HHB have been specialists in audio technology since for over 45 years but it was only in 2021 that we added IP Codecs to our distributed brands portfolio. We had been aware of Comrex for many years and knew that many of our customers rely on “a Comrex” for audio links. With this great opportunity to support and grow Comrex’s business in the UK and Ireland the first step was to find out what “a Comrex” was. It didn’t take too long to realise there was more than one flavour – the ACCESS and BRIC-Link lines for audio, LiveShot for video, plus solutions for guest interviews, callers, and IFB.
Comrex as an audio codec
Comrex audio codes started out based on POST and ISDN technologies in the 80s and 90s but for ethe past 15 years their focus has been on IP and their audio codecs, including the ACCESS and BRIC-Link ranges, have become industry standard worldwide.
Audio codecs send audio from one location to another (or possible to several locations) in real-time. They’re commonly used in radio for audio contribution from home studios and remote locations, studio-to-studio and studio-to-transmitter links, sports stadiums radio commentary, and more.
Audio Codecs are also used in voiceover for live sessions as well as in television for IFB and audio backup. Outside of traditional media, they can be used for live transit and emergency alert applications.
Anytime you need to move audio reliably and in a timely way, you need a codec.
ACCESS range
Portable
The original Classic and 2USB units ae no longer manufactured but many are still in daily use around the world. The current model is the ACCESS NX – built on over a decade of experience and excellence in IP transmission, ACCESS NX is all the best bits of the original ACCESS plus an additional mic/line input and a 5” capacitive touch screen. It also incorporates CrossLock Technology which has the allows for bonding or redundance using multiple network connections for even more reliability.
Rackmount
The ACCESS Rackmount was introduced in 2006 and has now been replaced by the ACCESS NX Rack – an AES67 compatible next generation codec with web user interface. There is also the ACCESS MultiRack incorporating five codecs in a single 1U rack unit.
BRIC-Link III
The newest product in the portfolio is the third generation of BRIC-Link. Theis Comrex is a little black box is a no-nonsense IP audio codec that packs a lot of functionality into an unassuming package with a cost-effective price point. It’s often used for STLs and other 24/7 applications, but we also see lots of them in stadiums for live sports coverage as well as in home studios. There are over 10,000 BRIC-Links in use and the best thing about then is that they “just work”! The latest innovations in the BRIC-Link III include our buttons which trigger contact closures by default and are configurable for auto-connections to other Comrex IP audio codecs as well as a more powerful processor.
In addition to point-to-point connections, Comrex IP audio codecs (ACCESS/BRIC-Link) support alternate modes of operation like multi-streaming, IP multicast, HTTP, and EBU 3326/SIP.
Comrex as a contribution service
Probably not referred to as “a Comrex” but Gagl is Comrex in the cloud. Gagl allows up to five users to send and receive audio from computers and smartphones. That audio is “Gagl’d” together (if more than one user), and delivered to a Comrex hardware codec (i.e. ACCESS or BRIC-Link). All participants can hear each other (with their own mix-minus) and the codec “send” audio back to them.
Gagl is perfect for anything from multi-contributor news segments, to sports talk shows, to single contributor drop-ins from the field. Whatever the needs of your program, Gagl is flexible enough to meet them.
Comrex as a hybrid, IFB solution, or gateway
VH2
A dual-line VoIP hybrid, VH2 connects two VoIP lines to a studio for individual broadcast or flawless conferencing. VH2 prevents echo and distortion, and automatically adjusts caller audio to a uniform level, leaving you with a result that’s clean and clear.
EarShot IFB
EarShot IFB is a voice-over-IP based solution for television IFB. It delivers live audio feeds for up to 30 callers, making it possible to replace 30 POTS lines. EarShot IFB is designed to provide telephone-based live studio program and IFB audio to field-based remote broadcasts, like TV ENG reports.
Opal
Opal is an IP audio gateway that enables guests to connect to the studio by simply clicking a link. It provides HD quality audio from consumer-grade equipment, like a smartphone or a computer, via a modern web browser. It’s easy enough to use without a technical background and does not require the user to install any software or apps. Most importantly, it sounds great.
Comrex as a video codec
Not only audio but “a Comtrex” can be a video codec too. LiveShot delivers bidirectional HD video and audio over a range of IP networks at latencies as low as 200mS. Plus, LiveShot has a full-duplex cue channel and return video.
Using sophisticated CrossLock VPN technology, LiveShot can make use of even the most challenging 4G, Wi-Fi, and satellite networks to maintain a secure and stable connection. This is perfect for wireless newsgathering and remote broadcasts.
LiveShot Portable
The camera mountable LiveShot Portable is a bonded cellular IP video codec designed for the most demanding field broadcasts.
LiveShot Studio
The studio end is the LiveShot Rackmount. It can be used to connect to a Portable unit in the field, but it can also be used to connect to another LiveShot Rack for studio-to-studio and truck-to-studio applications.
For more information contact [email protected]
