IBC Q&A: Riedel’s Pankert Looks at How New Technologies Impact Comms

IBC2015 will exemplify a number of trends in broadcast audio, such as the integration of the AES67 intercompatibility protocol and the shift to networked audio. Both will be evident at the Riedel booth, and SVG talked with Riedel Product Manager Ramon Pankert about that evolution.

Ramon Pankert, product manager, Riedel

What is Riedel bringing new for IBC this year?
At IBC2015, the Artist platform will feature a new AES67 client card that will convert eight Artist key-panel ports into an AES67 Layer 3 IP stream, and vice versa. When used together with an AVB card, Artist can be used as a bridge between the different standards. We will also highlight our Smartpanel and the apps that were introduced at the 2015 NAB Show. Apps allow users to get exactly the functionality they need, without having to pay for things that they don’t need. We will also be highlighting several new use cases, where the newest members of the MediorNet real-time network, MicroN and MetroN, have been put into use to create unique signal topographies and tremendous cost savings.

Intercom technology has transitioned along a continuum from analog to digital and now to a more IT-centric model. How is broadcast sports adapting to packetized digital communications?
For broadcast sports, the advantages of packetized digital comms are generating huge interest. We have been working with networked solutions for many years and were quick to embrace the AVB and AES67 standards and integrate them into new and existing products. Some of the major benefits are flexibility, interoperability with other gear, and cost savings from not needing to add additional or unique cabling to an infrastructure.

Audio networking has made significant inroads into sports venues. What’s that landscape like now for systems like MediorNet and RockNet?
There is growing demand now that customers have come to realize the benefits of network architectures over point-to-point solutions. MediorNet represents a hybrid approach. On one hand, it is established and battle-tested with all of its benefits, like integrated redundancies, huge bandwidth, and integrated processing and control. On the other hand, it will continue to grow and offer the interfaces that clients demand. A customer who invests in a MediorNet infrastructure today will save time and money in the future.