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Old Post
newsmonkey
Star member,
Posted 23-01-03 21:39
Why are there so many types of ISDN line? It's really annoying trying to set up an interview down a line when the blinkin' things aren't compatible.

More often I find it's the self-op thingies in council offices, university press offices that don't work.

Is it for much the same reason that there are two types of lightbulb?

Old Post
gavin
Star member,
Posted 23-01-03 21:51
Not generally ISDN lines.... more a problem of ISDN codecs.
Old Post
newsmonkey
Star member,
Posted 23-01-03 21:54
Yes, I think that's what I meant. As you might be able to tell I generally refer to most bits of important technical equipment as a "thingy".
Old Post
gavin
Star member,
Posted 23-01-03 22:08
oh lol!

Yeah, certain types of ISDN codecs will only work with others. However, most ISDNs can be configured to work with other ISDNs using various speed dials (that how it works on CDQ Primas).

It might be just a few settings that need tweaking.

But in answer to your question, yes, there are different ways of ISDN codecs communicating, and if they're not compatible, you've got as much chance as getting an English man to understand a German, when neither of them know any of the other's language!

Old Post
gavin
Star member,
Posted 24-01-03 09:38
One of the problems is that, in the early days of ISDN , the BBC and the independents chose different 'standards'. So if your local council got an ISDN studio fitted out at the request of the local ILR, and you had BBC gear, they probably won't talk to each other. Most modern codecs can switch between a number different standards, but there's still compatability problems. Especially if you're doing a lot of stuff from overseas.

Sometimes you can make things work if you get the other end to dial you, instead of you dialling them.

And yes, it is like there being two different kinds of light bulb. They both look much the same, they both give out light, but one has a metal bit with two pins on it at the bottom, the other has a metal bit with a screw thred on. If you've ever bought a lamp from Ikea and tried to fit a UK standard bulb to it, you'll know what I mean.

Old Post
newsmonkey
Star member,
Posted 24-01-03 20:27
So why isn't there some sort of universal Codec that will always work? Grrrr....
Old Post
Jeffers
Star member,
Posted 27-01-03 09:55
quote:
newsmonkey said: So why isn't there some sort of universal Codec that will always work? Grrrr....


Couldn't agree more! I've recently been working on a big project for the World Service. This included a link up between Cape Town (where the programme was originating from) and a pop station in Mumbai (India). Both ISDN's fed into a studio in London from where it was broadcast from. Talk about hassle! Mumbai had an AEQ Eagle, and we had everything but! Telos, Glensounds and Primas and we couldn't get them to talk to each other.

Old Post
Piers
Member,
Posted 07-02-03 09:51
has anyone here tried the audiotx codec...its a software version that works on Windows
http://www.audiotx.com/

claims to connect auto to basically all the others....for five hundred pounds

Old Post
Edders
Star member,
Posted 07-02-03 12:37
quote:
Piers said: has anyone here tried the audiotx codec...its a software version that works on Windows
http://www.audiotx.com/

claims to connect auto to basically all the others....for five hundred pounds
...

Yes I have, it lived up to all it's promises - very happy with it. I like it so much that I actually prefer it above the other codecs we have here in the Studio. It is easy to operate and compatible with almost anything out there - saves me a lot of time (absolutely no need to fiddle around with it to get it to work).

quote:
newsmonkey said: So why isn't there some sort of universal Codec that will always work? Grrrr....

If there is anything close to a "universal codec" then this is it!
--
The man who can!

Old Post
Julian
Star member,
Posted 07-02-03 16:31
quote:
Piers said: has anyone here tried the audiotx codec...its a software version that works on Windows
http://www.audiotx.com/

claims to connect auto to basically all the others....for five hundred pounds


Yes, I know a couple of people who've bought it and have found it connects to just about any MPEG II/III or G722 codec including Primas in codec-independent mode. I've never had problems connecting to them whereas with the old Mayah SendIt I had a real fight to get any setting to sync. And then there was the 2 second delay in each direction and the fact it didn't work with one channel only or with G722 ...

But you probably will need a seperate PC as AudioTX will only let you play out audio from its own cart bay and not any other application. Similarly you can't record incoming audio without some kind of exotic audio routing software!

PS: I would go for the hardware key licensed version -- spend the extra £50 + VAT for the tiny USB dongle otherwise when you upgrade or change PCs you will LOSE THE SOFTWARE and they will not relicense it for you.

Old Post
Piers
Member,
Posted 07-02-03 18:24
ahhh thanks Julian...yes the dongle'd one sounds best

i just have to buy a pc...darn thing wont run on my mac

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