MNA members and member manufacturers will be undertaking a programme of educational and communication activities and events throughout the exhibition.
Of major interest, to AV manufacturers, integrators and end users alike, will be a live demonstration of audio networking interoperability on the MNA booth (7-X230), featuring 22 commercially available networked-audio products from 11 different manufacturers, employing various market leading audio networking technologies.
AES67-specific extensions to the different network platforms enable the common interchange of digital audio between them.
The demonstration features products from ALC NetworX, Archwave, Axia Audio, Digigram, DirectOut, Focusrite, Lawo, Merging Technologies, QSC, Solid State Logic, Telos Systems Inc. and Yamaha, between them employing Dante, Livewire, Q-LAN and RAVENNA AoIP protocols. These are a mixture of hardware devices, software products and hardware development kits, with the predominance of hardware products reflecting the accelerating trend of manufacturers readily enabling AES67 in existing network devices.
Primarily a multicast demonstration, devices are connected to a simple network with a single Ethernet switch; AES67 can transport high quality audio, via Ethernet and layer 3 network connectivity, over any VoIP capable network infrastructure.
Speaking for the MNA, Solid State Logic product manager Tom Knowles, coordinating the demonstration at ISE, says, "Following on from our first public demonstration at last year's AES show, the MNA believes it is important and impressive to demonstrate interoperability at trade shows and in other 'public' arenas, enabling manufacturers and potential end users to experience, first hand, the power and versatility of AES67."
In addition to audio transport, some of the manufacturer-specific discovery, control and monitoring functions, that augment AES67 audio interoperability and coexist on the same network, will be demonstrated.
MNA members will be on hand throughout ISE, including representatives from member companies with extensive experience of deploying AES67 in the field, to discuss all aspects of AES67 implementation and answer queries from AV industry professionals. In addition, on Wednesday 10 February at 13:00-14:00 in Room D403, Rich Zwiebel MNA chairman and vice president, systems strategy QSC, will moderate How Will AES67 Affect the Industry?, an open discussion with a panel of network audio specialists.
(Jim Evans)
