The OCA Alliance will offer a sneak peek of the latest version of the AES70 device control standard at ISE 2022. AES70 is the emerging standard for control between audio equipment, offering manufacturers an easy way to implement control, both between their own devices and those of other manufacturers in an open, standardized way. The AES70-2022 release, originally intended to be released in 2021, will be upwards-compatible from the current AES70-2018 and offers several significant enhancements for new and improved features along with several documentation upgrades for increased clarity, readability and precision.
The new AES70-2022 release introduces a raft of enhancements and new features that enhance accessibility and usability, including:
Datasets – This is a mechanism for devices to exchange data blocks (datasets) with controllers. Data block size is limited only by implementation; large datasets may be stored and retrieved with ease. AES70-2022 will specifically define several types of datasets. Furthermore, manufacturers will also be able to add their own datasets as required.
Media files – Thanks to the new Datasets feature, controllers can now manage device audio file recording, playback and storage.
Logging – A new logging mechanism – also based in the Datasets feature – enables controllers to retrieve logs generated by a device, in any format and at any time.
Command sets – This is a new mechanism for storing predefined control command sequences in devices and executing them on request, at scheduled times, or at specified positions in media streams. Even complex command sets are handled with ease.
AES70-22 also includes some significant enhancements to existing functionality:
Powerful media stream connection management – This is a major improvement – managing device media streaming connections is now more powerful and easier to program and implement than ever. AES67, ST2110 and AVB/Milan audio streams may be patched using AES70, thus opening up the possibility of using your audio network as the matrix.
Connection negotiation support – There’s flexible new support for connection negotiation, the process by which controllers develop compatible transmitting and receiving settings for media stream connections.
New support for managing presets – A new mechanism for storing and recalling device presets has been implemented that is capable of handling complex devices with tens of thousands of parameters. It is easier for controllers and devices to program and supports much larger sets of stored parameters.
JSON version available – AES70-4 is a new standard that defines a JSON version of the AES70 protocol which allows control from text-based protocols. AES70-4 may be implemented instead of or alongside the existing binary protocol.
In total, the new 2022 release numbers around 40 new or enhanced features and 15 documentation upgrades, making it easier to implement and manage, and even more powerful. According to Bosch Communications senior scientist and OCA Alliance Technical Committee Chair, Jeff Berryman, AES70-2022 will provide some welcome usability improvements, making the route to adoption easier than ever.
“As with any standard, the more widely it is adopted and used, the greater the benefit to all concerned and the industry at large. The 2022 revision offers several enhancements and upgrades to make it more accessible, easier to implement while also improving performance. Combined with our recent lightweight implementation, we now have AES70 control solutions for every part of the spectrum, from the simplest to the most complex systems,” Berryman explains.
Daily presentations on the OCA Alliance booth #7-R870 at ISE 2022 will explain the new features and benefits in more detail, whilst other presentations aimed at product managers and engineers will offer insights into how to implement AES70 into their products.
Tuesday, May 10th: 4:00 pm
Wednesday, May 11th: 11:00 am
Thursday, May 12th: 4:00 pm
AES70-2022 is scheduled for release during the second quarter of 2022 and will be downloadable from the AES website.
AES70 is an open control and monitoring standard for professional audio and AV media network devices. From a single device and controller, to networks with almost any number of devices and multiple controllers, AES70 provides for powerful, high speed, low cost, robust system control and monitoring of devices from different manufacturers. AES70 can be used in conjunction with any available transport protocol (Dante, MILAN, AES67, Cobranet, etc.). Offering interoperability across different media transports and manufacturers’ devices, it enables whole new levels of complex system integration and options as to how and where network devices can be deployed. The architecture operates on commodity Ethernet networking hardware, or via standard 802.11 Wi-Fi.
Control functionality allows system professionals to change and monitor all operating parameters of a network device, including the creation and deletion of signal paths, parameter adjustments for signal processing objects, network device firmware updates and management of access control. Control can also be limited to provide simpler ‘operator’ functionality; for instance, providing just level, mute, power on/off and fault indication.
AES70 is the standard upon which the Open Control Architecture ecosystem of devices, software, development tools, and technical resources is based.
AES70 is not itself a media transport, or a means of programming a network device or system control or generating a user interface. AES70 is available free of charge to manufactures, system integrators and designers, to implement with their own and third-party network devices, as they require.
The OCA Alliance is a non-profit corporation formed to promote the AES70 standard and Open Control Architecture (OCA) ecosystem, as a control solution for professional media networking applications.
www.aes.org
www.ocaalliance.com
