Calrec Zeta, Operator'S Manual

Page: 100 / 144

100 Zeta
Digital Broadcast Production Console
the hydra audio networking System
provides a powerful network for
sharing of I/o resources and control
data between Calrec digital consoles.
Hydra I/O units, with up to 96 inputs/
outputs, analogue or digital, may be
connected onto the network, providing
remotely located sources and destinations
that can be used by any or all mixing
consoles.
The console interfaces to the Hydra
Gigabit Interface unit via a Wide Area
Bulk (WAB) card, which occupies one of
the AES\bulk card slots in the Processing
rack. There can be up to 4 WAB intefaces
in the system.
Hydra teCHnOlOgy
Gigabit Ethernet
Gigabit Ethernet is founded on key
principles of preceding Ethernet
technologies and provides a data rate of
1000 Mbps over copper or optical fibre.
Data is transferred using the Ethernet
frame format over switched media in a
network constructed from standardised
structured cabling.
The Hydra Audio Network fabric is
constructed using low-cost off-the-shelf
hardware. The network topology is similar
to that of an office LAN, being created
out of a central switch with connections to
each mixing console, in a star formation.
Connections may be made with Category
5e UTP, up to 90 metres, or with optical
fibre, to several kilometres.
There are many commercially available
Gigabit switches, repeaters and media
converters that can be used to build
the network, however some proprietary
hardware is required to interface the
consoles and Hydra I/O Racks to the
network.
The diagram below shows a console
and racks connected to a network via a
Wide Area Bulk Card and Hydra Gigabit
Interface Unit. 2 Hydra I/O Racks are
also shown, each with up to 96 inputs/
outputs available to any console on the
network.