OCA Micro Unveiled; Bosch and d&b audiotechnik Launch New OCA-Enabled Product

	Simon Jones, research and development manager at Focusrite Audio Engineering, with OCA micro demonstration circuit board.

At the recent InfoComm 2015 exhibition in Orlando, the OCA Alliance exhibited its "OCA MicroDemo," a "demonstration product" to prove that OCA -- a common remote control and monitoring language for digital audio networks -- can run in lightweight hardware environments. Developed jointly by OCA member companies Focusrite, Attero Tech, and Bosch, the circuit board was being shown on the alliance booth at the exhibition.

Speaking for the OCA Alliance, technology manager at Focusrite Audio Engineering, Simon Jones, who is involved with the development of OCA Micro, stated, "The OCA MicroDemo is a demonstration product being co-developed by OCA Alliance members. Its primary purpose is to prove that OCA can run well in lightweight hardware environments. At this time, MicroDemo hardware development is complete and software development will be completed later this year."

The OCA MicroDemo runs on a 120MHz Cortex M3 processor, with just 512kB of Flash memory and 128kB of SRAM, and operates via standard 10/100 BaseT Ethernet or USB 2.0 networking. Further information on the OCA MicroDemo is available from the OCA Alliance.

Alliance member companies also introduced further products featuring OCA functionality at InfoComm 2015. These included the PRS-40M14 OMNEO Interface from Bosch Communications. Part of the Bosch Praesideo digital public address and emergency voice alarm system, this is an alternative to the existing LBB4404/00 CobraNet Interface, with which it shares the same functionality, features, and price, but connects to an OMNEO or Dante network and uses OCA to provide real-time control and monitoring.

d&b audiotechnik introduced two additional OCA enabled products; the four-channel next generation 10D and 30D installation amplifiers. Commenting on the success of InfoComm 2015 for the OCA Alliance, marketing group chair, Marc Weber of d&b, said, "With further new OCA enabled products, we are looking forward to transforming part of the OCA vision into reality: the simplified integration of a voice alarm system and an entertainment audio system from multiple manufacturers."

"OCA Alliance members also conducted a further series of meetings during the exhibition with professional audio and AV manufacturers. Announcement of new member companies will be made on completion of membership applications by some of these manufacturers."