protocol for Ethernet input on Golds?

[bearcatsandor]

In srima's review of the Phantom Golds ( http://devialetchat.com/showthread.php?tid=3449 ), they mention using the ethernet connection instead of the toslink.  Can anyone tell me what protocol the speakers use for its Audio over Ethernet? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_over_Ethernet

Also, would this provide a wordclock to remove delays? I'm interested in bypassing the dialog and using a surround system (higher order Ambisonics) for mastering at some point.

[streamy]

There are 3 ways the Phantoms communicate with the dialog: PLC (preferred), ethernet, and wifi. The data format is propriatory Devialet. So far I have not seen anybody having deciphered the data format. There is somewhere a thread in this forum in which someone has posted infos he captured with a wifi tool. But no infos about data format or a solution to communicate with the Phantoms outside of the Devialet and Spark environment. So at the moment you can use the Phantom in solo using optical input, bluetooth (except the first ed. models), Spotify connect, and Spark. For stereo or multi-room you need the Dialog. Dialog needs to guarantee that sync between the Phantoms are always lower than 20us, else there would be audible interference that would influence localisation and frequency response additionally to the room.

[ogs]

streamy is right, data format on PLC, ethernet and wifi is propitiatory. The toslink input, however, is SPDIF. To use a pair of Phantoms with no Dialog each speaker must be used as standalone or 'Solo'. You must first connect with Spark to enable the optical input, then set the volume to a suitable level (and control volume on the stream sent over SPDIF). It will remember the toslink setting but not volume (defaults to a safety level of 35) across a power cycle so you'd have to re-connect with Spark to set volume after a restart. Problem is the Phantom sums input to mono in 'Solo' mode. You'd have to somehow split the SPDIF and send left only and right only over the link to each speaker. I have researched this and have found that there is no available product that does this. Maybe this is possible in some 'pro' product, but I have not found one.

[dmitrek]

There was a blueprint for some system, that splits sounds from a 5.1 or better source and sends each channel to it's own Phantom. Just lookup "Phantom Surround" here.

http://devialetchat.com/showthread.php?t...m+surround

[dogbait]

Someone reverse engineered the protocol. Seems to be a fairly simple protocol where the Phantom is given commands via HTTP like 'stream file at http://example.com/my_song.flac'.

See here for more info on the protocol:
http://devialetchat.com/showthread.php?tid=2337

Regarding delays from the little information I've read the Phantom does some sort of DSP on the incoming audio signal (SAM for one) to optimize it for the Phantom's drivers. This adds enough latency that it becomes a problem for live audio reproduction.

There is apparently a firmware which permanently modifies the Phantom to perform no signal processing and removes the latency issue. Some DJs have managed to get modified Phantoms from Devialet.

[testerer]

If you can set up a stream locally, it's generally possible to tell phantom to "strem this file" where file is the stream, and it will continue forever. This is a way to watch movies, with VLC for example, with remote sound on phantoms at original quality (96/24 or higher, impossible via bluetooth and quite difficult through optical)

[Plainview]

If you can set up a stream locally, it's generally possible to tell phantom to "strem this file" where file is the stream, and it will continue forever. This is a way to watch movies, with VLC for example, with remote sound on phantoms at original quality (96/24 or higher, impossible via bluetooth and quite difficult through optical)

I'm about to buy a couple of Golds.... are you saying here that they won't work with my movies due to delay issues? Surprised at that!

[JohnnySix]

'Fraid so. Expect around 100-150ms delay between picture and sound. You need an HTPC with Media Player software that lets you shift the sound ahead so that it emerges from the Phantoms in sync with the picture. Once achieved though, you will see that Phantoms were BORN to do movie soundtracks, and your subwoofer will be redundant!

[fgueho]

The latency issue is not a problem only for live sessions...
It is a problem for any type of sync between phantoms AND video.

[Plainview]

OK thanks for clarifying.
Surely Devialet could simply implement a "movie" mode that would remove as much DSP as possible - accepting that might reduce audio quality a bit?