IP-Audio network installed at Univision's KINV-FM
5 January 2005, Cleveland, OH USA
Univision Radio had a problem. They wanted to convert their Austin, Texas station cluster to an all-digital plant — but they wanted to do it at a measured pace, one station at a time, beginning with their flagship station, "La Invasora," KINV-FM. The stations had already moved into their new building, bringing equipment from their previous facilities with them to expedite the move. The predicament: finding a flexible switching/distribution system that could be economically expanded at will.
Univision engineers found an Axia IP-Audio network to be the perfect solution.
Jim Hibbard of Pacific Mobile Recorders performed contract installation of the Axia gear at KINV. "These studios were built with room to grow," explains Hibbard, "and Univision wanted to be sure that the system they installed would be easy to upgrade." Ethernet was the only sensible choice: "Adding another studio with Axia is very simple," says Hibbard.
"Because Axia networks use Ethernet to transport live audio, they’re naturally scalable," says Axia President Michael "Catfish" Dosch. "Stations can add more studios to the network by simply connecting the additional gear with CAT-6. This capability allows broadcasters to build one or two studios at a time if they wish, and add more whenever they’re ready."
Axia audio networks also have another advantage: they’re typically about half the price of traditional routing systems, because Ethernet switches eliminate the need for expensive proprietary mainframe-type routing switchers. Installation costs are greatly reduced as well.
Axia is the world's first audio network designed specifically for broadcast studios; using patent-pending Livewire(tm) technology, Axia networks transport real-time, "live" audio, plus Program Associated Data (PAD) and machine remote control over Ethernet, and support up to 32,000 stereo channels per system. Livewire also eliminates audio cards by allowing PCs to send digital audio to network destinations through their Ethernet NICs.
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Axia, a Telos company, builds Ethernet-based professional IP-Audio products for broadcast, production, sound-reinforcement and commercial applications. Products include digital audio routing switchers, DSP mixers and processors and software for configuring, managing, and interfacing IP-Audio systems.