The system will automatically determine the new first device of the chain, maintaining the virtual bus and thereby the signal path integrity throughout the network. EtherSound is fully compliant with the IEEE's 802.3 Ethernet specification and therefore able to leverage the rapid proliferation of Ethernet networks with Gigabit bandwidth, expected to replace current 100Mbit/sec Ethernet networks in the near future. This will include provision for more audio channels, increased control data throughput and also support for other media.
EtherSound's main development platform is based on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and evolutions of the protocol underlying the standard can easily be implemented into most existing products via a firmware update.Frank Siedel said: "Network audio is becoming more mature and offering increasingly useful numbers of channels and whilst the take up has not been as fast as we would like, it's been progressive. We have doubled the number of EtherSound licensees since last year."
New strategic partners such as Camco and Audio Performance, software partner Stardraw.com and authorized implementers AuviTran and Lab X Technologies have joined the existing clan of InnovaSON, Yamaha, Aviom and Nexo.
