Audio Video Bridging

Audio Video Bridging
AVnu · Public domain · source
Name	Audio Video Bridging
Abbrev	AVB
Introduced	2000s
Standards	IEEE 802.1, IEEE 1722, IEEE 1722.1
Domain	Professional audio, broadcast, automotive, industrial

Audio Video Bridging

Audio Video Bridging is a set of standards and technologies for time-synchronized, low-latency, high-reliability media streaming over Ethernet networks that address professional audio and video transport needs. It enables deterministic delivery by combining timing, traffic shaping, and reservation mechanisms originally driven by working groups and consortia involving organizations such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, AVnu Alliance, Avid Technology, Bose Corporation, and Harman International. The framework has influenced deployments across industries represented by companies like Cisco Systems, Intel, Bosch, BMW, and institutions such as NHK and BBC.

Overview

AVB comprises coordinated efforts among standards bodies and industry alliances to provide end-to-end guarantees for media flows on Ethernet infrastructure. Key stakeholders include IEEE 802.1 Working Group, AVnu Alliance, Media Networking Alliance, SMPTE, Audio Engineering Society, and vendors including Yamaha Corporation, Shure Incorporated, Roland Corporation, Sony Corporation, and Genelec. The approach is adopted in professional studios used by organizations such as Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, broadcasting houses like CNN, NHK, Deutsche Welle, and automotive manufacturers including Audi AG, Ford Motor Company, and General Motors.

Standards and Protocols

The AVB ecosystem is anchored by standards from the IEEE such as IEEE 802.1AS, IEEE 802.1Qav, IEEE 802.1Qat, and media transport protocols like IEEE 1722 and IEEE 1722.1. Complementary specifications and certification programs are overseen by industry groups like the AVnu Alliance and referenced by professional organizations including the Audio Engineering Society, Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, and International Telecommunication Union. Products implementing AVB often interoperate with related technologies from Dante (audio networking), AES67, MADI, SMPTE ST 2110, and network management systems from Juniper Networks, Arista Networks, and Extreme Networks.

Architecture and Components

AVB architecture defines components such as talkers, listeners, bridges, and controllers implemented by vendors including Cisco Systems, Dell Technologies, HP Inc., Netgear, and Marvell Technology Group. Core elements include the time synchronization protocol IEEE 802.1AS (profile of IEEE 1588), stream reservation protocol IEEE 802.1Qat, and traffic shaping/queuing rules from IEEE 802.1Qav. Media encapsulation is defined by IEEE 1722 with device discovery and control via IEEE 1722.1; device stacks appear in products by Apple Inc., Microsoft, Avid Technology, Steinberg GmbH, and Ableton AG.

Quality of Service and Synchronization

AVB provides deterministic Quality of Service using time-aware scheduling, traffic shaping, and stream reservation enforced by switches and end stations from manufacturers such as Cisco Systems, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Arista Networks, D-Link, and Linksys. Synchronization relies on IEEE 802.1AS which is derived from the IEEE 1588-2008 profile and intersects with timing ecosystems operated by organizations like GPS providers, NIST, European Space Agency, and broadcasters such as BBC. QoS mechanisms enable low latency and bounded jitter comparable to studio systems used by entities like Abbey Road Studios, ILM, Technicolor, and live sound companies like Live Nation.

Deployment and Applications

AVB is deployed across professional audio venues, broadcast facilities, automotive infotainment systems, and industrial AV installations. Examples include recording studios associated with Capitol Records, broadcast facilities at NHK, concert tours managed by AEG Presents, installations in vehicles by Mercedes-Benz, Toyota Motor Corporation, and integrated systems in venues operated by Madison Square Garden Company and Disney Parks. System integrators and manufacturers such as L-Acoustics, d&b audiotechnik, QSC, Shure Incorporated, and Sennheiser build AVB-capable products for live sound, fixed installation, and conference systems used by corporations like Google LLC, Microsoft Corporation, and Amazon.com.

Interoperability and Compliance

Interoperability is facilitated by certification programs and plugfests organized by the AVnu Alliance, with compliance testing by laboratories linked to IEEE outreach and firms like TÜV Rheinland and Intertek. AVB interoperates with other professional media standards such as AES67, Dante (audio networking), SMPTE ST 2110, and legacy interfaces like XLR, AES3, and MADI used by manufacturers including Allen & Heath, Soundcraft, Studer, and Riedel Communications. Industry events and trade shows like NAMM, IBC, InfoComm, and AES Conventions showcase certified AVB products and promote cross-vendor compatibility.

History and Development

AVB development began in the mid-2000s through collaborative efforts within the IEEE 802.1 Working Group and industry consortia including OPEN AVB and the AVnu Alliance, influenced by earlier initiatives from companies like Hewlett-Packard, Intel Corporation, Broadcom Inc., and academic research at institutions such as MIT, Stanford University, ETH Zurich, and University of York. Milestones include publication of IEEE 802.1AS, IEEE 802.1Qat, and IEEE 1722 standards, commercial adoption by vendors like Yamaha Corporation and Bose Corporation, and integration into automotive platforms by BMW, Audi AG, and Volkswagen Group. Ongoing developments intersect with standards work by IETF, SMPTE, and the Audio Engineering Society to address scalability, security, and convergence with IP-based media transport that underpin modern installations at institutions like PIXAR, BBC Studios, and ESPN.

Category:Networking standards