Fraunhofer IIS implements Livewire into ContentServer broadcast server line

Fraunhofer IIS has integrated the Livewire™ standard for IP-Audio connectivity into Fraunhofer ContentServer™, its professional digital radio broadcasting encoder solutions. ContentServer now connects directly with Axia IP-Audio networks and devices via a single Ethernet connection, providing broadcasters with a convenient way to handle audio distribution. Fraunhofer IIS and Axia are jointly demonstrating the updated Content- Server with Livewire functionality at NAB Las Vegas, booth N7620.

”Fraunhofer DRM ContentServer“ and ”Fraunhofer DAB/DMB ContentServer“ are professional broadcast servers for the digital radio standards Digital Radio Mondiale DRM and Eureka 147 DAB Digital Radio. They provide live audio encoding, data service management, and broadcast multiplex generation. Thanks to the integration of Livewire, ContentServer solutions now seamlessly integrate into IP-based audio networks, eliminating discrete wired connections. This allows for direct access to any available audio stream and, if required, dynamic switching between streams. Even surround sound signals can easily be supported. All this makes it very convenient for broadcasters to distribute audio throughout the broadcast plant, right up to the final broadcast encoding.

In addition to real-time audio encoding, Fraunhofer ContentServer solutions provide broadcast automation features, security features and very sophisticated data application handling including Journaline ®, Electronic Programme Guide, and Slideshow support. They support the digital radio standards DAB (DAB, DAB+, DMB), and DRM (DRM for short wave, medium wave, long wave; DRM+ for band I and FM band II) and are available through a number of OEM partners worldwide.

“More and more studios recognize the great potential of internal IP based audio routing. Now broadcasters and network operators can make the broadcast encoders part of this network.” says Alexander Zink, responsible for the ContentServer solutions line at Fraunhofer IIS.“And even users without a general Livewire infrastructure benefit from the available external converter boxes through reduced server complexity, hardware size and rack cost.”

Fraunhofer IIS joins a growing list of Axia partners offering hardware and software products that integrate with Axia IPAudio networks. Axia networks are now in use in over 1.000 broadcast studios; Axia products include a family of microphone, analog line and AES/EBU “audio nodes” and DSP mix engines, routing control and administration software, and the popular Element™ modular studio console.

For more information on Fraunhofer ContentServer solutions, please visit www.iis.fraunhofer.de/amm.

For more information on Livewire and Axia, please visit www.AxiaAudio.com.