Digital Audio Interfacing and Networking 1511
39.15 Dante
A new entry into the digital audio networking world is
Dante from Audinate. Unlike the other real-time digital
audio networking protocols, Dante makes use of the
new IEEE 1588 real-time clocking standard to solve
many of the issues facing those who would use Ethernet
for audio transport. Dante also uses the standard
UDP/IP data transport standards. This allows it to use
standard Ethernet ports on a computer, for example,
instead of requiring dedicated hardware to interface a
computer to the audio network. Dante supports multiple
latencies, sampling rates, and bit depths in the same
network.
39.16 QSC
QSC Audio has introduced a new Ethernet-based digital
audio networking scheme in some of its new products.
It allows standard Ethernet ports on a computer to serve
as audio transport ports, and does not require dedicated
hardware for audio I/O. It is designed to take full advan-
tage of Gigabit Ethernet and other advances in Ethernet
technology, and to stay fully compatible with Ethernet
as it evolves. Among the advantages it brings to audio
networking are high channel counts, low latency, and
the ability to operate over many switch hops. It uses
automatic configuration techniques to greatly simplify
the process of setting up an audio network and make it
fast and easy.
References
- AES-2id-2006—AES information document for digital audio engineering—Guidelines for the use of the AES3
interface.
- AES3-2003—AES Recommended Practice for Digital Audio Engineering—Serial transmission format for
two-channel linearly represented digital audio data.
- AES-3id-2001 (r2006)—AES information document for Digital audio engineering—Transmission of AES3 for-
matted data by unbalanced coaxial cable.
- AES5-2003—AES recommended practice for professional digital audio—Preferred sampling frequencies for
applications employing pulse-code modulation.
- AES10-2003—AES Recommended Practice for Digital Audio Engineering—Serial Multichannel Audio Digital
Interface (MADI).
- AES11-2003—AES Recommended Practice for digital audio engineering—Synchronization of digital audio
equipment in studio operations.
- AES18-1996 (r2002)—AES Recommended practice for digital audio engineering —Format for the user data
channel of the AES digital audio interface.
- AES42-2006—AES standard for acoustics—Digital interface for microphones.
- IEC 60958-1 Ed3—Digital audio interface—Part 1 General.
- IEC 60958-2 Ed3—Digital audio interface—Part 2 Serial copy management system.
- IEC 60958-3 Ed3—Digital audio interface—Part 3 Consumer applications.
- IEC 60958-4 Ed3—Digital audio interface—Part 4 Professional applications.
- IEEE Std. 802.3, 2000 edition—Part 3: Carrier sense multiple access with collision detection (CSMA/CD)
access method and physical layer specifications.
- AES3-1992: The Revised Two-Channel Digital Audio Interface, by Robert A. Finger, J. Audio Engi. Soc., Vol.
40, no. 3, March 1992.
- Twisted Pair Cables for AES/EBU Digital Audio Signals, by D. G. Kirby, J. Audio Engi. Soc., Vol. 43, no. 3,
March 1995.
- Controlling and Monitoring Audio Systems with Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), preprint 4760
(A-1), by Kevin P. Gross and Tom Holtzen, presented at the 105th AES Convention 1998 September 26–29, San
Francisco, CA.
- CobraNet® Technology Datasheet—11 April 2001—Version 1.1—Kevin Gross—Peak Audio.
- Digital Audio Networking Demystified, by Brent Harshbarger, Pro A/V Magazine, 2007-08-01
