The initial release of Gateway supported native analog/AES3 inputs and outputs, as well as AES67 for AoIP support with other manufacturers. Within a few months of releasing the unit, we added support for Wheatstone consoles using WheatNet-IP, and also added support for RAVENNA. By adding these three AoIP protocols (AES67, WheatNet-IP and RAVENNA) we could integrate Gateways more seamlessly with console manufactures supporting these technologies. Next, we added Livewire+ and today I’d like to discuss the benefits of having Livewire+ natively available in not only the Gateway and Gateway 4, but also other codecs like Bridge-IT II, Bridge-IT XTRA II and Tieline’s MPX codecs.
AES67, RAVENNA, and Livewire+
The Gateway already technically supported AoIP integration with Axia systems prior to adding Livewire+ support. This was possible using either AES67 or RAVENNA. Using the AES67 standard requires possibly needing more equipment like a Grand Master PTP clock to sync all of the equipment. If you use RAVENNA, it’s a matter of enabling this on your xNodes, but this is of course limited to the xNode product line and not the legacy Axia Node equipment. Both methods are valid, but have drawbacks in certain situations.
However, native integration of Livewire+ into Tieline codecs now facilitates seamless interoperability between Axia equipment which allows codecs to use the Livewire clock. In turn, this allows Tieline codecs with Livewire to natively pass all the available audio channels directly to Axia equipment over a single Ethernet cable with no additional hardware required.
Apart from simplifying audio pass-through or signal clocking, another benefit is the addition of Livewire logic channels. This means that you can pass logic from one facility to another. Whether this is a remote event using the ViA to send a remote broadcast signal back to the studio with a few logic commands, or alternatively to control automation systems (or other systems). Or you could set up a studio-to-studio configuration that would allow you to send all of the logic from one facility to another. Gateway, Gateway 4, Bridge-IT II, Bridge-IT XTRA II and our MPX codecs are capable of handling up to 64 Livewire logic inputs and outputs per unit.
Livewire GPIO Examples
The following diagram displays Livewire GPIO rule examples showing how they can be used for various tasks.
Incorporating Livewire AoIP logic interfaces on top of existing AoIP logic interfaces means that you can now send audio from one environment to another, for example from Livewire to RAVENNA, or Livewire to WheatNet-IP, which is available via an optional card in Gateway codecs only. Simply connect with a single stream of audio and pass all the logic channels you desire between the two units.
Livewire Discovery
Another important feature of Livewire+ in my opinion is discovery and searchability. When it comes to the open AES67 standard, it lacks the ability to easily discover other devices already streaming on a network. You need to keep a spreadsheet up and running or rely on your console manufacturer to store this data for you. RAVENNA, on the other hand, has the ability to provide discovery and searchability. With Livewire+ available natively in Tieline codecs, we provide an easy means to search for available sources that are advertised on the Livewire network, as well as advertise our own audio channels to be discovered by other Livewire equipment.
To recap, Tieline codecs speak many AoIP languages to deliver the flexibility you require in your studios. Plus, many of our codecs are compliant with ST2110-30, ST2022-7, NMOS IS-04, IS-05 and IS-07, as well as Ember+. So if you haven’t made the transition to AoIP, Tieline codecs are not just designed for AoIP, they future proof your facility to take advantage of improvements in technology.
If you have questions or would like to share your story, please feel free to contact me directly (jake@tieline.com). To learn more about the Tieline Gateway, Gateway 4, Bridge-IT II, Bridge-IT XTRA II and our MPX codecs, visit www.tieline.com/products or contact Tieline sales:
- For USA, Canada & Latin America contact: sales@tieline.com
- For Australia and International: info@tieline.com
(“Jakes Take on Livewire in Tieline Codecs” first published on 29th January, 2026)
