Verizon obsoletes Pantech USB modems

If you go to the Verizon Wireless website today, you'll find the selection of 4G USB modems (the kind that work well with audio and video codecs) quite reduced. The UML290, and it's newer cousin UML295, have been given the ol' end-of-life treatment. The only remaining option is the Novatel 551L, which does the job but has a very quirky USB connector and doesn't support the new Verizon XLTE service.
USB modems are waning in popularity in general, in favor of Wifi Hotspots, so this isn't a big surprise. We're working on alternative plans but for now, UML295s are available for good prices on eBay. I've bought a bunch and they work very well. Just carry it down to the Verizon store and have them activate it. It gets you out of a 2-year commitment when you bring-your-own anyway. You can even put a prepaid sim into it for a one-time event. And Hotspots (or Jetpacks as Big Red calls them) also work well in conjunction with our codec Wifi adapters.

Edit 10/1/14: The Pantechs appear back on the VZW site today, although my contacts there maintain the ax has fallen on them. So get 'em while you can.

Using free apps with STAC-VIP

We've covered how to make connections to our STAC-VIP talkshow system from web browsers with crystal clear Opus audio, but our experiments with using it on Android have had mixed results. When STAC-VIP first hit the scene, we had our own apps, but they had to be retired for technical reasons (and they weren't free).

For those that want to connect via app (both on iPhone and Android) we've now written up a technote on how to get that all configured. Again, we use our friends at GetOnsip.com, because they provide a free service without huge technical barriers to overcome. And again, we've utilized Linphone as the app, which is such a powerful free tool that we've recently engaged with the developers in making it perfect for broadcast.

Some other cool things that connect to Comrex codecs

We've recently done some interoperability testing with our ACCESS and BRIC-Link codecs with a couple of companies you might find interesting

1) Backbone Networks is a company out of Westborough Mass that can supply you a "station in the cloud". They handle almost all details of automation, telephone integration and distribution of your station, and you run the whole thing from a MacBook. Most clients are Internet or College broadcasters, but they have signed up some "old school" stations and were interested in codec compatibility to allow distributing their programs to existing stations. Testing was done over the summer of 2014 and they can now stream their programs to your Comrex codec using G.722 (with Opus hopefully soon to follow)

2) ipDTL is a UK company that specializes in making WebRTC easy for remote broadcasters. With a subscription, they will provide a service allowing you to connect two computers (running WebRTC-capable browsers) together via Opus for remote broadcasting. They have achieved compatibility with Comrex codecs, so you can "dial" directly from your browser to your ACCESS/BRIC-Link codec. (Readers of this blog know this is already possible for free via GetOnsip, but ipDTL gives you an option with real support--albeit not free).

Linphone got better

We've been working with the developers of Linphone, and our favorite free ACCESS/BRIC-Link compatible app has been updated to resolve a couple of open issues we've found:
1) In the iPhone version, there was a nasty low-end roll off filter that has been removed
2) In the Android version, the data rate for Opus was locked down too low, resulting in artifacts.

We've updated our app note to reflect these changes. I'm hearing from more and more users who find this a really useful tool. And you can't beat the price. But don't forget, if you're in the market for a pro-grade solution with real support, Luci Live and Luci Live Lite will fit the bill.

One more thing: For you Windows Phone users, Linphone for Windows Phone now supports Opus. We haven't tried it (enter phone snobbery snark here) but I'd love to hear from someone who has.

Old Comrex product makes cameo in bad sci-fi tv show

I will sheepishly admit I've been binge-watching Under the Dome this summer. Sheepishly because despite the intriguing premise, and the attachment of Stephen Spielberg and Stephen King, the writing is truly awful.

But it was a pleasant surprise to see an old friend make an appearance in the premiere. The plot involves a small-town radio station, with racks of vintage radio gear (obviously someone had an Ebay party) and there on the bottom is a 1980's vintage RTLX 2-line frequency extender decoder.

Spoiler Alert- The station (and I assume the stalwart RTLX) gets burned to the ground later in the series.