AV over IP on the rise

Markets such as broadcasting, post-production, corporate, education, medical, security and houses of worship are expected to benefit from the many advantages of new technologies that enable video and sound signals to be sent through standard IT networks.

By: Domenic Bayley

Technology specialists are gradually replacing traditional matrix switches that route multiple audio/video sources with low-cost networked solutions and standard ethernet switches that are highly scalable and require minimal cabling.

Hitting the market now are 8K-ready digital-matrix switchers such as those from Kramer Electronics that will support 8K screen technologies. However, it may be some time before businesses can leverage the full scope of this technology.

Businesses will benefit from systems that can facilitate much larger volumes of video and audio, and faster transfer speeds of multiple types of data with a high degree of quality. Technical issues can also be streamlined since one system can manage devices with fewer points of failure.

Dante, by Sydney-based company Audinate, is a well-known digital media networking solution now supported by many audio manufacturers. It is a combination of software, hardware and network protocols that enables digital audio distribution via standard ethernet networks at ultra-low latency.

Dante is designed to allow different kinds of data to coexist on the same network and is very useful in commercial applications where a large number of audio channels must be transmitted over relatively long distances or to multiple locations.

Small companies previously excluded from using these technologies can now utilise them thanks to increasing bandwidth. They can transfer data seamlessly and have their telephony, video and audio on a single central system.

In the corporate and education markets, products offering networked audio and visual solutions are increasingly satisfying the need for high-quality, superfast video and audio communications, video conferencing, interactive broadcasting and telemedicine in high-definition 4K resolution.

New technologies and their associated applications are not only improving user experience but also leading to better health outcomes for patients. Telemedicine, particularly the surgical and diagnostic aspects, benefits from the clarity and depth provided by 4K resolution technologies.

4K technologies offer a considerable advantage to clinical practice, allowing clinicians to speed up diagnoses, simplify the clinical workflow and better personalise the patient experience.

High-resolution monitors and cameras capable of 4K resolution imagery are gradually being implemented in hospitals throughout Australia. These technologies are especially useful in surgical operating theatres, where medical staff can examine video after operations.

For example, a surgeon using a 4K-capable surgical endoscopy camera can now take live footage of the operation that can be viewed simultaneously by external colleagues on high-resolution 4K monitors. The procedure can also be recorded for future analysis.

The Sunshine Coast Private Hospital in Queensland was an early adopter of this technology, installing ultra-high-definition 4K imaging equipment in its operating theatres in 2016.

This is an extract from the ‘Integrate 2019 Whitepaper’ – Download the full report here. You can learn more about how you can use the power of AV to reach your business potential at Australia’s ultimate experience of sight and sound, Integrate 27- 29 August – register for your free entry here.