In a departure from its usual activities, radio automation specialist Jutel has installed the world’s first all audio-over-IP AES67/Ravenna-based system into Restaurant Nallikari in the Finnish city of Oulu.
Restaurant Nallikari is a flexible, modern and completely modular space offering high-end restaurant services, as well as up to eight meeting/private event zones. There are also spa facilities for up to 60 people as well as an outdoor Jacuzzi on a private terrace.
The brief for the venue’s technical refit was for a high-quality, flexible, multi-zoned A/V system that could be configured to meet a wide variety of customer requirements. Jutel collaborated extensively with Genelec and ALC NetworX to the most appropriate solution. After several months’ extensive R&D, Genelec delivered a prototype AoIP-enabled loudspeaker, the Ravenna/AES67 4020A. A total of 34 of these compact speakers were subsequently installed throughout the venue.
At the heart of the system is a Jutel HIPman Hierarchical IP Audio Management system, which takes all of the source feeds (TV, radio, several HDMI audio and video feeds plus wireless microphones and a Jutel RadioMan playout system) and encodes the audio into Ravenna streams using an ALC NetworX Virtual Soundcard before and sending them to the network.
‘Restaurant Nallikari is an unusual venue that offers advanced technology and work space solutions for meetings and private events for anything from 12 to up to 82 people, as well as being a restaurant,’ explains Jutel VP Customer Services & Solutions, Jarmo Manninen. ‘At maximum capacity, the venue can host up to 250 people. We therefore had to make sure that the audio solution matched the high specification and high expectations.
‘The beauty of the solution that we have developed with Genelec and ALC NetworX is its total flexibility and incredibly low latency. Any audio source can be routed to any loudspeaker. Furthermore, guests can use their own devices – anything from a laptop, tablet or smartphone - and their own content to customise their meetings/events as they wish. Individual zone configuration and easy system control is managed via tablet-based user interfaces.’
Another benefit of an AoIP solution over traditional methods is cost-and time-saving: ‘Using a product such as our HIPman IP system management solution, we can use the LAN to replace the traditional (and expensive) loudspeaker/monitor cabling installation,’ Manninen says. ‘What’s more, any modifications are extremely quick and easy to implement as we can control every speaker individually via our management software platform – no need for costly and time-consuming re-cabling. We can even offer third party services such as music, ads, general announcements and translation services to name but a few.’
Manninen regards the project as an excellent test for developing flexible and reliable solutions based on Ravenna/AES67, as well as on opportunity to collaborate with other Ravenna partners: By integrating Ravenna’s AES67-compatible audio-over-IP streaming technology, we are building on standardised, future-proof network interoperability for all markets, as this installation proves,’ he says. ‘We’re also very pleased that a new product has resulted from our collaboration with Genelec and ALC NetworX, and are looking forward to announcing a “Ravenna inside” version of our HIPman product that will make Ravenna implementations and network management even easier. AoIP solutions offer clear advantages for customers over traditional analog implementations in terms of significantly reduced cost of ownership yet massively increased flexibility and scalability. Currently the audio transport protocol that offers the most in terms of flexibility, scalability and standardised interoperability is Ravenna.’
