Bosch Security Systems has unveiled OMNEO, the company's media networking technology.
OMNEO has two components, an audio program transport protocol suite that offers low-latency, high-quality multichannel audio stream exchange, and a control protocol suite.
OMNEO's program transport component is the result of a partnership between Bosch Security Systems and Audinate Pty. OMNEO uses Audinate's Dante networking technology to provide standards-based, routable IP media transport. OMNEO's system control component is an open Bosch Security Systems development descended from the Audio Engineering Society's AES-24 protocol architecture. Named OCA, for Open Control Architecture, it includes features for flexibility, reliability, security, and compatible growth over the years.
“Since the early 1990s, the pro audio industry has sought a common scheme by which audio and video devices from diverse manufacturers could interoperate harmoniously over standard digital networks," said Bill Scott, VP of engineering and technology. "In such networks, devices share both program content and system control to provide users with powerful integrated multi-vendor solutions.
"Until recently, industry progress in this area has been discouraging. However, new IEEE developments – the 802.1AVB protocol suite and related media transport standards 1722 and 1733 – have made major advances on one of the two fronts: program transport. Collectively known as ‘AVB’ (Audio Visual Bridging) these accomplishments are rekindling industry optimism in universal media networking. It now seems that for the first time in history, common professional media networking standards are within reach.”
Three years ago, Bosch Security Systems began its own work on a standards-based media networking solution. “The intent of this project was threefold,” Scott said. “Firstly, to develop technologies which provide full interoperability of all communications systems from Bosch network-enabled equipment; secondly, to allow Bosch Security Systems customers to use standard, off-the-shelf Ethernet infrastructure; and thirdly, to merge the Bosch Security Systems solution with emerging public standards such as AVB as soon as possible, allowing Bosch Security Systems customers to enjoy fully standardized media networks in which equipment from many manufacturers interoperates smoothly.”
Over the last three years, Bosch Security Systems and Audinate have been developing OMNEO as a future open public pro media networking solution that will be compliant with emerging program transport standards such as AVB, and with emerging system control standards as they are announced. OMNEO's program transport will be based on Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP), a widely adopted IP streaming protocol. Dante (and therefore Bosch Security Systems media networks) will comply with this standard. Thus, the Bosch Security Systems solution will be compliant with public standards, including AVB.
