Reliable signal distribution is essential for every broadcaster. For Christian Milling and the team at Milling Broadcast Services, the challenge was to build a distribution network that not only delivers high quality audio, but also remains flexible in the event of technical failures.
As part of a project for the Lower Saxony State Media Authority, Milling Broadcast Services delivers the audio signals of 11 non commercial local and community radio stations from their individual studios to the central handover point in Usingen. From there, the DAB+ platform operator distributes the signals into the respective multiplexes.
Instead of following a conventional workflow, the team chose a different approach. Audio is transported as linear PCM from each studio to the central handover point, where DAB+ encoding is performed using MoIN. At the studio locations, IP-4c devices provide reliable audio transport while MoIN serves as a scalable software platform for central encoding.
According to Christian Milling, this architecture was primarily chosen to improve resilience.
„If a component in the studio fails, or if the studio itself becomes unavailable because of a power outage or another emergency, many conventional systems would simply result in silence on air. By performing the encoding close to the multiplexer, we can switch to alternative sources within seconds, whether that is another studio, a backup stream or an emergency audio file.“
Keeping the audio uncompressed until the central handover point also makes it much easier to react to unexpected situations without rebuilding the distribution chain.
The flexibility of the setup has also proven valuable beyond DAB+. After winning a recent tender, Milling Broadcast Services expanded the same IP-4c infrastructure to provide FM signal distribution as well.
„There was no need for additional hardware or unnecessary complexity. We activated the required functionality with just a few clicks and now use the same infrastructure for both DAB+ and FM distribution. Technologies such as SRT ensure stable and reliable transmission.“
When asked why the company selected 2wcom, Christian points to a combination of innovation, flexibility and long term support.
„The technical challenges of 2026 cannot be solved with concepts from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Unfortunately, many of those approaches are still common in our industry. At 2wcom, we work with people who are open to new ideas and continuously develop their products. Excellent support and included software updates make that partnership even stronger.“
For Milling Broadcast Services, the project demonstrates how a modern IP based architecture can improve reliability, simplify expansion and prepare broadcasters for future requirements without adding unnecessary technical complexity.