Intercom Goes Real-Time Ethernet with Riedel AVB Solutions

Connecting intercom panels over an Ethernet-based LAN environment has been the dream of many system planers. But issues inherent to IP like latency, reliability and missing synchronization prevented them from doing so. Riedel’s AVB product line overcomes these issues and provides a real-time communication solution fulfilling the demands of professional intercom users. Based on official IEEE next generation Ethernet standards like 802.1Qav, P802.1Qat and P802.1AS, AVB allows risk-free utilization of AVB compliant facility or enterprise LAN infrastructure for intercom applications. This allows for new approaches in system and facility design providing significant savings in infrastructure investments.

Intercom applications for Riedel’s AVB products feature matrix-to-control panel connections via LAN, audio distribution via LAN, matrix-to-matrix trunking connections via LAN and distribution of digital partylines via LAN.

The Riedel suite of AVB products includes the AVB-108 G2 Client Card and Connect AVBx8 panel interfaces. The AVB-108 G2 card is a regular Artist client card to be used inside the Artist mainframe. It converts eight Artist matrix ports into AVB and vice versa. The AVB-108 G2 client card communicates either with other AVB-108 G2 client cards in another Artist systems, e.g. for trunking, or with Riedel’s Connect AVBx8 panel interface.

Connect AVBx8 converts eight AES signals to AVB and vice versa. Built in a compact 9.5”/1RU housing the device provides eight CAT5 ports to connect up to eight Artist control panels in one or two-channel mode to the matrix via IP-based LANs. Connect AVBx8 is the perfect team-mate for Riedel’s AVB-108 G2 eight channel AVB client card.

About AVB
Audio Video Bridging (AVB), also known as Ethernet AVB, is the common name for the set of technical standards developed by the IEEE 802.1 Audio Video Bridging Task Group. Ethernet AVB adds latency guarantees and bandwidth reservation for media streams to the existing Ethernet protocols. Ethernet AVB requires AVB-compatible Ethernet hardware (switches & NICs) but remains backward compatible with existing Ethernet standards. This means that only the sections of a network that are supposed to send or receive AVB streams need to be updated to AVB compatible hardware. Unlike IEEE 1588 PTP based standards, AVB includes a stream reservation protocol, allowing one to use the same network infrastructure for IP-services (e.g. fileserver access, corporate network) and communications without risking delays or a loss of audio.

AVB Standards
Ethernet AVB is built upon a basis of three major standards:
·    802.1Qav specifies queuing and forwarding rules that shape the traffic to avoid bottlenecks at any bridge or end station.
·    P802.1Qat: defines the stream reservation protocol that sets up the path allowing a stream to go across the AVB cloud.
·    P802.1AS allows microsecond accurate time synchronization across all AVB nodes. Media is packetized following the IEEE P1733 and IEEE P1722 standards.

About AVnu Alliance
The IEEE 802.1 Audio Video Bridging standards are promoted by AVnu Alliance, which is formed and supported by major brands including Analog Devices, Avid, Barco, Biamp Systems, Bosch, Broadcom, Cisco Systems, ClearOne, Extreme Networks, Focusrite, Harman International, Intel Corporation, Lab X Technologies, LOUD Technologies, Marvell, Meyer Sound Laboratories, Peavey, PreSonus, Renesas Electronics, Riedel Communications, Sennheiser, Shure, TC Group, Texas Instruments, UMAN, Vitesse Semiconductor, Xilinx, XMOS, Yamaha and others.

About Riedel
Riedel Communications designs, manufactures and distributes the most pioneering real-time networks for video, audio and communications for broadcast, pro-audio, event, sports, theatre and security applications worldwide. The products reflect today’s leading-edge technologies that translate tomorrow's demands into today's solutions. The company also provides rental services for radio and intercom systems, event IT solutions as well as fiber-based and wireless audio & video transmission systems for large-scale events such as the Olympic Games or the FIFA World Cup. The Company was founded in 1987 and today employs over 300 people located within 10 locations in Europe, Australia, Asia and North America.