NAB 2016 is a wrap

Putting the finishing touches on the NAB stand 2016

It was great getting out to NAB (my 29th consecutive!) and talking about everything we've been working on all year. The VH2 Hybrid garnered a lot of attention, as well as the new 4.0 CrossLock firmware for ACCESS/BRIC-Link. But what was that shiny black object? Could it be a preview of things to come?

It was hard to make the decision to show the next gen ACCESS Portable at the show, especially since it won't be available for some time. But in the end we decided it was probably best to tip our hand. Our customers deserve it. And judging by the reaction and valuable feedback, it was a good call.

Thoughts on Security

Several stations using Barix codecs for STL have been diverted to receive an adult-oriented stream, then locked to that stream this week. Many theories are floating about the sophistication of the attack, but I'm a fan of Occam's Razor on this. I've seen enough web interfaces unprotected out there that I think this attack employed a simple lookup on an Internet-of-Things directory site, then login via default password.

For Comrex codecs, it's a good time to review security options:

Minimum: Change the default web interface password to something long and secure. Don't put the codec on an IP address with a searchable URL (this helps it not show up on google search).

Reasonably Cautious: Secure the web interface (port 80) behind a firewall with VPN capability. Use the connection password function to secure your BRIC normal connections. If not using them, disable SIP/EBU 3326, HTTP and standard RTP functionality (these are off by default).

Very Secure: Disable the web interface entirely and use only the local GUI (applies to ACCESS only). Turn off remote diagnostics via SSH (note: SSH requires a key from the factory that is never shared, therefore is already quite secure). Apply an encrypted VPN to the codecs on each end of the link, so your actual stream is encrypted.

And be careful out there!

Here comes the VH2

Debuting at NAB this month is the VH2, an audio telephone "hybrid" for VoIP. Hybrid is in quotes because it's not doing the traditional phone line cancellation (not required in the VoIP world), but functionally it acts like a traditional studio telephone interface. It's pictured with its companion VoIP phone, and like a traditional hybrid you can bounce calls between the devices, making outgoing or taking incoming calls on the handset and moving them to the hybrid with a single button push. Some other interesting stuff:

Dual Channel
Caller AGC and peak limiting
Conference or independent modes
G.711/G.722 support
remote control by web or contact closure
Dual "Hold" audio inputs
Balanced pro level XLR I/O
AES3 I/O
Integration with most IP PBXs

As deep background, we cut our teeth on VoIP with the STAC-VIP talkshow system a few years back. Having rung that out (and gained a lot of expert knowledge), it made sense to cost-and-feature reduce the idea down to a simpler two channel version without the fancy control surface.

And when we designed the BRIC-Link II codec last year, we did it in a way that would allow the hardware to support other projects. So the dual rack adapter and other accessories are the same. VH2 is a blend of several other products inside and out. Demos should be available soon.

Here's a Secret: Comrex Connect International Modems work in the USA

I've griped plenty in the past about the wireless situation in the USA, where each carrier uses completely different LTE bands, so no universal USB modems exist. But here's a secret: The Comrex Connect modem designed for International use includes virtually every LTE band in use in the USA.

What's the catch? If you go to your favorite carrier (at least Verizon and AT&T) and try to get them to register this modem, they won't be able to help you. The model is not in their database because it hasn't gone through their crazy tedious and expensive certification process. This is why we offer Comrex Connect modems specifically for Verizon and AT&T networks that carry these certifications.

Now, I'm not saying you should take a pre-registered data SIM and use it in the International Connect modem. I would never say that. I'm just saying that technically, this seems to work in our testing. And technically, this creates a scenario where you can simply move any convenient SIM card from any carrier (except probably Sprint, who put the kibosh on such things) worldwide into the modem, and off you go.

Technically.

Edit 8/12/2016- We're getting word that in some markets, International modems no longer work with Verizon SIMs. The SIMs we keep for testing in our lab are still fine, but there may be some changes in the works.

Verizon XLTE is terrible...except when it's awesome

If you're a LiveShot/ACCESS Verizon LTE user in the US, your wireless modems will likely have a choice between the "standard" LTE band 13 (700MHz) and the "XLTE" Band 4 (AWS-1700/2100MHz). When I say your modems will have a choice, I mean it literally, since you can't easily choose in software.

We've been conducting tests in the Boston area for an upcoming sporting event, (mid April, hint hint), and our results on Verizon have been disappointing. Conveniently, the codec firmware gives you an indication of which band your modem has chosen. And it seems that whenever offered the chance, modems along the "route" will gravitate to the higher Band 4. Our working theory is that Verizon is trying to keep it's primary Band 13 as clear as possible.

We ran some tests with our modems locked to the lower band 13, and performance was dramatically improved. So the next theory was that the XLTE band, due either to RF or backhaul limitations, was vastly inferior to the standard band.

Since our sales director works from the Atlanta market, we ran a test there as well. But the results were quite different. A single modem working the XLTE band there easily delivered HD video with low delay at around 6Mbps.

So much for theories.

So it seems to be a regional thing. If you're experiencing poor Verizon performance on Comrex Connect modems, you can lock out XLTE by going into the following location:
Network Devices->LE910-SVG->SIM (sim_number)->Show Advanced Items->Extra Modem Init

and adding the following:
AT#BND= , ,1000

Be careful because it will stay that way unless changed back.
To change it back to default, enter
AT#BND= , ,1008

(there is a space between the = and the comma and between the commas)

You only need to reboot the modem once with this setting, and you can clear the field after.

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.