Sonifex’s AES67 Talkback Intercom Range at NAB2018

posted:

26/02/2018

Launched last year, Sonifex’s AVN range of talkback intercoms use AES67 AoIP natively to connect devices together over a standard Ethernet network, allowing simple installation and web-browser configuration.

The AVN-TB10AR, a 10 button talkback intercom, was the first product released. It is an advanced talkback/listening/paging intercom unit to enable voice/audio communication between different areas in a facility or building complex. Typical applications are for OB truck comms, theatre comms, production gallery comms and inter-studio comms in a TV or radio station. As a 10 button intercom, the AVN-TB10AR can define 10 other ‘stations’, one per button, for communication.

With both 4-wire analogue inputs and outputs, as well as AoIP network audio connectivity, the AVN-TB units can be used with existing legacy 4-wire systems and with new AES67 AoIP networked audio infrastructure. Additionally, all audio is at 48kHz sample rate, meaning that it’s broadcast quality audio as standard. With dual 1Gb lan ports and a 1Gb SFP fibre port the products can be used in larger networks.

New at NAB 2018 on booth 3035 are two other models: The AVN-TB6 6 station talkback intercom and the AVN-TB20AR 20 station rackmount intercom.

The AVN-TB6 6 station talkback Intercom has a smaller button count for smaller talkback systems, or for areas with reduced communications needs. There are two versions, a freestanding version, AVN-TB6, which can be rackmounted with separate rack plates, AVN-TB6RK, and a desktop version in a smaller form factor with an elegant sloped front, AVN-TB6D. Both have mic & headset inputs, +48V phantom power for the mic input, headphone & speaker outputs with volume control and loudspeaker mute & mic mute buttons.

Comms can be made as a Talk action, a Listen action or a duplex Talk/Listen action to/from each station and coloured LEDs in the buttons help to show which action is being performed.

The AVN-TB20AR & AVN-TB20AD are 2 versions of the 20 station intercom, rackmount (AVN-TB20AR) and desktop (AVN-TB20AD), and they share the same feature set as the AVN-TB6 units and have more station buttons allowing greater communication for larger facilities. They have 20 illuminated key-cap Talk buttons plus Listen & Page buttons. Unique to the 20 station units are a Phone button for remote dialling and control of external telephone hybrids and a GPIO button for triggering remote functions.

The front panel display can be used to configure the unit, although more functionality is available by using the webserver. The display provides source & destination information and there are three user definable buttons which can be used for group talk functions together with a callback button, with callback source display. Sources are from connected AES67 talkback units, 1 x balanced, 2 x unbalanced & S/PDIF digital inputs. Destinations are AES67 talkback units, or rear panel balanced & unbalanced outputs.

The two front panel monitor buttons are used for routing audio directly to the speaker e.g. to take an IFB feed or off-air transmission signal. These can be ducked or mixed with the talkback inputs to the speaker and headphones.

All units in the range have dual AC & DC power supply inputs, advanced echo cancellation & mic AGC to prevent acoustic feedback, 10 user assignable physical GPIO ports and multiple virtual (network) GPIO ports. Their built-in webservers are where the majority of settings and configurations are made.

The stations can be placed anywhere on the AoIP network and the use of Bonjour Device Discovery means that other stations can be found quickly and automatically.