As far as audio transmissions go, ISDN has been the go-to for decades, and for good reason. ISDN allows for real time connection with broadcast quality, and has been used by radio stations for on air interviews since its inception.
At CMDNYC, we ‘re set up for actors to call into our Manhattan studio using ISDN to record their voice over or radio spot. While ISDN is industry standard, we also use Source Connect as well to ensure every production can be completed.
Advantages of ISDN
As mentioned, with broadcast quality and real time connection, ISDN has been the go-to remote audio connection for decades. But the advantages of using ISDN are far greater than this. For example, ISDN has extremely low latency, which is why it has been popular among radio stations. Additionally, because of its superior reliability, you don’t have to deal with major dropouts or call issues.
That said, there are some drawbacks to ISDN. With a high-quality service like this, you can expect the cost to be higher than some of the remote audio connection alternatives, like Source Connect. Also, in order to setup ISDN you need the proper hardware unit, which can be beyond the technical knowledge for the layman to install, as well as a phone service provider that uses copper connections.
In short, ISDN’s advantages outweigh the drawbacks, however, its becoming harder to utilize as phone service providers have already started phasing out copper.
ISDN Alternatives
With ISDN’s high-cost and declining accessibility, many voice over actors have turned to alternatives for remote audio connection. Source Connect is one of the most popular, but some of the other alternatives are:
ipDTL
Source Connect Now
Session Link Pro
If you are a voice actor looking for a cheaper and easier to use alternative to ISDN, these are some options worth looking into. At CMDNYC, however, we primarily use ISDN and Source Connect in our Manhattan studio.
Contact CMDNYC Today!
At CMDNYC, we are one of the few studios that still has the ability to utilize ISDN. We are also Source Connect compatible, so no matter which audio transmission method you’re most comfortable with, we are able to assist. Contact our Manhattan studio today by calling 212.213.9420.
