NPR ISDN Free $$$ Aaron Read WEOS, Geneva

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NPR ISDN Free Aaron Read WEOS, Geneva

• Use ISDN to leverage a lightly-used studio to
  bring revenue to your station prestige to your
  college

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What is NPR?

• National Public Radio
• Listened to by over 22 million listeners across
  the USA every day
• Many listeners are high-income / highly educated
• Highly-trusted source of news info, also arts,
  culture and music
• NPR Prestige
• NPR High quality audio

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NPR rents studios

• When possible, NPR always prefers to interview
  guests over ISDN vs. over the telephone due to
  improved audio quality.
• They will pay for the opportunity to rent your
  studio and put their guest in itif its
  broadcast quality and has an ISDN in it.

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What is ISDN?

• Integrated Systems Digital Network
• Essentially special phone lines.
• All-digital high quality
• Ordered from your local telephone company
• Verizon, Qwest, etc
• Very robust, mature technology
• Relatively low data capacity (64kbps / line)
• Very stable reliable throughput (more than IP)

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ISDN for Radio ISDN Codecs

• Purpose-built devices for encoding
  broadcast-quality audio, transmitting it across
  the ISDN telco network, and decoding it at the
  far end of the call.
• CD quality audio in most cases.
• Very low delay (on par with cellphone) means
  bi-directional conversations.

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So, in a nutshell

• Put ISDN in your studio
• Advertise in the right places
• Be available for booking when a producer comes
  calling
• Be ready to engineer the interview on your end
• Step 3 PROFIT

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Question 1 Is my studio broadcast quality?

• Most college radio stations have an under-used
  production studio, this usually fits the bill
  nicely.
• Realistically, a quiet roomideally with thick,
  industrial concrete wallswill do the trick.
  Just add some egg-crate foam on the walls.
• Make sure its fire-retardant foam! Or have
  sprinklers!
• Youll also want a recording device for backup
  purposes DAT, MiniDisc, CD burner, computer.
• Dont skimp on the micsget good ones.

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Question 2 How do I get ISDN telco service?

• Talk to your campus telco / information
  technology office!
• Even if the service ultimately comes from a LEC
  (Verizon, Qwest, etc) you will need to work with
  campus telco.
• Depending on how helpful campus telco is, expect
  that it will take 6-12 weeks and several calls to
  different offices at the LEC.
• You will need TWO of these ISDN phone lines
  (a.k.a. two SPIDsyoull know it because youll
  get two phone numbers.

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Waitwhy so hard to get ISDN?

• ISDN is a very mature technology, and its
  limited in usefulness compared to IP solutions
  like DSL and VoIP.
• So most LECs are gradually phasing out ISDN
• In some places, may be unavailable alreadybut be
  persistent! Sometimes tier 1 support says no
  but tier 2 will say yes.
• Most places, ISDN will be around for at least 5
  to 15 yearslong enough for you to see ROI.
• Also, its not uncommon for the first
  installation to not be up to spec. Consult ISDN
  Codec manufacturers website for tech tips about
  how to make sure you get the max.

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Question 3 Which ISDN Codec to buy?

• Several companies sell ISDN Codecs
• Telos Systems Xstream
• Musicam Prima / CDQ Prima / Suprima
• APT Worldnet
• AudioTX Communicator (software only)
• Comrex Matrix / DXR.1
• Tieline Commander

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Question 3 Which ISDN Codec to buy?

• Many options, but one is key the Codec must be
  able to handle two important algorithms
• MPEG Layer II / Mono - 128kbps _at_ 64kbps 48kHz
  sampling (standard for most NPR applications)
• G.722 (mostly used by the BBC)
• AAC (and its variants) is also desirable due to
  its impressive quality. MPEG Layer III is also
  handy.
• G.722 is the universal standard and the one
  must-have.
• Mediocre sound, but universal connectivity.
• Works good with lousy line conditions, too.

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Question 3 Which ISDN Codec to buy?

• If possible get a unit that is more future
  proof able to connect using more than just
  ISDN
• IP (i.e. over the public internet)
• POTS (plain old telephone service)
• Telos Systems Zephyr Classics and Zephyr Xstreams
  are very common in NPR.
• Tieline Commander is very flexible ISDN system
  is modular and easy to swap out for other
  protocols.

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Question 4 Ouch, ISDN is pricey!

• An ISDN Codec may cost 2000 - 4000
• Talk to your campus public relations / media
  relations office. Or the provosts office (dean
  of faculty)
• Sell them on the idea of getting your colleges
  faculty more exposure on prestigious NPRthus
  enhancing your colleges standing in the publics
  eye.

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Got ISDN? Spread the word!

• MOST IMPORTANT EASY TO FIND WEB PAGE!
• (More on this in a second)
• Add to Digifon DDL Wisconsin Public Radio ISDN
  list
• Call local NPR station ask for the studio
  booker. Tell them (politely) you have ISDN
  Studio if they ever need it.
• If theyre overbooked, theyll send you
  customers.
• Send polite e-mails to the campus PR office, the
  provosts office, publications, the department
  chairs and any famous professors.
• Ask your faculty/staff advisor for guidance
  informative, not pushy.
• New hire info packets make sure youre in
  there!

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You mentioned a website?

• Producers are frantic first studio that says
  yes wins.
• Dont screw around put all the info in a clear,
  concise page with a minimum of graphics or
  formatting make it printer-friendly html page
  (not a PDF)
• Lots of phone numbers to reach your booking
  agent(s).
• Directions for the guest to get to you.
• Make model of ISDN Codec, and its phone
  numbers.
• Studio capacity!! (i.e. number of people)
• Dont be coy put the rental rates on there.
• Make the URL something easy to say over the
  phone.
• www.wxyz.com/studio is ideal

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Sample websites

• WEOSs page
• www.weos.org/studio
• Living on Earth
• www.loe.org/studio
• Weekly NPR show.
• Located in Davis Square Somerville (just north of
  Boston)

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Have patience

• No matter what you do, producers will mostly find
  your studio via word-of-mouth and Google
  searches.
• So be patient!
• You cannot force this business to come to you,
  just be ready for it when it does come.

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How much to charge?

• Standard rates range from 75 to 200 per hour.
• One hr minimum, then bill in ½ or ¼ hrs.
• Rate depends mostly on the size of your market.
• Usually includes a competent engineer to manage
  things on your endif you dont have one, then
  offer a steep discount (25 50 off)
• Usually includes a backup recording FTPd or
  FedExd to NPR producer (if desired).
• Offer free booking for campus professors builds
  good political capital with your college.

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Questions?(plus some URLs for you to write down)

• Listings of ISDN-equipped studios
• www.digifon.com/ddl
• www.wpr.org/isdn
• Companies that make ISDN Codecs
• www.telos-systems.com (Telos Xstream)
• www.comrex.com (Comrex Matrix, DXR.1)
• www.tieline.com (Tieline Commander)
• www.aptx.com (Apt X)
• www.musicamusa.com (Musicam CDQ,Prima)
• www.audiotx.com (Audio TX)
• Sample websites you can use as templates
• www.weos.org/studio
• www.loe.org/studio
• Aarons Blog
• www.friedbagels.com/blog