Mark, Author at XTA - Page 3 of 3

Push The Button: Programmable remote panels for 4 Series & 1048

Introduction

Some applications for remote control, especially for permanent install situations, may not require connection to a PC running iCore or Audiocore. In some cases, access to remote PC software may be too complex for day-to-day operation, and so inappropriate.

If there is a requirement for adjustment of levels, triggering mutes, or changing scenes (recalling memories) then our Simple Remote Protocol will satisfy this, and is implemented in all 4 Series and the DC1048 (and Ti1048 from MC2 Audio).

We have sourced a hardware solution which can be programmed to transmit messages using this protocol, with total flexibility as to what each button controls – levels, mutes, recalls – across inputs or outputs and across multiple devices.

Hardware Options

We can supply the single gang, 8 button panel from Ikon’s “Synergy” range pre-programmed to operate with all 4 Series units, the DC1048, the MC2 Ti1048 and all OEM processors.

FOH UP/DWN will inc/dec the current gain of inputs A&B in 1dB steps with a range of -20dB to +3dB.

DJ UP/DWN will inc/dec the current gain of inputs C&D in 1dB steps with a range of -20dB to +3dB.
MEM 1-4 will recall user memories 1-4 on all processors. In the case of 4 Series this will recall “Everything” – so Input PEQ, GEQ and Xover settings.

These settings can all be changed if this configuration doesn’t suit your application.

The XTA Part Number for this panel is ACC-SYNERGY.

There are other sizes of panel available, either designed to fit in a UK single lighting back box, or a double UK back box, with either four, eight or 16 buttons.

Please contact us if you require a different panel as we do not hold stock of all the different variations.

Hardware Description

All panels are powered by a supplied 12V external PSU, and connect via a simple 3 wire RS232 connection. If RS485 connectivity is required then a K2-ADE RS232-485 converter can also be connected (and share the 12V supply with the panel). This can all fit in a UK back box.

All buttons are illuminated in green and, dependant on their programmed function, can operate as:

Momentary – trigger one off events such as level adjustments;
Toggle – on/off events such as mutes;
Linked groups – select certain buttons to work together so only one can latch within the group – set up four buttons as four scene recalls (as only one can obviously be active at any time);

In addition, when set as momentary action, a “repeat” action can be programmed so that, for example an inc/dec level message can be repeatedly transmitted if the button is held in so levels can be ramped up or down without having to press the button repeatedly.

All panels also support at least one external connection which can be programmed as an additional “button” or be used, for example, with a key switch to disable the panel functions.

They also have an IR emitter capabilities which can be used to send infra-red commands to any additional AV equipment if required – not all the buttons need to be dedicated to controlling XTA equipment. For example, satellite/cable TV boxes, projectors or external audio sources can be adjusted – the supplied software can learn commands from the equipment’s remote control and then replicate these commands as required. Larger panels have a pair of transmitters available.

Programming Panels

Proprietary software is provided to set up the panels’ functions and program the command sequences (or strings) as required. We have added an XTA library to this software which covers the commands that are supported by our units via the Simple Remote Protocol as described earlier.

Additionally, we have a spreadsheet available that allows commands to be built for instances where the library functions may not have it covered, as obviously we can’t show commands for every combination of unit/ID/command/parameter!

The software also has a built in labelling utility – the labels can bhttps://audiocore.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/simple_remote_protocol_14.pdfe printed out and clipped into place under the caps of the buttons, ensuring a professional-looking finished panel.

Further Information

The manufacturer’s datasheets can be found here, and the programming software is free to download here.

Additional styles of panel are available – including screwless panels with brushed chrome, or polished stainless steel finishes.

Please contact us with your requirements and if you have any questions about how they work. This information is also available as a pdf.

AudioCore V8.86 is here – start skipping!

Yes – start skipping! And this is why – there are serious and valuable additions to this latest AudioCore release, but the one thing that will probably be appreciated more than any other is the small addition of this little button:

If you know they're not there, why wait? Tell the computer! — If you know they’re not there, why wait? Tell the computer!

You’ll see it now when you start working on a new system and AudioCore is scanning all IDs to see what’s out there(after choosing to “Build System From Connected Units”):

Once your IDs have been found, hit the button.

Handy.

Even more handy is that AudioCore now supports the DC1048 (and the MC2 Ti1048) for the first time, including the ability to configure and manage the timed presets. We won’t go into all the editing and how that works – it’s basically the same as a DP448 but with the mix matrix mode of the DP548 (instead of fixed level routing).

Remember – if you’re connecting the DCor Ti1048 to the computer via the USB connection, you need to select “Master” as the connection type on the unit, and in AudioCore select “RS232” as the connection type and choose the appropriate COM Port that the USB-Serial device is installed on.

To access the timed presets, it’s a simple right click on the device window, in the same way as you would do to modify the routing or edit input and output names:

Choose "Timed Presets" to edit the automated recall configurations for this device... — Choose “Timed Presets” to edit the automated recall configurations for this device…

This will then display the timed preset manager, where up to 10 events can be scheduled – either as weekly events on certain dyas, or as single one-shot events at a certain time on a certain day.

Note the “Update to current time” tick box in the bottom left corner – it’s handy to tick this before hitting OK, as it will send you current computer’s clock settings to the unit to make sure its clock is correct – assuming your PC’s one is of course 😉 It’s worth knowing that once a one-shot event has “fired”, then next time you access the timed preset manager, it will have been deleted from the list.

Talking of presets, the ability to load presets from DP448 “.xbl” files (Library Manager files) has been extended to cover the DP548 and the DC1048 and Ti1048.

Presets are loaded on an individual basis through a right click on the Device Window and choice of “Modify Device”:

Just as you would choose to edit names or change routing configurations... — Just as you would choose to edit names or change routing configurations…

On the first tab, you’ll see the “Load Preset” button:

Point AudioCore to a Library Manager file (NOT the output bin file that you would load into the unit – they won’t be recognised!)

We will access the L-Acoustics library file:

…and given a suitable file (it has to be a DP448 file – so a compatible 4 in 8 output device) you will be greeted with a list of all the presets in this file. Pick one and load and you’re done!

Note that the routing is handled intelligently when loading a fixed routing preset into a DC1048 or Ti1048, and into a DP548 which is currently running in matrix mixer mode. Channel sends will be muted or set to 0dB in accordance to the fixed routing config in the preset. If, when loading into a DP548 the current config is already a “fixed” routing ( so anything other than mix matrix mode), then this mode of operation will be preserved.

For example, the L-Acoustics preset loaded into the DC1048 above (which only operates in mix matrix mode) will have set up the “sends” to work just like a 2 x 4 way system, as you can see below:

In case you were wondering, presets with summed inputs (such as mono summed outputs for sub drive) are also sympathetically handled: an output fed from A+B for example in a preset, will be imported into a mix matrix with both sends set to -3dB so the output level is summed to 0dB. This is the way the fixed routing has always worked too.

And don’t forget this:

Is there football on? We’ve been rather preoccupied…APA Series vs World Cup 2014

Apparently there is some sort of football tournament on, but to be honest, it’s so far passed us by here at XTA, such has been the feverish activity with the launch of the APA Series at InfoComm this week. From the feedback we have received so far, it feels like all our efforts are being rewarded with great positive interest from you, not just in person at the show, but all over the wwworld.

I needn’t turn this post into a sales pitch for the new amplifiers – you can read all about them elsewhere on the website, but I will take this opportunity to dispel a couple of myths regarding the background of the amplifier and its design – things that are being speculated upon on a variety of forums and social media, only 24 hours after the launch!

As many of you may well know – we started research into Class D amplifier design way back in 2003, where we undertook a joint project with our good friends at Funktion One. They wanted amplifier modules for their subs and famous Resolution series of speakers. As we already supplied them with their OEM processing (in the form of the X01, and currently with the XO2 and XO4A) and they were willing to collaborate with us on the this first foray into digital amplifiers, we were both destined to hopefully learn a lot and end up with some great products at the end of the project.

And that’s exactly what happened – over the course of the next three or so years, we designed and built two immensely powerful digital amplifiers with a full suite of XTA DSP inside (at 96k – still a big thing way back then!), along with full remote control capabilities, in addition to ground-breaking protection systems that have since been introduced in many other manufacturers’ designs such as error logging, and supply monitoring and low power standby modes. The A4 and A6 modules delivered 2.5kW and 5kW peak power respectively, in a footprint the size of a phone book (A6 – the big one). Cramming this much power into such a small area and making sure it is robust enough to be tumbled about in the back of a sub cabinet taught us a lot about the right (and wrong) things to do. Clever tweaks to the software as the designs developed added hidden features such as adjustment of limiter time constants in reaction to over-modulation of the output stages to keep the amp up and running as long as possible, and even adjusting fan speeds not only due to temperature conditions, but with peak signal levels to help pre-empt thermal build-up – all these things would prove useful to have discovered when we came to starting with a clean sheet and the design of the APA.

The merger with MC2 Audio after this added even more amplifier know-how into our growing R&D pool of resources. They had the background of lightweight switching amplifiers in the form of the hugely successful E Series, but one of our first collaborative projects was the introduction of some intelligence into the more workhorse T Series, to make them more appealing as installation amplifiers. Thus the Ti Series were born, incorporating traditional great sounding Class AB amplifier technology with more installation friendly features such as remote control and monitoring, speaker load alarms, mains power-up sequencing, simple level and standby remote adjustment for incorporation into existing building management systems.

Going hand in hand with the introduction of the Ti Series amplifiers, were the first forays into audio networking technology – the Ti Breakout boxes. These boxes could pick off 8 or 16 channels of networked audio (Dante or CobraNet) and feed a rack of Ti amplifiers – the whole shebang being remotely connected back to a PC for control, configuration and monitoring (via iCore – the software that was also developed). They also had another card up their sleeve, which was their ability to learn about all the other connected amps and breakouts on the network (even over Ethernet hops). This enabled one breakout box to be switched to a “Master” mode whereupon, without intervention of a PC or any remote device, it would monitor and report back on all amps and breakouts, giving feedback if any amps’ loads went out of spec, got too hot, or disappeared off the network.

As can be seen from all this research and a steady progression of product development, the APA Series have been born from a vast amount of hands on acquired first-hand knowledge.

Let’s make one thing clear too – the power supply, the power stages, and even the DSP platform used in the APA Series are not culled from any existing MC2 or XTA products. This is not a cut and paste design – sure we have learnt lots along the way and there will be elements of the amplifiers that have built on what we already know, but that’s the “D” in “R&D”!

For example – the DSP platform shares some algorithms with our flagship processor, the DP548, but (remembering that the DP548 is a 4 input and 8 output processor) doubles the power available (and we are only processing 4 channels in the amplifiers). The power supply is power factor corrected and designed to operate with no need for range switching – truly universal worldwide use. The output power sections are over-engineered with devices capable of current delivery far in excess of what is asked of them, to provide ultimate reliability and low stress (both to them and you!).

It’s an XTA design through and through – even extending to the careful consideration of the display and user interface. Whilst the unit is fitted with a full colour LCD screen – you could be fooled into thinking it’s just a monochrome display. This is very deliberate so as to use colour effectively – you’ll only see red on the screen when there’s something you need to know about urgently (an alarm condition). This way, a glance at the amps doesn’t require you to study the screen – if there’s no red anywhere, all is well! Similarly with the metering – all looks pretty normal and you might never know the LED bars weren’t anything other than standard green yellow and red. However – start driving the amps above the limiter thresholds and the meters will swap to red and start reading “downwards” to show gain reduction. Again – a quick glance is all that’s required to confirm everything as it should be.

Now the launch is underway, we might be able to take an evening off and catch up on some of the football – at this point England are apparently still in the running…however, let’s just say we don’t think we will be glued to the TV for long 😉