[linux-audio-dev] Audio over Ethernet?

[Anders Torger]

On Wednesday 14 April 2004 11.11, David Olofson wrote:
> On Wednesday 14 April 2004 09.47, Anders Torger wrote:
> [...]
>
> > Thus, I think it is necessary to implement something operating on
> > the ethernet level to get best performance in terms of throughput
> > and latency.
>
> Sounds like you'll need something like this:
>
> 	* A real time operating system
>
> 	* Decent ethernet hardware (most 100+ Mbit h/w should do)
>
> 	* A protocol stack with RT streaming support. (Or
> 	  implement your own protocol, using the ethernet h/w
> 	  as high speed serial ports/bus interfaces.
>
> 	* A distributed hard RT application


I think I can get away without the real-time OS, using just plain 
rt-scheduling in vanilla Linux. I do not need extremely low latencies, 
I can tolerate quite high I/O delay. The processing block size will be 
at least 512 samples (2048 will probably be the normal size), and the 
I/O delay through the system is allowed to be more than two blocks, if 
I get below 250 ms in the system I outlined I would be satisfied.

What I see as the main problem is acheiving the high throughput without 
packet loss, and with a stable latency. But I guess as soon as I start 
testing (if I do, it is just a fun idea for the moment) I'll come 
across lots of interesting problems. I don't know of anyone that has 
tested streaming say 300 uncompressed channels in parallel...

/Anders Torger