For decades ISDN has been the industry standard for the digital transmission of audio. The technology provides a reliable means to disseminate high-quality audio without having to physically mail CDs or data drives. More recently, however, people have been moving towards a software based audio codec called Source-Connect.
Creative Media Design is proud to use both ISDN and Source-Connect, allowing us to receive audio at broadcast quality. We connect with remote talent worldwide to bring in a wide range of voices, be it for voice over recording, foreign language dubbing, audio editing or our other common projects. Keep reading to learn more about the differences between ISDN and Source-Connect.
What is ISDN?
Integrated Services for Digital Network (ISDN) is a platform that has existed since the mid 1980s. It’s a system of digital telephone connections that enables remote recording studios to send superior quality audio worldwide. Once connected through ISDN, you can hear a voice over or audio recording remotely in real time. This makes ISDN voice over an effective means for recording and sharing voice talent without losing audio quality.
There’s a reason that ISDN has been the industry standard since the 1980s: the technology is sound and the quality of audio transmission is practically unbeatable. That being said, newer styles of this technology are arising, like Source-Connect, that can give ISDN a run for its money.
What are the Advantages of Source-Connect?
One of the biggest advantages of Source-Connect is its ease of access. ISDN comes at a steep cost, upwards of $2,000 for the transceiver unit alone. So for remote, small-time voice over artists, the cost is substantial. Then there is the fact that ISDN is complicated to use. It takes some advanced training to understand how to utilize ISDN technology and all its implements.
Source-Connect is an IP-based codec that is proving to be a strong alternative to ISDN. Thus allowing more remote talent to disseminate their work without sacrificing any sound quality. It uses UDP (User Datagram Protocol) to digitally transmit audio back and forth between connected studios. There’s even companies out there nowadays that can bridge ISDN and Source-Connect, so that neither technology needs to be mutually exclusive.
Overall, Source-Connect is a viable alternative for remote audio transmission that delivers digital sound quality comparable to that of ISDN. Although, don’t expect ISDN to go away anytime soon. It’s still the go-to technology in the industry!
Record With Creative Media Design!
Creative Media Design utilizes both ISDN and Source-Connect to connect with talent and clients all over the world. Ready to record with us? Come and hang out in our studios, or connect with us from virtually anywhere—whether you’re in Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, or any other location!
