Digigram, the professional audio solution specialist, has launched its new IQOYA X/LINK-MPX codec. This new product is designed for the delivery of an FM MPX composite signal to one or several transmitter sites.
Currently, most of the studio-to-transmitter links for FM transmissions rely on the transport of the baseband audio signal over IP networks. This requires the FM composite MPX signal to be generated at each transmitter site with devices such as sound processors and RDS encoders.
Over the past few years, there has been a growing demand for the MPX signal to be generated within the studio, since it will help reduce the amount of equipment required at the transmitter site, optimise power consumption, and reduce maintenance costs.
Digigram X/LINK-MPX supports both analogue MPX and digital MPX AES192, allowing analogue-to-analogue, analogue-to-digital, digital-to-analogue, and digital-to-digital distribution of the MPX signal. Thanks to the optional µMPX compression, the cost of transportation is further reduced by using inexpensive network links.
According to Digigram, the advantages of IQOYA X/LINK-MPX include:
- Reduced operational costs at transmitter sites: Sound processing and RDS encoding are centralised at the studio side. This reduces the maintenance costs as well as the power consumption at transmitter sites.
- Optimised IP transport bandwidth: The new X/LINK-MPX will be able to conserve network bandwidth thanks to the µMPX compression. In addition to this, bandwidth can also be conserved by selecting a lower sampling frequency and/or bit depth in uncompressed PCM.
- Reliable hardware: X/LINK-MPX is based on the same hardware platform as the acclaimed IQOYA X/LINK range. It also features two internal redundant power supply units.
- Robust IP streams: Forward Error Correction, Redundant dual streaming with time diversity in PCM ensures that the transportation of IP streams is completely reliable and stable.
The IQOYA X/LINK-MPX features:
- 2 internal redundant PSUs 100-250VAC (Optional: 100-250VAC/-48vdc) (Max 15W consumption)
- 4 network ports 1 x 100 Mbps + 3 x Gbps on RJ-45 ports
- 1 analogue MPX input (BNC) and 1 digital MPX input (XLR)
- 1 analogue MPX output (BNC) and 1 digital MPX output (XLR)
- 2 balanced analogue I/Os, and 1 stereo AES/EBU I/O with hardware sample rate converter
- 4 GPI/4 GPO on Sub-D25
- One RS232 port for serial data tunnelling
Networking capabilities include:
- Possibility to separate network traffic (WAN, LAN, management) via the 4 network ports
- VLANs, QoS (VLAN Tagging, DSCP
- IGMPv2 and V3
Encoding, Decoding and Streaming features include:
- MPX transported in RTP/UD and in PCM 16/20/24 bits
- Baseband audio monitoring stream in PCM linear 16/20/24 bits, ISO MPEG-1/2 Layer II, Layer III, MPEG-4 AAC, AAC-LD, HE-AACv2, HE-AACv1, AAC-ELD, Opus
- Dual port redundant streaming on WAN, with time diversity up to 3 seconds
- Unicast, multicast and multi-unicast
- Real-time metrics on network path quality for the primary stream as well as for the FEC/redundant stream.
- Selection of FECs (from + 15% + 100% IP bandwidth)
Other features include:
- Two backup levels when decoding the MPX IP stream: secondary MPX IP stream on another network port, backup MPX ÿle stored on local SD card
- Monitoring on the headphones output of the audio included in the MPX signal
- AES transparent transport
- Front panel vu-meters to monitor the level of the MPX signal, the level of the baseband audio embedded in the MPX signal, and level of the baseband audio input / output
The IQOYA X/LINK range is a selection of 5 IP audio codecs designed to best suit the remote broadcasting and program distribution applications of our customers. This rackmount codec range includes stereo and dual stereo IP audio codecs with analogue, AES3, Livewire, Ravenna or AES67 I/Os and an 8-stereo IP codec with full AoIP I/Os.
Visit https://www.digigram.com