133rd AES Convention Introduces Networked Audio Track

	Tim Shuttleworth, 133rd AES Convention networked audio track chair

Networked audio presents a host of technological and operational advantages, and an equal number of workflow issues and potential quagmires. 133rd AES Convention co-chair Jim McTigue reports that networked audio track chair, Tim Shuttleworth's collaboration with the late Nathan Brock has produced a comprehensive program of workshops designed to ameliorate many of these concerns.

"Before his untimely death this summer, Nathan Brock was an international leader in the field of networked audio," McTigue said. "We mourn his loss, but his collaboration with Tim Shuttleworth will stand as an invaluable addition to the AES Convention. Tim Shuttleworth, is a master engineer with a special focus on high performance analog and networked audio. During the course of his 30+-year association with the AES he has served in many key roles including editing the emerging trends report for the AES technical committee on networked audio systems."

Networked audio track workshops include:

Audio Network Device Connection And Control: Chair, Richard Foss, Rhodes University; Panel: Jeff Koftinoff, MeyerSound; Robby Gurdan , UMAN; Andreas Hildebrand, ALC NetworX; Kieran Walsh, Audinate -- Leading industry experts will demonstrate how they have enabled the discovery of audio devices on local area networks, their connection management, and control over their various parameters. Issues related to streaming audio, such as bandwidth management and synchronization, and connection management and control protocols will be discussed.

The Unified AV Network: Chair Rob Silfvast, AVID -- This panel discussion will provide an overview of the AVnu Alliance, a consortium of audio and video product makers and core technology companies. Committed to delivering an interoperable open standard for audio/video, networked connectivity, AVnu offers a logo-testing program that allows products to become certified for interoperability. Representatives from several different member companies will provide insights about AVB technology and participation in the AVnu Alliance.

Interoperability Issues In Audio Transport Over IP Based Networks: Chair, Tim Shuttleworth; Panel: Lee Minich, Lab X Technologies/AVnu Alliance; Kevin Gross, AVA Networks/AES X-192; Sonja Langhans, IRT Munich; Greg Shay, Telos/Axia -- This workshop will focus on two key areas of audio/media transport over IP based networks: Multichannel audio distribution over Ethernet LANs for low latency, high reliability interconnections in home, automobile, and commercial environments; and, the interoperability of audio contribution, over Internet protocol (ACIP and ACIP2). These issues will be addressed, from both the European and US perspectives. Issues include challenges and solutions in achieving reliable content distribution.

Audio Networks -- Paradigm Shift For Broadcasters: Chair, Stefan Ledergerber, Lawo, Germany; Panel: Sonja Langhans, IRT Munich; Andreas Hildebrand, ALC Networx; Lee Minich, Lab X Technologies/AVnu alliance; Greg Shay, Telos/Axia; Kevin Gross, AVA Networks/AES X-192 -- With the emergence of a variety of audio networking technologies, many broadcast organization workflow-related questions remain unanswered. This panel will address a number of these hot topics e.g. Will traditional cross-point, matrix switches (routers) be replaced by networks? Which component will deal with signal processing, currently accomplished within audio routers? Which department is best equipped for handling audio networks: audio or IT? And, how do we educate personnel to deal with audio networks?

Error-Tolerant Audio Coding: Chair, David Trainor, CSR; Panelists: Gary Spittle, Dolby; Deepen Sinha, ATC Labs (tbc) and Juergen Herre, Fraunhofer IIS (tbc) -- Two key, observable trends are: The increasing delivery of real-time audio services over the Internet or cellular networks; and, the variable capacity and reliability of these networks for real-time audio streaming. This workshop will discuss the capabilities of error-tolerant audio coding algorithms and, recent advances in the state of the art.

Open IP Protocols For Audio Networking: Chair: Kevin Gross, CobraNet, QSC -- This tutorial will address the conundrum resulting from the networking and telecommunication industry's multiplicity of protocols for carriage of audio and video over IP networks. These protocols have been widely deployed for telephony and teleconferencing applications, Internet streaming, and cable television. A variety of these protocols and their capabilities and limitations will be addressed. Including: IP, VoIP, IPTV, HTTP streaming, Real-time transport protocol (RTP), RTCP, and RTSP, and IEEE 1588 Precision time protocol (PTP). An overview of AES standards work, X192, adapting these protocols to high-performance audio applications will also be presented.

"We have attempted to make this initial networked audio track as timely and inclusive as possible," Shuttleworth said. "Attendees will find invaluable information here. And in keeping with the AES goal for the convention to serve as a forum to 'Listen, Learn, and Connect,' the opportunities for traditional networking and information exchange will be manifest."