Virtualization can bring major benefits to any radio facility.

Broadcasters are increasingly making the shift to virtual broadcast tools as more and more software versions of broadcast equipment arrive on the scene. Why is virtualization trending up? Here are five compelling benefits of virtualizing your studio operations.

1. Scalability

One of the best reasons to virtualize is scalability. Virtualization makes it easier to scale resources up or down as needs change. Broadcast veterans know that demand for production capabilities ebbs and flows; virtualized broadcast software gives your operations the ability to run multiple instances of software concurrently to scale up your capabilities as demand peaks, and then scale them back down during quieter times. This flexibility carries not only a readiness benefit but a cost benefit as well, allowing you to pay only for what you need when you need it.

2. High Availability

You don't need us to tell you that broadcasting is a 24/7 business. Uptime is paramount, and off-the-air situations are the stuff we have nightmares about. Virtualized systems, unlike dedicated hardware, often include features like live migration and failover, further enhancing service availability. Redundant, software instances running simultaneously make it possible to seamlessly and automatically switch to a ready backup should the need arise.

3. Cost-Efficiency

In addition to the cost benefits associated with virtualization's scalability and reliability, virtual broadcast apps can also help you save money because they require less of everything: less physical hardware and thus less space in your facility, less maintenance, and less energy consumption (beneficial for both cost and environmental reasons). A very attractive side benefit is that software can fit into your budget as an operating expense (OPEX) rather than a capital expense (CAPEX) because it's often sold via a subscription model, enabling you to avoid the sticker shock of a one-time purchase and spread costs over time.

4. Always Up-To-Date

With hardware systems, what you buy is what you get. Sometimes feature updates are available, but not always. Firmware updates performed in the field can be repetitive and time-consuming when multiple devices are involved, and may not always go smoothly. In contrast, virtualized software applications (either on-premises or on cloud-hosted servers) can easily be updated remotely, and subscription services with automatic updates can help ensure that your workflows always benefit from the advantages of the latest feature set.

5. Operational Flexibility

Unlike proprietary hardware installed in a physical studio, virtualized software allows you to use cloud-based production systems anywhere an Internet connection is available. Today's applications can be installed on COTS services located in your own facility or in cloud data centers such as those provided by Amazon Web Services. Studios employing virtual solutions are more customizable and less costly than traditional builds, and talent is not bound to the studio: remote production and broadcasting can originate from nearly anywhere using little more than a mic and a laptop.

Virtual Broadcast Tools
from Telos Alliance

Axia Altus® Virtual Mixing Console

Axia Altus brings the power and features of a traditional console to desktop and laptop computers, tablets, and smartphones running any modern web browser. Altus provides full-function mixing (including eight virtual auxiliary mixers and integration with Telos VX broadcast phone systems) for distributed and remote workforces, allowing collaboration on both recorded programs and live broadcasts. Altus is also ideal for any situation where fast deployment is necessary, such as temporary studios, low-cost disaster recovery centers, on-demand remote broadcasts, or in facilities where space precludes a physical mixing console.

Telos Infinity® VIP Virtual Intercom Platform

Who says intercom service has to be confined to a physical studio? Telos Infinity VIP lets you extend your comms outside of your facilities, putting intercom capabilities right where the action is. As the very first full-featured cloud-based intercom system, VIP can extend your existing AES67 or SMPTE 2110-30 compatible third-party intercom installation to smartphones, tablets, and PCs (laptop or desktop) using standard HTML5-capable browsers, or via native Android and iOS apps. This makes Infinity VIP perfect for remote production, sporting events, talent working from home studios, or anywhere you need remote comms without the hassle of hardwired or RF connections.

Omnia Forza® Audio Processing Software

Today's radio consists of more than just over-the-air programming - there are also HD, DRM, DAB, and streaming audio channels in desperate need of sonic sweetening. Purchasing multiple hardware processors could present a financial barrier, but Omnia Forza is optimized for exactly these applications and is the perfect virtualized solution. Its five-band architecture, featuring all-new AGCs and multiband limiters, delivers the consistent, polished sound Omnia is famous for; Sensus® codec conditioning and new LUFS target-driven ITU-R BS.1770 loudness controller for compliance with streaming platform requirements complete the package.

Telos VXs Virtual VoIP System

As you probably know, Telos pioneered the use of VoIP in broadcast facilities. Telos VXs takes the VoIP talkshow system into a new dimension by helping broadcasters reap the cost and efficiency benefits of virtualization as well. VXs marries modern networking with the power of expert digital signal processing developed over decades, to extract the cleanest, clearest caller audio from any phone line (even noisy cellular calls). VXs includes all the tools present in the legendary VX system, including smart AGC, adaptive Digital Dynamic EQ, three-band adaptive spectral processing, noise gating, and Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC) technology. 

Does virtualization make sense for you? Telos Alliance can help. Drop us a note to start the conversation.