Telos Infinity Overview

Introduction

Telos Infinity IP Intercom is a unique solution that provides full broadcast communications and digital intercom without a matrix. Using the Telos Livewire+™ AES67 AoIP protocol, multiple control Panels are networked together over Ethernet to deliver point-to-point voice communications, Partylines, system control, and GPIO connectivity (where fitted).

Key to Infinity is the Telos Livewire+™ AES67 protocol. This uses the IP suite of protocols running over Ethernet (IEEE 803.2). As well as delivering reliable synchronized audio over IP to compliant endpoints, referred to as nodes, Livewire+™ AES67 provides autodetection of connected nodes through its announcement method of source advertising (appearing as inputs on Infinity).

Broadcast Audio

Livewire+™ AES67 provides a full AoIP and control protocol common to all Telos AoIP products allowing a range of processing and interface solutions to be connected to the digital intercom system. Since AoIP carries full-bandwidth digital audio, the sound distributed by Infinity is full broadcast 20Hz to 20KHz bandwidth, 48KHz/24-bit sampling, dynamic range greater than 100dB, <0.0005% THD, and headroom of 24dBu.

Livewire+™ AES67 is a not just a technology, but rather a get-the-job-done solution. As well as being the backbone to the Telos Infinity IP Intercom system, Livewire+™ AES67 provides all the audio, control, and interfacing needed to build a modern broadcast studio.

Infinity can be built piecemeal with new Panels added as the business develops without having to be concerned with buying new matrix cards or chassis. Simply connect new Panels, Beltpacks, audio interface units, such as the Telos Alliance Analog xNode and configure them with the advanced drag-and-drop functionality of Dashboard PC software running anywhere on the network.

Intercom Panels

The 1RU Telos Infinity INF-MP-16 digital intercom Panel connects over supporting 1000Mbps Ethernet with fifteen configurable contact keys and multiple shift pages. The Panels can be locally expanded using the INF-MXP-20 Panel by daisy-chaining the Ethernet RJ45 on the rear connections, again saving on cabling costs.

Multiple INF-MXP-20’s can be added to the INF-MP-16 master and once configured; the Panels are consolidated into one operational unit. If the design engineer prefers to build more redundancy into the system and even take advantage of Power Over Ethernet (PoE) then they can connect the additional INF-MXP-20’s directly back to the Ethernet switch, or implement a PoE injector to retain the lower cabling cost offered by daisy chaining.

Each MP16 has configurable mic and line inputs, and line outputs to provide external audio facilities close to the intercom Panel such as external loudspeakers. The functionality is configured from the front Panel or web GUI.

Wired Beltpack

The INF-BP-2/4 are dual/quad communication channel digital Beltpacks that also provide the ability to monitor an auxiliary program audio feed. The INF-BP-2/4 is much more versatile than the analog equivalent and each communication channel may be configured to be part of a Partyline, Group, IFB, or point to point contact. The INF-BP-2/4 connects to the network over a single PoE 100Mbps CAT-5 cable to facilitate multi-channel communication.

Dual RJ45 Ethernet connections allow multiple INF-BP-2/4 Beltpacks to be daisy-chained together from the network switch.

Ecosystem

Further expanding Infinity, the suite of Telos VX VoIP hybrids can be connected to the Livewire+™ AES67 network and allow SIP connections to be used to provide IFB’s for reporters in the field, guests or news eyewitnesses to be seamlessly integrated into the intercom.

As Livewire+™ AES67 is a complete AoIP solution, it does not require a soundcard to work in a PC, so no additional hardware is required other than the PC’s Ethernet connection. Telos offers the Axia IP-Audio Driver for Microsoft Windows. This makes the Livewire+™ AES67 network look like a sound card to a PC Windows application, thus opening the endless possibilities of PC audio integration and services, including Skype and Facetime into the Infinity intercom.

To achieve continuous reliable audio distribution and sample synchronization, Livewire+™ AES67 uses the IEEE 1588-2008 Precision Time Protocol (also known as PTP V2) to synchronize source and destination sample clocks. Without it, sample drops and buffer over and under run would occur resulting in audio dropouts and distortion.

Using fast non-blocking Ethernet switches in Local Area Networks (LAN’s), Livewire+™ AES67 can achieve latencies of less than 3 milliseconds. Phase Locked Loops in the xNodes and digital intercom Panels accurately synchronize their sampling clocks using PTP as a common source.

Traditional matrix systems connect Panels and make the cross-points to allow users within a studio to communicate. As well as taking up valuable rack space, the matrix is a single point of failure. Multi-studio facilities either use a matrix unit per studio and connect them together or use a single unit, relying on long bulky cables to connect the Panels from distant parts of the facility.

Infinity overcomes these limitations by providing a distributed system delivering resilience and significant reductions in specialist broadcast cabling. Each Panel connects to an Ethernet switch with a single twisted-pair CAT-5 cable used in standard IT structured cabling. The panel can be powered over Ethernet or using an external 12VDC power supply to give power redundancy.

External audio connections for camera headsets through CCU’s, IFB’s and sound console mix-minus feeds are provided through Telos Alliance xNodes. These half width rack units convert balanced analog line, AES3, and mic level audio to uncompressed digital audio for conversion to Livewire+™ AES67 which in turn connect to the Ethernet switch and make the audio source available to the rest of the network.

Multi-studio facilities can be connected using multiple dispersed Ethernet switches connected via trunks or with all Panels connected directly back to a single core switch if it has enough ports. Using IT network topologies such as redundant core switches, broadcasters can provide fully redundant systems based on best IT practices to avoid any single points of failure.

The configuration software Dashboard Advanced enables users to manage their own studio configurations while the Master Control client has full administration rights over the entire system.

Depending on the size of the installation, single Ethernet switch or more resilient systems employing core-switch and spine-leaf configurations can be adopted. As part of its core operation, Dashboard uses a separate database application integrated into the software application.

For smaller networks, or for use as an edge switch, the Telos Alliance offers the Telos Alliance xSwitch providing eight, 100Mbps Ethernet ports, and two, 1Gbit ports. The eight, 100Mbps ports can be utilized with the wired INF-BP-2, while the 1Gbit port can be used with any Infinity device. The 1 Gbit ports can also be utilized for trunking between switches.

Connecting Over WAN

Multisite systems over Wide Area Networks (WAN’s) are possible using the suite of Telos Infinity Link solutions equipped with the adaptive OPUS codec. Transparent high bandwidth WAN connections work directly via either Multicast or Unicast connections.

GPIO Support

GPIO’s are still prevalent in broadcasting to allow control of devices such as microphone tally lights, and remote loudspeaker mutes. Through its tagging method, Livewire+™ AES67 encapsulates GPIO into messages to provide signaling over Ethernet.

The Telos Infinity INF-MP-16 digital intercom Panels, as well as some models of Telos Alliance xNodes have GPIO connections to take the control directly to the location where it is needed. As the GPIO messages are encapsulated in the Livewire+™ AES67 protocol, they travel along the same CAT-5 Ethernet as the audio to further simplify wiring and reduce cabling.

Control latency on Livewire+™ AES67 is very low, achieving no more than 50ms for hardware GPIO closures.

AES67 Support

Livewire+™ AES67 is fully AES67 compliant meaning that it complies with all parts of the AES67 standard. It uses the IEEE-1588 PTP clock system allowing sharing of sample synchronized audio streams and interoperability. The AES67 standard enables equipment from a variety of manufacturers to exchange “agnostic” audio streams without fuss. However, the AES67 specification provides interoperability standards for audio only – not for control or data exchange.

Livewire+™ AES67 is more than just Audio Over IP, it’s an entire solution for distributing and exchanging audio and control information. It provides discovery and device management to simplify system integration and maintains incredibly low latency over Ethernet networks.

Combined with Infinity’s distributed audio processing approach removing the need for a cumbersome and restrictive centralized routing matrix, Telos have delivered the future of communications and digital intercom systems. Infinity is easily scalable, has no single point of failure, and provides broadcast quality audio to deliver clear communications even in the most challenging operational environments.