MNA joins leading broadcast industry bodies in staging IP Showcase at IBC

Media Networking Alliance, Bothell, Washington, USA, 1 September 2017. The Media Networking Alliance (MNA) – the non-profit trade association, established to promote the adoption of the AES67 standard – is a visible presence at IBC2017; the key activities of the alliance and its members centering on the IP Showcase (Room E.106) and the exhibition floor.

Following its successful participation in staging the IP Showcase at NAB this year, the MNA is once again an official partner – together with the AES, AIMS, AMWA, EBU, IABM, SMPTE, and VSF – in the IP Showcase at IBC2017. The MNA’s direct involvement in organizing this event highlights the role of AES67 in defining the audio element of the new SMPTE ST 2110 suite of standards for real-time media transport over IP, acknowledging the rapid and widespread adoption of AES67 in providing signal interoperability across all of the current leading IP based audio networking protocols.

This time 14 MNA member companies are participating in the major demonstration of real-world IP interoperability based on the SMPTE ST 2110 standards and AMWA NMOS specifications, that is a key feature of the IP Showcase event. With over 50 participating vendors, interop demonstrations are divided into logical application pods, including live production signal flows, contribution and playout signal flows.

The 14 MNA member companies whose AES67 enabled systems and devices feature in the various application pods that comprise the SMPTE ST 2110 interop demonstration at IBC, are Artel Video Systems, Calrec Audio, Coveloz Technologies Inc., Digigram, Focusrite Audio Engineering, Lawo AG, Merging Technologies, Riedel Communications, Solid State Logic, Harman International, The Telos Alliance, Ward-Beck Systems, Wheatstone Corporation and Yamaha Commercial Audio.

In conjunction with the interoperability demonstration in Room E.106, the IP Showcase Theater (being run by IABM) features a running schedule of expert sessions, from representatives of industry bodies, developers, vendors and end-users of IP systems in broadcast and AV media, exploring and explaining the business, technical, and creative benefits of IP workflows. Several of these are presentations by MNA members, specifically focusing on audio issues.

Antony David, Managing Director – Solid State Logic

Two Installs Using Audio over IP for TV Production

15 September 13:10 – 13:30

16 September 17:00 – 17:20

17 September 17:00 – 17:20

Andreas Hildebrand, Technology Evangelist – ALC NetworX GmbH

ST 2110 & AES67: The Audio Parts of ST 2110

15 September 16:10 16:30

16 September 17:40 – 18:00

18 September 15:20 – 15:40

Greg Shay, CTO – The Telos Alliance Media Networking Alliance

Practical Benefits Through AES67 Deployment in the Broadcast Industry

17 September 17:20 – 17:40

18 September 10:00 – 10:20

MNA Vice-Chairman Terry Holton is a member of the IP Showcase Board, organising the NAB and IBC editions. “The IP Showcase is a collaboration between a number of highly respected and influential industry organizations and it is a great honor for the MNA to be included among them,” he states, describing it as “the most impressive and effective event the MNA has participated in.”

“The NAB event was a tremendous success in proving interoperability of AES67 devices in the wider context of broadcast IP workflows, and specifically in relation to the new SMPTE ST 2110 standard,” he continues, “The second edition of the IP Showcase at IBC presents MNA member companies with the further opportunity to demonstrate their products as part of what we expect will be the most significant interoperability event of its kind in the world to date.”

As a major destination for visitors to IBC, the IP Showcase provides a one-stop destination where everyone, from broadcast / IT engineers and CEOs to TV producers, can learn everything they need to know to unlock the full potential of using IP for real-time media. It stands as a demonstration to the broadcast and media world that real-time IP production is a practical, flexible and highly efficient reality, rapidly taking hold in mainstream operations. IP is no longer a “future” — it is here and now.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 22 MNA member companies and organisations are showing some of the latest AES67 product developments on their booths.

Focusrite Audio Engineering 8.A52

Harman Professional 8.D60

Lawo 8.B50

The Telos Alliance 8.D47

Yamaha Commercial Audio 8.C71

ALC NetworX 8.F57

Artel Video Systems 5.A65

Audio-Technica Europe 8.D61

BBC Research and Development 8.G10

Calrec Audio 8.C61

Coveloz Technologies 11.B08

Digigram 8.C51

Direct Out Technologies 8.E85

Genelec 8.D61

Luminex Network Intelligence 10.F42

Merging Technologies 8.E96

NTP Technology 8.B52

Riedel Communications GmbH & Co.KG 10. A31 / 0.C03

Shure 8.B35

Solid State Logic 8.D83

Ward–Beck Systems 2.A41

Wheatstone Corporation 8.C91

About Media Networking Alliance
The Media Networking Alliance is a non-profit organization formed to actively promote the adoption of the AES67 audio networking interoperability standard. Currently comprising 30 member companies, the MNA includes a range of professional audio equipment manufacturers, as well as public broadcast corporations. The MNA provides a forum and environment whereby the members of the organisation may meet to review standards development and compliance programmes and to foster the development of new products based on the AES67 standard. This open standard is promoted by the MNA through a range of education and training initiatives, as well as through public demonstrations of audio networking interoperability. Developer support is provided by the MNA to ensure that members’ products are compliant with the AES67 standard and achieve reliable interoperability with products from other manufacturers. Recent demonstrations have successfully connected together more than 20 pro audio devices from over a dozen different manufacturers.