This makes them unsuitable for adoption in a layered networking application. • For IEEE 1394 bus based networks, a working implementation exists today that meets most of the needs for real-time audio and video streams and that is embodied in the IEC 61883 series standards. • Unfortunately for IEEE 802, the IEC 61883 series of standards uses mechanisms, formats, specific low level services and functions provided by IEEE 1394 that are not provided by IEEE 802. • For the reasons stated above, a new standard is needed to provide a common set of protocol encapsulations and mechanisms by starting with IEC 61883 protocol encapsulations and mechanisms, and modifying them to accommodate alternate lower layer protocols suitable for IEEE 802 networks.