CAT Digital Audio and Networking Flashcards
6 cards from real CAT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 CAT Digital Audio and Networking flashcards as text
In AVB (Audio Video Bridging), what is the role of a 'Talker'?
Answer: The device that originates and transmits audio streams on the network
In AVB terminology, a Talker is a source device that advertises and transmits audio streams, while Listeners are the destinations that subscribe to those streams.
What is the function of the PTP (Precision Time Protocol) in a networked audio system?
Answer: To synchronize clocks across all devices on the network to a common time reference
PTP (IEEE 1588) synchronizes device clocks across a network to sub-microsecond accuracy, ensuring all audio nodes sample and play back audio at the same clock reference.
What VLAN practice is recommended when deploying audio-over-IP networks in a commercial installation?
Answer: Segment audio traffic onto a dedicated VLAN separate from general data and management traffic
Placing audio-over-IP traffic on a dedicated VLAN isolates it from general network traffic, reducing congestion and improving reliability and QoS enforcement.
What is latency in a digital audio network, and why does it matter in commercial audio systems?
Answer: The delay between audio input and output; excessive latency causes lip sync issues and monitor feedback problems
Latency is the time delay through the audio chain; in commercial systems it affects synchronization between video and audio, creates problems in monitor mixes, and can cause comb filtering in multi-speaker deployments.
What does the term 'word clock' refer to in a digital audio studio or live system?
Answer: A master timing signal that synchronizes the sample rate of multiple digital devices
Word clock is a square wave reference signal at the system sample rate that all digital devices lock to, ensuring they all sample and convert audio at exactly the same rate to prevent clicks and noise.
What is the advantage of using fiber optic cabling for digital audio transport in a commercial installation?
Answer: Immunity to electromagnetic interference and ground loops over very long cable runs
Fiber optic cables transmit light rather than electrical signals, making them completely immune to EMI, RF interference, and ground loops, which is critical in noisy commercial electrical environments over long distances.