ADAPTING TO THE CLOUD; MARS HILL RADIO ADDS AN INTERNET SOLUTION TO THEIR SATELLITE PLATFORM • SYRACUSE, NY
Client: Mars Hill Radio
Network: Mike Dwinnell
Equipment:
• MISTiQ — IDC
An internet/cloud-based distribution that began as a simple beta test has clearly become essential to Mars Hill Network in Upstate New York.
Mars Hill, a radio network based in Syracuse, approached LinkUp with an issue. Their faith-based network operates via satellite on the International Datacasting (IDC) platform, yet one of their sites could not support a download link installation. Could we suggest a solution that could readily integrate with their current platform?
We immediately thought of the MISTiQ — IDC’s new cloud-based solution for both radio and television broadcasting. IDC’s engineering staff had shared with us great things about the MISTiQ, touting a low-delay, highly manageable, fully-encrypted internet distribution solution ideal for a range of scenarios. According to IDC, the MISTiQ can be plugged in to locations where satellite is not an option. It can also serve as the perfect back up for satellite transmissions by eliminating down time caused by sun/rain/interference outages.
With this reported flexibility in mind, we contacted the staff at IDC and asked if they would allow Mars Hill to beta test a unit at their problem site. After receiving a resounding “yes” from the Ontario-based company, the unit went live in mid-July, 2019.
WHAT THE CUSTOMER HAS TO SAY
Mike Dwinell is the Network Engineer at Mars Hill. After dealing with a what he referenced as a slight learning curve, Mike says he couldn’t be more pleased with the MISTiQ. “It (MISTiQ) is pretty easy to set up, with most of the complexity on our own firewall side.”
The MISTiQ’s performance is so positive, in fact, that Mars Hill has expanded their usage from one to four network sites. Mike reports, “It is working well, no problems for months now. If there is an issue, email alarms let me know if it goes down.” Mike continues, “In general the only problem I have had has stemmed from limited bandwidth at one site, but broadband will soon be available there, too.”
WHAT LINKUP HAS TO SAY
“We look at the MISTIQ as another effective tool in providing reliable, connectivity to our customers.” In his role as President of LinkUp Communications, Mark Johnson personally evaluates possible audio and video integration solutions. “We recommend the MISTiQ not only in locations where a downlink antenna can’t be installed, but as a back up to your existing satellite distribution system.”
Want to know more about the MISTiQ, or looking to explore other ways your company can conquer possible obstacles to your transmission? Let us know. Let’s explore possible solutions together.