Category: iCore

Just a quick note to address an issue that has already come to light about Windows 8 (and Windows 7 as it turns out)…
Some of you may have experienced an error after installation of the latest release due to the file structure changing from Windows XP through Vista and into W7 causing a message to appear when you run this latest release of  iCore:

“Error: cold not create new Image library file, GetLast error = 5”

This is due to a folder no longer existing within the Windows file structure.  We have fixed this by moving this to the local program folder so you can now get the new version, 2.31, here.

Sorry about the inconvenience of having to download and reinstall – we hope the new features make up for it!

The latest version of iCore is now on-line with lots of tweaks and performance enhancements to make it quicker and easier to use.

Let’s start with the essential and inevitable bug fixes:

Firstly the off-line editing and then send settings bug has been fixed.  Now, any off-line editing you do will be correctly applied to connected unit when you go back on-line.  Remember how powerful this feature is, especially when configuring a system which includes DSP (be that 4 Series or DC/Ti1048s).  You can commission the system at home and then connect to the devices on site, and download all the settings, including memories, preset scheduling (1048s only) and current system settings in a single dump, AND have a copy of this as an iCore .icd file as backup.

Secondly, if you have ever copied and pasted presets from a DP448 to a Ti or DC1048, with output level trim enabled in the preset, you may have discovered that the trim range was incorrect – the trim of output levels should be restricted to6dB around the preset value, but this range was being pasted in at 12dB around the preset value.  Remember that if the gain trim is enabled when a preset is designed, this 6dB window is not adjustable (so you can’t select a 3dB window for example) .

So that’s the fixes done – now on to the nice stuff – the additions:

Reset to default option for 4  Series and Ti/DC1048 devices:

You can now right click on a device in the device view and choose to “Reset to defaults”.  This works with all 4 Series, and Ti and DC1048s.  A word of warning – use with caution!  Whilst this only affects the current settings (so this deosn’t delete preset/memories or anything else), it does open all crossover filters and flatten all EQ, setting gains to 0dB and on 1048s routes all inputs to all outputs (so each mix of the matrix is set to 0dB too).  On 4 Series, all outputs are routed to input A only.  Mutes are enabled on ins and outs to try and stop you making any expensive mistakes!

Move to zone option for easier large system management:

A right click on any device allows you to move it to another zone (assuming you have defined multiple zones).  In a system with more than about 30 devices, the list of units can scroll off the end of the screen, and when there are zones included in this, it can become quite difficult to drag and drop units into the correct zones.

Skip button when scanning system added:

Pretty self explanatory (with the explanatory comment!).  If you are using only Ti amps and network components, you can now skip the DSP ID searches (the ones where you specify the ID number via the individual units’ front panels) and jump straight to the fixed ID search (that uses the serial number chips built into every amp/breakout box).

 Status display on bottom toolbar:

In combination with the addition of the zone collapse/expand arrows, there is new status bar notification of any problems with the system, such as a device going offline or an amplifier reaching a temperature threshold.  Remember, if you want a device to stay as part of your system, but don’t want the warnings about it, you can right click on it in the device view and set it to be ignored.

Zone collapse/expand controls now also warning triangles:

This is pretty self explanatory – any device in a zone that requires attention will change its status indicator from green to yellow or red and the zone’s arrow will start to flash – the status bar notification will also change to blue and describe the problem as explained in the previous section.

Other improvements…
There are a variety of other little tweaks here and there, such as a bigger and clearer System Mute button (remember that enabling System Mute on a DC1048 or Ti1048 won’t show up on the front as there are no mute buttons or indicators, so if there’s no signal through them, perform a System Mute/Unmute operation!).

The zone collapse and expand animations have been sped up to help performance on older machines, and the comms system has been overhauled to reduce traffic in large systems – all devices only receive a “heartbeat” unless they are “in focus” now so large systems can be monitored at a faster rate.

One final thing – the integrated firmware updater for Ti amplifiers and breakout boxes has been replaced by a firmware checking tool in Tools > Show Device Firmware Status.  Firmware updates will now be handled by the standard xta flashloader program and bundled in the zip file along with the firmware files, available on the website.

So what are you waiting for?  Download the new version here!

With this latest release of iCore, we’re pleased to announce that it now includes the DP548 with some very cool metering and control facilities.  The dynamic EQ screen alone is worth a few words as I doubt you’ll have seen anything like it elsewhere (except maybe in AudioCore but we’re allowed to say that!).

Click on that to make it a bit bigger and so see how very cool it really is.  The transfer function graphs at the top show how the band will react to incoming audio like a normal dynamic module – so you can see where the threshold is and how the gain will be manipulated above (or below) this point.

The coloured section built into this graph is actually the metering showing closeness to the threshold – green below it, yellow at it and red when you’re into gain adjustment.  I have to get away from using the word ”reduction” when referring to DEQ – gain can be manipulated to increase or decrease depending on whether the mode is set to cut or boost at the threshold…

The frequency ressponse curve shows each band with a dynamic meter built-in underneath again.  The actual curve is the maximum effect that is to be allowed (this is especially useful when set to ”boost above”  mode – preventing excessive EQ being applied ad infinitium with I would reckon pretty extreme results!).  The coloured ”shadow’ below the curve shows the real time amount of EQ  being applied in real time.

Static screenshots of this don’t really do it justice – the best thing you can do is either buy a DP548 (or at least borrow one and then buy it when you’re suitable amazed) and try it out for yourself, or come to Plasa this year and see it in action for the first time…

We’ll try and get a demo video up on the youtube channel soon and I’ll post a quick message when it’s there.

Before I go on, there’s also a DP548 firmware update to coincide with this release of iCore – this version 1.21 adds an enhanced metering message to improve the response of iCore when it it displaying all this metering – it will work without the firmware update but it’s a lot slicker with it.

So let’s just touch on the other main DP548 new thing you won’t have seen (matrix mode is handled just like the DC1048).  The compressors on the outputs:

The metering showing closeness to the threshold is handled in the same way as the DEQ bands but the transfer function now also shows the interaction of the soft knee feature in a very useful way.  If the knee is set to ”hard” (0 is hard, 12 is softest) then the transition between below threshold (green) and gain reduction above threshold (red) is marked by a small yellow section on the metering.

As the knee is adjusted to become softer, this is not only reflected in the curve softening around the threshold, but also the sharp change between being above and below the threshold is ”blurred”.  The yellow section of the meter expands to show that gain reduction is now starting below the threshold and the ratio is effectively applied in a ”softer” manner so the full ratio is not reached until well over the threshold.  This visual representation is exactly what’s happening in the audio :o)

The meters show the gain reduction being applied as you would expect.  All in all this is a very worthwhile addition to the iCore armoury of devices it supports and what with the custom panel possibilities using the DP548 it’s worth downloading even if you’ve not got one yet and having a play – it’s free, it’s here, and you can set up custom panel stuff off-line to see how it might work for you.

It’s gone live today, and it’s got a whole load of new stuff that I thought was worth a quick post about.  You can download a guide to the key new features here if you can’t be bothered to read this on-line:

https://audiocore.wpengine.com/pdfs/icore_v2_quick_guide.pdf

Assuming you’re still with me,  let’s examine the evidence, m’lud.

Firstly, you now get full support for all 4 Series units.  That includes the downloading (so, unit to PC) of presets AND the ability to copy and paste settings from these into DC1048s, so if you’ve a favourite crossover preset from a manufacturer or want to compile a group in your 1048 you can now do this.

Just in case you’ve not done any copy and pasting, it’s very comprehensive and is also context sensitive – the fancy name for “you get different choices when you click on different things” – but remember it’s a right click on panels to get at this stuff 🙂

Other new big feature is the ability to create your own custom panels.  This is pretty impressive stuff as you’ve basically got “carte blanche” to add as many buttons, knobs, faders, LEDs as you want to a panel and “attach” them to any parameter of any unit anywhere on the system. 

So, you could have a fader that adjust the gain of a low shelf filter on an output of a 1048 (or several outputs if you link controls – more on that later)  – label it “Bass” and you’ve got…a Bass control.  A-MAZ-ING.  Seriously though – the possibilites are vast for custom panels – gain control linked to disparate types of device and even things like the ability to add buttons to bypass individual bands of EQ should that sort of thing take your fancy.

Probably the most useful thing is being able to set up simpler panels (not massive complex ones) for staff of limited knowledge to use.  That’s the polite way of saying, keep the fancy stuff out of the way of the fools who don’t know what they are doing.  “I was just messing about and it all went off”.  So, maybe some gain controls for a few amp channels and a mute that silences everything, and a standby button to put all amps to sleep.

You can even include your own pictures and design new buttons and knobs, should you feel very creative but, as the example below shows , you don’t have to do a lot to come up with a simple serviceable panel that is easy to use and looks a little more bespoke.

The next post won’t be so much of a sales pitch.  😉

This relates to the last post as well, as the main reason for the update is to include new DC1048 firmware that’ll work with both the original and the new DSP platform as mentioned in the said post. 

What do you mean you didn’t read it? 

There is also new firmware included for all MC2 Ti-Series components – the new firmware for the amps and breakouts uses a different comms ID generation algorithm so be aware that when you update any Ti-Series components you’ll have to rescan the system to find everything again.  This only needs to be done once.

My advice would be to make sure before you update firmware in the Ti-Series components, that you go on-line and name each amp/breakout with an identifiable description, rather than the default “No Network Name Has Been Set!” string.  This way, when you rescan, you’ll be able to work out what’s connected where if you’ve used the zones to group devices in physical locations.

Download installer directly here:
https://audiocore.wpengine.com/software/iCore.msi