APT reveals product line-up for AES Munich

Belfast-based Codec manufacturer APT have announced a new product line-up for 2002 and will be attending AES Munich to show the latest additions to their data compression range.
At AES, APT will be unveiling the E1/T1 Multi-channel Broadcast Solution, which offers end users a cost-effective, low-delay, high-audio resolution alternative to existing technologies. The E1/T1 Solution is based around APT's successful WorldNet codec range and its introduction supplies broadcasters with a highly featured solution that offers a five millisecond delay end to end.
The E1/T1 also features full duplex (bi-directional); analogue and AES/EBU (Digital) inputs and outputs; 32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz sampling frequencies; 3.1 sampler rate converter; ISDN back up; alarm ports; RS232 and remote control inputs and outputs and 16, 20 and 24-bit audio resolution.
In recent months, APT has been involved in a joint venture with US telecommunications company, Pulsecom, to develop solutions for Broadband Audio transport. The two companies recently unveiled the first product from their partnership the APT/Pulsecom Program Channel Access Unit (PCAU).
The PCAU, which is intended for high-quality Broadband Audio and Secure Link Applications, capitalises on APT's acclaimed apt-X 16-bit audio compression technology currently used throughout the broadcast industry. The all-in-one encoder/decoder card featuring apt-X will pass 20Hz to 15kHz over a standard 128kbit/s dedicated ISDN link, enables broadcast quality audio from any D4, DLC or NGDLC carrier system.
Optimised for web-based, broadcast and traditional applications, the apt-X algorithm results in near-instantaneous encoding/decoding and supports multiple tandem connections without the degradation inherent in other common compression algorithms. The latter can lose as much as 95% of their content after just four tandem connections.
Other key new products in the APT line-up for AES are the WorldNet Rio and WorldNet Milano digital audio codecs.
The Milano, which is intended to replace the popular DSM 100 Pro Link and the BCF 256 and 384, is the latest addition to the company's WorldNet series.
The Milano features Standard and Enhanced apt-X and offers enhanced audio quality and reduced delay time. APT are aiming the Milano at both the broadcast and post-production markets as it can be supplied with or without SMPTE timecode. It also features four ISDN interfaces – S or U – making it suitable for both US standards and other standards used around the world.
APT will be exhibiting in Munich at AES stand 4B18.
APT, www.aptx.com
(GMcG)