Dante is an audio-over-IP standard from Audinate that lets you route audio between devices over a regular network cable — up to 1024 channels on a single Gigabit link, sub-millisecond latency, AES67 inter-operable. The question is whether your install actually needs it.
You probably need Dante if
- You have a Dante audio fabric already. Megachurches, broadcast facilities, university auditoriums, and large fixed venues often standardize on Dante so every console, processor, amp, and recorder is a Dante node. Your switcher needs to be a first-class node too.
- You need audio routed independently from video. Dante lets you de-embed audio from any input, route it to processing or monitoring, and re-embed elsewhere. Without Dante, your audio path is tied to the HDMI / SDI signal it came in on.
- You're feeding multiple destinations (front-of-house, broadcast feed, monitor mix, recording) and they each want different audio. Dante's matrix routing is the clean way to do that.
- Long cable runs (more than ~15 meters of analog/AES) where balanced audio gets noisy. Dante over CAT5e is reliable to 100 m per hop and unlimited via switches.
You probably don't need Dante if
- Your audio is embedded in the HDMI or SDI signals you're already switching and ends up at one or two destinations.
- You have a separate audio console handling everything outside the Pixelhue switcher and only need a confidence feed.
- You're running short cable runs in a portable rig where XLR/TRS is simpler and cheaper.
How Pixelhue handles Dante
The P20-DS is the Pixelhue model with full Dante support: 32×32 channels at 48 kHz, AES67-compliant, dual redundant Gigabit Dante ports. The S16 has Dante as an optional feature (2 channels). Other Pixelhue switchers (P10, P20, Q8, F-series, P80) handle audio only as embedded HDMI / SDI streams.
One catch: Dante is a hardware option on the P20-DS variant. You can't add it to a P20 after purchase. If there's any chance your install will go Dante, buy the P20-DS upfront.
What the "DS" means
The DS suffix on the P20-DS stands for Dante Standard — Pixelhue's name for the Dante-equipped variant. It's not a Dante "Domain" or "Subscription" reference.
Where to learn more
Audinate's own audinate.com has the definitive Dante documentation. For sizing your install and choosing between the P20 and P20-DS, call 321-747-3220 or use the contact form — we'll look at your audio routing requirements and recommend the right SKU.