Jan
27
Written by:
Paul McLane
1/27/2012 7:20 AM
Business sometimes makes for strange bedfellows.
We’re not used to receiving press releases from the Telos Alliance that have Orban logos at the top; but that’s what happened Thursday when Telos company Axia Audio announced that processor maker Orban had signed a licensing deal to make Orban products compatible with Axia’s Livewire audio over IP technology.
Axia is sister company to Omnia, long-time Orban competitor in the broadcast processing realm. The fierce competition over the years between the two “O” companies makes this Axia development particularly fun to note.
Really though it’s just another example of how modern business relationships can evolve in unexpected ways. A company you compete with over here might be the same company you cooperate with over there. That’s even more so in an era when manufacturers like Axia introduce technology standards in the hope of making themselves indispensable at the core of industry infrastructure.
Axia appears to believe it has succeeded with that; it counts among its Livewire partners such companies as 25-Seven Systems, AudioScience, Broadcast Electronics, BSI, Digigram, ENCO Systems, Fraunhofer, Nautel, OMT, RCS, Studer and WideOrbit. Livewire-compatible products run the gamut from codecs and consoles to transmitters and automation systems. (Orban signed an “L3” deal, a Livewire Limitless License agreement that allows for a blanket license to build Livewire interfaces into its gear. The deal also allows the company to work with otherLivewire partners in developing technologies that use Livewire.)
Of course, small agreements like this can also sometimes presage larger cooperation between traditional competitors. I’ve heard nothing to indicate that’s pending, but who knows. We’ll watch with interest.
2 comment(s) so far...
Re: Orban, Axia Are Friends (Say What?)
There are times when cooperation is not just needed, but demanded.
The fact is that Axia has a very popular IP Audio protocol and if we are going to incorporate IP Audio we will have to address multiple IP Audio Protocols.
This agreement is our way of telling our clients that we are keeping up. As we have waited for the market to settle and the players to develope we are now ready to make the investment in licensing that is required to implement these protocols. Unfortunatly there is no single standard.
There is also no real time line as to when this feature will be offered. First gather the licenses then plot the future with regard to the resources that will be needed.
While the competition between the "O's" has been fierce, I should point out that there is also a great deal of respect for our competitors and pretty sure they feel the same way.
By John Schaab on
2/1/2012 10:35 AM
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Re: Orban, Axia Are Friends (Say What?)
Well-said, John. We definitely do respect Orban - healthy, friendly competition is good for everyone.
And it goes without saying that we very much value you as a technology partner going forward.
By Clark Novak on
2/2/2012 9:16 AM
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