High-Throughput Instrument Control Protocol
In the world of instrument automation (GPIB, VISA, TCP/IP), the primary bottleneck is rarely bandwidth—it is latency. Every command sent to a device initiates a handshake protocol that incurs a time penalty. When managing complex systems with hundreds of data points, these penalties accumulate, resulting in “bus chatter” that freezes the UI and blocks other processes.
The Great Decoupling is Here.
Splinkler is a specialized control connection manager designed specifically for decoupled architectures.
Splinker:
1. Splicing Control: The Need for Speed
2. Linking Feedback: The Need for Awareness
In the realm of scientific instrumentation software, a common pitfall is the creation of monolithic applications. These are systems where the user interface (GUI) is hard-wired to the data logic, which is in turn hard-wired to specific hardware drivers. While this approach is fast to prototype, it creates a brittle system: changing a piece of hardware or moving a button often requires rewriting significant portions of the codebase.
The OPEN-AIR architecture takes a strictly modular approach. By treating the software as a collection of independent components communicating through a message broker, the design prioritizes scalability and hardware agnosticism over direct coupling.
Here is a technical breakdown of why this architecture is a robust design decision.
In the transition to IP-based media infrastructures, particularly those built on SMPTE ST 2110 and AES67, the industry faced a critical decision: how to discover devices and manage the complex connections between them. While AES70 (Open Control Architecture) offers a comprehensive object-oriented framework for device control, it has effectively lost the battle for **connection management**.
https://www.aes.org/standards/comments/cfc-draft-rev-aes48-xxxx-251124.cfm
By Anthony P. Kuzub Chair, AES-X249 Task Group SC-05-05-A
In the world of professional audio, the transition from XLRs to high-density DB25 connectors was a matter of necessity. We needed more channels in smaller spaces. But in adopting the AES59 standard (often called the TASCAM pinout), the industry inadvertently created a trap—an 8-channel variation of a problem we thought we had solved decades ago. Continue reading
The “Backpack Cinema”: Creating a Portable 22.4 Immersive Studio with USB
Immersive audio is currently stuck in the “Mainframe Era.” To mix in true NHK 22.2 or Dolby Atmos, you traditionally need a dedicated studio, heavy trussing for ceiling speakers, and racks of expensive amplifiers. It is heavy, static, and incredibly expensive.
For decades, the foundation of a successful live show has been the patch master—a highly skilled human who translates a band’s technical needs (their stage plot and input list) into physical cables. The Festival Patch formalized this by making the mixing console channels static, minimizing changeover time by relying on human speed and organizational charts.
But what happens when the patch list becomes part of the digital DNA of the audio system?
The demonstration of embedding specific equipment metadata—like the microphone model ($\text{SM57}$), phantom power ($\text{P48}$), and gain settings—directly into the same protocol (SDP) that defines the stream count and routing, paves the way for the Automated Stage. Continue reading
I love interesting weird audio problems—the stranger the better! When a colleague reached out with a baffling issue of severe signal loading on their freshly built instrument cables, I knew it was right up my alley. It involved high-quality components behaving badly, and it was a great reminder that even experts can overlook a small but critical detail buried in the cable specifications. Continue reading
How the lessons of the 19th-century workshop explain the future of AMWA NMOS and the shift to a Service Economy.
In the mid-19th century, Sir Joseph Whitworth gave the world a standard for the screw thread. It was a masterpiece of order, intended to make the mechanical world predictable. But while Britain invented the standard, it lost the manufacturing war. Why? Because British workshops refused to let go of “The Fitter.” Continue reading
HOHNER IN85-AEGS-H7A0-0250
When it comes to recording studios, it’s easy to obsess over gear—the mics, preamps, monitors, and plugins that shape your sound. But while equipment is critical, it’s often the overlooked details that make or break a session. A forgotten cable, an overheated amp, or even a lack of snacks can grind the creative process to a halt. That’s where this Studio Survival Guide comes in. It’s a practical checklist for everything beyond the gear—cleaning supplies, tools, food, and creature comforts—that keeps sessions running smoothly and everyone focused on making great music. Whether you’re a seasoned engineer or a first-time studio owner, this guide ensures you’re prepared for anything, so the session never skips a beat.
“The last meter” refers to the final connection between an audio device, such as a microphone, headphones, or speakers, and the larger sound system or network. Just as “the last mile” in telecommunications represents the crucial final stretch that delivers service to the end user, “the last meter” in audio engineering highlights the importance of the final cable or wire, which directly impacts the quality and reliability of the sound being transmitted. Despite its short length, this connection is critical for ensuring the integrity of the overall sound system.
Prisoner of War Radio
This is an example of a radio that would have been built and used by prisoners of war during the Second World War. These radios allowed the prisoners to listen to Allied news reports and follow the progress of the War. They were among the most important items to maintain their morale in the camps.
CFAMS 2002.0778.004
