This week on Lessons From an Audio Guy, host Chuck Espinoza walks through how audio engineers need to start thinking like system admins to consider network challenges.

The audio industry has undergone tremendous change in recent years, and this shift has presented challenges to audio engineers. One of the biggest challenges faced by audio guys today is how to make their work efficient on the network, especially since there is less analog work being done.

With fewer analog setups needed, audio guys need to start thinking like system admins and get creative with their work.

The rise of digital technology has changed the face of the industry, adding more complexity to the technical aspects of audio engineering. Networking infrastructure is now a crucial aspect that needs to be considered as part of any event or production setup. Audio engineers must now coordinate with IT admins at various houses or venues they intend to work in, well ahead of time, making sure their equipment will be compatible with existing network infrastructure.

It's important for audio engineers to start thinking beyond live sound and explore new possibilities in broadcast engineering. Audio engineers have unique skills that make them excellent candidates for broadcast engineering jobs that involve multiple streams of information and making quick changes. The ability to pay attention to multiple streams of information at once makes them invaluable assets in this field.

Aurora Multimedia is bringing essential knowledge about AV network engineering to audio professionals. Aurora engineers have been exploring the implications of using a network switch to transport audio/visual content and what this means for broadcast quality and latency. They have been uncovering details about IGMP snooping, flooding, jumbo packets, and frame rates that can make all the difference in broadcast performance. Their goal is to make sure that audio professionals are well-informed about the latest industry standards when it comes to AV over networks so that they can pick out quality equipment for the job.

The team at Aurora emphasizes that proper setup is key when configuring a network switch for optimal AV streaming performance. Everything from addressing VLANs to disabling unnecessary flooding must be taken into account. Additionally, they are emphasizing how important time-sensitivity is in an audio/visual context; if video streams or audio streams don’t reach their destination on time then the entire experience will suffer as a result.

The expert engineers at Aurora are sharing their lessons with others through their website coming soon so that everyone can benefit from their knowledge of AV over networks and compare products apples-to-apples accurately without getting lost in marketing campaigns.

If you would like to make suggestions for future episodes or topics you would like to see covered you can reach out to us at:

Chuck Espinoza

[email protected]

Aurora Multimedia, an audio technology company, will be attending Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) trade show in Barcelona.

ISE is Europe’s largest AV systems integration show, featuring a myriad of exhibitors from across the globe. The aim of this event is to bring together AV professionals from all over the world to learn more about each other’s products and services. Guests have access to keynotes, product launches and live events that are impossible in any other setting. This year’s ISE event will be the most unique yet — an opportunity that attendees do not want to miss!

Aurora is looking forward to discussing their product lines with customers at this exciting event in Barcelona. ISE will provide buyers a great opportunity for them to become more acquainted with new technologies that can help push their businesses forward.