German Bundestag – IP Audio Infrastructure

Studio Hamburg MCI GmbH was commissioned to renew the audio infrastructure of the Bundestag, with a particular focus on the production facilities of parliamentary television. With the start of the parliamentary session weeks after the summer break, audio transmission was implemented via a redundant audio network based on the AES67 standard and handed over to the client on schedule after an eight-month implementation period.

The conversion was carried out partly during ongoing operations. As part of the project, the Bundestag received 19 Powercores, an mc² 36 console from LAWO, as well as a new intercom matrix from Clear-Com with over 30 new intercom stations and a wireless intercom system. Parts of the command system were also relocated via network and integrated into the AES67 audio network. MCI was responsible for the entire planning, adaptation, and expansion of the fiber optic infrastructure, aiming to create a campus-wide media and control network for transmissions. The existing control network was integrated and configured as a VLAN within the infrastructural expansion.

The network features more than 20 uplink switches, which, together with two core switches, form a redundant infrastructure. The network consists of various VLANs for control, audio streams, intercom, and more. The interconnection of the individual “studios” or production facilities can now be controlled at the push of a button in both networks. To integrate the new components and manage switching commands via IP, the existing VSM system was updated and expanded with the functionalities of “VSM Soul” for multicast stream management. The GUI of the software tool “VisTool” is used for monitoring and signal routing visualization. Additionally, channel selection is still possible directly on the mixing consoles, for example, in the event of a control system failure.

The installation of the new technology required extensive dismantling of the existing equipment and cabling infrastructure, as well as the integration of existing network, video, and audio technology. To integrate the legacy equipment, the central PTP clock required for the network infrastructure was incorporated into the existing timing infrastructure.