Suggested D&R audio/control network.

	Background, Specifications and Terminology
(Copy from the Peak-Audio website)
INTRODUCTION	CobraNet is being offered as a standard technology for the transport of multi-channel audio and control data. Peak Audio believes that a network carrying audio and data between products of many manufacturers best serves the industry. Several progressive audio manufacturers have already licensed this technology. If you have a project that you feel might benefit from CobraNet technology or if you are interested in licensing the technology for incorporation into your product line, please contact Peak Audio for more information.
Why is CobraNet™ useful?	There is a growing desire to build audio systems where signal processing and amplification components are distributed throughout a facility. Until recently this has been a difficult and expensive undertaking, as it requires a huge amount of cabling and conduit. CobraNet allows dozens of high quality digital audio and control data signals to be carried over commodity CAT-5 UTP or fiber optic cable, thus greatly reducing the cost of conduit and cabling in a facility (in a typical convention center, the cost of infrastructure can be reduced by up to $250,000). Audio technology is moving from analog processing technologies to digital technologies such as Media-Matrix. However, it is still common to see most audio distribution and interconnection done in the analog domain. The performance of a system built in this manner is often limited by the performance of the numerous A/D and D/A conversions through the signal path. Many of the facilities where sound systems are installed are including data communications networks in their infrastructure. These networks carry computer files, cash register transactions, HVAC control, security, etc. Many of the audio industry's top designers see the advantages of also carrying audio over this type of infrastructure. Since CobraNet is a network, any audio input can be routed to any audio output in any combination. A system can be reconfigured in real time, it can be expanded without rewiring the facility, the audio can remain in the digital domain throughout, and audio sources and destinations can be located anywhere. In addition to carrying audio and the associated sample clock, control data can be carried over the same network. CobraNet allows control and monitoring schemes from different vendors to co-exist on the same network infrastructure.
How does CobraNet™ work? (the quick answer)	CobraNet™’s software implements a protocol that combines one or more channels of audio into an Ethernet package, along with information about the audio such as the resolution. Ethernet is designed to carry bursty computer traffic. The use of Ethernet for carrying real-time audio often yields less than real-time results that you may have seen in many network multimedia applications. The patent pending CobraNet™ technology orchestrates data transmissions, which results in real-time performance, higher utilization and a deterministic network.
Why Ethernet?	With over 50 million nodes installed, Ethernet is the most common network in the world. It is carried over inexpensive CAT-5 UTP cable or, for longer runs or where electrical interference is an issue, fiber optic cable. Electricians are very familiar with these inexpensive cable systems and terminations. Ethernet devices (hubs, switches, media converters, etc.) are available from many different vendors and the prices of these products continue to drop.
Components	Cost
Fiber (4 strand)	$0.80 / meter
CAT5 UTP Cable (4 pair)	$0.30 / meter
Unmanaged Switch – 8 Ports	$120.00
Class II Hub – 8 Ports	$100.00
Class II Hub – 12 Ports	$200.00
100BASE-TX – 100BASE-FX Media Converter	$120.00

Table 1: Estimated dealer cost for Ethernet components and cabling.

D&R Audio Networking. Cirrus Logic is the owner of the CobraNet™ technology.
PRICES	Scorpius CMS (CobraNet Management Software) under Windows NT € 495,00 (end user price)
INTRODUCTION	A new ‘keyword’ is more often heard in professional audio then ever. It is called ‘Networking’. There are many companies already offering set-ups for ‘networking’. But when is a network a network. We must be very careful about the definition of networking. In our opinion a Network is: NOT only a multi-channel link (like MADI). About AUDIO and CONTROL DATA (Management). Manufacturer independent. Flexible (real-time management/plug & play). Hot plug- and extendable in system active mode. (power-down not necessary) Must be simple to use. This small list of features is not easy to find in one system. Many manufactures are offering some kind of networking which is most of the time nothing more than “multi channel links with management”. It is a start but not as flexible as someone would like to see such a system and the customer is most of the time dependent on system specific products of that manufacturer. After many discussions and investigations in this area D&R has selected CobraNet™ for networking tasks. Our reasons to choose for this type of network system are listed below.
HIGHLIGHTS OF COBRANET™	Switched network set-up with capability of more than 2048 audio channels. Can be built up by adding CobraNet related “ audio modules” up to the requested number of audio sources. Up to 64 audio channels on one UTP cable (Within an Ethernet standardized protocol) Possibility to send Audio combined with Data/Control A defined management protocol (by IP/UDP/SNMP) for controlling the network CobraNet can accept audio modules from Yamaha, QSC, Rane, Digigram etc… to communicate with the CobraNet protocol. Use of standard Ethernet equipment (3Com or HP switches for example) therefore easy and cheap to install. No central server or expensive hardware necessary. Needs only a commercial low cost available switcher, local CobraNet™ modules and management software to perform.
Look at the Peak Audio Website	This all sounds great, but what is the actual need in a network based system. Sometimes customers themselves do not know exactly what the possibilities are and what they want. So it’s important that manufactures and distributors can demonstrate what advantages networking can bring your organization. All the information shown is of course subjected to future developments, but we would like to tell you as much as possible of our ‘Networking philosophy ’.
Look at the Yamaha website	White paper of Yamaha how to design a CobraNetwork
Easy to understand Matrix Screen
First we need to make some definitions	Bundle: Between 1 and 8 channels of audio “bundled”. This bundle can only have one transmitter and one receiver. There are also multi-cast bundles available in the management software. Switch: Standard Ethernet device takes care of receiving and transmitting (and filtering) data to multiple UTP ports/connections
SETTING UP A NETWORK	Setting up a network means you need at least 2 CobraNet hardware devices, UTP cables, a network switch and a monitoring computer (running the D&R management software). When you turn on all equipment it is possible to start networking immediately because settings are stored in flash memory. When starting for the first time you have to set-up your network. You need to assign Bundles to a transmitter and receiver. We have designed an application to assign the bundles automatically so you can use the network as a big router (of which you can see above a small set-up, only 6 CobraNet device’s connected.) We can see each device is able to transmit 4 bundles and receive 4 bundles. In the matrix you see a clear overview of the current connected bundles (a bundle carries up to 8 channels of audio). This real-time monitoring utility runs on a separate computer system, which is available to the supervisor, who is allowed to make connections. You must see this routing-software as ‘studio cabling’. But the CobraNet application gives you the possibility to change your connections in real-time if needed. At D&R we will soon release software that is capable of controlling ‘control data’ so customers have the possibility to make settings (like Gain or GPIOs) on the network devices. It will be also capable to work with the MDC net of Airborn