What is AES67/SMPTE 2110 (AoIP)?

SMPTE 2110 is a suite of standards established by the Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers (SMPTE). SMPTE 2110 uses the AES67 standard to define audio flows.

The 2110 standards allow you to synchronize video, audio and other relevant data over a network. In a broadcast environment this allows for:

  • Live editing

  • Remote production, minimising the need for specialised on-site equipment

The suite specifies standards related to the carriage, synchronization and description of streams over IP for real time production and playout. Using SMPTE standards, all traffic can go over a common interface. As data is packetized by type, it is possible to access the data by type for use in different contexts. Most administrators will continue to separate traffic by priority although at the time of writing (2019) newer switches have the ability to prioritize real time media streams.

SMPTE 2110 suite:

  • SMPTE 2110 – 10 (system: RTP, SMPTE ST 2019, Session Descriptor Protocol (SDP), Session Announcement Protocol (SAP).

  • SMPTE-2110 – 20 (uncompressed video: RFC 4175)

  • SMPTE 2110 – 21 (performance of transmitters: packet pacing, bursts, gaps)

  • SMPTE 2110 – 30 (uncompressed audio: AES67)

  • SMPTE 2110 – 31 (compressed audio: AES3)

  • SMPTE 2110 – 40 (ancillary data: IETF ANC 291)

The E-IPA-HX card works with the following specifications:

  • SMPTE 2110-10 - PTP

    • Uses existing standards SMPTE 2059-1 and SMPTE 2059-2

    • Defines the PTP signalization that is used to synchronize the audio, video and ancillary data at the source. This data can be used at the destination to play back.

    • Mandates that SDP shall be used to define the SMPTE 2110-30 stream of audio.

  • SMPTE 2110-30 - Audio

    • Uncompressed Linear Audio

    • 48Khz Sample Rate

    • 16, 24 (EHX default) and 32 bit depth

    • 125us and 1ms packet timing

    • Level A: 1-8 audio channels per stream @1ms (Mandatory)*

    • Level B: 1-8 audio channels per stream @125us*

    • Level C: Up to 64 audio channels per stream.

The E-IPA-HX card is compliant with Level A and Level B.

*The E-IPA card will transmit up to 4 Tx channels and receive up to 8 Rx channels in one stream.