When Comrex was in the early stages of BRIC Technology development, it was decided that three key elements would form the foundation of what has become a valueable tool for broadcasters. First, BRIC needed to have robust, intelligent coding algorithms that would provide stability and low delay while maintaining high quality audio connections even when used on challenging data networks, like the public Internet. Second, a dynamic or intelligent jitter buffer management tool was crucial for connection stability. It would automatically adapt to changing network conditions caused by contention for resources by the myriad users on the Internet. And finally, the BRIC Traversal Server would make connections between BRIC-enabled devices, such as the ACCESS codec, fast and simple.

One of the issues that many users of our ACCESS codecs are faced with is having to deal with IP network firewalls or trying to access their codecs which are on a private Local Area Network or LAN. Just as when you are trying to make a telephone call, if you don't know the number, you can't make the call. But what if the number can only be accessed from inside your building, as with a PBX extension? In order to get to that extension from outside of your building, you have to go through the main switchboard which then would route your call to the person at the extension you are trying to call.

In the case of your IP codec, which might be sitting on a private LAN, the "switchboard" in this case is a router or Network Address Translator, commonly referred to as a NAT. By telling the router to forward all of the incoming traffic on certain data ports to your codec situated on the internal LAN, a codec user outside of your building is able to connect to your codec inside the building. This process is known as "port forwarding" which is also used to configure network firewalls that provide additional security protocols to protect your internal network.

Well, configuring your own network is usually managable...if your IT guy is in a good mood and if you can get him to help you out with this process. But what if you are on a client site trying to do a remote and your client's IT guy doesn't want to put an "unknown" computer on his network? Or what if you're trying to connect back to your studio from a hotel room using the hotel's high-speed Internet connection?

BRIC TS is a server which is maintained by Comrex and located at a secure site. Use of this server is free. A BRIC-enabled device simply needs to apply the one-time license unlock for each device that will be used on BRIC TS. A user or administrator would log on to the BRIC TS website and create an account. Once an account has been created, a group of codecs is defined. Each codec is then identified in the group listing by its MAC (Media Access Control) address. Multiple groups can be created within each account. For example, if you have ten ACCESS codecs and five are used by the News department and five are used by the FM Rock station, you can create two groups: News Department and Rock 101.1. Each group would be able to access only codecs in their own group. However, it is possible for individual codecs to join other groups.

BRIC TS is available as an optional accessory for ACCESS. It is sold as a license unlock key which can be applied by the user or remotely from Comrex. Also, ACCESS firmware version 2.5 or later is required on each unit that you want to be BRIC TS enabled. Simply add this item to your cart and check out, and we will contact you with more information.