The August 31, 2017 edition of Digital Production Buzz program was on standards for the media industry. One of the interviews profiled the Audio Engineering Society Standards organization.
As they explain on their web site:
Tonight, we meet some of the key standards organizations in the media industry. These are the folks that create the specs that allow all our gear and software to work together. They also determine the direction of our industry by setting the ground rules for future technology. Join us for a fascinating look “behind the scenes!
Join host Larry Jordan as he talks with Howard Lukk, Rich Cabot, Bill Hayes, Mark Harrison, and James DeRuvo.
· SMPTE: Driving the Media Industry Forward
· AES: All Things Audio
· DPP: Enabling Full Digital Media Distribution
· IEEE: Advancing Technology Globally
· The Weekly DoddleNEWS Update
Posted: Monday, September 4, 2017
This is a Call for Comments on Technical Requirements for Media Network Directories and Directory Related Services. From this document, and the comments received on it, the AES Task Group on AES-X238, Media network directory architecture will develop a set of requirements for media network directory standards that will work with present and future media networks over a wide range of application domains. Interested parties are encouraged to submit general and specific comments, proposed additions or changes, and responses to the specific questions it poses.
Posted: Friday, July 28, 2017
The standards work of the Audio Engineering Society has been vital to the advancement of the audio industry. Numerous standards in development are driving an expansion of the AES standards operation. That necessitates an expanded base of funding. Unlike other technical societies with standards programs the AES does not charge participation fees. The Society believes that a completely open process ultimately produces better and more widely accepted standards. Consequently other sources of revenue are required.
The AES Standards Committee is soliciting industry support through a new program called "AES Standards Sustainers". Besides enabling the development of standards that underlie fundamental technology in the audio industry, the program offers participants significant marketing and public relations exposure. The Audio Engineering Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and 100% of the contribution is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
Donors may contribute at four different levels; a $1,000 basic level, $2,000 Silver level, $5,000 Gold level or a $10,000 Platinum level.
Founding Standards Sustainers include Netflix as a Standards Sustainer Gold, Eventide, Coveloz, Adamson Systems, The Telos Alliance, and Audio Precision as Silver Sustainers.
Founding Standards Sustainers also include Audyssey Laboratories, NTi Audio, MQA Ltd., KLIPPEL GmbH, Clair Global, Fraunhofer IIS, Audio Technica, NBC Universal, Metric Halo, Dolby Laboratories Inc., and USound GmbH.
All Standards Sustainers will have their contributions recognized on the inside covers of all AES Standards beginning July 1, 2017. Details on participating in the Standards Sustainer program may be found at the link below.
Posted: Tuesday, May 23, 2017
This report, AES-R17-2017, summarizes the AES67 interoperability test event ("plugfest") held at the headquarters of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), London on 13 to 16 February 2017. Twenty four companies tested 36 products against each other to confirm interoperability. The results are presented, together with the results of a range of tests of optional operational modes described in the standard.
The purpose of the plugfest was to demonstrate functional compatibility and interoperability between a number of different implementations of the standard AES67-2015, "AES standard for audio applications of networks - High-performance streaming audio-over-IP interoperability".
One goal was to achieve interoperability success between nodes from different vendors based on the current AES67 standard definitions. Another major goal was to identify ambiguities and shortcomings of the current standard definitions to be addressed in a revision of the AES67-2015 standard. The plugfest was not intended to verify full compliance to all requirements of the standard for each device under test.
This report follows the same pattern as the AES-R12 report of the 2014 AES67 plugfest, held in Munich and the AES-R15 report of the 2015 AES67 plugfest, held in Washington D.C.
Posted: Thursday, May 11, 2017
AES67-2015, AES standard for audio applications of networks - High-performance streaming audio-over-IP interoperability has been translated into Chinese and published by the China State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television. Its publication is indicative of the wide acceptance of the AES-67 standard in professional and broadcast audio applications world wide.
This is the culmination of work begun in early 2016 by China National Radio, China Central Television, China Academy Of Broadcasting Science, China State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, China Academy Of Broadcasting Planning, Suzhou Fortune Technology Co., Ltd., Digital Media Technology Co., Ltd., and Hanzhou Linker Technology Corporation.
Posted: Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Calls for comment on reaffirmation of the following AES standards have been published on 2017-01-09:
AES62-2011 AES standard for audio connectors - Modified XLR-3 Connector for Digital Audio
Posted: Monday, January 9, 2017
The AES is pleased to announce that Dr. Richard C. Cabot will be assuming the duties of Standards Manager. A former President of the AES, he has been involved with AES Standards since its early years, having chaired the development of the AES17 standard on digital audio measurement. He was one of the founders of Audio Precision, and developed their digital audio measurement technology. In addition to his standards work, Dr. Cabot's company, XFRM, Inc., designs professional audio equipment, consults on Intellectual Property patentability and infringement issues, and evaluates technology to guide companies in their investment decisions. He noted "I'm excited by the opportunity to guide AES Standards development going forward".
Mark Yonge, standards manager since 2001 has announced his intention to retire after the Berlin convention. During Mark's 16 years in the post he has expertly shepherded dozens of standards through the process from initial concept to published document. Under his guidance the AES Standards organization has grown to become the premier venue for coordinating technology in the audio field. Mark commented that, "it will be a wrench to step aside from the work of audio standards development, but I am delighted that Rich is taking up the task."
Please join me in welcoming Rich to his new role, and I know you will assist him in the coming transition. Until the AES 142nd convention there will be a transitional overlap period when Mark and Rich will be working together.
I look forward to seeing you at our standards meetings in Berlin at the AES 142nd Convention.
Bruce Olson
AES Standards Committee Chair.
Posted: Friday, January 6, 2017
AES and SMPTE have both specified profiles for IEEE 1588-2008 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) for use in professional media applications; the respective standards being AES67 and SMPTE ST 2059-2. The design goals were somewhat different: the AES standard was aimed at interoperability of some existing networked audio systems and the SMPTE standard at meeting requirements of the EBU/SMPTE Task Force on Timing and Synchronization. Nevertheless, it is clear that there is significant overlap in the application space and that some users will want to use equipment conforming to AES and SMPTE specifications on the same network and in the same PTP domain.
Each standard defines a profile in terms of ranges and recommended default settings for parameters. The requirements of the two standards are not mutually exclusive and this report explores suitable parameter choices for interoperation. The overlapping operating conditions identified in this document are not intended to replace any profile, but rather to identify a common set of parameters and options that satisfy multiple applications.
This document is based on a reading of the two standards and the knowledge that interoperation was a stated development goal for both AES and SMPTE. Further experience with interoperation of these profiles may lead to revisions of this document or one or both of the involved standards.
To obtain a copy of this standard, go to http://www.aes.org/publications/standards/ and search using "AES-R16", or go directly to:
http://www.aes.org/publications/standards/search.cfm?docID=105
Posted: Monday, May 2, 2016
AES31-4-2015 AES standard for network and file transport of audio - Part 4: XML Implementation of Audio Decision Lists has been published.
This document provides a syntax mapping for AES31-3 Edit Decision Markup Language (EDML) to XML Schema Language. This facilitates the expansion of the Audio Decision List format to include non-ASCII characters and updates the format facilitating it’s implementation using standard XML parsers and tools. It also supports multi-byte chacter sets for human-readable metadata in all territories worldwide. This document includes both an XML schema definition and an XSLT implementation capable of transforming a conforming XML instance document back to EDML.
AES31-3 was published in 1999 to provide a long-term alternative to proliferating proprietary formats. It provided a convention for expressing edit data in text form in a manner that enabled simple and accurate computer parsing while retaining human readability. It also described a method for expressing time-code information in character notation and simple automation for stereo & surround panning and audio gain. These edit documents were known as Audio Decision Lists (ADL) and used an Edit Decision Markup Language (EDML).
The subsequent growth of XML offers a similar markup facility but with better availability of software tools for faster implementations. XML also offers support for multi-byte characters in human-readable metadata instead of the plain ASCII of EDML, opening implementation to a world-wide user community.
This document was developed from a proposal written by David Ackerman with the assistance of Bruce Gordon at Harvard Library. It was developed in AESSC working group SC-07-01 under project AES-X214.
http://www.aes.org/publications/standards/search.cfm?docID=104
Posted: Monday, February 8, 2016
AES42-2010 (r2015) AES standard for acoustics — Digital interface for microphones has been reaffirmed and reissued in a new printing.
This standard describes an extension of the existing AES3 digital audio interface to provide a digital interface for microphones.
This standard includes the AES42 system-command set to enable storage and recall of user settings in the microphone itself.
Additionally, since the upload times were not acceptable for a firmware update using the AES42 interface, the bit rate can now be increased. This higher bit rate, called Fast-DPP mode, can be used to transmit DPP commands or firmware update data. It is introduced as an option.
An optional periodic transmission control feature is introduced to allow manufacturer specific command sets for remote control of microphone features.
http://www.aes.org/publications/standards/search.cfm?docID=38
Posted: Monday, February 8, 2016
