Other Networked Audio

Read this topic to understand using Q-LAN with other networked audio protocols and applications.

QoS

Because Dante requires a different Quality of Service (QoS) configuration compared to Q-LAN, Dante audio may only be shared on a single VLAN with Q-LAN if other metrics besides DSCP markings are used to classify Q-LAN and Dante data. This is because Dante uses DSCP 56 for PTP and 46 for audio, whereas Q-LAN uses DSCP 46 and 34, respectively. Therefore, the DSCP 46-tagged Dante Audio traffic is likely to disrupt the DSCP 46-tagged Q-LAN PTP packet latency.

Note: When the network contains Dante traffic, QSC strongly recommends the Audinate QoS preset in Design Properties unless the network uses a Q-SYS NS Series Network Switch. To learn about choosing a switch for your network, see Network Switches.

Single VLAN

If the switch has the capability of classifying packets based on Ethernet encapsulation type or UDP Source port, then Q-LAN and Dante can function within a single VLAN. In this case, it can be safe to assign both Q-LAN PTP and Dante PTP to the highest priority queue. Likewise, it can also be safe to assign Q-LAN audio and Dante audio within the same next-highest priority queue.

Separate VLANs

If Dante and Q-LAN are required to share a switch featuring only one QoS rule table, and the Q-SYS DSCP global settings cannot be adjusted for the deployment (in Q-SYS Designer > File > Design Properties), then the only option is to keep Dante and Q-LAN ports on separate VLANs. (VLAN trunking is not allowed.) In this case, set up the QoS classification rules this way:

  • Highest Queue: Dante PTP (DSCP 56)
  • Medium-High Queue: Q-LAN PTP and Dante Audio (DSCP 46)
  • Medium-Low Queue: Q-LAN audio (DSCP 34)
  • Low Queue: Q-LAN Video (DSCP 26)
  • Lowest Queue: Everything else

Tip: Isolating Q-LAN and Dante into their own separate VLANs may be required to achieve a stable network environment.

Redundancy

Requirements for CDN64 Cards

To achieve redundancy with the CDN64 – Dante Audio Bridge Card, observe these requirements:

  • Ensure that the two CDN64 cards are installed in a redundant pair of Q-SYS Cores or I/O Frames.
  • In the Q-SYS Dante components (Dante In, Dante Out), set the External Configuration property to 'No' – i.e., internal control mode.
  • Configure all routing, in and out, using the Q-SYS Dante components. If you have a third-party device that receives a Dante stream from the CDN64 card, make that connection as you normally do (for example, with Dante Controller).
  • If you have configured a static IP address on the primary card, you must also configure a static IP on the backup card (configurable in Dante Controller). Since only one card is active at a time, a static address can be the same for both cards.

Note: Dante Domain Manager version 1.1.0 (supported by Dante firmware 4.2.0) is the first DDM version that is compatible with a redundant CDN64 card configuration.

Failover

When a failover occurs, all the Dante control values are copied to the backup. Any 3rd-party device configured to receive Dante streams automatically reconnects, as the Device Name and Channel names and labels stay the same.

If your Q-SYS network contains AES67 devices, observe these limitations:

  • 3rd-party AES67 devices may not be able to support layer 3 multicast routed networks (for example, PIM-SM routed in the ASIC). This can cause issues for Q-SYS deployments in layer 3 multicast routed networks.
  • Some 3rd-party AES67 devices require designation as the PTPv2 clock master. This can prevent other devices, such as Q-SYS devices, from working properly in layer 3 multicast routed networks.

Q-LAN and AVB cannot co-exist on a single VLAN on a switch or across shared uplinks under any circumstances (in separate VLANs or not). Bandwidth reservation schemes required by AVB specifically request dynamic switch configurations that are contradictory and harmful to the PTP clock and RTP audio packet priority requirements of Q-LAN.

When using AVB (such as the CAN32 – AVB Audio Video Bridge Card) with an AVB-compliant switch, do not enable the IEEE 802.1AS / 802.1Qat / 802.1Qav features on the switch. These features effectively override normal QoS functionality on the switch.

Use Q-SYS Softphone to connect to a digital phone system (IP-PBX, such as Cisco CUCM and FreeSwitch), as well as place ad-hoc IP-to-IP calls and connect to non-registered SIP-compatible equipment. Softphone supports out-of-band DTMF RTP Events (RFC2833), STUN, SIP trunking, Caller ID, Redial, Auto-Answer, and Do Not Disturb.

Protocols and Ports

Softphone uses SIP/TLS for VoIP telephony control on UDP port 5060 and RTP/SRTP on ports 16384-32768 for audio transport. You can change the inbound (listening) SIP port in Q-SYS Core Manager and Enterprise Manager. (Outbound calls always use port 5060.)

Configuration

  • Use the Q-SYS Core Manager or Enterprise Manager > Softphones page to configure settings for all Softphones in your design (including the inbound SIP port and LAN interface for SIP traffic), as well as individual Softphone properties. Refer to the Core Manager > Softphones topic for guidance, including information about SIP trunk support.
  • Use the Q-SYS Core Manager or Enterprise Manager > Network Settings page to enable DNS if the Core must resolve a SIP proxy address, such as when the Core must communicate with a cloud-based SIP server. (In that case, any public DNS address should be sufficient.) If the Core only needs to communicate with an in-network SIP proxy server, enabling DNS is not required. Refer to the Core Manager > Network Settings topic for information on enabling DNS.

Control

Add individual Softphones to your design from the Q-SYS Designer Inventory > Streaming I/O category. To learn about Softphone and its components and properties, see the Softphone topic.

Q-SYS supports connections to analog phone systems, either with Q-SYS hardware that includes POTS interfaces or with Softphone.

Q-SYS Hardware

The following Q-SYS hardware can connect to analog phone systems. If you are connecting to a digital system, you can use an FXO gateway (Analog Telephone Adapter or ATA) that has an analog POTS connection and a network connection.

Q-SYS Softphone

Use an FXO gateway to interface to a POTS system. Avoid multi-port models featuring an FXS port.

VoIP and video / VC systems are designed to tolerate network latencies between 50-150 milliseconds, while Q-LAN requires maximum network latencies measured in microseconds. As a result, Q-LAN PTP and audio must always be placed in a higher priority queue than voice, video, or video conferencing applications.