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A common language

A new open standard looks set to make life easier for manufacturers and integrators in the professional audio market. The Open Control Architecture Alliance (OCA) is a group of 14 companies including Bosch, Harman, Yamaha, TC Group (which includes Tannoy) and d&b audiotechnik. OCA has developed a common remote control and monitoring protocol: a common remote control language that can be used by all manufacturers.

The driving force behind OCA was an explosion of standards in this field. “Last year, we had 14 competing standards, and the industry said, ‘we have to reduce this number,’” noted Marc Weber, chairman, marketing workgroup, OCA. “Today, we have 15.” But in an OCA press conference update, Weber revealed that the new open standard (known as the AES-X210 project) was on track to be ratified by the Audio Engineering Society this spring.

“We want the new standard to do for our industry what MIDI did for electronic musical instruments,” Weber told ISE Daily. “Today, we are focusing on audio, but we also have plans for video later.”