Comrex BRIC-Link II User manual
Product Manual
BRIC-Link II • June 2021
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ABOUT COMREX
Comrex has been building reliable, high-quality broadcast equipment since 1961. Our products are used daily in
every part of the world by networks, staons and program producers.
Every product we manufacture has been carefully designed to funcon flawlessly, under the harshest condions,
over many years of use. Each unit we ship has been individually and thoroughly tested.
Comrex stands behind its products. We promise that if you call us for technical assistance, you will talk directly with
someone who knows about the equipment and will do everything possible to help you.
You can contact Comrex by phone at 978-784-1776. Our toll-free number in North America is 1-800-237-1776.
Product informaon along with engineering notes and user reports are available on our website www.comrex.com.
Our email address is info@comrex.com.
WARRANTY AND DISCLAIMER
All equipment manufactured by Comrex Corporaon is warranted by Comrex against defects in material and
workmanship for one year from the date of original purchase, as verified by the return of the Warranty Registraon
Card. During the warranty period, we will repair or, at our opon, replace at no charge a product that proves to
be defecve, provided you obtain return authorizaon from Comrex and return the product, shipping prepaid, to
Comrex Corporaon, 19 Pine Road, Devens, MA 01434 USA. For return authorizaon, contact Comrex at 978-784-
1776 or fax 978-784-1717.
This Warranty does not apply if the product has been damaged by accident or misuse or as the result of service or
modificaon performed by anyone other than Comrex Corporaon.
With the excepon of the warranes set forth above, Comrex Corporaon makes no other warranes, expressed
or implied or statutory, including but not limited to warranes of merchantability and fitness for a parcular
purpose, which are hereby expressly disclaimed. In no event shall Comrex Corporaon have any liability for indirect,
consequenal or punive damages resulng from the use of this product.
I. INTRODUCTION
The Comrex BRIC-Link II is a low-cost, high-performance soluon for audio-to-IP conversion. Leveraging many of the
core technical aspects of Comrex’s successful remote broadcast ACCESS product line, the BRIC-Link II provides for
an elegant way of moving Linear or compressed audio with very low delay. BRIC-Link II may be used over a range
of IP links, is very simple to use, and doesn’t require the expense of more full-featured codecs. While it carries an
entry-level cost, BRIC-Link II maintains superb audio specificaons and hardware reliability, making the system
suitable for STLs and other mission-crical funcons.
BRIC-Link II is contained in a small desktop package. Two BRIC-Link IIs may be installed to occupy 1U of rack space.
APPLICATIONS
The BRIC-Link II is uniquely suited to point-to-point “nailed up” high-quality audio links over a variety of data
networks, like ISM band IP radios, T1s, satellite channels, WANs, and LANs. The robustness of the BRIC Normal
technology (Broadcast Reliable Internet Codec) used in the box allows the system to perform well on the public
Internet as well (using AAC or Opus compression modes).
AUDIO CODING
For users concerned about delay and coding arfacts, the BRIC-Link II offers a robust stereo or mono Linear mode
that does not compress audio. In addion, unique to real-me audio codecs, BRIC-Link II offers FLAC lossless
compression, reducing network throughput by 30-40% with absolutely transparent coding and no tandem coding
concerns. For situaons where further reduced bandwidth is desired, BRIC-Link II offers AAC/HE-AAC modes as
standard, allowing superb audio quality at dramacally reduced data rates. For compability with mobile phone
and web applicaons, BRIC-Link II also implements Opus audio compression, along with VoIP standard G.722.
TRANSMISSION MODES AND DELAY
The BRIC-Link II is a true codec, offering a full-duplex stereo encoder and decoder in each unit. When two-way
transmission is not required, the reverse channel may be disabled. The BRIC Normal technology incorporated
includes a jier buffer manager that automacally balances delay and stability, dynamically increasing and
decreasing delay based on network performance. For networks where QoS is known, these parameters may be set
to maintain a consistent level of jier buffer.
End-to-end coding delay in Linear modes is less than 25 ms. Delays when using FLAC and Opus modes are less than
30 ms. AAC modes incorporate around 100 ms total end-to-end delay while HE-AAC modes deliver around 220 ms.
In addion to coding delay, network propagaon and jier buffers will add delay to any IP link and are network
dependent.
SWITCHBOARD SERVER
Switchboard is an oponal feature available to BRIC-Link II that allows the codec to “sync” with Comrex’s cloud-
based traversal server. Switchboard facilitates connecons between codecs without any knowledge of IP addresses
on either end of a link. Switchboard traversal server allows for monitoring presence and status informaon for
all Comrex codecs in a user’s fleet, and assists with connecons through routers and firewalls that might be
difficult otherwise. Note: BRIC-Link II requires the purchase of a Switchboard Traversal Server License for use with
Switchboard.
CROSSLOCK
BRIC-Link II comes with a reliability feature called CrossLock VPN. Comrex codecs running firmware version 4.0 or
higher are compable with CrossLock. This is a transport layer that adds the following features:
• Error Correcon (ARQ and FEC);
• Dual Network support (Bonding and Redundancy modes, or oponal Network Fallback);
• Enhanced stascs and diagnoscs.
Use of CrossLock is oponal, and requires a Comrex codec running firmware version 4.0 or higher on each end
of the link. CrossLock connecons can be made via the Comrex Switchboard funcon (as menoned above) or
manually. For manual connecons, CrossLock requires extra sengs to assure connecons are only made within
your known group of codecs. Firmware version 4.3 and higher also supports CrossLock when using very data-
intensive algorithms like Linear PCM and FLAC.
Users running firmware 4.3 or higher are also able to ulize HotSwap, which is a feature of CrossLock that allows
users to designate one network in a CrossLock connecon as primary and the other network as secondary in order
to maintain connecons in the event of a primary network failure. Once configured, HotSwap will automacally
move acve connecons onto the secondary network whenever a primary network failure is detected, and then
move the connecon back once the primary network is acve again.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
HTML5
Previous firmware versions for Comrex codecs provided a web-based control page powered by Adobe Flash. As
Flash has officially reached its end-of-life and is no longer supported on web browsers, BRIC-Link II (and other
Comrex products with new firmware) now delivers web-based control using the modern HTML5 standard.
II. BRICLINK II DIAGRAMS AND INSTALLATION
1 LeAudio/AES3 Input - Accepts professional level, balanced analog audio, or if configured,
AES3 stereo digital audio for input.
2 Right Audio Input - Accepts professional level, balanced analog audio.
3 LeAudio/AES3 Output - Delivers professional level, balanced analog audio, or if configured,
AES3 stereo digital audio for output.
4 Right Audio Output - Delivers professional level, balanced analog audio.
5 Ethernet 1000baseT - Connecon for network connecons.
6 Contact Closures - Provides for 4 contact closure triggers, and 4 open-drain style contact clo-
sure outputs.
7 RS-232 - Provides serial data I/O across the IP link. Data rate is configurable.
8 Power - 4-pin connector for aachment of Comrex approved DC power adapter. Requires 15
VDC @ 1 A.
9 Card Slot - For future use.
10 USB - Used to aach a USB to Ethernet adapter, for using dual networks via CrossLock.
1
SERIAL POWER
CARD
CC
INPUTS
RL /AES3 L /AES3
OUTPUTS
R
234 56
78
910
11 Headphone Jack - 3.5 mm TRS output to monitor input audio or decoded audio (selectable via
dip switch).
12 Headphone Level Control - Allows adjustment (Up/Down) of headphone output. Pressing
both Up and Down together will immediately reset volume to minimum (no output).
13 DIP Switches - 8 individual DIP switches allow selecon of certain operaonal parameters (see
DIP Switch Sengs on page 16).
14 Le/Mono I/O Level Indicator - Tri-color LED shows lechannel input or output level.
15 Right I/O Level Indicator - Tri-color LED shows right channel input or output level.
16 Ready/Status LED - Bi-color LED shows Ethernet carrier loss (Red) or valid connecon state
(Green).
17 Reset Buon - Issues a hardware reset to the system when pressed momentarily.
MONO VS. STEREO
Because BRIC-Link II can encode and/or decode in stereo and mono modes, it’s important to understand how
the audio inputs and outputs are handled in each mode. While in stereo mode, leand right inputs and outputs
correspond to lechannel and right channel audio, respecvely. In mono mode, the audio is handled differently:
Mono Inputs
In mono encode modes, BRIC-Link II uses the lechannel of the stereo input for delivery to the mono encoder.
Mono Outputs
In mono decoder modes, mono audio is delivered to both leand right output connectors.
RESET
READY
RL
AUDIO LEVEL
11 12 14 15 16 17
13
PINOUTS BALANCED AUDIO
Stereo professional level connecons are available on the rear panel via XLR connectors for leand right input and
output. These connectors are wired as follows:
1 Ground
2 Balanced Audio +
3 Balanced Audio -
These connectors have a fixed level where a full scale signal represents +20 dBu (22 Vpp).
PINOUTS AES3
When configured via the DIP switches, the leinput and output become AES3 digital ports. The jack connectors are
wired as follows:
1 Ground
2 AES3 +
3 AES3 -
To use AES3, the front panel DIP switches must be set appropriately. AES3 input connecons can be at 32, 44.1 or
48 kHz. On the BRIC-Link II, the output audio sample rate automacally locks to the input sampling rate. If analog
input is used, (or AES3 input configured and unconnected), AES3 output is always 48 kHz.
PINOUTS SERIAL PORT
The Serial Port is pinned to match serial connecons on older Macintosh computers, so commercially available
adapter cables should have the proper pinning.
Pin # Funcon Direcon
TX Data From BRIC-Link II
Ground
RX Data To BRIC-Link II
Ground
PINOUTS CONTACT CLOSURES
Contact closures are available via the 9-pin mini-DIN connector on the rear panel of the BRIC-Link II. Inputs are
triggered by shorng the respecve input to Pin 9. Outputs consist of an open collector circuit which, when
inacve, will offer a high-impedance path to Pin 9 and, when acve, will offer a low impedance path to Pin 9. These
outputs are capable of sinking up to 200 mA at a voltage up to 12 V.
Pin Output #
Pin Output #
Pin Output #
Pin Output #
Pin Input #
Pin Input #
Pin Input #
Pin Input #
Pin Ground
DIP SWITCH SETTINGS
BRIC-Link II has a set of eight DIP switches used for audio and indicator configuraon.
DIP Switch # Funcon Default (Down)
Analog/AESInput Select Analog
Analog/AESOutput Select Analog
Audio Loopback* Disabled
Level LEDs TX/RX Select TX
Headphone out select TX/
RX
RX
6 Future Use
7-8 Factory Reset
* This funcon connects the send and receive audio together before it touches the encoder—the audio is digized
and converted back to analog, but not compressed or converted to a stream.
RESET TO FACTORY DEFAULT USING DIP SWITCHES
To factory reset your device using DIP switches, follow these steps:
1 Put DIP switches 7 & 8 up.
2 Press the RESET buon once, then wait unl the Le, Right, and Power LED flash red and
green (can take up to 40 seconds).
3 Put DIP switches 7 & 8 down.
4 Press the RESET buon once.
III. QUICK START MAKING CONNECTIONS WITH BRICLINK II
This secon skips over many of the details concerning the configuraon of remote connecons with BRIC-Link II,
and focuses instead on the minimum informaon needed to establish a connecon. BRIC-Link II connecons with
and without the use of the Switchboard server will be covered.
FINDING BRICLINK II’S IP ADDRESS
Inial IP configuraon is handled using the Comrex Device Manager soware. This program can be downloaded
from the BRIC-Link II support page of the Comrex website. As shown in Figure 3, running the Device Manager and
clicking the Scan for Devices buon will produce a list of all Comrex IP codecs found on the LAN. Refer to page 20
for more informaon about Device Manager.
LOGGING IN
Aer determining the IP Address of BRIC-Link II, open any computer’s web browser on the same network as
BRIC-Link II. Type the IP address in the browser URL to navigate to BRIC-Link II’s web interface “Login” page, as
seen in Figure 4. Log in to BRIC-Link II with any username and the default password “comrex”. Note that it is highly
recommended to change to a new password for security purposes. Refer to page 36 for more details.
MAKING CONNECTIONS
On the Web Interface, select the Connecons Tab. As seen in Figure 5, this tab will populate with a list of available
remote codecs to call. “Loopback” will connect BRIC-Link II to itself for diagnosc purposes. The next two default
Connecons will be “Comrex Lab Voice” and “Comrex Lab Music”, which are available for public test connecons
for Mono and Stereo audio respecvely. Add a new Connecon by clicking the Add new remote buon ( ) and
entering the IP address of the unit you wish to connect to. You can choose a default audio profile, or one you have
created. Refer to page 32 for informaon about creang profiles.
Find the new remote you added in the Connecons Tab and click the “Connect” buon to iniate a connecon.
You can then click the “Disconnect” buon when you are ready to end the connecon.
MAKING SWITCHBOARD CONNECTIONS
If you are using Switchboard to connect, be sure that you have purchased a Switchboard Traversal Server License,
and added your BRIC-Link II to a Switchboard account using its unique Switchboard ID (MAC address). Refer to page
58 for more informaon about seng up a Switchboard Account.
On the Web Interface, select the Connecons Tab. As seen in Figure 6, this tab will populate with a list of available
remote codecs to call. When the BRIC-Link II is “synced” with Switchboard, connecons to other codecs in a user’s
Switchboard account are simple. Go to the lisngs on the boom that appear with a “Gear” icon on the leside.
Any units with a Green Gear icon are available for Switchboard connecons. Highlight the one you want to connect
to and select the “Connect” buon on the right side of the screen to iniate a connecon.
RECEIVING INCOMING CONNECTIONS
By default, BRIC-Link II is set to automacally answer incoming connecons, whether or not Switchboard is used to
make them. Incoming connecons will appear at the top of the connecons list while they are acve. They can be
disconnected locally by highlighng them and clicking “Disconnect”.
IV. USING THE DEVICE MANAGER PROGRAM
Inial configuraon of BRIC-Link II is performed using Comrex Device Manager, a Windows- and MAC OS-
executable program that can be downloaded from the Comrex website. Device Manager is also used for applying
Firmware updates and installing licenses, such as a Switchboard Traversal Server License.
Please note: In order to configure a BRIC-Link II unit for the first me (without knowing the unit’s IP address),
Device Manager must be run on a computer located on the same network (e.g. physical LAN connecon) as the
unit itself. If this is not possible, an Ethernet crossover connecon between the BRIC-Link II and a computer should
be used for configuraon.
As shown in Figure 7, running the Device Manager and clicking the “Scan for Devices” buon will produce a list
of all Comrex devices found on the LAN. If the default password has changed, Device Manager will prompt for the
password to BRIC-Link II aer the scan.
Figure 7 shows the four tabs that appear on the right-hand pane aer Device Manager has logged in. The fourth
tab is labelled Web Configuraon. This will open a simplified setup interface for BRIC-Link II called Toolbox. The
Toolbox interface allows for configuraon of several opons including the Ethernet port. Log in to Toolbox with any
username, using the correct password (default = comrex).
Once logged into Toolbox, choose the Network/Admin/CrossLock opon and then choose Set up Ethernet. Choose
the Ethernet port that appears in the list, which will look like Figure 8.
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