Best Remote Gear - Comrex / Tieline

[shreveville]

We were looking at the Tieline Commander for our remotes but it is pretty pricey. Comrex is also a possibility. What do you guys suggest? Of course we would like something affordable but we want to sound good also. I'd like to know how Tieline compares to Comrex in cost and sound or we're looking at other possible options that are more affordable. We used a Tieline Commander demo and had lots of problems. Not really blaming Tieline. You have to have REALLY GOOD phone line connections or the audio will drop. We had trouble with nearly all of our lines.

 

[RealityCheckr]

Are you talking, POTS, ISDN, IP or some combination?

Do you have ISDN at the station already? If so, and the answer is pots, you might look at the Telos POTS to ISDN combination.

If IP, will you be installing DSL or trying to use existing IP links at the remoter sites. If you will be using improvised IP links you'll probably want the more sophisticate Tech offered by Comrex and Telos (and maybe Tieline, but they are very quiet about what they are doing, so it is hard to tell).

We were looking at the Tieline Commander for our remotes but it is pretty pricey. Comrex is also a possibility. What do you guys suggest? Of course we would like something affordable but we want to sound good also. I'd like to know how Tieline compares to Comrex in cost and sound or we're looking at other possible options that are more affordable. We used a Tieline Commander demo and had lots of problems. Not really blaming Tieline. You have to have REALLY GOOD phone line connections or the audio will drop. We had trouble with nearly all of our lines.

 

[bradgoehl]

We have a Tieline and are happy with it for the most part, you will need a good broadband Internet source with a fixed IP at the studio side and to be sure you have 3G wireless coverage in the areas your planing to use it. I have heard some good things on the Comrex as-well but the same holds true on the wireless coverage if your in a smaller market where 3G data is sporadic you may want to look at some other options.

 

[pellmell]

Many people are using Barix products successfully. There is a long thread here on the subject.

 

[OKCRadioGuy]

I have two clients using Tielines over cellular networks. Our experience has been good, but the real key is having more than one cell system available to swtich out to. NO system is 100 percent. Once a guy thinks of it that way, it becomes easier. We use a Cradlepoint router and some USB broadand cellular sticks to pick which service we'd like to use that day....

 

[littlejohn]

We have both. On POTS, the Tieline sounds a bit better. On G4 where it's available, both shine. On regular wi-fi, both do very well. The BRIC is a bit easier to run. You pays your money and you takes your pick, as they say.

 

[techie2]

We have the Comrex Access. I've been using it on high school football games for the past couple weeks. So far all of the games have been fed via 3G using a USB aircard. The audio has been great, but we still get the occasional dropout for a split-second up to a second or two. At this point, I'm not sure if that's the fault of the 3G network or possibly a flaky DSL connection at the transmitter site (we have been running direct to the transmitter while repairing lightning damage at the studios.) The DSL at the studio is rock solid since I cleaned up the phone wiring, so once operations get moved back there I should have a better handle on where the dropouts come in.

Even with the occasional dropout, it's much better than the alternative, which was a cell phone feed (where one can also enjoy dropouts as well as lousy audio quality.) I will probably go back to Marti for local games once we get it fixed, but I like having the codec as a backup or something to use in places where we can't get a good Marti shot.

 

[317C50KW]

I had a demo of the Access last football season and liked it. It'll probably be the solution down the road. This year we're still on ISDN for home and certain
away games (it's still easy to get service here) and Bluebox to Matrix for the remainder. I have an acid test Friday night as we're 90 miles out and using a POTS circuit provided by the stadium/school district we're visiting. Old facility, no ethernet or wi-fi. We'll try the Bluebox but I won't be surprised if I have to rig my Telos One hybrid to handle the feed.

 

[RolfTaylor]

If you have a Telos Xstream at the studios, you might demo an Xport on the POTS line. You eliminate 1/2 the analog technology and will get excellent quality (aacPlus/AAC-HE) in the studio direction.

I had a demo of the Access last football season and liked it. It'll probably be the solution down the road. This year we're still on ISDN for home and certain
away games (it's still easy to get service here) and Bluebox to Matrix for the remainder. I have an acid test Friday night as we're 90 miles out and using a POTS circuit provided by the stadium/school district we're visiting. Old facility, no ethernet or wi-fi. We'll try the Bluebox but I won't be surprised if I have to rig my Telos One hybrid to handle the feed.

 

[317C50KW]

Rolf, thanks for the tip...something else to consider. Thing is we we're an independent producer and buy the time. Our current partner has Xtreme and all the flavors of Comrex which is great! But if we have to move to another outlet due to a conflict, we're often dealing with another station that isn't as well equipped!

In our case, there's a lot to be said (love it or hate it) for POTS dial-up, at least it gets the game on the air.

 

[littlejohn]

A point to remember - both the Access and the Tieline will drop out if you over drive the audio. They get sick when the samples go all 1s for s bit. Run the audio down, and pick it up at the studio... the noise floor is very low on both.