Multiple BLU-80, Multiple PCs
Hannalee
Posts: 56
I know that I can run multiple BLU-80s each with their own PC and connect the audio via cobranet. This will work if the blu-80s are on different networks. What will happen if the blu-80s are on the same network? Only one blu-80 will be assigned to each pc, and no controls will be linked between the blu-80s. The reson I would like to have everything on the same network, is that the touch screens which control each blu-80 also need to display web pages that are generated within the customer facility. There is no internet connect.
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Is there any reason why you're creating multiple design files on the same network?
Rob
I'm pretty sure you misunderstood Martin's question several days ago. When he asked,
\"Is there any reason why you're creating multiple design files on the same network?\",
it seems that you read
\"Is there any reason why you're creating multiple design files on the same network rather than multiple networks?\"
I'm sure he'll gleefully correct me if I'm wrong, but I'll bet drinks that he meant,
\"Is there any reason why you're creating multiple design files on the same network rather than just using one design file?\"
All of your problems and complications seem to be stemming from the decision to have two different design files.
http://www.bssaudio.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=61
Dan
\"Is there any reason why you're creating multiple design files on the same network rather than just using one design file?\"
Unless there's something you're not telling us about the user control requirements then it seems you're generating some serious headaches for yourself.
This is the bit that worries me the most;
\"... will require both blu-80s to be in the same design. In that case, 1 pc will have to be locked out, I expect to do that by interlocking the power supply of an ethernet switch to the logic output on on of the blu-80s.\"
My head hurts....
No criticism intended Hannalee, we'd all like to help you make this system work. If you'd like I'd be happy to help further, just PM me.
Martin
These mixes will be feed via cobranet from the rack. Since we have the hardware, I planned on assigning a blu-80 to each of these mixes. They will send and receive audio via cobranet. This way I can have multiple pcs control various parts of the system at the same time. I undersatnd that I will not be able to dirrectly pass controls, although I think I have a way worked out to do it with the serial port.
Yes it is harder than it needs to be, but that is what the customer wants, and it is his dime.
Yes, he should just buy a board/desk that supports cobranet, as mixing on a pc/touch screen is sub-ideal.
Not at all true. It's a non-supported feature, which means it works but there are ways you can goof it up. It's ridiculously simple to make it work properly and safely.
Do it the easy way and charge the customer the same amount. Less work, same pay.
Dan
BTW, if I do talk him into a small cobra-net board, and if I am going to stay within the harmon group, which ones do you like?
My personal favorite console from a Harman company? That's easy. Soundweb London devices with custom control panels on LCD touchscreens. Eric Laliberte has been using Soundweb London devices as a monitor console for Diana Krall for over three years and is still cruising along. I think Eric is still using his laptop to control the system (maybe he'll speak up and let us know), but I've always had this vision of three 17\" touchscreens laid out as a console. I love it. There are so many cool things you can do with sub-pages. Especially when you consider how easy it becomes to have different control panels for different levels of user ability. You can create a very simple mixer surface for a novice user and have full-featured mixers for advanced users.
Dan
On the other hand, the benefits of a virtual console are almost impossible to fully list. Fully configurable, obviously, but also the ability to tailor the way that the console and the outboard gear work together as well as creating interactions between the console and the drive train that were never possible before. You can start with an example as silly as having the master fader on the console actually control the power amp master volumes and go crazy from there.
How about all of the groovy studio tricks that were never possible/affordable live? Putting a 4-band EQ and a comp on a vocal channel is boring and standard, but what having the ability to choose whether each of those EQ bands is pre or post comp? Or just have a completely different 4-band EQ feeding the sidechain of the comp?
Or put a 1ms delay on every channel and use that as your time baseline. It's the same psychoaccoustic result as moving the speakers 1 foot further from the audience, so who cares? But then you can play all sorts of games with those signals. Use the pre-delay signals on all of your drum mics to feed the sidechains on the noise gates for each of those channels and set the attack times for 1ms. Now those gates will start to open 1ms \"before\" the drum is struck and they'll be fully open exactly when the first impulse of the drum hit arrives.
One of my favorite tricks is something that I also noticed Eric does with his file; storing presets for different equipment and situations. If you have 4 different models of monitor cabinets that you usually use, EQ them once and then be able to recall those settings every time you use that gear.
What about EQ presets on individual channel strips? I usually cheat and don't use real presets. For example, if the guitar player has 3 wildly different tones that he uses, I'll create three identical signal paths (channels basically) and set them up so that he only goes through one of them at a time. Then program the control panel so that I only see the one that is currently \"on\". Flip to the grunge channel and the EQ that I last used for his grunge setting is there. Flip to the clean channel, and there's the EQ that I last used for that. etc, etc, etc. With a 160, you can setup a three-way flip like this for every channel and not even be at 50% DSP usage. That's mixing to stereo with only 8 mono and 4 stereo aux sends. You might want more.
No point in beating that dead horse any more. There are literally hundreds of other cool tricks.
Of course, if you really want to go for it, you won't be buying touchscreens or any sort of normal LCD. Get the high-res version of the Sony Glasstron virtual reality glasses, a head tracking system to pan your virtual console in front of you when you turn your head, and a pair of digitizers for your hands.
If you're gonna go virtual, might as well do it right.
Dan
Good work fella
Rob
Never though of this:
Or put a 1ms delay on every channel and use that as your time baseline. It's the same psychoaccoustic result as moving the speakers 1 foot further from the audience, so who cares? But then you can play all sorts of games with those signals. Use the pre-delay signals on all of your drum mics to feed the sidechains on the noise gates for each of those channels and set the attack times for 1ms. Now those gates will start to open 1ms \"before\" the drum is struck and they'll be fully open exactly when the first impulse of the drum hit arrives.
Really cool...