©2003 by Crown Audio, Inc.
P.O. Box 1000, Elkhart, Indiana 46515-1000 USA Tel: 574-294-8000
www.crownaudio.com 135843-1 5/03
Crown is a registered trademark of Crown International
What Is CobraNet?
Licensed by Peak Audio, CobraNet™ is an Ethernet network that sends
and receives digital audio signals. Crown power amplifiers that accept an
IQ-PIP-USP3/CN or IQ-PIP-USP2/CN module can connect to a CobraNet
network.
CobraNet works by taking an analog waveform and converting it to ones and
zeroes. Once the signal is converted to digital, it is then transported over a
100 Megabit or faster Ethernet network. Up to eight channels of digital audio
signals can be placed in a bundle. Up to eight bundles can be sent in a 100
Megabit line, depending on bit depth and sample rate.
The CobraNet signal needs to be addressed. It can either be Multicast
(Broadcast) to multiple listening devices or Unicast to one listening
device). Whether it is Broadcast or Unicast is defined by the delivery address
it is given. 255 and lower is Broadcast; 256 and up is Unicast.
Once the CobraNet signal is routed by an Ethernet Switch, the signal is
received by the listening device and converted back to analog audio.
Tech Made Simple
In plainer terms, Cobranet is like a postal system:
1. The device sending the CobraNet signal takes the analog audio and con-
verts it to digital.
2. It then takes those up-to-eight channels of digital information and places
them into an envelope (bundle).
3. That envelope is either addressed to a single address (Unicast) or is
addressed as “bulk” mail that is sent to all addresses (Multicast).
4. The sender then delivers the package to the Post Office (the Ethernet
network switch), where it is then routed and delivered to the proper address.
5. The receiver meets the postal person and hands them any outgoing enve-
lopes (bundles), up to four per address, and receives any incoming envelopes
(bundles), also up to four per address.
6. The receiver opens the bundles it requested, then converts the digital
information back to analog for use in analog devices (amplifiers) or keeps
it in the digital domain for processing (in DSP units such as the PS8810C,
IQ-PIP-USP3/CN and IQ-PIP-USP2/CN).
Analog
to
Digital
Converter
Analog
signal
11001001
01100111
Digital
signal
(Up to 8
channels)
BUNDLE
Address
<= 255
or
Address
>= 256
Multicast
CobraNet
signal
Unicast
CobraNet signal
ETHERNET
SWITCH Routing
to the
receiving
device(s)
RECEIVING DEVICE
D to A
converter
or
Analog
signal
11001001
01100111
Digital
signal
Figure 1. CobraNet Signal Flow.
Signals from receiving device
back to sending device are
omitted for clarity.
