AVB (Audio Video Bridging) or “basic” Ethernet of tomorrow.
AVB replaces traditional analog AV networks and proprietary digital systems with standards-based Ethernet. AVB (Audio/Video Bridging) is a set of AV networking open standards protocol and is compliant with IEEE standards.
An AVB network has three major components:
• Endpoints — examples, microphones, iPods
• Controller — Extreme Networks switcher such as the Summit® X440
• AVB switches
Audio Video Bridging (AVB) is a common name for the set of technical standards developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Audio Video Bridging Task Group of the IEEE 802.1standards committee. The charter of this organization is to “provide the specifications that will allow time-synchronized low latency streaming services through IEEE 802 networks”.[1] These consist of:
IEEE 802.1AS: Timing and Synchronization for Time-Sensitive Applications (gPTP),
IEEE 802.1Qat: Stream Reservation Protocol (SRP),
IEEE 802.1Qav: Forwarding and Queuing for Time-Sensitive Streams (FQTSS), and
IEEE 802.1BA: Audio Video Bridging Systems
IEEE 802.1Qat and 802.1Qav are amendments to the base IEEE 802.1Q document, which specifies the operation of “Media Access Control (MAC) Bridges and Virtual Bridged Local Area Networks”, which are implemented by network devices typically called Ethernet switches.
To help ensure interoperability between devices that implement the AVB standards, the AVnu Alliance develops device certification for the automotive, consumer, and professional audio and video markets.
In Biamp Tesira acts as a gateway between the talker (input such as microphones), a listener, output such as speakers. Biamp Tesira DSP acts as both a talker and listener.
AVB is built into the chips (silicon) that Intel and other semi conducting companies makes and a set of standards, software, and protocol standards that as been approved by IEEE.
AVnu (http://avnu.org) is leading the adoption of open standards-based AV networking.
Members include major automotive, and professional AV companies such as Biamp
Biamp Tesira has AVB modulars for digital audio networking cards.
The digital audio card allowing up to 420 x 420 channels of interconnectivity over AVB from any other compliant devices. Tesira uses AVB as the interconnect between server devices and remote expander devices.
Where most common ethernet signals are not organize very well, AVB adds “Traffic Shaping” and “Time Synchronization” to better manage data throughput. Their is no need for IT to manually configure a switcher for quality of service (QoS). All of the different types of data on a AVB network knows of each other and manages the traffic dynamically.
With Bandwidth Reservation Protocol AVB networks are able to:
– Enables the cloud to self-manage its bandwidth allocations.
– Talkers/ Listeners request permission before streams are allowed to flow.
-The cloud guarantees a portion of the bandwidth will be available for legacy traffic.
– Priority-based reservations.
Also, AVB is able to give Priority to Based Reservations data, with a
emergency “Bit”.
When you add additional AVB devices (adding additional Tesira AVB cards/ server) the
devices does auto discovery. The controllers (Extreme Networks AVB switchers) learns
more about devices of interest and configure them automatically.
IT, Should you be worrying….Quality control is baked right into the silicon ?
The Unified AV Network
Infocomm 2013
AVB for AV Network Engineers
Chris Pane, Lab X Technologies Chris.pane@labxtechnologies.com Jeff Koftinoff, Meyer Sound jeffk@meyersound.com
Download the AVB for AV Network Engineers PDF
https://www.dropbox.com/s/d0r2tfa6xmkvmvt/AVB%20Technical%20Overview.pdf
