At the 2006 NSCA Convention in Las Vegas, EAW (Eastern Acoustic Works) is previewing Ubiquity, a networking concept that challenges conventional wisdom about networking by offering full digital control of each device in a system, including audio signal, processing parameters, routing and much more—all while dramatically reducing overall system infrastructure cost.

"Ubiquity is a solution that addresses the inherent shortcomings of existing networks combined with new and purposeful functionality," states Ken Berger, senior vice president of marketing and product development for LOUD Technologies. "Furthermore, the granularity of control necessary to unlock the potential of existing EAW technologies, such as Gunness Focusing and beam steering/forming, we require a network solution that is much more advanced cost effective than anything currently available."

Berger continued, "The Ubiquity-enabled products we're previewing here at NSCA offer much improved sonic performance thanks to technologies such as Gunness Focusing. But the story becomes really interesting when they're connected to the Ubiquity network, and the device-level control, all the way down to individual components in some cases, becomes accessible from a centralized environment. This is where the system-wide functionality and per-node accessibility becomes truly interesting, and no other solution is able to offer this."

Backing up this concept, EAW is previewing three new Ubiquity-equipped products to be formally introduced later this year. First, there's the new EAW UX8800, a rack-mount digital processor that will bring Gunness Focusing technology to a broad range of existing EAW loudspeaker systems. The UX8800 is joined by the new EAW NTL Series line array and EAW NTC Series installation loudspeakers, both also outfitted with Gunness Focusing.

But the bigger Ubiquity picture emerges when the concept is extended to current and recently-announced products in the LOUD family such as the Mackie TT24 digital live console and the new EAW UMX.96, the world's first digital live console with integrated loudspeaker system processing and with fully integrated SIA SmaartLive system measurement and analysis.

"Integrating SmaartLive and loudspeaker processing into the UMX.96 was the first step in giving system engineers much greater control by making the console a more integrated part of the overall audio system. Ubiquity is the next evolution of this same idea," continued Berger.

Among the most advanced elements planned for LOUD's full implementation of Ubiquity over the next 18 to 24 months, is the use of sophisticated "mesh networking," a very efficient and reliable networking technology that, when refined to meet specific audio system networking criteria, is a powerful tool that closely integrates specific device functions into one single interface.

Mesh networking is a way to route data, voice and instructions between nodes, and it allows for continuous connections and reconfiguration around blocked paths by "hopping" from node to node until a connection can be established.

As applied to Ubiquity, the nodes form a sort of "organism" that passes information in the most efficient way possible, even though no individual node is aware of anything beyond its immediate neighbors. In addition, while conventional Ethernet subnets must be wired in a star topology, a mesh network does not have this restriction. Utilizing "mesh networking", the Ubiquity protocol provides a much more compelling networking solution including:

• Unlimiited Capacity. If the capacity of one link is insufficient, just add a second link. The mesh routers at either end will automatically use the added capacity - automatically! Just add a cable and the capacity increases. The mesh will figure out how to make it work.
• Self Healing. If part of the network goes off line for any reason, the mesh will automatically seek new routes around the dead part of the network. There will be no long-term interruption in service. Designing redundancy into a system is simple.
• Telephone-Style Addressing. When you make a phone call, you don't select the particular phone lines you want your call to use - you dial a telephone number. That's how mesh networking works.
• Zero Administration. There is no administrator, only an architect. The mesh handles the drudgery of router programming and channel assignment. In simple systems, there aren't even any rules.
• Seamless Integration With Other Audio & Control Networks. Other networks can indirectly use a Ubiquity mesh infrastructure, and it's easy to interface Ubiquity audio to other audio networks.
• Implementation Costs. Ubiquity permits a very simple, inexpensive interface for devices, such as loudspeakers. In addition, more elaborate functionality, such as mesh routing, can be provided by products with spare processing power.

"It has long been EAW's tradition to respect the industry's desire to use their own discretion in seeking out the best products for any given application. In all instances, therefore, we will offer bridge solutions that allow other manufacturer's products to work within the Ubiquity network, while also allowing our own products to be used anywhere."

At NSCA 2006, EAW offers the answer to the most-often asked audio and control network questions: Ubiquity. Be sure to attend presentations of this exciting new protocol throughout the show at the EAW demo room S220, and while there, also pick up a white paper offering more details.