ReAX™ is the industry’s first non-proprietary IP Control based on AV/IT industry standards. The name ReAX™ represents action/reaction which is the essence of control automation. ReAX™ is unique since it is not limited to a single manufacturer but to ALL participating ReAX.org members.
For the first time in the AV industry, interoperability will be possible not only through protocols but actual code. The mission is to create an ecosystem where assets such as IR libraries, macros, and more can all be shared and organized in a single location here on this website as a repository.
ReAX™ was designed to be shared with the AV/IT industry as a more flexible, stronger, and unified solution. We want to bring choices back to end users and integrators alike. In time, we hope ReAX™ will become part of everyone’s vision. Take back control with us and make a difference!
ReAX™ server-side operations are based on JavaScript™. This language standard is commonly used on most websites. Client-side operations for touch panels and web interfaces can be written in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc. To the end user, it will appear and operate like any other control system and much more. As a result, a variety of manufacturers can offer their flavor of ReAX™.
This will open new product and choices that all work in harmony. With the technology standardized, integrators will no longer have to rely on proprietary training courses that result in lost time and money. Being part of ReAX™ will allow integrators and end users to have choices depending on their installation needs by opening up the ability to mix and match different manufacturers’ products.
A small ARM processor option board IPE-REAX-1 has been created to add ReAX™ to Aurora’s new HT-Series HDBaseT product line, VLX-Series 1G AV-over-IP, and IPX-Series 10G AV-over-IP. This compact powerful board (1.84” x .784”) will add full automation to HDBaseT and AV-over-IP, eliminating the need for an external control processor. It can run as a single unit for the entire system, or multiple can be installed to segment or make the system redundant. The IPE-REAX-1 board is available for other manufacturers to utilize for faster deployment.
A strong control core needs strong tools. Aurora’s Core Studio™ will allow drag and drop creation of interfaces and control code. Since the generated code is based on JavaScript it can be modified after generation. Currently in proprietary systems, if the tool has a bug, it cannot be resolved until the manufacturer issues a software update. With ReAX™, since it is JavaScript based, even if the code generator does something wrong, a user can correct the code in a simple text editor or add code to enhance features.
For the first phase, we began rolling out ReAX™ as our latest generation of control systems, using newer, more robust hardware. But the real technological leap here is in the operating system.
Our previous embedded operating system that we have been using since the beginning has now been recreated from the ground up, using a modern embedded Linux OS as the foundation. On top of this, we are using Node.js™ web application platform, which opens up many possibilities along with improved efficiency and performance.
Just like any other control system, ours have typical ports for control like RS-232, I/Os, relays, IR, network, etc. But where we have differed since day 1 is that our GUI (what you would view on a touch panel, for instance) is simply a web page.
Now, any device with a browser can now become the control interface – anywhere from our touch panels to a PC, iPad, or phone. And the GUIs can be customized for each.
The second phase of ReAX™ is to bring other manufacturers on board to implement ReAX™ hardware into their products and create an independent organization to allow for a standardized control system across the industry.
The community of manufacturers and developers built around this will act to further evolve the platform so that it grows with time, as new technologies become available. There is progress on this phase already, and you can expect to hear more over the next few months.
As a sort of proof of concept of this, much of the Aurora ecosystem already includes built-in control, or the option to add ReAX™ control to them e.g. our AV-over-IP and newer HDBaseT products.
So we are pushing the envelope in integrating full control into products that would normally require external control systems, while also adding enhanced capabilities.
Aurora has been making network-based control systems for over 20 years now. The company has a deep history in pro-AV control (on the programming side) that goes back even further. Our products were born out of a need that the rest of the industry was neglecting - having smaller, distributed systems, that utilize networking.
Among many other benefits, this allows you to place small, lower cost control ports on the network where you need them, rather than a large and expensive controller in a central location. Since then, we have released a few new generations of control processors. ReAX™ is the latest evolution, but it brings so much more to the table.
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