Venting on the XLR

I love XLRs.
I hate XLRs.

They are universal, robust, and easy to repair. They have obvious gender to indicate direction. They are the only respectable way to provide a pro-grade, balanced audio I/O. They also carry digital audio.

They are also huge. In an age where portable gear is shrinking, it's crazy to dedicate a one inch diameter circular port to a mono audio feed. And requiring a pair for stereo? don't get me started.

Even in studio gear, the demand for back-panel space has grown. Besides the power socket, we need to now provide video monitor, USB, serial and contact closures. Can you imagine what a piece of gear would look like if each of the signals on these connectors took up the space of an XLR?

Why hasn't the broadcast/pro audio industry moved to something with a more reasonable size?

4G LTE in the United States

Spectrum allocation for 4G wireless services in the US is a mess. Here's a short list of the four major wireless providers and the spectrum on which they serve LTE:

Verizon: Their main network is in the 700MHz band (band 13) but for a couple of years they've been offering LTE in some areas on the AWS band (band 4- upload is 1700MHz and download is 2100MHz). They brand this as XLTE, Users with gear that supports both bands may find themselves automatically pushed into the XLTE band due to lower congestion. And while it's currently less crowded, the higher frequencies result in less coverage and building penetration. Verizon is also now overlaying LTE into older 3G spectrum (Band 2, 1900MHz) in some areas.

AT&T is even more of a hodgepodge, since their legacy of buying other cellphone companies results in a patchwork of licensed frequencies. In most areas, you'll be using AWS (Band 4, 1700/2100) or Band 17 (700MHz). In some areas, they've opened up 3G bands to LTE (Band 2, 1900MHz) and in others they've licensed Band 5 (850MHz). To be safe, you'll need a modem or hotspot to cover all of these bands (like the Comrex Connect modem)

Sprint: They suffer from the legacy of introducing 4G service first, but in a non-LTE form that died away quickly. They now offer LTE in this band 41 (2500MHz) but the extremely high frequency leads to coverage difficulty. They've been promoting their "Vision" plan for the last few years which overlays LTE on all their available spectrum (1900MHz Band 2 and 850MHz Band 26) as well as backhaul upgrades, but our experience is still mixed in many areas.

T-Mobile: Their very late LTE deployment results in mostly urban coverage.LTE is provided mostly in the AWS band 4 (1700/2100MHz) but they've been overlaying on their 3G band 2 (1900MHz) and are starting to deploy LTE on Band 12 (700MHz) in some limited areas where they have spectrum.

So depending on your carrier or location, you may be experiencing LTE on Band 2, 4, 5, 12, 13, 17, 26, or 41. Compare this with most countries that have two choices for all carriers. The situation in the US has resulted in the inability to move a data modem or phone from one carrier to the other. Thankfully, higher-end smartphones and tablets now cover the majority of US bands, so they are portable.

Comrex Connect LTE Modems

USB modems are by far the simplest way to do audio and video remotes over LTE. But they are becoming less available, and their form factor generally isn't "pro-grade". So we're introducing our solution, the Comrex Connect Modem.

There are actually three versions, thanks to all the intricacies (both technical and political) of interworking with multiple LTE providers. One version works on Verizon, one on AT&T, and the other on most non-US networks.

Connects come with nifty mounting solutions designed for our LiveShot and ACCESS portable codecs. They have high-gain adjustable antennae to help in fringe areas. Just add a full-size, subscribed SIM and you're ready to go. Contact your friendly dealer or Comrex sales at sales@comrex.com for more info.

Introducing Fleet Commander

Do you have a "farm" of Comrex audio IP codecs? Do you want a slick, unified interface where you can control all of them? Fleet Commander is that. It's a new Windows application that offers full configuration and control of up to (tbd)* codecs simultaneously.

Fleet Commander also has some unique functions, like the ability to copy custom connections and profiles between codecs.

Fleet Commander has a cost, but we're offering a limited number of free licenses to beta testers. You'll need to qualify as a beta tester by having over three ACCESS or BRIC-Link codecs, and a need to use a unified control app. In other words, we want beta testers who need, will use and provide feedback on Fleet Commander. Drop a note to techies@comrex.com to see if you qualify.
* unlimited based on your computer and network

ACCESS/BRIC-Link 4.0 beta testing

If you're a "cutting edge" type of audio IP codec user, you can now give our 4.0 firmware a spin. It includes the CrossLock VPN reliability layer, which enables the use of multiple networks on a single codec. It also includes support for the U620L modem from Verizon.

4.0 works on all ACCESS Racks, BRIC-Links, and BRIC-Link IIs. It also works on most ACCESS Portable 2USB modems (without the card slot) but you'll need to check with Comrex support to make sure your hardware qualifies.