In the beginning
Yamaha started developing mLAN FireWire Music Networking
10 years ago as the music network solution for audio and MIDI over
IEEE 1394/Firewire.
 When
we took our initial work to the 1394 TA for standardization, it
became apparent that other companies were interested in an industry
standard for digital audio over Firewire. Some of these companies
were not music companies, but consumer audio companies. They did
not need intelligent musical networking, but simple connectivity.
So Yamaha contributed the work they had done for core digital audio
and MIDI connectivity to the 1394 TA. That work (primarily done
by Yamaha) is the basis of the AM (Audio Music) protocol used in
many of the current peer to peer Firewire audio interfaces on the
market.
Flexible structure needed
 However
Yamaha also realized that there was a need for a feature rich networking
solution for the music production market. Simple peer-to-peer connectivity
is not enough for many music production situations. Customers want
to connect different devices from different companies together
in flexible configurations. Only a full implementation of mLAN
connectivity management could achieve this goal.
Yamaha also realized that it would take a concerted and focused effort
to develop the infrastructure and software to make mLAN technology
successful. An intelligent music networking standard would need to
be guided by a company that understood the specific needs of this
music production market. It would involve getting the cooperation
of OS developers, Chipmakers and other music industry manufacturers.
Proof of the pudding
So Yamaha continued to invest in the development of mLAN
connectivity management. We developed first generation products
as proof of concept, created mLAN evaluation boards to make it
easier for mLAN partners to develop mLAN products, worked with
OS companies to develop streaming drivers, enlisted chip companies
to develop mLAN capable chips and developed the ancillary software
needed to enable connection management. We also developed a royalty
free mLAN-licensing program. This licensing program was necessary
to insure the specifications were adhered to and to create the
infrastructure for an active alliance of mLAN partners.
Developing for the future
 Yamaha
has never charged a royalty to companies who adopted the mLAN protocol.
We did sell mLAN capable chip sets, but our intention has always
been to encourage chip companies to develop lower cost mLAN chips
so we could focus on developing products.
Yamaha has invested a lot in mLAN development. We did this because
we believe that an industry wide standard for music networking over
Firewire will expand the market for the computer music products we
intend to build. Our goal has always been to compete on a level playing
field with other companies using mLAN in a vibrant and competitive
marketplace for mLAN products.
Allied forces
At the Winter NAMM show, an mLAN Alliance meeting was held that
was well attended by current licensees. At that meeting Yamaha
introduced second-generation products, TC and Bridgeco announced
plan for new chips that will support for mLAN and Apple demoed
the first versions of OSX support. So huge strides have been made in the last six months in mLAN's core
infrastructure in the market.
 The
mLAN Alliance partnerships have been successfully developed and reached critical
mass. However there still remains one barrier for the complete adoption of
mLAN as an industry wide standard as you pointed out. That is the perception
that mLAN is still a Yamaha only technology.
We are looking at ways now to change the basic way that mLAN is both
perceived and also handled in terms of
Firewire Vs mLAN Firewire
At
the Winter NAMM show there were 13 point to point (one device to
one computer) Firewire products.  Many of these (but not all) were
based on the A/M 1394 protocol. This is the same core that mLAN
is based on. That means that if we were able to find a way to put
the mLAN networking protocol over the already existing A/M streaming
protocol in those devices, those devices could potentially become
mLAN compatible and be seen on an mLAN network.
Although we understand everyone is a little impatient, we can see where things
are headed and think the future for mLAN looks very bright. Everyone will be
very surprised at how quickly things start to move now that mLAN has gained some
momentum in the industry.
In the end, there are only two choices. A world where there are lots of Point-to-Point
devices that do not communicate with each other or a world where there are lots
of mLAN devices that can be connected together with intelligent networking.
Once we get our 01X, i88x and mLAN16e in the market and people can add other
mLAN products from other companies (Presonus, Kurzweil, Apogee and others coming
at the Frankfurt MusikMesse), we think people will be able to see the real benefits
of mLAN and why we worked so hard for so long to make it a reality. |
