Ravenna is a technology for real-time distribution of audio and other media content in IP-based network environments that continues to gain wide industry support, mainly because it uses standardized network protocols and technologies, and the fact that it can operate on existing network infrastructures. Its market adoption is being fostered by its compatibility with other industry standards including AES67 (allowing interchange with Dante) and ST 2110. Ravenna is designed to meet the strict requirements of the pro audio market featuring low latency, full signal transparency and high reliability, the reason why it was awarded with a Technology and Engineering Emmy in 2020.
ALC NetworX, the R&D company established in Munich, Germany, to develop the Ravenna technology platform and offer implementation support, is closely tied with standards organizations and industry alliances (e.g. AES, AIMS, AMWA, SMPTE and others), ensuring the close alignment of Ravenna with the audio industry. While ALC NetworX continues to keep the lead role in the Ravenna technology development, product implementations are executed by individual partner companies, such as Archwave (now part of Riedel), DirectOut, Genelec, Lawo, Merging, Riedel, Ross Video and many others.
Recently, ALC NetworX announced a refresh of the Ravenna website, sporting a new, more modern look and feel, with easier access to information and resources concerning all things that relate to Ravenna, including standards information, use cases, webinars and other resources.
The Ravenna website is already the single most comprehensive resource in the world for AES67, and the new site aims to provide the same level of information for SMPTE ST 2110. While still it its infancy, the new SMPTE ST 2110 section already offers a wealth of information and illustrative diagrams on what it is and why it’s useful, along with use cases, application examples and much more. Over time this information will become increasingly granular as we delve further into the subject.
Furthermore, a new feature due for rollout in the coming weeks is a searchable Ravenna product database; interested parties will be able to search for products by manufacturer, product name and product type. A sneak preview of how this will look is already available for selected products from various RAVENNA partners.
As with the previous site, access to certain tools and resources will require users to log in – please note that even users who had accounts on the previous site will be required to re-register on the new one for reasons of data privacy protection.
Ravenna Evangelist Andreas Hildebrand of ALC NetworX is proud to unveil the new site. “We’ve spent a lot of time going through every single bit of information on the old site to make sure that everything that has been transferred to the new site is fully up to date and relevant. We’ve also worked hard on developing the new section on SMPTE ST 2110, which we hope will eventually become the industry standard resource that we have created – and continue to develop - for AES67. I’m also looking forward to the product database rollout in a few weeks, as that’s a first for us, and should be a useful resource for anyone looking for Ravenna/AES67-enabled products for their projects.”
Expanded Partner Network
The most recent member of the Ravenna parent network is a British company that for over 20 years supported other audio manufacturers with systems integration and custom solutions. Based on this experience the Nixer Pro Audio brand was launched in 2017, building on the highly successful PD Dante, a portable 64-channel Dante network diagnostic, control and audio monitoring solution. Based in Dunstable in the UK, Nixer's product range now extends to multiple Audio over IP monitoring and diagnostics tools, supporting both Dante but also AES67, Ravenna and ST 2110.
Nixer's founder and CEO Nick Fletcher has an impressive pedigree in product design and development, having spent over 30 years designing and building equipment, including over a decade as director of R&D at Cadac.
“We already have a number of products built on the Dante protocol, but our new RL Series (pictured above, launched in June 2021) was specifically designed to have RAVENNA capability in response to requests from customers within the broadcast market,” explains Fletcher.
The RL Series is a range of 1U rack-mounted AoIP mixing and monitoring units available in 64, 128, 192 and 256-channel versions, configurable at purchase to be either Ravenna or Dante. Units allow two modes of operation: a mixing mode which can mix up to 256 channels at 48kHz (128 channels at 96kHz) plus a microphone input (via headphone connector) and AES input to create a 259-into-2 mixer; alternatively, it can be set into a simple listen mode where touching a channel instantly routes to the L/R output and cancels any previous selection.
An elegantly simple menu system offers rapid, easy and intuitive access to all the unit’s features via a touchscreen interface and the high-resolution screen is easy to read, presenting the user with comprehensive metering, routing and status information.
“Given that Ravenna is now an integral part of our product range, becoming a Ravenna partner seemed the logical option in order to keep ourselves and customers updated on all Audio-over-IP developments,” observes Fletcher.
"I am glad to welcome Nixer Pro Audio to our ranks, particularly in light of the fact that their broadcast customers have specifically requested Ravenna capability. It is testament to the fact that when only the highest audio quality will suffice, the choice for audio transport has to be Ravenna, and I am sure that Ravenna capability will be implemented in many more Nixer Pro Audio products in the future,” comments Andreas Hildebrand.
www.nixerproaudio.com
www.ravenna-network.com
