AES31, the newest buzzword in pro audio.

Below is the bulletin issued by the AES Chapter in L.A. which is presenting AES 31 as the subject for their meeting on 31 July.

"To streamline recording and post production, we need to be able to transfer sound files from one multitrack recorder or workstation to another. To provide plug-and-play compatibility, the AES Working Group on Audio-File Transfer and Exchange has spent the past four years developing a standard that would allow audio files from one system to be loaded into another, competitive product, thereby allowing music, dialog and sound-effects elements to move from one location to another simply and easily.

The July AES Section meeting will spotlight the current status of AES31, and how it is destined to revolutionize the music recording and post-production industries. Keynote speaker will be Jay Palmer, from Universal Studios' Post Production Sound Department, and a familiar figure to the LA Section, who will provide an overview of Why AES31 is Important and How it will streamline a number of audio functions. A more detailed description of AES31-compatible sound files and exchangeable media will be provided by Ron Franklin, president of Waveframe Inc., and Brooks Harris of Brooks Harris Film & Tape, New York. Harris is Vice Chairman of AES SC-06-01, the Working Group responsible for development of AES31, and a substantial contributor to the software engineering contained within the standard.

The AES31 project has been divided into four independent stages that form a series of scalable modules with interchange options. These stages include:
#1 Physical Data Transport (FAT32 disk format);
#2 Audio File Format (BWF or Broadcast Wave);
#3 Simple Project Structure; and
#4 Object Oriented Project Structure, including sample-accurate editing of multiple source sounds.

To date, Stages 1 and 3 have been published as standards, with Stage 2 following rapidly.

Typical questions to be covered during the July meeting include:

What exactly is the AES31 Standard for File Exchange, and what is it intended to do?
What are its primarily functions, and how do they help the audio community?
What is involved in file exchange? Media? File Formats? Audio Decision Lists?
What still needs to be resolved? What is missing?
What is AAF (Advanced Authoring Format) and how does it differ from AES31?"

Thought some of you might be interested... BTW Any one know how that July meeting turned out? Any updates?

Jules