Overview

Bridge-IT for inexpensive IP audio solutions…  

Tieline’s Bridge-IT is the ultimate affordable, high-performance, stereo IP audio codec solution for broadcast and professional applications. Designed to deliver point-to-point or multi-point connections, Bridge-IT transports audio streams reliably, simply and effectively over a range of IP data networks such as wired and wireless LANs, WANs, the internet, satellite IP, WiMAX and Wi-Fi.

Bridge-IT allows radio and television broadcasters to expand their IP network at a fraction of the cost of competing IP codecs, without compromising on quality or broadcast quality features. Multiple unicast in stereo to up to 6 different end-points from a single codec and reduce capital expenditure across your broadcast network.

Bridge-IT is EBU N/ACIP Tech 3326 compatible over IP and will connect to any SIP-enabled IP codec brand with industry standard algorithms, as well as VoIP devices supporting G.711 and G.722. Bridge-IT is also internet/satellite streaming and HD and digital radio compatible. 

It is designed for desktop use or two units can be installed side-by-side in a purpose-built 1RU mounting bracket.

Two Bridge-IT Codecs Installed in a 1RU Rack Frame

Simple to use…

Compare Bridge-IT’s superior programming functionality and simple user interface with other low cost codecs. Bridge-IT features a full hardware front panel interface including navigation, LCD display, PPM metering and dialing key pad. It can also be configured and controlled remotely using the Toolbox web-GUI interface, which can be launched from the codec using a web-browser.

Applications:

Bridge-IT is perfect for a large range of broadcast and professional applications that include:

• Studio-to-Transmitter Link (STL) applications
• Studio-to-Studio Link (SSL) applications
• Point-to-Point IP audio distribution
• Multi-point IP audio distribution 
• Simple remote broadcast links
• Cable Head End IP Audio Distribution
• Low-latency audio over IP bridging solutions
• Multiple codec installations (2 codecs fit in 1 x 19” rack unit)

Bridge-IT Purchase options...

Bridge-IT comes as a basic hardware and software pack or a pro version hardware and software pack, which includes AAC algorithms and multiple unicasting.

apt-X Enhanced audio coding and a 2 year extended warranty are also available as additional options.

#[2] Also available for purchase separately

# Optional 16 bit and 24 bit apt-X Enhanced algorithm available

# Optional 2 year extended warranty available

Broadcast Quality Connectors

Unlike most low cost IP audio codecs, Bridge-IT has all the broadcast connectors you would expect on a full-featured codec. Simultaneous analog and digital AES/EBU audio outputs are provided on XLR connectors and it includes a ¼” (6.35mm) stereo headphone output.

Simple non-technical IP connections and Onboard Audio Backup

Bridge-IT is the first inexpensive IP audio codec to offer 3 different ways to connect over IP.

1. For a simple permanent point-to-point encoder and decoder, Bridge-IT lets you connect without using a computer. Simply dial the IP address of the remote codec using the front panel keypad and LCD screen.
2. Bridge-IT serves up a comprehensive graphical user interface in a standard web browser. Just type the IP address of your codec into your web browser to start remote control, configuration and dialing.

Purchase the optional TieServer PRO licence (coming soon) when you buy Bridge-IT and create IP connections simpler than making a telephone call. There’s no need to figure out IP addresses or deal with firewalls. Simply register your Bridge-IT with Tieline’s global TieServer traversal server once only, give it a name (like Chicago Studio) and then watch your codec’s address book automatically populate with other online Bridge-ITs in your network each time you connect it to the internet. It’s just like launching Skype and watching your online buddies pop up in the address book on the Bridge-IT screen. Simply select the codec you wish to connect with and hit Dial to connect. It’s perfect for non technical people.

Encode with a range of standard algorithms or optional AAC and apt-X Enhanced Algorithms...

Bridge-IT comes with 16 Bit 22kHz uncompressed linear audio at less than 12 ms encode delay, as well as MPEG Layer 2, G.711, G.722 and Tieline Music. Tieline MusicPLUS is also standard and provides 22 kHz mono and stereo with 20ms encode delay at under100 Kbps, offering huge savings on your IP data bills and outstanding audio quality. LC-AAC, HE-AAC v.1 and HE-AAC v.2 decoders are also included as standard.

Upgrade your Bridge-IT audio codecs today by purchasing and installing the optional AAC encode software licence and you will instantly have the ability to encode LC-AAC, HE-AAC v.1 and HE-AAC v.2 algorithms. HE-AAC v.2 is capable of delivering high fidelity stereo IP audio at bit-rates as low as 24Kbps. apt-X Enhanced audio coding is also available for extremely low delay STLs and Audio Distribution.

Automatic IP network management and failover…

Tieline’s QoS Performance Engine automatically manages the IP connection between two points using dynamic jitter buffering, forward error correction and packet repair, to deliver continuous high quality audio over both managed networks and the open Internet.

In case your IP link fails Bridge-IT also has an SD/SDHC card slot which can be pre-loaded with MP3 audio for automatic failover (MPEG Layer 2 and Linear coming soon) to backup recorded audio. Bridge-IT's onboard relay control ports can also be programmed to notify you of a failure via any third party relay-enabled hardware.

Features

• Compact design, with two codecs fitting into a 1RU mounting bracket.
• Suitable for point-to-point and multi-point (multiple unicast) IP connections over a variety of connection transports, including WANs like the internet.
• EBU N/ACIP Tech 3326 compatibility over IP
• Linear audio with a suite of high quality broadcast algorithms as standard, plus optional LC-AAC, HE-AAC v.1 and HE-AAC v.2.
• Tieline's loss-tolerant MusicPLUS algorithm provides up to 22 kHz stereo audio quality with 20ms coding delay at bit rates as low as 96kbps - making it ideal for today's IP and 3G networks.
• Tieline Music can deliver up to 15 kHz FM quality mono audio at bit-rates as low as 24Kbps, with only 20 milliseconds encoding delay.
• QoS Performance Engine automatically manages jitter buffering, forward error correction and packet repair.
• Full hardware front panel interface including navigation, LCD display, PPM metering and dialing key pad.
• Web GUI for programming codec functionality and RS232 data connections.
• TieServer for automatic software upgrades, peer-to-peer dialing using STUN and automatic buddy list dialing.
• Integrates seamlessly with TieServer for simple IP configuration and one touch IP connections.
• Broadcast quality analog XLR inputs/outputs.
• XLR digital AES/EBU input/output.
• Simultaneous analog and digital AES/EBU audio outputs.
• Onboard SDHC card slot for automatic audio failover.
• ¼” (6.35mm) stereo headphone output.
• 2 relay inputs and 2 opto-isolated outputs plus RS-232 for local and remote control of equipment at either end of your codec link.
• USB slave connection for codec configuration.

Buy today and receive:

• Point-to-point mono and stereo IP audio
• bidirectional audio
• The ability to send up to 6 stereo multiple-unicast connections over LANs and WANs like the internet - (optional licence upgrade).
• High quality low-delay linear audio
• G.711 G.722, MPEG Layer 2, plus low-delay Tieline Music and MusicPlus algorithms
• LC-AAC, HE-AAC v.1 and HE-AAC v.2 algorithms (optional licence upgrade)
• EBU N/ACIP Tech 3326 compatibility over IP and will connect to any SIP-enabled IP codec
• Simultaneous analog and digital AES/EBU outputs
• Automatic fail-safe SD/SDHC card connection failover
• Web-GUI for remote control and configuration
• TieServer for automatic firmware upgrade notification
• Tieline’s QoS Performance Engine for automatic management of IP connection streaming

Optional software feature upgrades* available in early 2010 include:

• Multicasting capability
• TieServer PRO for simple one-touch buddy-list codec dialing
• IP Codec Network Management System for live status and alarm monitoring of hundreds of IP codecs over entire broadcast networks

*Contact Tieline or your favorite dealer for a quote on software feature upgrades as they become available. For a full list of Specifications please download the brochure here.

Specifications

Gallery

Below are a collection of photographs related to the product. Click on an image to enlarge the photograph.