Glossary

TOPIC

The Open Protocol for InterComs. This set of standards and procedures that allow consumer-level, off-the-shelf audio devices to transfer real-time audio between each other in a managed, transport-agnostic manner. It is designed to facilitate the creation of complex, scalable intercom systems without having to buy proprietary turnkey solutions from existing manufacturers.

Objects

Note: see the TOPIC Network Topology documentation for further details.

TOPIC Network

A collection of I/O nodes, Arbitration Servers and Matrices connected to each other to facilitate managed audio streaming using the TOPIC protocol. Note: in this documentation, a TOPIC Network will always be referred to with a capitalised 'N', in order to distinguish it from other computer networks.

I/O Node

A Network client that represents a producer or consumer of audio. This is a de facto TOPIC representation of a physical audio interface, but it does not process any audio itself. An I/O Node simply allows audio data from physical devices (or JACK-aware software) to access a TOPIC Network.

Arbitration Server

A device on a TOPIC Network operating at OL3 that is responsible for maintaining patching information.

Matrix

A device on a TOPIC Network operating at OL 4 that is responsible for mixing, processing and routing audio streams across the Network. This supersedes (and must carry out the duties of) an Arbitration Server on a TM 3 network.

Concepts

Operational Level or OL

The way of determining how the Network routes and controls audio flow across the Network depending on the capabilities and sophistication of the Network. See the Operational Levels docs for further information.

Patch

A unidirectional flow of audio between two I/O Nodes.