CALREC AND NINE TILES IN JOINT DEVELOPMENT

CALREC Audio have reached an agreement with Nine Tiles Networks to develop a wide area audio networking and distribution system for the Calrec Alpha 100 digital broadcast production console.
The system uses Nine Tiles’ Audiolink AES3/ATM encoding system to distribute AES3 audio via ATM switches and networks. This provides a means for both local and long distance distribution of audio sources. The integration of Audiolink will allow for small scale distribution through to the sharing of microphone sources between consoles in different locations.
The first application of this joint development will be a remote microphone pre-amplifier system for the Alpha 100.
Calrec Audio’s Sales and Marketing Director John Gluck said: "The availability of Audiolink technology will allow us to provide a robust and scaleable solution to the distribution of source signals on the Alpha 100. Audiolink uses the same format as used in part of the Alpha 100 allowing an elegant integration of the products. Calrec identified a need for broadcasters to have a reliable and guaranteed means of accessing remote audio sources. The technology implemented by Nine Tiles and their considerable expertise in this field means we will be able to achieve this with proven off the shelf products."
Under the terms of the agreement Calrec will also manufacture expanded Audiolink units for Nine Tiles, with on-board analogue microphone and line level input and outputs designed by Calrec.
Kate Grant, Managing Director of Nine Tiles Networks, said that the combination of communications technology with Calrec’s audio expertise would provided an opportunity for new digital audio products to suit the rapidly changing broadcasting environment.