In the wake of a highly successful IBC show in Amsterdam, Lawo, developer of the RAVENNA audio-over-IP technology, is pleased to welcome Bridge Technologies as the latest partner to the growing RAVENNA community. The partnership represents not only RAVENNA’s increasing importance in the field of audio-over-IP, but also Bridge’s commitment to the development of probes which support a full range of industry standards and facilitate monitoring of all kinds of broadcast networks, regardless of the infrastructure, standards or technologies upon which the network is based. The collaboration saw one of Bridge’s VB440 probes in operation on the RAVENNA booth at IBC 2024 as part of a next-generation audio production demonstration featuring S-ADM meta data transport over the recently released SMPTE ST 2110-41 standard. Bridge also showcased the collaboration on their own booth in Hall 1.
RAVENNA is an open technology for real-time distribution of audio and other media content in IP-based network environments, using standardized network protocols and technologies across existing network infrastructures to deliver pro audio with low latency, full signal transparency and high reliability. An award-winning technology, RAVENNA is fully compatible with the AES67 and SMPTE ST 2110 standards and constitutes the only audio networking protocol that allows for seamless coexistence with other network traffic, by removing the need for a separate network to transport audio and its associated metadata.
In this way, it represents an ideal complement to Bridge’s suite of monitoring probes, which offer unrivalled monitoring of broadcast traffic in ST 2110 environments (as well as conventional RF, terrestrial, cable, satellite and hybrid networks), providing end-to-end monitoring of both audio and video from production to distribution. Their flagship VB440 supports an extensive range of audio formats and standards, which now extends to include RAVENNA, and allows broadcasters to ensure that the audio delivered to audiences matches all expectations in terms of both Quality of Service and Quality of Experience. It does this by providing a range of intuitive meters, readouts and visualizations in order to understand network performance at every stage of the process, from ingress to playout.
Bridge’s VB440 – an innovation in the field of IP production – leverages the power of ST 2110 to allow production professionals of all types – camera painters, audio specialists and network engineers, amongst others – to access an extensive range of high-grade production tools, all through a single appliance. Most importantly, the VB440 makes this available with next-to-no-latency, using only an HTML-5 web browser. This means that up to eight users can simultaneously access the VB440’s extensive set of features, live, from anywhere in the world, without the need for extensive specialist production hardware. This past year has seen Bridge significantly expand the VB440’s audio production potential, incorporating a wider range of monitoring tools, listening options and immersive audio standards, making the recent alliance with the RAVENNA community a logical next step.
Speaking of Bridge Technologies’ role as a new member of the RAVENNA community, Chairman Simen Frostad said: “We really believe in what RAVENNA is doing, and we’re excited to be a part of that. We have been champions of IP-based broadcast for two decades, and we knew when we set out on that path that it would be collaboration rather than competition that would drive the standard forward in the industry.”
He continued: “Open standards like Lawo’s RAVENNA are crucial to this; not just in the technology they embody, but in the way they provide common ground for leading companies to work together and push innovation and quality for the benefit of the industry as a whole. We’re very proud to be involved.”
Andreas Hildebrand, RAVENNA Evangelist at Lawo, welcomes Bridge Technologies to the RAVENNA community: “Bridge Technologies, with its award-winning monitoring/analysis systems and its collaborative mindset represents an enriching addition to our community. Their recent focus on audio advancements has seen them incorporate ST 2110-31 or -41 monitoring and a range of crucial immersive audio tools to push forward the scope of what can be done in the field of live IP production. We’re delighted to welcome them on board.”
