ISDN v. IP Alternatives #WoVoChat 3-11-15

ISDN v. IP Alternatives For

Voiceover ProfessionalsTwitter Chat

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

12pmPT/2pmCT/3pmET

#[email protected]

#WoVoChat www.worldvo.org

Featuring

Joe Cipriano & George Whittam


Q1: How long will ISDN remain a cost

effective choice for voice actors?

#WoVoChat

A1: Not our decision. What matter is “what is cost

effective for your BUYERS”. We have to have the

technology our buyers are using. #WoVoChat

@joecip

A1: Voice talent need to use connectivity(ISDN/IP) that

your buyers choose. Our business model should be to

have all the technology. #WoVoChat

@joecip

A1: Voice actors need to be “versatile” in performance

AND technology to work regularly. We need to have all

options available. #WoVoChat

@joecip


A1: It won’t if telcos keep hiking the price and

withdrawing the service at the same time to non city

rural locals. #WoVoChat

@rogeradw

A1: It’s fast becoming NOT for many outside of NYC &

LA – if service can be obtained at all. #WoVoChat

@jodyvining

A1: It’s my understanding telcos are trying to phase it out.

They don’t want to service copper anymore. #WoVoChat

@karndawn


A1: Hi all. Shireen in Maine. It’s pretty hard to get ISDN

in many areas here. #WoVoChat

@girlcanread


Q2: What are the ISDN advantages

in today’s world of digital remote

recording choices? #WoVoChat

A2: Since 1994, ISDN advantage is rock solid reliability and

a constant latency and delay. #WoVoChat

@vostudiotech

A2: Latency predictability is why networks and

vendors are slow to give up on ISDN. #WoVoChat

@vostudiotech

A2: So far IP alternatives can’t offer that infallible

dependability and consistency. #WoVoChat

@vostudiotech


A2: As a legacy technology, it’s proven, installed, known

and has it’s own proven accepted

“Promo/Commercial/Affiliates” culture. #WoVoChat

@vostudiotech

A2: Just a shame that they are sun-setting the tech

w/o a new standard in place. #WoVoChat

@stevenjaycohen

A2: The argument always seems to be reliability – but

for most a net connection and Source Connect are just

as reliable. #WoVoChat

@jodyvining

A2: Familiarity in a complex studio setup. #WoVoChat

@DnPSound


A2: Reliability in real-time: ISDN. With SC we can

reliability in near real-time with Auto-Restore. New

workflows. #WoVoChat

@sourceelements


Q3: What are the advantages of IP

Alternatives compared to the copper

wires of ISDN? #WoVoChat

A3: Talent can work from anywhere in the world at a low

cost and deliver reasonably high quality. #WoVoChat

@joecip

A3: With a laptop, a mic and a decent Wi-Fi

connection, VO’s can deliver quality product quickly

arguably NO cost. #OneTimeFee #WoVoChat

@joecip

A3: Don’t need to install ISDN lines; no add’l/special

equipment required beyond a laptop, a broadband

connection & IP software. #WoVoChat

@joecip


A3: Achieve higher bit rates than ISDN. I can send at

192kbps. #WoVoChat

@joecip

A3: It expands the pool of talent. Right now very

talented people are frozen out if they can’t get an ISDN

line. #WoVoChat

@jodyvining

A3: Big advantage is universal access. #WoVoChat

@jerrysvoice

A3: Flexibility. ISDN is what it is. With IP-based services

you can pretty much slap anything on top you can come

up with. #WoVoChat

@ipDTL



Q4: What are the top marketplace IP

alternatives to ISDN? #WoVoChat

A4: Source-Elements (SourceConnect) (SC NOW) was

first to establish in this area. #WoVoChat

@CourVo

A4: ipDTL (In:Quality) from the UK has functional

parity with SC. #WoVoChat

@CourVo

A4: SounStreak, SessionLink Pro, Telos V/IP, AudioTX –

even ConnectionOpen are contenders. #WoVoChat

@CourVo


A4: Future? Don’t rule out SKYPE. They invented the

OPUS codec. #WoVoChat

@CourVo

A4: Connection Open is about to be. #WoVoChat

@DnPSound

A4: The web-based alternatives are great too – but

there something to be said for just using an AU/AAX

plug. #WoVoChat

@jodyvining

A4: While I don’t use it often, I don’t have any issues with

ipDTL at all. Clients were happy. #WoVoChat

@ElaineSinger


A4: All WebRTC products like @ipDTL share the same

basic office function. #WoVoChat

@rogeradw


Q5: What are the disadvantages of IP

alternatives compared to

ISDN?#WoVoChat

A5: Does not yet have the confidence of majority of buyers,

producers, networks, studios. #WoVoChat

@vostudiotech

A5: Depends on location. Home studio? Then ISDN

preferred. Away? Then IP solution. #WoVoChat

@vostudiotech

A5: Latency (delay) (dropout) is variable depending on

connection and can be vexing. #WoVoChat

@vostudiotech


A5: Technology is still developing, leading to adoption

reluctance by the prospective clients. #WoVoChat

@vostudiotech


Q6: What will convince

clients/production houses to switch to

IP alternatives eventually? #WoVoChat

A6: First consideration is reliability. ISDN has it. Most

studios and my clients believe IP is pretty close.

#WoVoChat

@joecip

A6: Second consideration is cost. As long as line

costs are low for the client/studio, and ISDN already

installed, why switch? #WoVoChat

@joecip

A6: The tipping points will be a REAL cost saving and

confidence in the technology, AND if ISDN prices itself

out of their budgets. #WoVoChat

@joecip


A6: Lack of service will soon be an issue. Less techs who

know how to service ISDN at telcos these days.

#WoVoChat

@DnPSound

A6: For my clients, it seems the smaller studios have

been first to jump on something and drop ISDN.

#WoVoChat

@JasonRooneyVO

A6: Call a telco and ask about an ISDN line – they’ll

probably hang up on you. #WoVoChat

@jodyvining


A6: The ISDN infrastructure is OLD and RUSTY…literally.

#WoVoChat

@vostudiotech


Q7: What is the future of

connectivity? #WoVoChat

A7: As far as I’m concerned…it has to be IP. #WoVoChat

@joecip

A7: We need people to help PUSH it forward. I was

one of the first Telos Zephyr users for Fox. I was

available at all hours. #WoVoChat

@joecip

A7: When I was hired by CBS in 1997, they didn’t have

ISDN…I convinced them to get it. It’s important as VO to

push it. #WoVoChat

@joecip


A7: It comes down to this. I support ALL IP technologies

because I NEED them to grow, be more reliable, portable

and affordable. #WoVoChat

@joecip


Q8: Why does WoVo care about this

issue? #WoVoChat

A8: Because members are being priced out of ISDN

service if not East/West Coast. #WoVoChat

@CourVo

A8: More connectivity means greater pool of possible

talent for studios to use. #WoVoChat

@CourVo

A8: IP solutions level the competitive playing field for

those who don’t have ISDN. #WoVoChat

@CourVo


A8: Because WoVo advocates for the best outcomes for

its members, and has an eye on the future. #WoVoChat

@CourVo


Q9: Should a quality video signal be a

standard feature on IP solutions?

#WoVoChat

A9: Handy, but…necessary? Not until producers start

asking for it. Depends who needs to see whom. #WoVoChat

@vostudiotech

A9: Helps with taking cues for promo voices, working

to picture ala www.soundstreak.com, but a small

audience. #WoVoChat

@vostudiotech

A9: Enhances the client/talent relationship by making

connection more personal during sessions. #WoVoChat

@vostudiotech


A9: Video sucks bandwith, increases drop-out, but

getting better. #WoVoChat

@vostudiotech

http://www.soundstreak.com

A9: Yes and that might be the killer feature that helps

drive adoption by studios. #WoVoChat

@jodyvining

A9: I could use a video capability for promo sessions,

so I could SEE video I’m reading to – that would be a

nice option to have. #WoVoChat

@joecip

A9: ADR, work to picture, client reviews. Video is the

future for IP solutions. #WoVoChat

@DnPSound


A9: Once you have audio working, video is a rather small

step. We added video to ipDTL just because we could.

#WoVoChat

@ipDTL


Q10: ISDN’s death has been long

heralded. It’s still here. Any

predictions when the TelCo’s will

drop it? #WoVoChat


Join Us for the next #WoVoChat on

Wednesday, March 11th

12pmPT/2pmCT/3pmET!

Topic: Do I Really Need An Agent For

My Voiceover Career?

A10: Earyl indicators on the East Coast and in Europe are

warning signs. Remember the last telegram sent by

Western Union? #WoVoChat

@vostudiotech

A10: Even Telos is moving aggressively into IP

solutions. They must see the writing on the wall. Have

for years…ZephyrIP ZIP. #WoVoChat

@vostudiotech

A10: Telcos are already losing money on ISDN and

switching. AT&T users are getting booted off when

buying Uverse service. #WoVoChat

@vostudiotech


A10: As Joe said earlier, depends on reliability, cost and

buyer confidence in IP. Reach that, and ISDN is done.

#WoVoChat

@vostudiotech

A10: Seems like they’re desperate to turn off ISDN

right now. #WoVoChat

@jodyvining

A10: British Telecom is withdrawing ISDN at an

alarming rate in the UK unless you’re in a big city. No

ISDN in my locale for 5 years. #WoVoChat

@rogeradw

A10: Huge legacy clients like casinos and banking will

keep ISDN active in certain markets. #WoVoChat

@DnPSound


A10: In the major markets (esp SoCal) ISDN will be

around for many years yet to come. #WoVoChat

@Soundtrack_Pro

Check out the entire 3-11-15 #WoVoChat at

our Storify:

bit.ly/WoVoChat_6

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ISDN v. IP Alternatives #WoVoChat 3-11-15