STL: reliable transport over unreliable networks

On air: when the light is on, anything can happen. Of course, this is live radio and this is what makes it unique! This live radio show has to be transported over the Internet to a transmitter site. How to make sure nothing will happen, in terms of lost signal, while broadcasting this audio content through a network? Digigram has the solution: configure backup audio sources that guarantee that the studio IP stream will get through anyhow, regardless of stream lost or failed networks. Et voilà! On air, and relax.

The solution 

Since dropouts or failures are not an option for an STL, you can trust IQOYA X/LINK codecs for their spectacularly robust features.

Unbreakable, the IQOYA X/LINK platform is built on rock-solid dedicated hardware design. We chose to place an industrial grade processor at the heart of the system to ensure maximum reliability. The embedded IP audio streaming engine is Fluid IP, an extra guarantee for a sturdy system for your IP audio transport and audio quality.

As audio service continuity is paramount for radio stations, IQOYA X/LINK codecs provide four network interfaces and three decoding priorities per output program with selectable audio sources and automatic switching between priorities. Enable or disable them independently at your will. We made our solutions flexible on top of being extra robust. 

Fear of losing the signal? IQOYA X/LINK has your back: as the network does not offer QoS, a ‘twinning system’ is used for dual streaming: the same IP stream is encoded twice through two distinct network ports. The decoder receives the IP stream twice, from two network ports. If packets are missing on one network path, they are seamlessly recovered from the other network path. 

Let’s push our luck: in the (very) unlikely event of losing both streams on the two network ports, IQOYA X/LINK automatically switches to a first backup (Icecast/Shoutcast WEB radio).

And, let’s push even further: no stream received? IQOYA X/LINK will automatically switch to a second backup level: a sound file or playlist stored on a local SDHC card.
The backup files on the SDHC card can be updated remotely at any time through FTP, with no interruption to the audio activity.

There is no way the radio will ever remain silent. Ever!

Recommended products:

At the studio
– for one radio program in analog, AES3, and later AES67: X/LINK-ST

– for one radio program in AES67: X/LINK-AES67

– for two radio programs in analog, AES3, and later AES67:  X/LINK-DUAL

– for two radio programs in AES67:  X/LINK-AES67

– for more than 4 stereo programs: IQOYA SERV/LINK

At the transmitter sites
– for one radio program: X/LINK-LE
– for two radio programs: X/LINK-DUAL
– for more than 4 stereo programs: IQOYA SERV/LINK

Benefits of the solution

• Reduced transport costs thanks to the use of two standard networks for the reliable transport of audio streams
• Audio continuity, no matter what, on Tx sites
• Full separation of IP traffics (AES67, Internet, LAN for monitoring)
• Easy integration into NMS solutions

Learn more