Worldcast Virtual APT IP Codec

Virtualized APT solutions for Audio and MPX over IP.

In line with the market’s transition to offer both hardware and virtualized solutions, the famous APT IP Codec is now available as a software solution – the Virtual APT IP Codec. This shift to virtualization is strategic in reducing the amount of equipment to purchase, thereby offering important upfront and operational cost savings to broadcasters.

As its hardware sibling, deployed on thousands of sites worldwide, the Virtual APT IP Codec is a cutting-edge, professional transport solution geared up with unique, market-leading technologies. It supports APTmpX, the highest quality MPX compression algorithm, and SureStream, for robust, low cost, and low latency transport over IP.

The Virtual APT IP Codec is also enhanced by Virtual ScriptEasy for advanced automation, and Kybio, for end to end monitoring and control of the codec fleet.

Server-based, and fed by AES67, the Virtual APT IP Codec solution offers high availability and high-density encoding/decoding for next generation broadcast performances. Broadcasters can easily centralize and transport a large volume of program signals and scale the solution as they grow.

High Availability Optimized IP Transport
The Virtual APT IP Codec benefits from the same performances as the field-proven APT hardware solutions, with thousands of users worldwide. Designed with the highest level of reliability for 24/7 operation, the solution is fully compliant with a High Availability (HA) architecture. On the transport side, SureStream compensates any packet loss, time alignment removes latency fluctuations, and the enhanced NAT traversal mode increases the security and simplifies firewall management to deliver your IP packets to destination.

Pristine Audio Quality & Performance
Using AES67, the Virtual APT IP Codec can be integrated into virtualized studios and ingest audio or MPX content transparently. Highest signal fidelity and lowest coding delay, established from the beginning with Enhanced aptX, are transferred to composite/MPX transmissions with the new APTmpX algorithm.

Maximize Your Cost Savings
As a server based solution, the Virtual APT IP Codec allows high-density encoding/decoding from a single server, without compromise on APT quality standards. Broadcasters benefit from a very flexible and scalable solution and can re-adjust their network size as needed. SureStream, Enhanced aptX, and APTmpX for low bitrate composite/MPX transmissions also constitute an ecosystem that provides highly available and high-quality audio/mpx distribution outside of expensive transmission paths.

Built-in Features - Technology Highlights:

Kybio is an end-to-end, unified monitoring and control software (NMS) for media and broadcast that simplifies how you oversee all your IP equipment and infrastructures.

Regardless of network size and complexity, Kybio centralizes your key data and provides, across an intuitive web interface, access to powerful insights and tools to streamline your operations. Open, scalable, and easy to deploy, Kybio provides a unique combination of built-in modules for real-time supervision, operation support, control, as well as an advanced analytics and reporting engine.

Docker - Deployment of Virtual APT IP Codec has been made easy by our team of DevOps engineers with the usage of Docker containers providing very powerful IP Audio Codec with a small footprint on the host server.

Kubernetes - Managing a high number of Virtual APT IP Codec instances is handle by Kubernetes, the best-in-class container orchestrator in the market. Mastering this technology is part of our solution to provide the best Audio over IP distribution solution in a multi node environment with high availability features built in.

+10 Years Experience: A team of engineers has extensive experience optimizing this algorithm for redundant streaming, making SureStream synonymous with reliable transmission in lossy IP networks.

Low Latency - Low Costs: SureStream enables the broadcaster to turn imperfect, but much cheaper services, into true broadcast-grade, low-latency IP connections.

Scalability and Flexibility: SureStream is the most flexible and scalable solution for content transmission protection, able to combine multiple paths from any combination of MPLS, Satellite, Microwave, xDSL and/or Cellular (4G/5G), creating a unified super robust connection to get your audio from point A to B.

Compressed Composite/MPX: APTmpX is the world’s first and only non-destructive MPX/composite algorithm to save network bandwidth. It protects the sonic signature generated by the station’s sound processor settings.

Low Bitrate, Low Delay: An APTmpX sample is decodable on its own. Packet losses in the network have as little effect as those of base-band audio samples. Low delay transmission is inherent and with a bandwidth requirement of 300, 400, 600 or < 900 kbps, non-dedicated IP connections can be used.

Protects your investment: ScriptEasy technology allows you to avoid off-air time using intelligent scripts and automation. Your facility becomes autonomous and can apply automatic actions for an instant service restoration.

Reduces your costs: When an intervention is necessary, Virtual ScriptEasy displays all the information needed to identify and correct equipment failure. With preventive alarm settings, you can proactively perform equipment maintenance before it fails.

Possible Applications: