTS Plain Old Telephone Service
• Think fax machine or dial-up modem
• Dedicated hardware uses a regular phone line to
  make a data call.
• Ever hear this sound before?
• Some examples
• Comrex Access, Bluebox, Vector, Matrix, Hotline
• Tieline Commander, iMix
• Telos Xport

5
POTS Codec Plusses

• 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.

6
POTS Codec Minuses

• Requires a true POTS line, these are getting
  rarer thanks to VoIP, PBX, Centrex
• EASY TO MISUNDERSTAND!!!
• Sure weve got a phone for you!
• Oops, its a PBX and therefore USELESS
• Need an ATA (Analog Terminal Adapter)
• Broken copper, bridge taps, wet lines can all
  wreak havoc and are difficult to fix.
• POTS Codecs are expensive 2000-6000 for a pair
  is not uncommon.

7
POTS Codec over cellphones

• Some older models had POTS over Cellphone
• Worked great, but required GSM C.S.D.
• CSD Circuit-Switched Data
• Only offered by T-Mobile, ATT (Cingular)
• GSM CSD is rapidly being phased out by telcos in
  favor of 3G / IP.
• Dont buy a POTS codec based on CSD!

8
The IP Codec Method

• As POTS gets trickier, and internet-over-cellphone
  gets more common, IP Codecs have exploded!
• Use IP-based audio thus work over the internet.
• Wired ethernet, Wi-Fi, 3G cellphone, dial-up
  modem
• Some examples
• Comrex Access / Tieline iMix G3 or Commander G3
  /
• Telos Zephyr Z/IP / AudioTX STL-IP / Musicam
  Suprima /
• APT Worldcast / AEQ Phoenix Mobile / Marti
  Digital Cellcast

9
IP Codec Plusses

• Tend to be very flexible, often can connect via
  multiple means
• Frees you from tyranny of the remote locations
  telco. Its not perfect, but its REALLY nice.
• Audio can be near-CD quality.
• Low-delay, bi-directional means live
  conversations between remote and studio.
• Fairly future-proofIP audio is here to stay as
  an overall concept (thanks to VoIP)

10
IP Codec Minuses

• 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.
• IP Codecs are expensive 3000-8000 for a pair
  is not uncommon.

11
The Laptop Webcast Method

• Surprisingly common esp. in commercial radio.
• Take a laptop with some internet connection to
  the site.
• 3G/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 _at_
  studio.
• IFB is done via cellphone, or just through
  training.

12
Webcast Method Plusses

• Bang for the buck Very cheap if you already
  have the computer / laptop. Shoutcast software
  is free. 3G internet card is useful for lots of
  things besides just this.
• Audio quality CAN be CD-quality, typically its
  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.

13
Webcast Method Minuses

• 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.
• Usually no pro audio on laptops.
• Laptops more fragile (in general).
• BTW not safe to use laptop for web surfing
  while encoding.

14
Webcast Method Barix Boxes

• Purpose-built Shoutcast boxes.
• Instreamer Exstreamer
• Excellent devices for permanent audio feeds
  (stadiums, meeting halls).
• Esp. over campus LAN.
• Not bad over public internet, either.
• 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

15
Smartphones Skype

• Skype is free VoIP software.
• Works entirely over internet.
• SkypeOUT/IN allows calls to/from phones.
• Subject to internet connectivity, but generally
  better audio quality.
• Many 3G smartphones can run Skype.
• iPhones / iPod Touch wont natively, but theres
  ways to do it (Fring, et al)

16
Other methods ISDN Integrated Systems Digital
Network

• ISDN uses special digital phone lines.
• Very mature, reliable technologyCD-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)

17
Other methods Marti RPU Remote Pickup Unitnot
always by Marti, but Marti is very common

• RPU is a FCC-licensed transmitter system
  typically around 450 MHz w/ 30 watts
• (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 its a hassle to obtain
  license.

18
Other methods FiberOptics

• Physically limited by location of fiber.
• Fiber is often pretty common on campuses
• Campus IT typically likes fiber provide better
  support.
• Near-bulletproof reliability. CD-quality audio,
  bi-directional, 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

19
Going old school plain POTS

• Working on a budget?
• Need dirt-simple technology?
• Needs to be universally understood?
• Dont care quite as much about audio quality?
• POTS is for you!

20
Plain POTS tips tricks

• Like POTS Codecs you need to make sure youre
  getting a true POTS line.
• 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

21
POTS mixers do it right!

• Lots of mixers with POTS interfaces, mic mixers
  and headphones all built-in. Perfect for sports
  and other remotes.
• JK Audio RemoteMix Sport
• Marti GX500
• Older Zercom Max-Z Comrex Buddy

22
POTS mixers with cellphones!

• 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 CBIs own John
  Devecka/WLOY
• Ideally get a mixer that can handle cellphones
  as well as landlines. (Conex FJ500, Circuitwerks
  MICTEL, etc)

23
All Sports NUMBER ONE Problem

• AUDIO LEVELS OVERLOADING!
• Sportscasters get excited and tend to shout.
  This distorts audio / sounds bad!
• REALLY bad on regular POTS or cell.
• Invest in a mic processor / limiter!
• Rolls CL151
• Behringer MDX2600
• Presonus COMP16
• Even an inline -10dB pad helps!

24
The Engineers ToolboxCase Study of WEOS

• WEOS does MANY live events/sports. Often two at
  once (WEOS WHWS) So we have SEVERAL tools at
  our disposal.
• Comrex Access Boswell Field, Cozzens Field,
  McCooey Field, Bristol Gym, lectures _at_ Albright
  Auditorium, live concerts from The Smith, and
  many sports games on the road.
• Comrex Vector McCooey 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 _at_ Geneva Room, City Council
  meetings, lectures _at_ MPR in Student Center.
• Telos Xstream ISDN Geneva City Ice Rink, The
  Smith Opera House.
• Marti RPU commencement, random remotes
  (Congressmans speech), random on-campus events,
  hockey backup.
• Total count? 1 Access, 1 Vector, 1 Xstream ISDN,
  1 Zephyr Portable ISDN, 2 Marti RPUs, 3 Barix
  boxes, 5 Fiber links (4 permanent,
• 1 floating)
• and its not enough for all the events we do!

25
Q A plus some URLs for you

• www.jkaudio.com
• www.rolls.com
• www.bswusa.com
• www.zZounds.com
• www.presonus.com
• www.fring.com
• www.skype.com
• www.weos.org or wgls.rowan.edu
• www.friedbagels.com/blog
• Aarons blog contact him here
• www.friedbagels.com/cbi/
• Download these slides

• 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