What happens when you assign a channel already sent unicast to a multicast flow?

When a channel that has already been sent over a unicast flow is assigned to a multicast flow, it effectively converts to multicast. This is a fundamental aspect of how audio data is transmitted within a network using the DANTE protocol, which is designed to optimize audio distribution.

In this process, the original unicast transmission is replaced by a multicast transmission for that specific flow. This change allows multiple receivers to access the same stream of audio, which is one of the key advantages of multicast communication. It alleviates the load on the network, especially in scenarios where the same audio needs to be sent to multiple destinations. Assigning to multicast means that the data is sent only once over the network, and multiple devices can receive it simultaneously, as opposed to sending separate streams to each individual device.

This transition from unicast to multicast is seamless and purpose-built within the DANTE framework, enabling efficient use of bandwidth and improved management of network resources.