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XS [video compression standard] will improve compatibility and efficiency in AVoIP workflows.” Satisfying hybridisation is likely to be one of the greatest ongoing priorities for vendors and service providers. “The primary challenge will be hybrid models in which customers want the benefits of the cloud, but also low-latency requirements for camera workflows requiring local processing,” Bruce notes. In terms of specific applications and environments, interviewees cited a host of sectors where they expect to see continued adoption of AVoIP – including corporate, education and houses of worship. However, in light of challenging economic conditions, rising ticket prices, as well as a swathe of mergers and acquisitions in the touring and rental market, the outlook for live music currently seems a little harder to call. “We are focused on premium audio solutions, so we’re not chasing the live market specifically,” Fraser comments. “Live saw a big post-Covid boom, but the area that’s been growing steadily for over a decade is integration, public spaces, houses of worship and other fixed installs.” Fraser also points out that whether or not a venue adopts AVoIP often comes down to budget, mindset and whether it’s a new build or retrofit. “In our experience, new venues tend to go with networked infrastructure. It cuts down on copper, simplifies the cabling and positions them as forward-thinking. The main challenges mostly come up in retrofits – where you have an existing speaker system and amp room, and people don’t want to rerun cables or move hardware around.” Nonetheless, the trajectory for AVoIP in live and other pro AV sectors is plain to see. As the product ecosystem expands, so will the strength of the argument for moving away from legacy connectivity towards the flexibility of IP-based configurations. With automation set to make certain aspects of deployment even simpler and more maintenance- light, the next decade will surely be every bit as transformational as the last one.
when they are received or distributed – whether to rightsholders, broadcast partners or online streaming platforms.” Adamson, however, takes a different approach. Asked whether it aims to be ‘as agnostic as possible’ with regard to network technologies, Fraser responds: “No. We were one of the first and earliest advocates for AVB, going back to 2011. We built our own proprietary AVB stack, and later updated it to match the Milan working group requirements. We’ve had a fully redundant AVB stack in place since launching the CS Series in 2020.” The CS Series is a range of intelligent loudspeakers with on-board amplification, DSP and Milan-certified AVB connectivity. Around the same time, Adamson also released a series of rack-mounted processing and power units, including the Gateway, a 16x16 matrix operable with Milan, AES/EBU and analogue; plus the Bridge – a converter that lets users integrate systems with older amplification that may not support modern Milan AVB. As for Dante, “the only reason that Dante is available to some of our users was because of earlier products, such as the pairing with Lab Gruppen PLM+ and D Series amplifiers, which have Dante capability,” says Fraser. “The only product we manufacture that works within the Dante infrastructure is a version of our Fletcher Machine [a reference-class spatial rendering system for applications requiring immersive mixing]. As a result, the immersive engine is sold with two different options – as an AVB/MADI interface or as a Dante interface.” With the availability of AVB Milan switches improving, and costs of implementation gradually reducing, Fraser agrees that the technology is witnessing a resurgence of interest. “I might be a little optimistic, but I think if you’re using one of the top-tier loudspeaker systems and networked audio, you’re probably using Milan. Most Milan-supporting manufacturers, including us, have built patching tools into their software. “Ours, Array Intelligence, includes a Milan patcher page that works like a familiar matrix interface. Once it’s set up, devices remember their patching assignments until you change it. As long as you’re aware of things like switch hops, there’s not much to worry about.” NEXT STEPS Considering other aspects of the AVoIP outlook, Bruce confirms that AI-driven automation – ‘which means faster production cycles’ – and cloud-based scalability are set to have a profound effect: “AI-powered tools will improve real-time video processing, automated quality control and other aspects of live events – making them more dynamic and accessible. “Meanwhile, the shift to cloud infrastructure will enable remote production for the broadcast markets and extend into pro AV with flexible and cost-efficient operations. I also think that adopting ST 2110 and JPEG
Costa Nikols, M&E strategy advisor for Telos Alliance, does not hesitate when asked about the aspects of IP development that have really surprised him during the last ten years – and many of them relate to the further minimisation of latency. “If I look back ten years to how video and audio would be encoded, and the applications that you could work with because of bandwidth limitations, you would be using compression – often you still do. But instead of adding hundreds of milliseconds, you could potentially be adding seconds,” he says. “That is doable for interviews, but think about something like remote production – for instance, when you need to control an interface or devices like a production switch or replay system remotely. It would be almost unusable having even 200 or 300ms of latency. “So one of the most remarkable things that has happened is that IT technologies have come to allow for the wrapping, compressing, unwrapping and round-trip efficiency in an acceptable amount of time. To an operator that is working on a production remotely, it’s almost seamless. And that is a big leap in terms of where we were ten years ago. “You’re probably better off with a latency of between 80 and 120ms, but somewhere between 150 and 200ms is certainly usable. To have that kind of capability has made [AVoIP applicable] in so many other areas.” LOWERING LATENCY: UNLOCKING IP POTENTIAL
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