Rednet is officially out!

[John_Toolbox]

I think for a facility where there are multiple control rooms/editing rooms that share access to single live room, this could be a very good solution. My only gripe is that assuming this is a pro tools facility, you'd need to buy a $1500 ethernet -> digilink converter(rednet 5) for each protools HD rig you wanted to access the system. It would be a lot more practical if you just plugged the CAT5 right into the computer.

[albee1952]

For me, Cat5 right into the computer holds a lot of interest. The RedNet3 can handle 32 IO with all lightpipe connections, so the 2 lightpipe preamps(which I already own) can offer 16 inputs and 8 outputs with nothing else added(another OctoPre MK II Dynamic would add 8 more IO for $600). Getting to 24 in x 16 out for about $2100 is very tempting. While its all quite attractive, nobody (yet) has been able to answer the question about latency. Focusrite claims less than 3ms, but that's only using their network card(at $999). I want to know what the latency would be if I connect to the onboard network port? IOW, is there something exceptionally fast about their card vs. the average gigabit port on most current computers?It could be a great alternative to HD/Native with a 16x16 IO(which right now is tops on my choices for upgrading my setup).

[jmattchan]

Let me get this straight - two Rednet 5s @ 1500/piece gives 32 IO between 2 Pro Tools systems. That's cheaper than buying 4 HDX 16 Digital IOs and takes up less rack space.

I would be interested in knowing the latency as well?

[Bob Olhsson]

It's a whole lot cheaper than cabling a studio together with analog connections! The Digico system offers Ethernet connection to the computer that shows up as ASIO or Core Audio.

[John_Toolbox]

Originally Posted by jmattchan

Let me get this straight - two Rednet 5s @ 1500/piece gives 32 IO between 2 Pro Tools systems. That's cheaper than buying 4 HDX 16 Digital IOs and takes up less rack space.

I would be interested in knowing the latency as well?

Interesting idea, I didn't think of using it that way. If I understand the red net system correctly, that should be possible.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by Bob Olhsson

It's a whole lot cheaper than cabling a studio together with analog connections! The Digico system offers Ethernet connection to the computer that shows up as ASIO or Core Audio.

So does RedNet.

BTW these systems are all based on Dante Technology from Audinate (http://www.audinate.com). Some fine magic from Australia. One thing to note is this is TCP/IP based, it runs over Ethernet/twisted pair but is implemented up at the TCP/IP layer and so is routable/more networkable, as others have noted. Obviously doing that will come with inherent latenty limitations.

Darryl

[CME]

Fwiw I use an Allen and Heath ilive system at our church. We have the Dante option card we use to record the services. I've been looking at the PCIe rednet card so I can use external plug ins. From what I've seen reported round trip latency with the PCIe card is about 2-3ms. So 1-1.5 one way. Sounds low enough to me. Without the card I believe it's on the 6-8ms range. Depending on your network hardware throughout. Haven't actually tried it myself. I will say recording 64 channels through one cat5e cable is awesome. Very clean and simple. The drivers have been rock solid also. And that does apply to dante, not necessarily rednet, but it should be the same.

If avid would allow native to have more than 32 I/O I wouldn't have to record in another app and then mix in pt. Here's to hoping that changes soon. :)

[Bob Olhsson]

An HD Native card or thunderbolt interface ought to talk to 64 channels in addition to the Avid interface you need to buy.

[Emcha_audio]

Originally Posted by Bob Olhsson

Digico is offering the same thing and I'm sure there will be others. There are also MADI to Ethernet adapters so it will actually interface with almost anything including Lawo.

Not exactly the same, they don't have the same amount of simultaneous I/O possibilities, they cannot connect directly to an HDX card (as far as I remember) and it has external DSP (outside of your HDX cards I mean). They're system is truly just a computer with I/O, while the rednet is really just interfaces that works through ethernet. It's not the same product, although the communication part is similar.

[Bob Olhsson]

The Digico has some added Waves DSP options but as far as I can tell it will do everything that RedNet will. The announcement got lost in all of the whining about Waves and HDX. I'm sure there will probably be other players too. I think you can use Ethernet from Venue in addition to working with HD system cards.