Axia Livewire comes to Public Radio Satellite System

More than 800 NPR affiliates will soon receive new International Datacasting satellite receivers with built-in Axia Livewire connections. As part of a refurbishment of the Public Radio Satellite System, NPR Distribution has chosen IDC to supply its new, state-of-the-art, SFX4104 EXP Pro Audio Satellite Receivers – each with a Livewire-enabled Ethernet port ready to connect directly to an Axia audio network.

"Livewire" is the trade name for technology developed by Telos Systems, Axia’s parent company, to transport uncompressed, real-time digital audio using standard switched Ethernet. International Datacasting is part of a growing list of more than two-dozen Axia Audio Partners who are equipping their products with native Livewire interfaces. This allows multiple channels of audio and data to be routed to an Axia IP-Audio network via a single Ethernet cable, eliminating the need for multiple discrete I/O connections.

The Axia IP-Audio system allows broadcasters to build audio networks of any size using switched Ethernet to connect a few rooms, or an entire facility. Axia networks have a total system capacity of more than 10,000 audio streams, and can carry hundreds of digital stereo (or nearly a hundred surround) channels over a single CAT-6 cable, eliminating much of the cost normally associated with wiring labor and infrastructure. Products include the popular Element 2.0 modular broadcast console, the PowerStation integrated console engine, the IP-Intercom system, a family of "audio nodes" that allow easy mixing and matching of digital, analog and microphone audio, and a comprehensive suite of network administration and routing control software.