NAB 2018 in Review: IP, Standards, Wireless Are Audio Takeaways IP integration is increasingly evident in intercoms, mics, consoles By Dan Daley, Audio Editor
Tuesday, April 17, 2018 - 10:03 am
Print This Story
Story Highlights
Last week's NAB 2018 marked a milestone in the broadcast business's technology narrative. IP signal transport has emerged as the major new pathway for audio and audio control.
It was everywhere you looked: from intercoms, such as Clear-Com's high-density audio- and intercom-over-IP connection card for the Eclipse HX digital and Telos Infinity IP Intercom, which converges voice communication and contribution audio on a single IT backbone using standards-based VoIP and Livewire+ AES67 AoIP transport, to even wireless microphones, such as Alteros's GTX Series L.A.W.N. (local-area wireless mic network), a 6.5-GHz ultra-wideband system chosen as the wireless system deployed at the show's IP Showcase, sponsored by the Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS).
Think of wireless now as a computer proposition, said Alteros President/CTO Jackie Green.
IP also extended further into audio consoles: notably, Solid State Logic's System T-300 compact broadcast console, a dedicated, entirely IP-based, live-to-air broadcast-audio-production system with AoIP as its core, and Wheatstone's IP 64 digital mixing console with AES67 compatibility, touchscreen control, and WheatNet IP networking for routing and controlling audio.
SMPTE ST 2110
The SMPTE ST 2110 suite of standards specifies the carriage, synchronization, and description of real-time separate streams over IP for professional media applications. It was a major topic of discussion at the DTV Audio Group's annual conclave the day before the show opened. That event also paid attention to streaming audio (and video) to both fixed and mobile devices, the virtualization of broadcast-audio infrastructure, and immersive sound - all developments, noted DTVAG Executive Director Roger Charlesworth, taking place at a rate of change much faster than seen during previous major technology shifts.
ST 2110 showed up in new places, including Dante media-networking-technology developer Audinate's announcement that it plans to support it by year's end, enabled through the Dante Domain Manager software platform and firmware updates for Dante IP Core, Dante HC, Dante Brooklyn II, and Dante Ultimo.
RF Reallocation
The recently concluded RF-spectrum reallocation was reflected in a new and wider range of wireless microphone systems. Shure systems, for example, operate in the 900 MHz band (ULX-D and QLX-D), DECT (Microflex wireless system), and 2.4-GHz (GLX-D digital wireless system). Sennheiser's Evolution wireless EW 300 G3 and EW 500 G3 wireless microphone and monitoring systems are now available in an A1 variant that covers the 470-516 MHz range; its flagship Digital 9000 and Digital 6000 series and the AVX camera-mountable lavalier, which works in the license-free 1.9 GHz band, were also on display.
However, although wireless is all over the place, spectrally speaking, no one's tossing out all their copper just yet. Professional Wireless President Jim Van Winkle, who serves as RF coordinator for the NFL and other sports leagues, already working on RF management for the 2019 Super Bowl in Atlanta. We're encouraging more use of wired microphones, such as for brief sideline interviews, he said, to help free up spectrum at big events.
The Future
In the coming year, IP integration is likely to accelerate, first in the plant and eventually extending deeper into remote operations, especially as at-home/REMI production workflows proliferate. And those could be propelled by larger macro forces: several large broadcast-network mergers are in play, including a particularly convoluted Fox-Disney-Sky deal, which could dramatically remake the broadcast landscape. M&A activity is usually followed by cost-reduction efforts, and at-home production techniques offer significant cost savings for broadcasters.
The coming year will also likely be a big one for immersive sound. Dolby's Atmos is extending to experiments with the NHRA, and Fraunhofer's MPEG-H is a core part of a new initiative by Qualcomm Technologies and cinema-sound giant THX called the THX Spatial Audio Platform, which was demonstrated off the show floor as an end-to-end workflow for delivery of next-generation immersive audio experiences. THX Spatial Audio can support legacy (i.e., channel-based), emerging content formats (object-based and ambisonics), and open audio standards across mobile, PC, and consumer electronic devices.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
13/05/2026
New Adobe Premiere Color Grading Mode Accelerated on NVIDIA GPUs
Joel Pennington May 13, 2026
0 Comments
New NVIDIA RTX-accelerated features streamlin...
13/05/2026
Grass Valley announced that dB Broadcast has delivered new IP-based outside broadcast (OB) trucks for Cloudbass, featuring Grass Valley LDX 100 Series cameras a...
13/05/2026
Ikegami will exhibit the latest additions to its wide range of broadcast production cameras, control units, viewfinders and monitors on stand 5D3-1 at Broadcast...
13/05/2026
FISE, working with the founding members of the XR Sports Alliance (XRSA), Accedo, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and HBS, have collaborated to develop an immersive...
13/05/2026
Canon Unveils New EOS R6 V Full-Frame EOS Camera and RF20-50mm F4 L IS USM PZ Bu...
13/05/2026
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Honors Beth Morrison and Moses Pendleton at Comme...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Creative software developer Foundry today announced the latest developments on Nuke Stage. A purpose-built application for end-to-end virtual production and in-...
13/05/2026
A definitive portrait of one of Ireland's most influential musicians
New TV documentary airs Monday 18 May on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm
Watch the...
13/05/2026
Agentic AI is changing the way users get work done. Following the success of OpenClaw, the community is embracing new open source agentic frameworks. The latest...
13/05/2026
Reinforcement-learning agents - AI systems that learn by trial and error - can c...
12/05/2026
Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...
12/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...
12/05/2026
With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...
12/05/2026
The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...
12/05/2026
NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...
12/05/2026
TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...
12/05/2026
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...
12/05/2026
For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...
12/05/2026
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...
12/05/2026
LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...
12/05/2026
Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...
12/05/2026
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...
12/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...
12/05/2026
Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...
12/05/2026
To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language
NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...
12/05/2026
Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...
12/05/2026
A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
NAB 2018 in Review: IP, Standards, Wireless Are Audio Takeaways IP integration is increasingly evident in intercoms, mics, consoles By Dan Daley, Audio Editor 
