Lawo Rolls Out RƎLAY v4.2 Software for Virtual Machines

With virtualization a hot topic for broadcasters, Lawo is rolling out a new version of the RƎLAY virtual radio software suite that is optimized to run in Virtual Machines.

“Radio engineers are ready for virtualization,” says Johan Boqvist, Senior Product Manager, Radio. “Phone caller management, software codecs, streaming apps and, importantly, playout systems are all available in software now. RƎLAY represents the last piece of the puzzle – virtual mixing and routing software that can tie together that other software in one neat package. The result is the ability to originate, mix, route and distribute broadcast audio within a Virtual Machine environment. RƎLAY 4.2 is a great tool for broadcasters looking to build bridges between the cloud and bare-metal computing equipment.”

New RƎLAY v4.2 software runs on standard Windows-based PCs and laptops, either stand-alone or as part of a RAVENNA / AES67 network, but can also be deployed within Virtual Machines hosted on cloud-based servers, thanks to numerous behind-the-scenes optimizations and performance upgrades that help RƎLAY programs run even smoother and more efficiently.

“Lawo is as enthusiastic about virtualizing radio production as broadcasters are,” says Lawo Radio Marketing Specialist Clark Novak. “We’ve always said virtualization is the future, and with RƎLAY v4.2, that future is here!”

Broadcasters love RƎLAY VRX, the Windows-native virtual mixer software with touchscreen-control capability. RƎLAY VRX is deployed around the world at radio stations, used to power news workstations, production rooms, and even on-air studios. With the addition of a companion Lawo OnAir 4 audio interface, RƎLAY VRX is also perfect for remote broadcasts and home studio use.

The RƎLAY virtual radio software family includes four apps:

• RƎLAY VRX, a touchscreen-enabled Virtual Radio Mixer available in a 4-fader, 12-input version (VRX4), and an 8-fader, 24-input version (VRX8) with advanced features such as Lawo AutoMix, Autogain, and the ability to host VST plugins.
• RƎLAY VPB, a Virtual Patch Bay application that can mix and route traditional audio sources, audio from PC apps, and even RAVENNA / AES67 streams, as well as machine-logic commands.
• RƎLAY AoIP Stream Monitor, the world’s first inspection and monitoring tool for AES67 networks, with configurable audio presence monitoring, loudness metering, signal quality analysis and SDP inspection for up to 16 critical AES67 streams.
• RƎLAY VSC Virtual Sound Card, an 8×8 RAVENNA / AES67 sound card replacement for Windows PCs.

Radio broadcasters around the world have discovered the benefits of AES67 streaming, routing and mixing using RƎLAY software in production, news and remote environments. All RƎLAY software runs on PC’s with standard Windows versions, and in VMWare Server 6.6 virtual machine environments.