Media Networking Alliance, Bothell, Washington, USA, 6 June 2017. Center-stage on the Media Networking Alliance (MNA) booth – #5991 – at this year’s InfoComm exhibition, is an extensive live demonstration of AES67 interoperability, integrating multiple, different networked audio systems.

As the professional AV industry alliance charged with promoting awareness and adoption of the AES67 open standard, the MNA regularly presents interoperability demos at trade shows, demonstrating the ability of AES67 enabled network devices, operating with any of the different AoIP networking technologies, to successfully pass digital audio between them.

The demo at InfoComm this year differs, in that it is directly analogous to a practical, real-world AoIP networking application. The demo comprises three racks of networked audio devices, running Dante, Livewire and Q-LAN respectively, effectively operating as a single AES67 network. The three racks correspond to a typical performance venue, or theater, networking scenario; with a Dante based FOH and stage monitoring solution in the auditorium, a Q-SYS based installation providing extended distribution of the audio feed throughout the wider venue, and an in-house recording / broadcast and post production facility, operating on Livewire+.

In this scenario, AES67 enables these discrete networks to leverage the same network infrastructure and the live program audio to be transmitted throughout the venue. On-stage, audio feeds are split at the stage-box, going direct to FOH and monitor consoles via Dante and simultaneously to the production facility, via AES67 / Livewire+. AES67 interoperability between Dante and Q-SYS provides for transmission of a feed from the FOH desk throughout the rest of the venue, including to BoH areas, production offices and dressing rooms, etc..

AoIP networking specialists from MNA member companies will staff the booth throughput the duration of the show, to provide one-on-one ‘walk-throughs’ and demonstrations.