In a three-way demonstration at the 2014 ProLight & Sound show, Optocore, DiGiCo and Clear-Com demonstrated new software that enables Optocore devices to be connected directly to the Optocore-DiGiCo fibre loop. Together, they provided a decentralised live press conference from all of their respective stands.

A presentation from DiGiCo MD James Gordon and Marketing Director Dave Webster was followed by Clear-Com MD Bob Boster, who was beamed in from the Optocore stand as Simon Browne anchored the press call from Clear-Com’s stand location. The three stands were connected via single-mode fibre –made possible by the new DiGiCo implementation. Visitors were able to see the remote X6R mic preamp on the Optocore booth being controlled from the console on DiGiCo’s booth.

‘By adding a simple Optocore 16-channel X6R-FX interface to the DiGiCo network extra I/O connectivity can be achieved together with Ethernet and RS485/422,’ explains Optocore founder, Marc Brunke. ‘They can also use Optocore’s cost efficient DD2FR-FX and DD4MR-FX Madi interfaces to increase the number of Madi ports available on the console.’

Although Optocore partners with multiple console manufacturers, only DiGiCo has OEM Optocore and is running the native 2.21 Optocore protocol. ‘With both companies’ R&D departments working closely together, we have managed to join two systems together in an intuitive and elegant way,’ he says.

Having proven the concept – and demonstrated adding professional video signal layers on top of the Optocore technology, to create high-bandwidth and high-channel count systems – Brunke’s reckoned that there was nothing left to prove and switched the emphasis from the network to his new Madi-over-Cat5 standard which has now been ratified by AES. This extends the AES10 Madi standard by allowing twisted pair Cat5 connectivity in addition to the current options.

‘This complete, cost-effective solution provides the bridge between low-channel-count and high-channel-count devices,’ he says. ‘Up to now Madi has been too expensive for low channel devices – but this is no longer the case. Also, because the new version makes Madi compatible with IEEE802.3, it can now be used in combination with other recent network standards like AES-X210 / AES-67 or older proprietary Ethernet implementations.’

‘This was unquestionably our most successful trade show participation ever,’ says Optocore Commented Marketing Director, Tine Helmle. ‘The network created a real buzz as a result of which we received many new enquiries as well as being able to forge closer links with our existing global reseller network.’

‘We believed that this live demonstration was the best way to demonstrate just how easy the system is to use,’ adds DiGiCo’s James Gordon