Overview

SOUND4 ULA8 - Playout derives its name from the idea of Universal LAN Audio and is dedicated to the concept of compatibility of different standards, which means that it allows you to use a Livewire source and send it in a Ravenna network. It has an impressive capacity, with 8 stereo inputs (for the Play function) and 8 stereo outputs (for the Record function), in addition to the 8 ULA inputs and outputs (Livewire and Ravenna).

It guarantees very low latency of just 1.3 ms and is 100% compatible with Link & Share. As this is a hardware solution, it also offers great stability. Its Matrix engine has a special 3D Mode that introduces a notion of priority when connecting sources to destinations, with the order of priority ranging from 1 (lowest) to 9 (highest priority). This makes it possible to establish source scenarios for backup and mixes groups directly in the heart of the 3D matrix, which greatly simplifies operation.

The 3D audio matrix also has a Mix Engine with the capacity of 16 inputs to 16 outputs. Cross-fades are assignable separatel for each source. Thanks to this tool, it is no longer necessary to use an external mixing engine to mix Playput sources with ULA sources (Livewire or Ravenna).

SOUND4 ULA8 - Playout is also 100% compatible with Link & Share - the SOUND4 protocol that provides "read and write" access to all parameters of the company's products and allows users to directly send commands to one or more SOUND4 cards.

What is ULA

ULA means "Universal Lan Audio", in few words this is not a new standard, but a "compatible concept" where audio IP sources from different standard are now compatible and exchangeable. With ULA, we can catch a Livewire source and send it in Ravenna network... Thanks' to ULA, sources from different standard are fully cros compatible. For now, ULA integrates 2 standards (Livewire and Ravenna), we will add more standards soon.

What is the scope?

This card is mainly used as a sound card to directly play to Lan Audio (Livewire or Ravenna). Of course it is also possible to record from Lan Audio. This card is dedicated to OEM Integrators who also need advanced functionalities, like Mix Engine and 3D matrix Audio.

What is the capacity of the cards?

• 8 stereo inputs (Play)
• 8 ULA inputs (Livewire or Ravenna)
• 8 Stereo outputs (Record)
• 8 ULA outputs (Livewire or Ravenna)

What is the difference with a software driver solution?

• Low latency: 1.3ms
• ULA compatible (Livewire or Ravenna)
• Stability: this is a hardware solution!
• 3D Matrix
• Mix Engine built in
• 100% Link&Share compatible!

3D matrix, what for?

Until now the principle of operation of an audio matrix was to connect the inputs and outputs by their crossover points on a grid. This is the classic mode: "two dimensions" (input to output). With the 3D mode, SOUND4 introduces a notion of priority in the Matrix engine. In practice when connecting sources to destinations, it is now possible to define an order of priority, from 1 (lowest) to 9 (highest priority).

It is then possible to establish source scenarios of backup, priority, mixing group directly in the heart of the 3D matrix. The aim is to simplify the task of OEM Integrators. Because operation will be extremely simplified, this new concept invented by SOUND4 will also reduce cost for end users...

A Mix Engine Built In...

The 3D audio matrix has also a Mix engine with a capacity of 16 inputs to 16 outputs. Cross-fades are assignable separately for each source. Thanks to the SOUND4 PLAYOUT ULA8, it is no longer necessary to use external mixing engine to mix playout sources with ULA sources (Livewire or Ravenna).

100% Link&Share compatible

The Link&Share is the SOUND4 control protocol, in practice it is a Telnet layer that provides read and write access to all parameters of SOUND4 products. Through Link&Share, the OEM Integrators can directly send commands to one or many other SOUND4 cards. In fact the Link&Share ca be seen as a "modern" generation of GPIO...

Inputs:

- 8 Stereo Inputs (Play)

- 8 ULA Inputs (Livewire and Ravenna)

Outputs:

- 8 Stereo Outputs (Record)

- 8 Ula Outputs (Livewire and Ravenna)

3D matrix:

- 16 Inputs to 16 Outputs

- 9 groups (mix, backup, priority) per output

Mix Engine:

- 16 Inputs to 16 Outputs

- Mute, gain, Fade In & Fade Out facility for each source

Link&Share:

- 100% compatible

PCI express Board:

- PCI express card: PCI express x1 (compatible with x2, x4, x8, x16 slots)

ULA supported standard:

- Livewire compatibility: Live or Standard Stream

- Ravenna compatibility: High Performance and Generic Profiles

ULA connector:

- 100 Base Ethernet (on board)

Audio Driver:

- WDM, WASAPI (compatible Windows 32 & 64 bits)

- ALSA (Linux)

Compatible Operating System:

- Windows XP SP3, Windows 7/8/10/11 (32 & 64 bits), Windows Server 2008 R2, Wondows Server 2012

- Linux (Debian)

Quantity of cards per PC:

- No limitation except PCI express slot capacity in the PC