Date: 06/04/2009

High definition audio video streaming over Ethernet cable

Broadcom has customized IEEE 802.1 Audio Video Bridging (AVB) draft standard for streaming high definition (HD) audio/video data over Ethernet to networked music or video display systems. It's called BroadSync HD technology,

Ethernet is less troublesome in wiring audio/video systems compared to other audio/video wiring and is easy to install and maintain, that makes it more suitable for consumer and professional A/V electronic systems interconnecting. Along with the technical advantages, this standard has the potential in reducing equipment cost.

Broadcom says, BroadSync HD provides guaranteed QoS, frame synchronization and timing that is necessary to stream professional-quality audio and video traffic over Ethernet.

"The connectivity technologies used today in consumer and professional audio/video electronics can be difficult to use with a plethora of seemingly identical connectors and obscure labels," said Michael Johas Teener, Technical Director, Broadcom's Enterprise Networking Group. "These technologies also present technical issues such as limited performance, fixed functionality and the inability to connect with computers or the Internet. Broadcom's BroadSync HD technology solves these problems by combining guaranteed bandwidth, quality of service, and low latency with the flexibility and performance of Ethernet."

Broadcom is partnering with Harman International to bring this technology to the market.

Connecting multiple speakers, cameras and video displays units through simple RJ45 cabling is interesting, but new emerging wireless standards in this direction will be much more beneficial than wired Ethernet cabling.