BridgeCo Inc. (www.bridgeco.com), a leading provider of entertainment networking solutions, announced an upgrade of its popular FireWire™ audio interface processor and firmware platform at the AES conference this week. BeBoB 4.1 has been enhanced to allow digital microphones, digital musical instruments and other digital audio sources to be added to a FireWire audio system without interrupting an on-going audio mix. With this enhanced feature, adding a new SPDIF or ADAT digital input on-the-fly no longer requires a clock reset that interrupts the creative flow of a recording session.
“BridgeCo‘s processors and firmware support more FireWire audio systems than any other technology vendor,” said BridgeCo CEO Gene Sheridan. “This enables us to gather feedback from musicians worldwide on how they use this equipment to create audio content. The ability to add new digital inputs, check out new equipment and introduce new digital sources is an important part of the creative process. Our new interrupt-free BeBoB 4.1 allows on-the-fly improvisation without missing a beat.”
BridgeCo‘s BeBoB audio processor and firmware technology can be found in FireWire audio interfaces, musical instruments and breakout boxes. These products enable musicians to combine signals from multiple instruments, microphones, sample clips and other audio sources, and transfer them to a computer using a single FireWire (IEEE 1394) serial interface. Once audio tracks are recorded and stored on a computer, they can be edited, arranged and played-back to create a complete musical or audio experience.
The majority of all FireWire audio interfaces ever sold in professional and semi-professional audio equipment use BridgeCo‘s BeBoB platform. The BeBoB platform can be found in audio interface systems and musical instruments targeted at professional musicians, as well as systems designed and priced for the consumer audio market.
BeBoB 4.1 software is compatible with BridgeCo‘s DM1100E processor, which supports 12 audio channels simultaneously, and with BridgeCo‘s DM1500E processor, which supports up to 128 audio channels simultaneously. Both processors support 800 Mbit/s (1394b S800) data rate transfers over FireWire to a host computer.
The BeBoB platform combines BridgeCo‘s proprietary dual-core, ARM-based and DSP-enhanced DM1500E or DM1100E processor, a real-time operating system (RTOS) and a comprehensive application software stack that enables a complete FireWire audio interface product. BridgeCo provides driver support for computers running Mac OS X, Windows XP, Windows Vista and Linux operating systems. BeBoB includes full ADAT/SMUX support, GSIF support, 1394a/b capability and a Linux 1394 audio driver (FreeBoB).
With BeBoB 4.1, Bridgeco has enhanced the Windows driver with several new features. Multiple BeBoB devices can now be supported on the same bus, the driver enables access to ASIO and WDM applications simultaneously, and a new, easy-to-use control interface enhances device control. BridgeCo provides several driver application examples to assist designers in product development.
