Page 1 Product Manual...
Page 2: Table Of Contents
ACCESS 2USB MAnUAl I. IntrodUCtIon UnpACkIng And ChECkIng ContEntS ABoUt ACCESS 2USB portABlE ABoUt CroSSloCk ABoUt potS II. hArdwArE ControlS And ConnECtIonS III. A SIMplE 2USB rEMotE BroAdCASt IV. IntrodUCtIon to CroSSloCk V. IntrodUCtIon to SwItChBoArd VI. nAVIgAtIng thE toUChSCrEEn dISplAy top And BottoM nAVIgAtIon BArS VII. nEtwork MEnU MAnAgE nEtworkS ConfIgUrE nEtworkS Add nEtwork EnABlE And dISABlE dEVICES dElEtE dEVICES ConfIgUrE MEnU tABS ConfIgUrIng 3g/4g dAtA ModEMS ConfIgUrIng thE EthErnEt port December 2017 - 4.0...
Page 3 SElECtIng StAtIC or dynAMIC dynAMIC AddrESSIng StAtIC AddrESSIng wEB BrowSEr VIII. rEMotES MEnU tESt rEMotE EntrIES rEMotES lIStEd froM SwItChBoArd ConnECtIng And dISConnECtIng to rEMotES Add nEw rEMotE EdIt rEMotES dElEtE rEMotES IX. StAtS MEnU X. ConfIgUrE MEnU AUdIo ControlS MIXEr AUdIo USEr IntErfACE ConfIgUrAtIon MEnU XI. profIlES MEnU VIEwIng profIlE dEtAIlS dEfAUlt profIlE XII. SyStEM SEttIngS MEnU ConnECtIon SEttIngS ContACt CloSUrES SEttIngS...
Page 4 SECUrIty SEttIngS SwItChBoArd SErVEr BrIC norMAl SEttIngS StAndArd rtp SEttIngS tCp SEttIngS XIII. p InoUtS pInoUtS - AUdIo pInoUtS - SErIAl port pInoUtS - ContACt CloSUrES XIV. A BoUt thE AlgorIthMS opUS lInEAr pCM flAC g.711 g.722 AAC hE-AAC hE-AACV2 AAC-ld AAC-Eld XV. SwIChBoArd trAVErSAl SErVEr (tS) ConfIgUrIng SwItChBoArd loggIng In And SEttIng Up SwItChBoArd CrEAtIng USErS ContACt lIStS...
Page 5 ShArES SwItChBoArd thEory And ConCEptS XVI. CroSSloCk dEtAIlS CroSSloCk And SwItChBoArd MAkIng CroSSloCk ConnECtIonS VIA SwItChBoArd MAkIng CroSSloCk ConnECtIonS wIthoUt SwItChBoArd CroSSloCk StAtS dElAy SlIdEr XVII. dEVICE MAnAgEr USIng dEVICE MAnAgEr XVIII. toolBoX loCAtIonS ConfIgUrIng wI-fI AdVAnCEd nEtwork SEttIngS In toolBoX XIX. M AkIng non-CroSSloCk ConnECtIonS In fIrMwArE 4.0 XX. opErAtIng ACCESS In A 24/7 EnVIronMEnt SEttIng ACCESS for 24/7 opErAtIon XXI. M AkIng EBU 3326/SIp CoMpAtIBlE ConnECtIonS MorE ABoUt EBU 3326 EBU 3326 In ACCESS EBU 3326/SIp ModES...
Page 6 UnrEgIStErEd ModE rEgIStErEd ModE SIp SErVErS SIp UrIS rEgIStErIng wIth A SErVEr MAkIng SIp rEgIStErEd CAllS SIp troUBlEShootIng oUtgoIng CAll ISSUES InCoMIng CAll ISSUES SolUtIonS StUnnIng SUCCESS fIX of lASt rESort XXII. MUltI-StrEAMIng XXIII. Ip MUltICASt MUltICASt profIlES SEttIng Up A MUltICASt rEMotE tIME-to-lIVE ChAngIng port nUMBErS for MUltICASt XXIV. lEgACy StAtS ChAnnEl StAtS pEEr StAtS XXV. StrEAMIng SErVEr fUnCtIon dECodIng A http StrEAM...
Page 7 SIMUltAnEoUSly ConnECtIng ACCESS And StrEAMIng XXVI. wEB-BASEd IntErfACE IntrodUCtIon XXVII. w EB-BASEd IntErfACE ConnECtIonS MEnU ConnECtIonS tAB tESt rEMotE EntrIES rEMotES lIStEd froM SwItChBoArd ConnECtIng And dISConnECtIng to rEMotES Add nEw rEMotE EdIt rEMotES dElEtE rEMotES XXVIII. wEB-BASEd IntErfACE StAtIStICS MEnUS XXIX. wEB-BASEd IntErfACE profIlES MEnU VIEwIng profIlE dEtAIlS dEfAUlt profIlE XXX. wEB-BASEd IntErfACE SyStEM SEttIngS MEnU gloBAl SEttIngS SwItChBoArd SErVEr ContACt CloSUrES SEttIngS AUX SErIAl SEttIngS SECUrIty SEttIngS BrIC norMAl SEttIngS ModEM SEttIngS...
Page 8 EBU 3326/SIp SEttIngS CroSSloCk Vpn SEttIngS SoftwArE lICEnSIng XXXI. gAtEwAy opErAtIon ABoUt gAtEwAy opErAtIon ConnECtIng AS A gAtEwAy gAtEwAy SEtUp XXXII. A dVAnCEd 3g/4g nEtwork SEttIngS XXXIII. potS (plAIn old tElEphonE SErVICE) CodEC ConnECtIonS potS CodEC SEt-Up for ACCESS CoMpAtIBIlIty USIng ACCESS wIth potS rAtE VS. rEtrAIn troUBlEShootIng potS ConnECtIon XXXIV. AdVAnCEd SEttIngS AdVAnCEd nEtwork SEttIngS AdVAnCEd rEMotE SEttIngS profIlE SEttIngS loCAl & rEMotE SEttIngS AdVAnCEd profIlE SEttIngS AdVAnCEd SyStEM SEttIngS AUXIlIAry SErIAl ConnECtIonS...
Page 9 SECUrIty SwItChBoArd SErVEr BrIC norMAl SEttIngS EBU 3326/SIp SEttIngS http SEttIngS ModEM SEttIngS StAndArd rtp SEttIngS tCp SEttIngS CroSSloCk SEttIngS XXXV. AdVAnCEd topICS Q: CAn I gEt A rEMotE IndICAtIon thAt ACCESS IS ConnECtEd to SoMEonE? Q: whAt StEpS ShoUld I tAkE whEn I’M hAVIng ConnECtIon proBlEMS wIth ACCESS? Q: how CAn I optIMIzE SEttIngS for EVdo, UMtS, or othEr wIrElESS ACCESS? Q: My It gUy IS ConCErnEd ABoUt SECUrIty And wAntS to know whAt SErVICES ArE opEn on thIS BoX. Q: I notICE In thE AdVAnCEd optIonS thAt I CAn ChAngE My StrEAMIng froM Udp to tCp. ShoUld I? XXXVI. AppEndIX A - Ip CoMpAtIBIlIty XXXVII. AppEndIX B - InforMAtIon for It MAnAgErS InCoMIng SErVICES oUtgoIng SErVICES XXXVIII. A ppEndIX C-USIng ACCESS on UnIdIrECtIonAl nEtworkS dECodE SIdE SEttIngS only...
Page 10 EnCodE SIdE SEttIngS only fUll-tIME or trIggErEd ConnECtIonS XXXIX. AppEndIX d - USIng thE CoMrEX ACCESS dECodEr downMIX fUnCtIon Xl. AppEndIX E-SpECIfICAtIonS ConnECtIonS AUdIo SpECIfICAtIonS powEr phySICAl XlI. CoMrEX SwItChBoArd trAVErSAl SErVEr USE XlII. lICEnSE And wArrAnty dISCloSUrES for CoMrEX ACCESS lICEnSES wArrAnty XlIII. ConforMIty InforMAtIon EC dEClArAtIon of ConforMIty for r&ttE dIrECtIVE...
Page 11: Introduction
Congratulations on purchasing the Comrex ACCESS codec system with BRIC technology. ACCESS products are the result of years of our research into the state of IP networks and audio coding algorithms. It is our hope that this technology will unleash the imagination of the user, enabling more creative and entertaining programming to be broadcast from more diverse and interesting locations.
Page 12: About Access 2Usb Portable
ACCESS Rackmount: Designed for installation in a radio station’s “remote rack” and configured to be “always-on”. ACCESS 2USB Portable: Engineered to be as easy to use as possible on the road. It combines small size, battery power, and clip-on mixer and headphone drivers with an audio codec capable of remarkable quality on the public Internet.
Page 13: About Crosslock
ACCESS is also a POTS codec. It comes with a USB POTS modem that can make phone calls over analog phone lines directly to other units. In this mode, ACCESS can communicate with other ACCESS devices, or with a range of previous generation Comrex POTS codec devices.
Page 14: Hardware Controls And Connections
Hardware Controls and ConneCtIons II. To start, we are going to go over all of the connections and controls of the ACCESS 2USB. Front panel dIagram and desCrIptIons FIgure 1 DISPLAY – Touchscreen display that responds to the attached stylus. This is where you initialize your broadcast from the 2USB to the studio unit (typically an ACCESS Rackmount), view and edit settings and monitor connections.
Page 15 DIRECTION CURSORS & ENTER KEY - May be used instead of touchscreen to navigate and select options in the user interface. POWER KEY - Hold this button down for one second to turn the ACCESS 2USB Portable on or off. F1 & F2 KEYS - The F1 key may be used to access the top menu bar. The F2 key is user programmable.
Page 16 MICRO SD CARD SLOT - For future use. USB HOST PORTS - These ports are for connections to the included USB Wi-Fi adapter, POTS modem, Comrex Connect Modems and USB 3G/4G devices. (Not all USB 3G/4G devices are compatible. Check our website for the current compatible modems at:...
Page 17 Inputs - ACCESS 2USB Portable Mono In is always delivered to both the left and right encoder inputs in stereo encoder modes. In mono encoder modes, the left channel of the stereo line input is delivered to the mono encoder.
Page 18: A Simple 2Usb Remote Broadcast
A sImple 2UsB Remote BRoAdcAst III. In this example, we will show you how to set up a simple broadcast with an ACCESS 2USB in a remote location using a compatible 4G Verizon adapter. As shown below, the reporter has a microphone connected to the XLR MONO IN connector and the Mic/Line switch is switched to Mic.
Page 19 Let’s assume your codec fleet has an account on the Comrex Switchboard server, and both ends of your connection are properly registered with it in advance. Navigate to Remotes->Manage Connections. This page contains the information needed to connect to a device. Units that are in your Switchboard account on the same contact list will automatically appear in this list with a gear icon next to it.
Page 20: Introduction To Crosslock
Ethernet connections, or any mix of wired and wireless networks. A common usage scenario would be attaching two 3G/4G modems to ACCESS 2USB. In the case of one network underperforming, the majority (or all) of the data will be sent on the good network.
Page 21: Introduction To Switchboard
IP addresses on both ends of the link. It also provides presence and status information about all the Comrex codecs in your fleet, and can help make some connections through routers and firewalls that might be difficult otherwise.
Page 22: Navigating The Touchscreen Display
naVIgatIng the touchscreen dIsplay VI. All options on the ACCESS touchscreen may be selected via the included stylus. To navigate through the menus, tap one of the menu items at the top of the screen and then select from the drop-down list. For text entry, a pop-up keypad (pickboard) is available to allow each character to be selected individually.
Page 23 Wireless signal strength - Displays wireless signal strength when a Wi-Fi or other wireless • adapter, such as a 4G modem, is plugged in. Note: Not all 3G/4G adapters will show network strength. Number of wireless network devices - This shows multiple wireless devices are connected to • the 2USB with network connectivity. We do not recommend utilizing more than 2 networks at a time since it will cause the system to lag.
Page 24: Network Menu
Manage Networks is where you can view, configure and enable your network devices. ACCESS 2USB has the capability to work over several types of networks through the use of USB adapters attached to one of the USB ports. Once a compatible device is connected into one of the USB ports, an icon will appear on the Manage Networks screen.
Page 25: Add Network
add network When a USB device is first plugged into the 2USB, a device entry will appear with a red x on the icon and the box below the list will say “Installed but disabled”. enable and dIsable deVIces Many new devices will need to be enabled by the user with the exception of the Ethernet port and POTS modem as they will be enabled automatically.
Page 26: Delete Devices
delete deVIces If a device is removed from the 2USB, the entry will remain in the list, but the icon will be greyed out. This is when you can utilize the Delete Network menu option. To delete a device, select it in the list (remember, it must be removed from the device), and navigate to Network->Delete Network.
Page 27: Configure Menu Tabs
confIgure Menu tabs When you enter into the configuration of devices, there will always be three tabs: Status, Settings, and Locations. If configuring the WLAN Adaptor (Wi-Fi), there will also be a Scan tab. confIgurIng wlan adapter (wI-fI) Insert a supported USB Wi-Fi adapter (such as an Edimax EW-7811UAC). Go to Network->Manage Networks and select the appropriate WLAN Adapter entry.
Page 28 Next, press the Configure button on the right-hand side of the screen. Select the Scan tab and press the Scan button near the bottom of the screen. This action will take a few moments to populate a list of the local hotspots. Select your desired hotspot and press the Create Location button.
Page 29 Press the keyboard icon in the lower left-hand corner of the screen to display the virtual keyboard. Enter in the password and press the keyboard button again. Press Save. TIP: The Locations tab is where you can change the network location name (factory default is “Default”). Users may enter a name such as “Coffee Shop on the Corner”...
Page 30: Configuring 3G/4G Data Modems
Wi-Fi hotspot and are now connected to the Internet. confIgurIng 3g/4g data ModeMs 3G/4G modems vary in their interface. Comrex is constantly updating drivers to work with the most popular devices. Visit our ACCESS Support section on our website to view our most recent compatible 3G/4G devices or contact us about specific devices.
Page 31: Dynamic Addressing
dynaMIc addressIng If you leave the IP type set to dynamic, there should not be additional configuration needed. The 2USB should be assigned an IP address automatically when plugged into a network. If you are not receiving an IP address and/or cannot establish an internet connection when you plug the unit into a network with the DHCP addressing type selected, then you will need to contact your IT department to help troubleshoot your network.
Page 32: Web Browser
IP address - The address for the 2USB your ISP provided. Make sure to check that nobody else • on your LAN is using this address. IP Netmask (subnet mask) - This is a series of numbers that indicates the range of your LAN •...
Page 33 The browser has a factory default home page of http://www.google.com. However, in a public Wi-Fi environment, the home page is often rerouted to a log-in page of some sort, and this will usually be the first page to appear. The browser is intended to allow you to enter authentication information and gain access to the Internet.
Page 34: Remotes Menu
Comrex headquarters in Devens, Massachusetts. remotes LIsted from swItchboard Switchboard is a free service that Comrex provides. If you do not have an account set up with us, please contact us at techies@comrex.com or 978.764.1776 / 1.800.237.1776. To learn more about Switchboard and why you should...
Page 35: Connecting And Disconnecting To Remotes
Comrex highly recommends that you utilize our Switchboard server in conjunction with your audio codecs. When your audio codecs have been added to your Switchboard account and placed in a contact list, those codecs will populate automatically in the device’s remote list once it is powered up and registered with Switchboard. This makes connections for broadcasts quick and easy.
Page 36: Add New Remote
POTS call). Next, you must decide if you intend to use CrossLock for the connection. Comrex recommends the use of CrossLock for most connections, because the VPN (Virtual Private Network) created by CrossLock increases connection reliability in most circumstances.
Page 37: Edit Remotes
Next, you need to choose a profile to use when making these connections. ACCESS includes several default profiles to choose from, each of which enable a simple full-duplex link using one of the available algorithms. If you wish for a more complex feature set when making this connection, you will need to navigate to the top menu Configure->Manage Profiles and set up a specific profile using your custom parameters.
Page 38: Stats Menu
STATS menu IX. The menu items under Stats show graphical and/or numerical representations of the network performance, utilization, and audio levels for both the local and remote codecs. Channel Stats provide real-time graphs of outgoing and incoming data. Channel Stats are considered a legacy resource to view network performance.
Page 39 Audio Levels allow you to monitor levels of both the local and remote audio during an active connection. Available in dBu and dbFs scales.
Page 40: Configure Menu
CONFIGURe meNU The Configure menu contains the following: Audio Controls - Adjust audio routing and apply phantom power to the Mic Input. Manage Profiles - Allows you to view, create and edit profiles. See the section Profiles Menu on page 44. System Settings - Adjust global settings including connection behavior, security parameters, contact closures, and Switchboard settings.
Page 41: Audio Controls
AUdIO CONtROls This section allows you to determine how audio is routed through the system. Some of these settings affect the operation of the main ACCESS 2USB, while others affect the operation of the optional clip-on mixer.
Page 42: Mixer Audio
Apply phantom power to mic input - When selected, this function applies a 12V phantom power signal to the Mono In connector when the Mic/Line switch is in the Mic position. This is for use with electret or condenser microphones. This setting should be in the off position for use with normal dynamic microphones. Add mobile phone to return feed - If this option is selected, the Mobile In/Out connector input becomes active.
Page 43: User Interface Configuration Menu
UseR INteRFACe CONFIGURAtION meNU If you find you commonly use one particular function, and are often scrolling through multiple menus to get there, simply use the F2 Key Behavior drop-down to choose a shortcut to that function. The Web Browser Home URL setting allows you to change the default homepage for the web browser. ACCESS has many administrative features that are often unnecessary for the casual user.
Page 44: Profiles Menu
ProfIles Menu XI. Profiles are what define the behavior and type of connection for your codecs in both directions. Profiles are separate from remotes, which define the address to connect with. ACCESS has many options to optimize connections based on your broadcasting needs (the number of locations you broadcast to, the diversity of connections you use, network availability, etc.) Your specific needs will dictate how simple or intricate your profile and remote settings will be.
Page 45: Default Profile
Manage Profiles menu, or copy an existing profile using the Copy button. TIP: You cannot edit factory profiles. Comrex recommends when creating a new profile, that you copy a factory profile that is close to what you would like the settings to be and edit that copied profile.
Page 46: System Settings Menu
Ethernet port. When this is changed to something familiar and unique (such as “Roving reporter”, “Weather guy”, etc), the new name is reflected in several places: In the Web-based Interface • In Comrex provided utility software such as Device Manager • In Switchboard Contact Lists •...
Page 47 Always Connect To - This setting is available to designate a remote for “always-on” operation. This is useful in environments where a signal is required to be on 24 hours a day. To assign an “always-on” remote, pull down the menu and select which remote to designate as “always-on”. A connection will be made and sustained to the chosen remote.
Page 48: Contact Closures Settings
ContaCt CloSureS SettIngS CC Connect Status - Alters the performance of output contact closure #4. Under normal circumstances the contact will close when commanded by the other end of the connection. If this option is enabled, that function is no longer available. This contact will be closed when a valid connection is present, and open when no connection is present. Connect on CC (1,2,3,4) - These choices define auto connect rules for remotes to be triggered by the four external input triggers available.
Page 49: Security Settings
SeCurIty SettIngS Remote Control Password - Allows you to define a password for the webpage login screen and firmware updater. The default password is comrex (lower case). You can disable the remote control and firmware updating functionality completely by disabling the Remote Control option. Remote Control - If this function is disabled, the unit will not serve any webpage from its IP address, and the firmware updater will not function.
Page 50: Switchboard Server
SwItChboard Server Switchboard Enabled – Allows the use of the Switchboard Server to connect to remotes. Show Offline Units – When enabled, offline remotes will be shown in the Remotes list. brIC normal SettIngS The default way ACCESS codecs connect between each other is called BRIC normal. The options in this section define if and how these connections are completed.
Page 51: Standard Rtp Settings
Standard rtP SettIngS Standard RTP is a protocol ACCESS uses to connect to some non-Comrex devices. It’s not commonly used. It’s one of the possible connection modes of Luci Live™ and Telos Zephyr XStream™. Standard RTP is not a complex protocol, so you must manually apply settings for both outgoing and incoming profiles.
Page 52: Tcp Settings
tCP SettIngS ACCESS performs best when using UDP for connections, but there are some rare circumstances when the system may need to be switched over to TCP operation. This advanced option defines how incoming TCP calls are handled. Outgoing calls are defined as TCP in profile configuration. ACCESS normally listens for incoming calls on both TCP and UDP ports, and chooses the first to arrive.
Page 53: Inouts
p Inouts XIII. pInouts - AudIo XLR Pinout Pin 1 Ground Pin 2 Audio + Pin 3 Audio – 1/8” Jack In/Out Pinout (excluding Mobile In/Out) Left Channel In/Out Ring Right Channel In/Out Sleeve Ground Mobile In/Out Send Audio To Phone Ring Receive Audio From Phone Sleeve Ground pInouts - serIAl port The serial port is pinned to match serial connections on older Macintosh computers, so commercially available adapter cables should have the proper pinning.
Page 54: Pinouts - Contact Closures
Contact closures are available via the 9-pin mini-DIN connector on the side panel of the ACCESS 2USB. Inputs are triggered by shorting the respective input to Pin 9. Outputs consist of an open collector circuit which, when inactive, will offer a high-impedance path to Pin 9 and, when active, will offer a low impedance path to Pin 9. These outputs are capable of sinking up to 200mA at a voltage up to 12V.
Page 55: About The Algorithms
ABOUT THE ALGORITHMS XIV. ACCESS offers a very wide range of encoding algorithms. To some this may seem daunting. Here’s a short guide on how to choose what’s best for your application: Do I have lots and lots of bandwidth? If you’re running on an entirely unconstrained network like a campus LAN or local Wi-Fi, Mono or Stereo Linear PCM Mode will offer the highest audio quality with lowest delay.
Page 56: Aac
G.711 G.711 (µ-law and a-law) — These are the coding algorithms used by standard digital POTS calls, and provide about 3KHz (telephone quality) audio. µ-law is utilized in North America, while a-law is prevalent in Europe. These algorithms are provided for compatibility with SIP-style VOIP phones, but don’t provide much benefit over standard telephony in audio terms.
Page 57 Algorithm Comparison Chart for ACCESS Codecs AAC: Provides near transparent audio at relatively high data rates. Best used on non-constrained Required Coding Audio Bitrate Delay Bandwidth data networks - for situation where latency is not important. 64 kb/s 69 ms 20 kHz D1 Mono 96 kb/s...
Page 58 VoIP: G.711 and G.722 coding algorithms for compatibility with SIP-style VoIP phones. 64 kb/s 35 ms 3 kHz X1 G.711 a-law 64 kb/s 35 ms 3 kHz X2 G.711 µ-law 64 kb/s 35 ms 7 kHz X3 G.722 For more information, visit www.comrex.com...
Page 59: Swichboard Traversal Server (Ts)
Swichboard TraVerSal SerVer (TS) XV. The Switchboard Traversal Server is a service built and maintained by Comrex on the public Internet that provides users a directory of other users; facilitating connections to devices that would normally have trouble accepting incoming IP connections. Use of Switchboard is free and comes activated from the factory.
Page 60 The first time you log in to Switchboard, you will see a notice stating that no units have been added to the account. By clicking on Add New Unit, you will be prompted to input the Ethernet MAC address of the ACCESS you wish to add.
Page 61: Creating Users
To make calls with the help of Switchboard, simply click one of the entries with the green gear icon and click Connect. Switchboard will handshake with the remote unit and make the connection automatically. creaTing uSerS You may wish to add additional Switchboard users who can access the Switchboard interface. You can do this via the Users tab at the top of the main codec list.
Page 62: Contact Lists
conTacT liSTS In some situations, it might not be desirable for every codec in your fleet to see the Switchboard status of every other codec. To help filter what’s displayed on a codec’s interface, Switchboard has implemented the concept of Contact Lists. Contact Lists contain a subset of your codec fleet on your account. You can create multiple Contact Lists that consist of different subsets.
Page 63: Shares
ShareS If you’d like to allow users outside your account to see the status of some devices in your fleet, Switchboard has implemented Shares. Shares are subsets of your codec fleet that you define. Once defined, you can invite other Switchboard accounts to add your Shares, and your codecs become visible to them.
Page 64: Switchboard Theory And Concepts
SwiTchboard Theory and concepTS Switchboard is useful because it’s not always simple to connect two devices over the internet which are essentially “peers”. There are two major reasons for this. First of all, to initiate a stream to a device over the internet requires that you know its IP address. This is the number that gets applied to the destination field of the IP packet, so internet routers can determine how best to send it along its way.
Page 65 Before deployment of Switchboard, the answer to this dilemma was to assure that the codec located in the studio has a fixed, public IP address. By fixed, we mean that the address is allocated exclusively by the ISP, and that address is entered manually into the configuration of the codec and not subject to change.
Page 66 Once the codec has updated its status with the server, it’s time to download the directory. This process happens instantly. The update includes current addresses and status info for all codecs within the group. This information forms a sort of “Buddy List” that gets integrated into the codec’s connection address book. The list may still consist of entries made manually by IP address into the codec, but those are signified by a different icon.
Page 67 In describing NAT routing, it’s important to understand the concept of ports. These are numbers, like the source and destination IP addresses that are attached to each packet. They further qualify which application on a computer (or codec) is meant to send or receive a packet. In a typical codec application, Codec X will send a packet from Address A Port B, to Address C Port D on the Destination Codec Y.
Page 68 Switchboard aids in breaking through these different types of routers for incoming calls. Because it is in constant contact with all subscribed codecs, it can send and receive test patterns to determine whether one or more NAT routers exist on a link and what type they are. It can then choose a connection method to be used to circumvent any issues.
Page 69: Crosslock Details
As briefly described in the Introduction to CrossLock section, CrossLock describes a new reliability layer that gets established between Comrex devices in advance of a connection. This layer takes the form of a Virtual Private network (VPN) between the devices. The ACCESS Media stream is carried within this VPN.
Page 70: Crosslock And Switchboard
On for the Redundant Transmission entry. Usage of dual networks on both ends of the link is not supported when at least one codec is ACCESS 2USB. The CPU power in ACCESS 2USB can not support this.
Page 71: Making Crosslock Connections Via Switchboard
Switchboard delivers a “buddy list” to each ACCESS in the fleet. This list appears on the Remotes menu of the 2USB. The connections have a color codec “gear” icon to indicate the status of each other ACCESS or BRIC-Link in the fleet. Items with a green gear are ready for connection.
Page 72: Making Crosslock Connections Without Switchboard
MakIng CrossLoCk ConneCtIons wIthout swItChboarD In the case of non-Switchboard based connections (e.g. closed networks or STLs), you will need to know the unit ID (Primary Ethernet MAC address) of the unit to which you wish to connect. This is input to the “Create New Remote”...
Page 73: Crosslock Stats
This is important. The receiving unit must have an outgoing connection programmed into its address book, containing the Unit ID (MAC address) of the calling unit, even if that entry is never used for outgoing calls. Once a MAC address is populated in the field, you will have the option of disabling or enabling CrossLock for this connection. CrossLoCk stats When a CrossLock connection becomes active, the CrossLock stats are activated. The stats are a very powerful tool to diagnose the quality of connections as well as manage the delay settings during the connection.
Page 74: Delay Slider
paCket Loss graph By selecting the Loss tab, you will see a graph that indicates, in percentage terms, what’s gone wrong on the network during each one- second window. Three different color-coded entries appear here: Packet Loss (dark red) - The system has detected a packet has been completely dropped by the network and was never received by the decoder.
Page 75 The entire slider is scalable, and the range of it from left to right will vary from one hundred milliseconds to several seconds depending on the range of delays currently being addressed. In either Auto or Manual mode, a series of color bars are overlayed on the slider, to signify delay “zones”...
Page 76: Device Manager
IP network as your computer. The list will include the unit MAC address, device type and the unit name. Alternatively, if you know the public IP address of a Comrex device and TCP port 80 has been forwarded to that device, you can manually add the device and perform certain functions such as updating firmware from outside your network.
Page 77 If there is a more recent version, it will appear in blue. Comrex HIGHLY encourages keeping your units up to date and checking for updated firmware on a regular basis. To update your device, select Get Latest Version to download the update file. Next, click Update Device. You will be requested to select the file to use.
Page 78 The Toolbox interface allows you to configure several options including the Ethernet port. You will need to log in to Toolbox separately with a user name (any) and password (default = comrex) to enter the Toolbox. To learn more about Toolbox, visit the section Toolbox page 79.
Page 79: Toolbox
ToolBoX XVIII. Toolbox is a network manager that allows for easy network configuration. Typically you will be using your 2USB touchscreen to perform these operations as described in the Network Menu section, but in some cases, such as when configuring an ACCESS Rack, it can be much easier to use Toolbox. You can log into Toolbox either via Device Manager or through the IP address of the unit with a /cfg appended to it (e.g.
Page 80: Locations
From here, you can select the device you would like to configure and then adjust the parameters for that device. You can edit the Name, if it is enabled or not, and the Active Network Location (explained in the next paragraph). loCaTIons Locations are entries that are saved in your unit so that you can store network information for various environments and not need to enter it in every time.
Page 81 Once created, you can assign that network to the adapter by selecting Active Network Location and selecting the network from the drop-down list. If the Wi-Fi adapter’s location is set to Automatic, it will check all location settings when the Wi-Fi adapter is enabled, and choose the first location “match”...
Page 82: Advanced Network Settings In Toolbox
adVanCed neTWork seTTIngs In ToolBoX By choosing “Show Advanced” under any network, the following options appear: Preserve after Reset - Normally, when ACCESS is set back to factory defaults (via Device Manager), all the network settings (including the main Ethernet) are erased. By setting this option to “yes”, the settings for this network will be preserved after factory reset.
Page 83: Making Non-Crosslock Connections In Firmware 4.0
MakIng non-CrossLoCk ConneCtIons In FIrMware 4.0 XIX. If you would like to bypass CrossLock mode entirely, it can be disabled in the system settings menu. Under Configure->System Settings->CrossLock VPN Settings, choose “enable” and deselect the enable option. No outgoing or incoming CrossLock connections will be possible. It is also possible to disable individual CrossLock connections under remote entries that appear in the Switchboard list.
Page 84: Operating Access In A 24/7 Environment
Operating aCCeSS in a 24/7 envirOnment XX. In BRIC Normal mode, the default mode of operation, ACCESS transfers all its audio data via the UDP protocol. This is in contrast to most web-based connections, such as web browsing and e-mail. These use TCP protocol. UDP, unlike TCP, is not “connection oriented”;...
Page 85: Setting Access For 24/7 Operation
Setting aCCeSS FOr 24/7 OperatiOn On the ACCESS 2USB, go to the Connections section of the System Settings menu. The field labeled Always Connect To Remote offers a pull-down menu of all available connections. Setting this value to one of your pre-defined connections results in configuring the unit for 24/7 operation to that remote. No configuration is necessary on the remote side.
Page 86 Using this mode will allow the unit to disregard the timeout value and keep a persistent connection. The difference is that the Disconnect function still works and the connection will not be reinitiated on a power re-cycle. This mode is meant for users who are making temporary connections, but do not want the system to time out and disconnect in the event of network failure.
Page 87: Making Ebu 3326/Sip Compatible Connections
MakIng EBU 3326/SIP CoMPatIBlE ConnECtIonS XXI. Comrex codecs (and many other brands) have a set of protocols that allow easy IP connections between units. In general, when connecting between Comrex hardware, it’s best to use these proprietary modes to take the most advantage of the features of the product.
Page 88: Unregistered Mode
URIs consist of a SIP user name, followed by a domain, delineated with the @ symbol, like an email address. Our Iptel user’s URI would be comrex_user@iptel.org. Comrex devices do not use the designation “sip:” before a SIP address.
Page 89 Below shows where this information can be applied in the System Settings section. You will also need to enable the Use SIP Proxy option in that menu. Once this information is correctly entered, a new status line appears on the portable display. The status will reflect the progress of the registration process. When complete, this will display Online. If the box does not display Online after a short time, it usually means that registration attempt failed.
Page 90: Making Sip Registered Calls
Due to the negotiation, it is not important that these numbers match on each end. Changing this port to 5004 can actually have an adverse effect, since 5004 is the default port for other services on Comrex codecs. Public IP Override - See the next section, SIP Troubleshooting for more information...
Page 91: Sip Troubleshooting
Incoming calls to codecs behind routers are complicated by the fact that ports on the router must be forwarded to the codec. In the case of SIP, this must be three discrete ports (For Comrex codecs these are UDP 5060, 5014 and 5015)<6014 and 6015 with 3.0 firmware>.
Page 92: Solutions
STUN. FIX oF laSt rESort Finally, there’s a brute-force option available on Comrex Codecs when STUN ports are blocked by a firewall, or it can’t be used for some other reason. Under Advanced System Settings, a field is available called Public IP Override. Any address put into that field will be pasted into the address SIP field. So if you know what your public IP address is (you can obtain it from many websites via a browser) you can manually paste it here.
Page 93: Multi-Streaming
MULTI-STREAMING XXII. Note: This section deals with advanced topics relating to ACCESS capabilities. ACCESS supports the ability to run one encoder per unit, but this single encoder stream may be sent to up to nine destinations simultaneously. We call this capability “multi-streaming”, since the encoder creates a separate but identical outgoing stream to each decoder. Note: Your Internet connection must be able to support these streams. For example, if your encoder runs at 35 kbps network utilization, sending to two locations will require 70 kbps upload speed from your network.
Page 94 To turn the encoder off, select the profile you will be using in the Manage Profiles menu and select Edit. Under each folder, both Local and Remote, there is a Transmit On/Off option. By selecting this, you can then turn the transmit to off by unchecking the On box. We’ll give two examples of multi-streaming scenarios.
Page 95: Ip Multicast
IP MULTICAST XXIII. NOTE: This section deals with advanced topics relating to ACCESS capabilities. IP Multicast is an efficient way of delivering ACCESS digital audio streams to multiple locations. This involves relying on the network to distribute the stream to the locations that require it, rather than creating an independent stream for each user.
Page 96: Setting Up A Multicast Remote
The important settings for Multicast are: Sender/Receiver – Determines whether this particular ACCESS is designed to generate the IP • Multicast stream (send) or decode one (receive). Encoder Type – Determines the type of stream to be used by the Multicast Encoder (not •...
Page 97: Changing Port Numbers For Multicast
ChAngIng PorT nUMberS for MULTICAST The default port of UDP 9000 may also be changed on Multicast remotes. The port number is assigned in the usual way, directly after the IP address, preceded by “:”, followed by the TTL. As an example, the IP address of a Multicast Sender on port 443 with a TTL of 100 would read: 224.0.2.4:443/100...
Page 98: Legacy Stats
Legacy StatS XXIV. Prior to CrossLock’s implementation, stats for connections were represented with the Channel Stats and Peer Stats menus. The Peer Stats menu and Channel Stats menu are considered a legacy resource to view network performance. CrossLock stats are recommended to be your source of this data. Channel Stats provide real-time graphs of outgoing and incoming data.
Page 99: Peer Stats
PeeR StatS The Peer Stats Graph tab represents the work of the Jitter Buffer Manager. The area of most interest is the light blue area as shown below, which illustrates a spread of jitter values (referenced to the current playout pointer) over the last second. If this area covers a large span, the relative jitter is high. If the light blue section of the graph is small or invisible over a time period, there has been very little jitter present.
Page 100 The work of the Buffer Manager is shown by the green line, which is the target buffer delay that the system is trying to achieve, based on measurements done over the jitter window. The lower half of the Peer Stats display shows a real time and historical representation of frame loss. If the decoder does not receive packets in time, the chart will show a red line indicating percentage of lost packets over the one- second interval.
Page 101: Streaming Server Function
STREAMING SERVER FUNCTION XXV. ACCESS has the ability to act as a streaming server, delivering AAC and HE-AAC to compatible PC based media players. Currently tested media players include WinAmp, VLC, iTunes, Windows Media 12 and Windows Media Player with Orban/CT HE-AAC plug-in. By default, streaming server functionality is turned off.
Page 102: Web-Based Interface Introduction
To use the Web-based Interface, open a Flash-enabled web browser on a computer that is on the same physical IP network (LAN) as the ACCESS unit and input the IP address of the ACCESS. Once you are connected to ACCESS, a login screen will appear. Type in any username along with the default password, comrex. Tech Tip: You can also access the Web-based Interface from a browser on a computer that is not on the same LAN when you forward port TCP 80 to the ACCESS. Consult with your IT department for assistance with that.
Page 103 There are three main parts to the ACCESS Web-based Interface screen: Main Audio Meter - The level meters are defaulted to off to conserve bandwidth and client CPU, but when these are enabled this top bar emulates the front panel of ACCESS. Tabs - Use these tabs to control and obtain status of ACCESS.
Page 104: Eb-Based Interface Connections Menu
Web-based INTeRFaCe CoNNeCTIoNs meNu XXVII. • CoNNeCTIoNs Tab The Connections tab is the first screen to appear when the system is turned on. The Connections tab is like a “phonebook” for your ACCESS. It allows you to define and edit your outgoing connections, and also indicates when there are incoming connections. TesT RemoTe eNTRIes By default, three remotes are already present on the Connections tab, and can be used immediately for testing. Loopback is a testing mode for estimating quality and best case delay, in which a single ACCESS encodes and decodes the same audio in a loopback configuration (the send and receive portions are connected together). Comrex Lab Voice and Comrex Lab Music are codecs you can connect to for testing your unit. These test lines are located at the Comrex headquarters in Devens, Massachusetts.
Page 105: Remotes Listed From Switchboard
RemoTes LIsTed FRom sWITChboaRd Switchboard is a free service that Comrex provides. If you do not have an account set up with us, please contact us at techies@comrex.com or 978.764.1776 / 1.800.237.1776. To learn more about Switchboard and why you should be using it, visit the section Swichboard Traversal Server (TS) on page 59. Comrex highly recommends that you utilize our Switchboard server in conjunction with your audio codecs. When your audio codecs have been added to your Switchboard account and placed in a contact list, those codecs will populate automatically in the device’s Remotes list once it is powered up and registered with Switchboard. This makes connections for broadcasts quick and easy. Units that are added from your Switchboard contact list will show up in the Remotes list with a grey background as shown above. CoNNeCTINg aNd dIsCoNNeCTINg To RemoTes To connect and disconnect remotes, select the device in the remotes list and select the Connect button to establish a connection or the Disconnect button to disconnect the connection. Incoming connections are displayed by their IP address, or, if also configured as outgoing connections, by their names. Incoming POTS connections are displayed as “incoming”.
Page 106: Add New Remote
Although using Switchboard to generate your remotes is the preferred method, you can also add remotes manually and input the information needed to make a connection. To add a new remote, Click on the Store New Remote button in the bottom left. The following menu appears. You will need to input a name for this remote (which can be anything), as well as the destination IP address (or dial-up phone number for a POTS call). Next, you must decide if you intend to use CrossLock for the connection. Comrex recommends the use of CrossLock for most connections, because the VPN (Virtual Private Network) created by CrossLock increases connection reliability in most circumstances. Unless you know of a specific reason that your setup might not support CrossLock, we suggest enabling it. CrossLock connections that don’t use Switchboard can be complex to set up. This is because the hardware on each end must know the unit ID of the other for security purposes. This is generally the MAC address of the codec hardware.
Page 107 If you want to use CrossLock, check the Use CrossLock to Connect box and put the MAC address of the unit you are going to connect to. Note that the codec being connected to must have a corresponding entry with this unit’s MAC address. If you do not want to use CrossLock, you can leave the box unchecked and the MAC address entry blank. Next, you need to choose a profile to use when making these connections. ACCESS includes several default profiles to choose from, each of which enable a simple full-duplex link using one of the available algorithms. If you wish for a more complex feature set when making this connection, you will need to navigate to the Profiles tab and set up a specific profile using your custom parameters. To learn about creating Profiles, visit the section Profiles Menu on page 44. Once defined in the Profiles section, the new profile will be available in the Profile Select window and can be assigned to a remote connection.
Page 108: Edit Remotes
Optionally, you may add a password to this outgoing remote for connection authentication. In this case, the incoming ACCESS must also be programmed with the matching incoming password, which is assignable under the System Settings tab under Security. Finally, you may specify how the unit is to behave when connection is lost to this remote. edIT RemoTes Existing remotes may be edited by highlighting a remote from the list and selecting Change Remote Settings. Tip: CrossLock Unit IDs (MAC Addresses) can not be edited--the remote entry must be deleted and recreated to edit outgoing CrossLock info. deLeTe RemoTes Remotes can be deleted by highlighting a remote form the list and selecting Remove Stored Remote.
Page 109: Web-Based Interface Statistics Menus
Web-based INTeRFaCe sTaTIsTICs MeNus XXVIII. The Media Statistics tab will show graphical and numerical representations of the network performance for both the local and remote codecs. It also includes information regarding the decoder buffer manager’s functions, such as call duration, transmit and receive delays, frame loss rates, overhead, and more. These stats are considered a legacy resource to view network performance.
Page 110: Web-Based Interface Profiles Menu
Web-based INTeRFaCe PRoFIles MeNu XXIX. Profiles are what define the behavior and type of connection for your codecs in both directions. Profiles are separate from remotes, which define the address to connect with. ACCESS has many options to optimize connections based on your broadcasting needs (the number of locations you broadcast to, the diversity of connections you use, network availability, etc.) Your specific needs will dictate how simple or intricate your profile and remote settings will be.
Page 111: Default Profile
Profiles tab, or copy an existing profile using the Copy Profile button. TIP: You cannot edit factory profiles. Comrex recommends when creating a new profile, that you copy a factory profile that is close to what you would like the settings to be and edit that copied profile.
Page 112: Web-Based Interface System Settings Menu
Ethernet port. When this is changed to something familiar and unique (such as “Roving reporter”, “Weather guy”, etc), the new name is reflected in several places: In the browser used to show the remote control page • In Comrex provided utility software such as Device Manager • In Switchboard Contact Lists •...
Page 113: Switchboard Server
Enable Switchboard - Allows the use of the Switchboard Server to connect to remotes. Switchboard Server Address - Shows the IP address of Switchboard. Stun Server Address - Enables the unit to contact the STUN server maintained by Comrex to learn what its public IP address is.
Page 114: Contact Closures Settings
CoNTaCT ClosuRes seTTINgs Connect on CC (1,2,3,4) - These choices define auto connect rules for remotes to be triggered by the four external input triggers available. NOTE: These inputs are shared with the end-to-end contact closure signals, so if a remote is designated as Auto Connect on a closure, that closure signal is not available for use in the direction from this ACCESS.
Page 115: Aux Serial Settings
auX seRIal seTTINgs This allows you to set the parameters of the auxiliary serial data port. This port is always active during an IP connection and allows serial data transfer along the same path used for the audio data. It does not remove any audio data;...
Page 116: Security Settings
GUI Password - Allows you to define a password for the webpage login screen and firmware updater. The default password is comrex (lower case). Enable remote SSH access - Enables Comrex support to connect to this unit using the SSH protocol for troubleshooting purposes. We recommend leaving this option enabled. Since SSH access requires a key value that is...
Page 117: Bric Normal Settings
bRIC NoRmal seTTINgs The default way ACCESS codecs connect between each other is called BRIC normal. The options in this section define if and how these connections are completed. Accept Incoming Connections - This determines if this ACCESS is to be used for incoming normal IP connections. If this function is not enabled, ACCESS will only support outgoing calls using BRIC Normal Mode.
Page 118: Modem Settings
modem seTTINgs Accept incoming connections - POTS calls must be answered automatically on ACCESS. If this option is disabled, no POTS calls will be answered and only outgoing POTS connections can be made. ebu 3326/sIP seTTINgs This is and advanced topic and is covered in the section Making EBU 3326/SIP Compatible Connections on page CRossloCk vPN seTTINgs This is an advanced topic and is covered in the section CrossLock Details on page 69.
Page 119: Software Licensing
soFTWaRe lICeNsINg The Software Licensing button shows you which licenses are currently active to your unit. This is also where you can add licenses.
Page 120: Gateway Operation
GATEWAY OPERATION XXXI. ABOUT GATEWAY OPERATION ACCESS includes a special operational mode that allows it to share a network connection with other devices. This can be valuable when a single wireless device is available, but email and internet access are required in addition to codec use.
Page 121: Gateway Setup
GATEWAY SETUP Gateway Mode involves having two networks active and enabled on ACCESS; the internet side (usually a USB-based network) which is used to connect to the world at large, and the shared side (usually Ethernet), which is used to connect with other computers. The only step to Gateway Mode is setting up your shared network side with the factory default static IP address, network mask and DHCP pool information.
Page 122: Advanced 3G/4G Network Settings
AdvAnced 3G/4G network settInGs XXXII. 3G/4G modems vary in their interface. Comrex is constantly updating drivers to work with the most popular devices. Please contact us for information about specific devices. We also keep an updated status page in the ACCESS Support section on our website.
Page 123: Pots (Plain Old Telephone Service) Codec Connections
When defining any outgoing connection, a profile must be assigned to it. For POTS Codec compatible connections, the factory default POTS profile should work best. USINg ACCESS WITH POTS To use ACCESS on POTS, insert the Comrex supplied USB POTS modem into the USB jack. Connect the phone cord to a normal, analog telephone jack. WARNING: Under no circumstances should the raw extension from a digital phone system be attached to this port—you will likely damage ACCESS, your phone system, or both. You must obtain a true telephone company...
Page 124: Rate Vs. Retrain
RATE VS. RETRAIN When incoming or outgoing POTS calls are active, the Remotes tab changes slightly. You will see two additional buttons appear on the tab, labelled Retrain and Rate Drop. These are special functions applicable only to POTS calls, so they are not visible during IP connections. These controls are similar in function to those provided on POTS codecs.
Page 125: Troubleshooting Pots Connection
TROUbLESHOOTINg POTS CONNECTION There are dozens of factors that can affect the success or failure of a POTS codec call, some within the user’s control and some not. Here’s a short list of rules to follow for POTS codec connections: Use the POTS codec on a direct telephone company line and avoid in-house phone systems. A line used by a fax machine usually provides this direct access.
Page 126: Advanced Settings
AdVAnced SettIngS XXXIV. The following settings are considered advanced. Most users will never need to edit these. AdVAnced network SettIngS Once you check the Advanced checkbox under the Settings tab of a network, the following options appear: Preserve after Reset - Normally, when ACCESS is set back to factory defaults (via Device Manager), all the network settings (including the main Ethernet) are erased.
Page 127: Advanced Remote Settings
AdVAnced remote SettIngS BAckIng Up A connectIon ACCESS features the ability to have an automatic backup to IP remote connections. The backup may be either another IP connection, or a POTS phone number. If an IP connection fails, ACCESS will sense this and wait the amount of time designated in the Local Timeout parameter in the profile assigned to the primary connection.
Page 128: Profile Settings
However, Auto fall-forward does not work when the POTS backup unit receiving the call is the same physical unit as the one being used as the primary IP-connected unit. This is because an ACCESS unit that is receiving an incoming POTS call cannot restore an IP connection. The backup connection must be an IP connection for an automatic restoration to take place.
Page 129 Channel - Here you can select whether this to be used as an IP connection (BRIC Normal), a modem based connection (Modem, which uses a standard POTS phone line), or an EBU 3326/SIP connection. If you are connecting over an IP connection to other Comrex products, we recommend you use the BRIC Normal selection.
Page 130: Local & Remote Settings
If you’ve chosen an IP-based channel (such as BRIC Normal), you’ll have access to two sets of options: Local and Remote. You’ll use the Local Settings to determine how your ACCESS 2USB behaves, and the Remote Settings to determine how the ACCESS on the far end behaves.
Page 131: Advanced Profile Settings
The choices are None, Mono Left Only, Mono Right Only, and Mono Full. Except for None, these are mainly used for sending two different mono streams to two different destinations at the same time. For more information on these choices, see the section Appendix D - Using the Comrex ACCESS Decoder Downmix Function on page 153.
Page 132 arrive extremely late, delays can be reduced greatly. The decoder error concealment does a very good job of hiding any losses that may result. Loss Cushion Mode – This mode ensures that the unit will show losses in terms of percentile of packets lost. Retransmit Squelch Trigger and Retransmit Squelch Max - These options are used to determine how the buffer manager reacts to typical data dropouts, like those seen on some wireless networks.
Page 133 Our testing shows best results with the default delay target. Log Statistics - This function is used in factory diagnostics and should be left disabled unless instructed to be changed by Comrex support. Congestion Avoidance - Enabling this option allows the encoder to dynamically change the number of frames per packet sent, thereby reducing total data requirements.
Page 134: Advanced System Settings
Max Retransmission Rate – Allows setting of an upper limit on how much additional bandwidth is utilized by the BRUTE UDP reliability layer. The default setting is 100, which allows the error correction layer to use the same amount of bandwidth as the audio stream. As an example, if you’re audio stream is consuming 80 kb/s of network bandwidth, and UDP Max Retransmissions is set at 50%, up to 40kb/s additional network bandwidth may be used for error correction.
Page 135: Connections
This allows you to set the parameters of the auxiliary serial data port. This port is always active during an IP connection and allows serial data transfer along the same path used for the audio data. It does not remove any audio data;...
Page 136: Security
The web server port is also used by the Device Manager, Codec Commander and Remote Control software provided by Comrex, so if you change this value you’ll want to make a note of it for the next time you update the unit’s firmware.
Page 137: Switchboard Server
SwItchBoArd SerVer Switchboard Add (Address) – shows the IP address of Switchboard. STUN Server – Enables the unit to contact the STUN server maintained by Comrex to learn what its public IP address is. Switchboard Port – Allows selection of the TCP port of the Switchboard Server.
Page 138 To change the destination port of an outgoing call, you must add the port number to the IP address in the correct format. For example, to initiate a connection to the Comrex test line at port number 5004, enter the following into the IP address field: 70.22.155.131:5004...
Page 139: Ebu 3326/Sip Settings
eBU 3326/SIp SettIngS Accept incoming connections - EBU 3326/SIP calls must be answered automatically on NX. If this option is disabled, no EBU 3326/SIP calls will be answered and only outgoing EBU 3326/SIP connections can be made. Incoming Connection Profile - In some unusual circumstances, it’s necessary to define the profile used on incoming SIP/3326 connections to be something different than what is being received.
Page 140 SIP Proxy Address – Allows choosing proxy/registrar server to use for SIP calls. SIP Domain – Used to authenticate SIP calls. If not set, the SIP proxy name will be used. SIP Username – Allows entry of SIP username. SIP Auth Username – Allows entry of SIP username for authentication. SIP Password - Allows entry of password for authentication.
Page 141: Http Settings
http SettIngS Accept incoming connections - Enables/disables the HTTP streaming function. IP Port – Sets incoming network port. Encoder - Sets the encoder used for streaming. Must be compatible with the media player. Genre - Sets “genre” for HTTP streaming. Default is “Live”. Info URL – Sets informational value of the URL associated with the stream. Public - Enables/disables setting of the public stream.
Page 142: Modem Settings
modem SettIngS Ring Count – If auto-answer is enabled for incoming calls, sets the number of rings before line is answered. Max Modem Rate - Maximum allowed baud rate for connections. Default is 2400. Min Modem Rate – Sets the minimum allowed baud rate. Default is 9600. Extra Modem Init - Allows entry of a modem initialization string.
Page 143: Standard Rtp Settings
Zephyr Xstream - The encoder will adapt the RTP stream to be compatible with the Zephyr Xstream ISDN codec in IP mode. Standard RTP modes other than Luci are “experimental” and are not subject to support by Comrex support staff. Return Channel Enabled - Enables a return channel to be sent back to the other unit.
Page 144: Tcp Settings
tcp SettIngS IP Port – Allows entry of incoming network port. Default is port 9000. croSSlock SettIngS Enable - Enables the use of CrossLock.
Page 145 Authentication - ACCESS firmware 4.0 and higher uses security certificates assigned to the codec hardware to authenticate it as a Comrex product. This option determines whether connections will be made to codecs without these certificates. Certificates are assigned to codecs by the Switchboard server after an upgrade to firmware 4.0 or higher (Switchboard upgrade not necessary).
Page 146 This can be set to a different value than the main STUN server used to provide status to the Remote Connections page. Default is always the Comrex server at stun.comrex.com. Always Connect - This option provides for CrossLock to be always connected to a destination. By its nature, CrossLock uses very little data so the network utilization of this mode (when idle) is very small.
Page 147: Advanced Topics
ADVANCED TOPICS XXXV. Q: CAN I gET A rEmOTE INDICATION ThAT ACCESS IS CONNECTED TO SOmEONE? A: Yes. Using the Configure Tab/Additional Configuration, you can re-assign Contact Closure Output #4 to trigger whenever the ACCESS makes a valid connection. The function of Contact Closure #4 will be changed in the following ways: Contact Closure #4 will no longer be available as an end-to-end signal. Whenever ACCESS detects a valid incoming stream, it will trigger CC #4 and maintain it until all valid connections stop.
Page 148: Q: My It Guy Is Concerned About Security And Wants To Know What Services Are Open On This Box
UDP/RTP on port 9000 (9001 for CrossLock connections). SSH is enabled by default but requires a passkey. You can disable it completely in the Security section of the System Settings menu by setting the Remote Diagnostics option to Not Enabled. Leaving Remote Diagnostics (SSH) enabled will help if Comrex support needs to interface with your ACCESS.
Page 149: Appendix A - Ip Compatibility
ACCESS Rack - On the System Settings Tab, open the Standard RTP Settings option • and choose RTP Compatibility Mode. On the pull-down box, choose Luci Live. ACCESS 2USB Portable - Choose Configure then System Settings on the display. • Under Standard RTP Settings select RTP Compatibility Mode and choose Luci Live.
Page 150 ACCESS Rack - On the System Settings Tab, open the Standard RTP Settings option • and choose RTP Compatibility Mode. On the pull-down box, select Zephyr Xstream. ACCESS 2USB Portable - Choose Configure then System Settings on the display. • Under Standard RTP Settings select RTP Compatibility Mode and choose Zephyr Xstream.
Page 151: Appendix B - Information For It Managers
XXXVII. The purpose of this appendix is to describe all open ports and services available on the Comrex ACCESS 2USB. The Comrex ACCESS 2USB is a device designed to move real-time, wideband audio over IP networks. The main network interface is 1000BaseT-Ethernet.
Page 152: Appendix C-Using Access On Unidirectional Networks
Change this setting to Standard and click Apply (or Save on ACCESS 2USB Portable). DECODE SIDE SETTINGS ONLY Also under Advanced Standard RTP Settings, find the Return Channel Enable entry. Disable the return channel and click Apply (or Save on ACCESS 2USB Portable). This will make sure that no channel will be set up in the direction to the encoder. ENCODE SIDE SETTINGS ONLY Obviously, connections of this type must be established from the encoding side of the link.
Page 153: Appendix D - Using The Comrex Access Decoder Downmix Function
AppendIX d - UsIng the ComreX ACCess deCoder downmIX FUnCtIon XXXIX. A new feature of ACCESS firmware 2.8 allows a stereo connection profile to instruct the ACCESS decoder to decode only one side of a stereo channel. This is useful in a scenario where two mono connections need to be sent to two different destinations simultaneously.
Page 154 This scenario is a bit more complex, but is aided greatly by use of the Vortex Hotswitch application. This is described in more detail in a separate appnote, Round-Robin Remotes with Comrex ACCESS.
Page 155: Xl. Appendix E-Specifications
APPENDIX E-SPECIFICATIONS XL. CONNECTIONS Power: 5-pin DIN female, pins 3+5 +15V, pins 2+4 ground • Mono In: 3-pin XLR female, pin 1 ground, pin 2 +, pin 3 – • Stereo Line In: 1/8” (3.5mm) female, tip=left, ring=right, sleeve=gnd • Line Out: 1/8” (3.5mm) female, tip=left, ring=right, sleeve=gnd • Headphone Out: 1/8” (3.5mm) female, tip=left, ring=right, sleeve=gnd • Mobile In/Out: 1/8” (3.5mm) female, tip=send, ring=receive, sleeve=gnd • Serial: 8-pin DIN female, pinout in Section 2 • Contact Closures: 9-pin DIN female, pinout in Section 2 • USB: USB Type A • Ethernet: 8-pin modular, 100baseT wiring • AUDIO SPECIFICATIONS Mono Input Type: Balanced Impedance: Mic: 20k Ohms (pins 2-3) Line: 200k Ohms (pins 2-3) Level: Mic: -60 dBu nominal, -15 dBu max Line: 0 dBu nominal, +20 dBu max Stereo Line Input Type: Unbalanced Impedance: 9k Ohms (tip to sleeve, or ring to sleeve) Level: -10 dBu nominal, +10 dBu max Line Output Type: Unbalanced Impedance: 0 Ohms (tip to sleeve, or ring to sleeve) Level: -10 dBu nominal Mobile In/Out Type: Unbalanced Level: Send: -45 dBu, Receive: -20 dBu Frequency Response: Varies with algorithms, see descriptions POWER...
Page 156: Xli. Comrex Switchboard Traversal Server Use
. Comrex provides this service, free of charge and at will. As such, Comrex offers no warranty as to availability of this server or of its function. Comrex reserves the right to discontinue availability of this service at any time. Comrex also reserves the right to remove any account from the server at http://switchboard.comrex.com at any time for...
Page 157: Xlii. License And Warranty Disclosures For Comrex Access
Gnu Public License (GPL). For more information on GPL see http://www.gnu.org. As per the GPL, source code for this software is available on request from Comrex on CD-ROM or other electronic format. To obtain this software please contact our support department at +1 978 784 1776. We retain the right to charge a small handling fee for distribution of this software.
Page 158: Warranty
During the warranty period, we will repair or, at our option, replace at no charge a product that proves to be defec- tive, provided you obtain a return authorization from Comrex and return the product, shipping prepaid to Comrex Corporation, 19 Pine Rd, Devens MA 01434 USA. For return authorization, contact Comrex at 800-237-1776 or 978- 784-1776 or email techies@comrex.com.
Page 159 STRICTLY PROHIBITED AND MAY RESULT IN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL SANCTIONS, AND WILL BE PROSECUTED TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW. COMREX CORPORATION AND ITS SUPPLIERS OWNS AND SHALL RETAIN ALL RIGHT, TITLE AND INTEREST IN AND TO ANY SOFTWARE SUPPLIED TO YOU IN AND AS PART OF THE PRODUCT AND ALL INTELLEC- TUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS RELATED THERETO.
Page 160: Xliii. Conformity Information
Individual plug-in devices for wired and wireless connectivity will have their own certifications from their manufac- turers. Information is available on each device’s label. ___________________________________ Thomas O. Hartnett, Technical Director, Comrex Corporation...
Page 161: Ec Declaration Of Conformity For R&Tte Directive
Information is available on each device’s label. Information regarding configuration of this equipment for operation on the telephone networks of the EC countries may be found in the Comrex ACCESS 2USB Portable product manual. Contact person: Thomas O. Hartnett, Technical Director...

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