Telos Z/IP R1 Streaming Audio Encoder

For years, the way to stream audio to Internet listeners included unbalanced mini-jacks, poor-quality sound cards, one or more PCs to maintain, and a collection of software that didn’t always play nicely together. Broadcasters asked for a professional, PC-free Web streaming solution — and Telos delivers.

Z/IPStream R/1 takes the hassle out of netcasting. There’s no PC needed; Z/IPStream takes just 1RU of rack space. Slide it in and it’s ready to go — no more running your mission-critical audio over crash-prone PC hardware and operating systems. Just send audio to Z/IPStream R/1, make a few setup selections and, within minutes, you’ll be streaming your programming to your favorite stream server or streaming service for worldwide distribution.

Broadcasters know Telos is the codec expert. Z/IPStream R/1 puts all our expertise into one integrated streaming appliance. First, incoming audio gets treated to pre-processing from Omnia Audio, using algorithms that work hand-in-glove with Z/IPStream R/1’s codecs to shape and optimize audio prior to encoding. Then, genuine MPEG encoding algorithms from FhG, the inventors of MP3, ensure the most artifact-free sound quality at whatever bit rate you choose. Encode directly to an MP3 or MPEG-AAC stream, then send it to a Shoutcast, Wowza, Icecast, LimeLight, Akamai, Adobe Flash Media server, or other popular streaming server for distribution to your waiting listeners.

Setup is a breeze. Log in with a laptop and Web browser for easy setup or remote control, or tweak the front-panel controls — there’s a convenient built-in headphone amp with 1/4” jack and volume control for last minute in-the-rack fine tuning.

Z/IPStream R/1 comes with studio-grade analog inputs and outputs, plus Livewire IP-Audio I/O. On the output side, Z/IPStream R/1 delivers fully processed, unencoded audio as well as encoded audio, providing your studio with another source for processed sound. Full network connectivity is provided via two Ethernet jacks, one for the LAN (including Livewire ) and the other for the WAN and streaming.
The Professional Choice for Streaming Audio

Optimizing sound quality is as essential on the web as it is on traditional formats. Z/IPStream R/1 has a built-in processing section that works together with the streaming encoder, optimizing your audio for stunning sound — even after bit-reduction. This isn’t just some cheap leveler — it’s real processing by Omnia, complete with wideband AGC, a 3-band combined compressor/limiter, high-frequency EQ, an adjustable-bandwidth low-pass filter, and Omnia’s famous anti-aliasing final Look-Ahead limiter. There are even a selection of presets, tailored to specific formats and bit rates, to help you get up and running quickly.

Of course, the foundation for high fidelity audio distribution rests on professional encoding technology. The quality of the encoder directly affects the quality of the output. Telos has a long history of partnership with Germany’s Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Laboratory (FhG), the world leader in audio compression research and the inventors of MP3; Z/IPStream R/1 uses genuine MP3 and MPEG-AAC encoding algorithms to ensure the most artifact-free sound quality at any bit rate you choose, from 16 kbps all the way to 320 kbps. No other encoder has this pedigree, or achieves this level of quality and performance. Generic “mp3” encoders can’t come close.

Z/IPStream R/1 gives you a wide choice of genuine Fraunhofer encoding algorithms, which include MP3, the Standard for digital audio. It’s the safest codec choice for compatibility with the widest variety of listening devices. Or choose AAC-LC, a high performance codec for excellent audio quality at lower bitrates. AAC-LC is in widespread use, most notably in Apple’s iTunes. And then there’s High EfficiencyAdvanced Audio Coding, or HE-AAC, a newer AAC codec which incorporates Spectral Band Replication (SBR) bandwidth expansion to improve audio at very low bitrates. HE-AAC v2 applies a Parametric Stereo feature to HE-AAC codec allowing for even further reduction in bandwidth.

When you’re done processing and encoding, select your metadata source and feed your stream to any SHOUTcast or SHOUTcast v2-compatible media server, or a Wowza server for streaming to Flash clients. Z/IPStream R/1 works with ICECast and Adobe Flash Media and Adobe RTMP servers too, as well as popular streaming services from LimeLight, Akamai, and other popular streaming service providers. You can feed directly to a streaming server on your LAN, to an Internet streaming relay service via the WAN port, or take processed audio from the rear-panel XLR outputs. No matter what your audio source or how you stream, Z/IPStream R/1 delivers flawlessly optimized audio that sounds terrific.

Features

• Audio pre-processing, stream encoding and delivery to remote replication server, all in a professional 1RU appliance.
• Pro-grade 24-bit A/D converter for studio-reference quality audio.
• Choice of MP3 or AAC-LC, HE-AAC, HE-AAC v2 stream coding, with output bit rates from 16 kbps to 320 kbps (dependent upon active codec).
• Omnia processing includes wideband AGC, 3-band compressor/limiter, EQ, low-pass filter and precision look-ahead final limiter.
• Metadata support for all popular playout platforms allows streams to be dynamically tagged with “now-playing” information from automation systems.
• Studio-grade analog and Livewire IP-Audio I/O, with separate LAN & WAN Ethernet ports.
• Directly supports ICEcast, SHOUTcast, SHOUTcast v2, Adobe Flash Media Server as well as Adobe RTMP, Live365 streaming services, RTP streams (including RTP multicast), as well as Live365, LimeLight, and Akamai servers.
• Dual encoder support can be used to provide high and low bitrate streams, or MP3 and AAC at the same time.
• Can accept metadata over RS-232 (using USB to RS232 adapter).

Codec Choices

• MP3: 16 to 320 kbps
• AAC-LC: 24 to 320 kbps
• HE-AAC: 24-96 kbps
• HE-AAC v2 (aacPlus): 14-56 kbps

AAC Transport Modes

• ADTS
• ADTS-CRC
• ADIF
• RAW

Metadata Formats

• Character Parser Sample
• Line Parser Sample
• Nexgen Audio Sense
• Simian Template 1
• XML Parser Sample
• XML-Jazler
• XML-Jazler2
• XML-MediaTouch
• XML-MediaTouch2
• XML-Sample2
• XML-Zetta
• User-definable

Input

• Analog: Balanced XLR, 4 dBu
• Input Impedance: 6K Ohm differential
• Analog to Digital Converter: 24bits
• Digital: Livewire AoIP, via LAN port

Output

• Analog: Balanced XLR
• Output Clipping: 22dBu
• Output Impedance: 50 Ohm differential
• Digital to Analog Converter: 24bits
• Digital: Livewire AoIP, via LAN or WAN port

Audio Performace

• THD N: < 0.03% @ 12dBu, 1 kHz Sine
• Frequency Response: /- 1dB 25– 20 kHz
• Headroom: 18dB
• Dynamic Range: > 87dB Unweighted > 90 dB “A” Weighted
• Crosstalk: > 80 db

Remote Control

• LAN via built-in Webserver

Power

• Internal supply, 85–250 VAC auto-switching, 50–60 Hz
• Power consumption: 14.2 Watts