NAB’08’s Perfect Team: Riedel’s VoIP Matrix Client Card and Panel Interface Provide Intercom-over-IP

Riedel Communications showcased its new, integrated Intercom-over-IP solution for the Artist Digital Matrix Intercom platform at NAB’08. It provides seamless intercom interfacing to IP based networks and allows matrix-to-matrix connections, matrix-to-control panel connections as well as the distribution of audio lines over IP.

The new VOIP-108 G2 card converts eight Artist matrix ports into a compressed IP-stream and vice versa. In order to always ensure excellent audio quality, a user can choose between a high-quality mode with an audio bandwidth of 6 kHz resulting in a data rate of less than 80 kBit/s (incl. panel data), and a low-traffic mode with 4 kHz audio bandwith and a data rate of less than 40 kBit/s per channel (incl. panel data). The VOIP-108 G2 client card communicates either with a VOIP-108 G2 client card in another Artist system, e.g. for trunking, or with Riedel’s new Connect IPx8 panel interface.

The Connect IPx8 is a 19”/1RU unit which converts eight intercom ports into IP data and vice versa. The device is available in three versions, offering different interface options on the rear of the unit. The CAT5 and COAX versions are for connecting panels and other AES signals, while the AIO version is perfect for the connection of 4-wires and other analog sources. The Connect IPx8 can flawlessly connect up to eight standard Artist 1000, 2000 or 3000 series control panels with full functionality to an Artist matrix via an IP-network.

The VOIP-108 G2 client card and the Connect IPx8 panel interface can be configured directly in the Director configuration software or via any Internet browser. Internally both the card and the panel interface are run an embedded operating system. This architecture is a sound investment since the devices can be updated to codecs available in the future.