Overview

Merlin is the newest addition to Tieline’s powerful family of IP audio codecs and is designed to deliver rock solid, high fidelity IP audio over an extensive range of public and private IP networks.

Flexible Applications

Built upon the success of the renowned Commander G3 rack mount codec, the 1RU Merlin rack mount IP codec delivers high quality bidirectional stereo and full duplex communications for point-to-point and remote broadcast connections. It is ideal for studio and remote truck installations and features:

• High reliability over IP networks without Quality of Service
• Powerful audio and data routing
• Simple local or remote command and control
• Recallable connection programs
• Ability to create two mono connections to different Tieline IP codecs, or smartphones using Report-IT.

Reliability and Connectivity

Merlin will connect to all Tieline IP broadcast codecs, including G3, Bridge-IT and Genie codecs and Report-IT Enterprise smartphone applications.

It has dual 1 Gigabit (10/100/1000) onboard Ethernet ports, dual redundant power supplies, audio silence detection and IP network backup solutions to ensure you’re always on the air. Automated network failure detection provides switching to a backup IP LAN connection.

Merlin is specifically designed to deliver a wide variety of point-to-point and remote broadcast connections over the full suite of wired and wireless IP networks, including:

• Public Wide Area Networks (WANs)
• Private Local Area Networks (LANs)
• 3G and 4G wireless Networks #
• Wi-Fi and WiMAX Networks #

SmartStream: Rock Solid Audio using Inexpensive IP Links

As an IP audio pioneer, Tieline was the first major codec manufacturer to integrate SmartStream features such as Automated Jitter Buffer management, Forward Error Correction (FEC) and error concealment techniques in all IP codecs. These features dynamically respond to variable conditions over unmanaged IP networks like the public internet to ensure reliable streaming.

Now SmartStream PLUS has revolutionised IP broadcasting by delivering the rock solid and reliable STL-grade audio quality you would expect over a T1/E1 link by using inexpensive unmanaged IP networks like the internet for STLs, audio distribution and remotes

Save Money Now with SmartStream PLUS Redundant Streaming

Tieline can show you how an investment in new codecs will pay for itself in just a few months by using SmartStream PLUS over inexpensive IP links to transport STL-grade, high fidelity audio at a fraction of the cost of synchronous leased lines. With SmartStream PLUS:

1. The codec can stream simultaneous redundant data streams from both Ethernet ports and deliver seamless redundancy by switching back and forth, without loss of audio, from the nominated primary data link to the backup link if one fails and then subsequently recovers. Note: Use IP links from two different IP network providers for optimal redundancy over mission critical connections.

2. When multiple redundant audio streams are sent, the decoding codec automatically reconstructs audio into a perfect single stream on a first packet arrived basis to ensure audio integrity.

These combined measures ensure Tieline is capable of offering an IP solution, in which the payload capability of your network infrastructure is the only limitation to successfully distributing, reliable, high fidelity IP audio across broadcast networks.

SmartStream IP Delivers ...

Some other manufacturers charge thousands of dollars for IP management software like SmartStream as if it's an optional extra, however Tieline believes high performance and rock-solid reliability is an essential part of each and every broadcast, and therefore delivers its renowned SmartStream IP management software for free.

SmartStream PLUS delivers an additional layer of mission critical redundancy and is available as standard in Tieline's Merlin.

Interoperability

Merlin supports both IPv4 and IPv6 (Dual Stack) protocols, so with Merlin broadcasters can be assured that they have made a smart investment for the future.

Connect over IP with any SIP-enabled IP codec brand that supports the EBU N/ACIP tech 3326 standard, as well as VoIP telephone devices supporting G.711 and G.722.

Algorithms

Merlin is capable of 16-24bit 22kHz low latency linear PCM audio at up to 48kHz sampling and features aptX® Enhanced, LC-AAC, HE-AAC v1 and v2, Opus, MPEG II, MPEG Layer-3, Tieline Music and MusicPLUS, G.722 and G.711 algorithms.

Asymmetric encoding and decoding* lets you send high quality audio in one direction and save on data by sending low bandwidth comms or program on the return channel.

Features

•     DSP based architecture
•     24 Bit 48kHz audio sampling
•     Dual 1 Gig (10/100/1000) Ethernet ports
•     Dual redundant AC power supplies
•     User programmable matrix audio mixer for bidirectional stereo program, plus low latency IFB and full duplex communications*
•     Uncompressed PCM audio plus algorithms including aptX® Enhanced; LC-AAC, HE-AAC v1 and v2, Opus, MPEG II, MPEG Layer-3, Tieline Music and MusicPLUS, G.722 and G.711
•     IPv4 & IPv6 compatible
•     Asymmetric algorithmic encode/decode*
•     Integrated alarm management
•     G5 Toolbox GUI enables remote codec control over WANs
•     Codec Management System compatible for codec network management
•     Low latency in-band RS-232 aux data channel
•     Programmable rules engine
•     Streamlined codec wizards and graphical user interface
•     Support for multiple languages*: English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese and Spanish
•     Connect to all Tieline IP codecs and Report-IT Live Enterprise Edition

*Supported in later releases.

MPEG Layer-3 audio coding technology licensed from Fraunhofer IIS and Thomson Licensing.

Specifications

MPEG Layer-3 audio coding technology licensed from Fraunhofer IIS and Thomson Licensing.

Gallery

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