Sound Images opt for APT’s WorldNet Tokyo

US-based audio specialist Sound Images recently invested in a WorldNet Tokyo ISDN codec from Belfast-based manufacturer APT.
Sound Images is a company with an enviable client list pulled from across the music, film, multi media, advertising and corporate spectrum. Their facility boasts two digital audio production suites, one 48-track analogue/24 track digital LEDE certified music studio and a MIDI Synthesizer Room.
A large percentage of Sound Images’ business involves producing original music for advertising. Studio rental is also important, as is voiceover work, which also featured heavily on the company’s schedule.
The WorldNet Tokyo, which was launched in 2003, is a multi-algorithm codec specifically designed for broadcast, post-production and voiceover applications. For many years these markets have required an ISDN codec that offers either Standard 16 bit apt-X, Enhanced 16, 20 and 24 bit apt-X, ISO MPGEG Layer II, Layer III, G.722 and AAC algorithms. This proliferation of algorithm formats caused endless problems for studios trying to connect with each other.
However, the launch of the WorldNet Tokyo changed all that by guaranteeing connectivity – not only with traditional APT codecs such as the WorldNet DSM100/Pro-Link, DRT128 and BCFs, but also with ISDN codecs from Telos, CCS, AETA, AEQ and Dialog 4.
Jay Petach, vice president and chief engineer at Sound Images, was quick to spot the WorldNet Tokyo’s potential as the answer to an irritating problem. He said: “We’ve been using a 3D2 model APT codec for many years and this older unit always worked flawlessly. However, we had many requests to connect to non-APT codecs and in order to do that we are having to arrange for a bridge. This meant that the bridging studio would receive our call on an APT box and the other studio's call on whatever type of codec they had. Then the audio would be patched from one device to the other. This not only added additional expense to these sessions, but also degraded the signal with additional processing and delays.”
Since Sound Images installed its WorldNet Tokyo, it has successfully connected to a host of other studios with a wide variety of codecs, held sessions with studios that have every type of codec, without using a bridge.
The WorldNet Tokyo's remote software has also proved convenient. “With our original codec, we had to physically walk to the machine room (the location of the codec) and dial three sets of numbers,” Petach said. “By using the Tokyo's remote software, all this can be done from each control room. The software not only lets us store all our dial-up numbers in a database, but also allows these numbers to be stored with the appropriate codec settings. So now, with one click, our engineers can connect the Tokyo without leaving their chairs.”
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