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42
The Bleeding Edge
Networking for a
Successful Career
The editors of FOH recently received an
interesting e-mail from a gentleman
who informed us that he was a university
student studying computer programming and
networking, and that he also did live sound on
a part-time basis. He wanted to know if we had
any ideas about how he might be able to apply
his knowledge in the computer field to audio,
enabling him to combine his two interests as
a career. If this question was raised barely 10
or 12 years ago, the answer to that question
would be an emphatic “no.” However, we’ve
seen a long-term trend that goes something
like this: Computer hardware and software
developers create technology for moving data
from place to place, and then the audio industry
adapts that technology for use in moving
audio from place to place.
The prime example of this trend is Ethernet.
The computer industry developed
Ethernet as an efficient means of data sharing,
whereby users can visit a common area
(server) for uploading and downloading files,
or simply dropping a file onto a coworker’s
desktop. The grunt work of Ethernet — the
development of cabling, connectors, routers,
etc. — had already been done, and the computer
industry absorbed the expense. In fact,
Ethernet really doesn’t discriminate against
any type of data, though as you’d expect,
moving large files (video for example) via Ethernet
can be a time-consuming process.
A Plethora of Pipelines EDGE
Needless to say, Ethernet has been a
smash hit. The audio industry realized that we
could use Ethernet infrastructure (i.e. the connection
devices and cabling) to route audio.
One of the first audio companies to employ
this concept was QSC with their RAVE (Route
Audio Via Ethernet) products, and CobraNet
from Peak Audio. The CobraNet protocol is
open to any manufacturer who wishes to license
the technology for use in their gear and
can carry 64 channels of 48 kHz/20-bit audio
plus control data over a single CAT-5 cable.
Though most audio networking protocols are
mutually exclusive, similar connectivity technology
is used for a variety of audio networks
from various manufacturers including Aviom
A-Net, BSS Soundweb, EtherSound, Harman’s
HiQnet, Crown’s IQ Network, Hear Technology’s
HearNet, Peavey MediaMatrix, REAC
(Roland Ethernet Audio Communication) and
Yamaha mLAN. Each of these networks is a
world unto its own, but (with the exception
of mLAN, which is based on IEEE 1394) they
share Ethernet infrastructure: cables, connectors,
hubs, routers, etc. In spite of the fact that
they are transporting audio, connection and
setup of these networks is much more akin to
creating a computer network, and more than
ever computer-savvy operators, or rather
network-savvy operators, are needed to configure
them.
The networks mentioned above are used
to send and receive digital audio, but other audio-related
networks are designed to provide
network control and monitoring over a variety
of audio devices such as power amplifiers, PA
system processors or even reverb units. As an
example, Crown's original IQ network is a digitally
controlled network for remote control
and monitoring of power amplifiers. HiQnet
from Harman is a communications protocol
shared by Harman Pro brands including AKG,
BSS Crown, dbx, JBL, Lexicon, Soundcraft and
NOVEMBER 2008 www.fohonline.com
Studer. Entire HiQnet audio systems may be
configured and controlled using Harman Pro’s
System Architect software.
There are probably as many power amplifier
network protocols as there are power
amplifier manufacturers including Lab.gruppen’s
NomadLink, CAMCO Adaptive Intelligence
(CAI), Crest NexSys, Crown TCP/IQ,
Powersoft PowerControl, QSC’s QSControl.
net, Peavey’s MediaMatrix and Yamaha’s
NetworkAmp Manager. Most of these networks
are designed to control and monitor
the amps remotely. A computer that is connected
to the network can “look” at each amp,
running an application that shows a variety of
information about each amp on the network
including such parameters as input attenuation,
mute, channel polarity, output voltage,
clipping, temperature and power status. It
won’t be long before just about every piece
of audio gear will have a network port, much
like we saw with the evolution of MIDI.
New Age, New Skills EDGE
So what does this mean for a person who
has skills in computer networking and pro audio?
It opens the door to a multitude of possibilities.
While it’s doubtful that a corporate
“PA-on-a-stick” gig will employ networking, a
large-scale tour with high-powered PA using
multi-amplification and digital system processing
will require a network-literate engineer
for configuration and implementation.
Installed systems are another area where
network control and monitoring is becoming
the norm and not the exception. PA systems
By SteveLaCerra
that are used in amusement parks and sports
arenas routinely employ audio networking,
especially since it’s easy to have “extra” CAT-
5 cable pulled through walls and ceilings
along with the requisite cable that’s going
Computer developers create technology for moving data, and
then the audio industry adapts that technology to move audio.
into place for the facility’s computer network
anyway. Keep in mind that existing facilities
are more open to the concept of a new audio
system installed via network as opposed
to conventional copper multipair, which is
expensive, bulky and hard to pull through
walls and ceilings. Audio by network may also
be preferred in casino showrooms where the
house does not want visitors getting into the
system parameters. It’s easy to lock snoopers
out of a system when the rack gear doesn’t
have any front-panel controls and requires a
computer to access parameters.
The future of the audio industry is going
to require a network protocol standard
so that devices from different manufacturers
can talk to each other, much in the manner
that MIDI became a communication protocol
for synths. There is a huge variety of network
formats from competing manufacturers, none
of which can talk to each other, and none of
them are free and open as are most successful
standards in the audio industry. A networking
standard would benefit our entire industry
and needs to be developed by someone who
is literate in both the audio and computer
worlds. How ‘bout that?
Steve”Woody” La Cerra is still out on tour mixing
front-of-house for Blue Öyster Cult. He can be
reached via email at Woody@fohonline.com.
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