Audinate Announces Support for AES67 Standard

Audinate announces that it plans to incorporate AES67 transport in its Dante media networking solution. Dante has rapidly become a market leader and media networking solution for audio networking.

The new AES67 standard provides interoperability recommendations for professional quality audio networking in the areas of synchronization, media clock identification, network transport, encoding and streaming, and session description. The AES67 standard was published by the Audio Engineering Society in September 2013.

Dante is a media networking solution designed for high-quality AV streaming. The A/V industry has embraced Dante the company says, because it is easy to set-up, delivers a broad and robust feature set, and is the most interoperable networking solution available. "Audinate does not see networking protocols as competing technologies but more like tools in a media networking toolbox. From the beginning, Audinate has incorporated and built upon standards to develop the Dante solution," stated Aidan Williams CTO Audinate. Williams adds, "AES67 will provide another option for interoperable Layer-3/IP-based audio networks in the future."

Dante already implements a Layer-3/IP-based transport but AES67 will provide an alternative open standard using the real-time transport protocol (RTP) developed by the internet engineering task force (IETF). To achieve interoperability, AES67 mandates a specific RTP payload format for delivering audio over IP networks as well as methods for exchanging information about audio streams. RTP is already used extensively in communication and entertainment systems that involve streaming media such as VoIP telephony, video conferencing, and IP television. As Dante can do today, RTP is also a routable L3 transport, so it is possible to send synchronized audio over multiple subnets for routed campus networked applications.

Dante is primarily built on standards. AES67 will meet customer's desire to use an open IP based transport option as part of the Dante solution. AES67 can take advantage of Ethernet switches with IEEE-1588 precision time protocol support, but unlike some other network standards, does not depend on specialized switches in order to operate.

Audinate's announcement already is endorsed by an extensive group of major pro-audio OEMs. Bosch has selected Dante for it networking technology in its OMNEO networked products. "Bosch Communications Systems has always been strong supporter of open media networking standards," says Bill Scott, vice president of engineering and technology. "We are pleased Dante will incorporate AES67 as a transport option in the future, to meet our customer desire to have an open IP Layer-3, based solution."

"Yamaha has selected Dante for several products as the default networking solution due to its automatic discovery of devices, descriptive text-based labeling, audio channel routing, control and monitoring, and its high proven and scalable networking," stated Terry Holton general manager at Yamaha R&D Center from Yamaha Commercial Audio. "By adding AES67 support, this re-affirms our decision that Dante was the right networking choice for future-proofing media networks."

Focusrite, a provider of recording solutions and audio distribution platforms, has created Focusrite/Rednet with Dante as it flagship modular Ethernet networked audio interface. Focusrite/Rednet is designed with multiple audio applications in mind, from live sound rigs, to multi-room recording studios, houses of worship, audio distribution installation, and post-productions. Rob Jenkins, technical director at Focusrite Audio Engineering added "Dante can interoperate with the largest ecosystem of pro-audio equipment, and having AES67 will extend that capability even further."

Solid State Logic recently launched its first Dante networked product at IBC 2013. "Solid Stale Logic fully support Audinate's plan to provide an AES67 option for Dante devices." states Niall Feldman, SSL director of new products. "Interoperability was a primary decision in SSL adopting Dante for Network I/O products and we are pleased the addition of AES67 will add further devices to the 100's of compatible products already available."

Audinate will deliver the AES67 support as firmware update to OEMs in initial Dante products within 12 months. Dante is now adopted by over 130 OEMs, as the company says it is the most interoperable, easy to use audio networking platform.