DEVENS, MA--Comrex has begun shipping its new EarShot IFB, a new VoIP-based auto coupler for IFB and listen lines. 

Introduced at NAB 2018, EarShot IFB provides telephone-based live studio program and IFB audio to field-based remote broadcasts. Up to 30 users can listen to program or IFB feeds by calling into EarShot IFB with a standard telephone. EarShot IFB has four audio inputs (or feeds). Two of the feeds can be alternately configured as IFB inputs. Callers can switch between the feeds using DTMF (Touch Tone) selection.

For higher fidelity, the Comrex FieldTap smartphone app can be used to pull audio in studio quality. FieldTap uses the Opus audio decoder to deliver studio quality audio, and is available to download for free on iOS and Android. 

For more information, visit the company's website. 

ST. PAUL, MINN.—KSTP-TV is an ABC-affiliate serving the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro with our news program, “5 Eyewitness News,” covering local events and breaking news. Like most local news stations, we do a lot of live shots, and we’re regularly sending our news crew into the field to cover news as it happens.

We’ve been using a traditional IFB system, in which our truck calls into an IFB number and transmits the feed to our IFB receivers. But recently, we’ve run into problems while doing larger remotes, where we’ve had more people in the field than we have receivers. We’ve had no way for everyone on the team to monitor IFB, meaning that sometimes, people are left out of the loop (as it were).

We wanted a way to allow multiple people to dial into the same IFB source from their smartphone, so that all the members of our team can share a common IFB. EarShot IFB appealed to us because it can handle up to 30 standard telephone calls, (or 10 wideband calls), meaning that up to 30 users could call in and listen to a single IFB feed. It has the ability to eliminate the need for IFB receivers and truck-generated IFB. EarShot IFB can let us access the IFB from our phones, which streamlines our process in the field.

We’ve been using EarShot IFB for the last several months. We’ve had it set up in a more traditional way, with IFB receivers and a truck-generated feed. But I’ve been using FieldTap with it, a free Comrex app that lets me call in to EarShot IFB from my smartphone, and it has been very simple to use. I choose the IFB channel, press a button, and that’s all it takes. The audio quality has been great, and I’m planning to eventually get my whole news team set up with it.

When we first installed EarShot IFB, we encountered some difficulty with the box not recognizing DTMF codes. I spoke to a Comrex rep at NAB, and he walked us through updating the software, which fixed the problem. Since then, we haven’t encountered any difficulties.

One great thing about Comrex is how responsive the company is. When we’ve had a problem, it’s been easy to get ahold of someone knowledgeable to help us find a solution. The audio quality is really good, and FieldTap is very clear and easy to use. I’m looking forward to playing with EarShot IFB even more, and getting FieldTap into the hands of more people out in the field. I think they’ll love it.

Chris Medtvedt is News Operations Manager for 5 Eyewitness News on KSTPTV. He can be reached atcmedtvedt@kstp.com.

For more information, please visitwww.comrex.comor call 800-237-1776.

Comrex debuted EarShot IFB at the NAB Show 2018.

Our camera crew caught up with Senior Sales Director Chris Crump for a walk-through of the product and its new, free Field Tap app.

He said EarShot IFB provides telephone-based live studio program and IFB audio to field-based remote broadcasts. Up to 30 users can listen to program or IFB feeds by calling into EarShot IFB with a mobile phone. EarShot IFB can handle up to four program feeds, or two IFB feeds.

For higher fidelity, smartphone apps can be used to pull the audio in studio quality.

Comrex says EarShot IFB can be connected to low-cost cloud-based VoIP service, or tied to a station's VoIP PBX.

It will be available for purchase by mid-2018.