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OVERVIEW

Focusrite RedNet Audio Networking - key features

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Digital audio networking developed specifically for studios

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Scalable, up to 512 bidirectional audio channels per link (at 48 kHz) 

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Choice of various analogue and digital I/O interfaces

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Supports as many interfaces as required 

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Pristine audio quality with low latency

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Round trip latency less than 3 ms with RedNet PCIe card

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Based on Dante

TM

 - proven reliability and robustness

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24-bit, up to 192 kHz sample rate

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Very simple to configure

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Hot-swappable interfaces

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Remote control of all interfaces via included RedNet control software

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Supports any open DAW package, including ProTools, Logic and Nuendo

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Mac and Windows compatible

REDNET SYSTEM COMPONENTS

A RedNet system requires both hardware and software components. The RedNet hardware range 

currently consists of various models of I/O interface and a PCIe digital audio interface card which 

is installed in the system’s host computer. All the I/O units can be considered as “Break-Out” (and/

or “Break-In”) boxes to/from the network, and all are built in mains-powered, 2U 19” rackmounting 

housings.

There are three software items for installation on the host computer: RedNet Control, Dante Controller 

and Dante Virtual Soundcard. RedNet Control is required for all systems and Dante Controller is a 

useful accessory but familiarity with it is not absolutely essential for operation of simpler systems. 

Dante Virtual Soundcard is an optional software alternative to the RedNet PCIe card, and allows 

the  creation  of  RedNet  systems  without  a  dedicated  computer  interface  card.  Systems  based  on 

Dante Virtual Soundcard have a lower channel capacity and a slightly inferior latency performance 

compared to systems using the PCIe card.

RedNet I/O interfaces
A variety of audio interfaces is available for the RedNet system, including mic preamps, analogue 

line level I/O and various interfaces catering for digital protocols. For more information please visit: 

www.focusrite.com/rednet

Full details of each RedNet interface can also be found in the User Guides supplied with each unit.

Summary of Contents for RedNet

Page 1: ...System User Guide www focusrite com FA0458 02 ...

Page 2: ...the cart stand tripod bracket or table specified by the manufacturer or sold with the apparatus When a cart is used use caution when moving the cart apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip over 13 Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time 14 Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damage...

Page 3: ...ada The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance servicing instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance WARNING TOREDUCETHERISKOFFIREORELECTRICSHOCK DONOTEXPOSETHISAPPARATUS TO RAIN OR MOISTURE AND OBJECTS FILLED WITH LIQUIDS SUCH AS VASES SHOULD NOT BE PLACED ON THIS APPARATUS The lightning f...

Page 4: ...nts 8 Network Requirements 8 Installation Guide 10 Unit Connections and Features 10 Getting Started 11 Hosting RedNet 11 Constructing a RedNet system 12 Example RedNet studio setups 14 Operation with RedNet Control 18 Using Dante Virtual Soundcard 22 Using Dante Controller 22 Appendix 26 Registering your product 26 Customer Support 26 Troubleshooting 26 ...

Page 5: ...ime and impact on a building RedNet allows system components to be controlled remotely via RedNet software on a host computer Input and output interfaces can be placed anywhere on the network and hot swapped RedNet automatically recognises and reconfigures replacement units as soon as they appear About this User Guide A copy of this System User Guide is packed with each of the hardware interfaces ...

Page 6: ... computer All the I O units can be considered as Break Out and or Break In boxes to from the network and all are built in mains powered 2U 19 rackmounting housings Therearethreesoftwareitemsforinstallationonthehostcomputer RedNetControl DanteController and Dante Virtual Soundcard RedNet Control is required for all systems and Dante Controller is a useful accessory but familiarity with it is not ab...

Page 7: ...to detected by the RedNet Control software and visualised on screen along with their various controls and settings Blocks of audio channels can be re routed and system configurations can be saved and reloaded as required Dante Controller Dante Controller software is Audinate s proprietary generic audio routing application for use with Dante digital audio networked devices Installation of Dante Con...

Page 8: ...e computers Network Requirements The Audinate DanteTM protocol on which RedNet is based uses standard Ethernet technology for the network Although RedNet traffic can be mixed with other network data we recommend that for maximum performance the Ethernet network used for RedNet audio should be self contained and not used for other IT purposes The network topology employed will be dictated by user r...

Page 9: ...o is delayed in travelling through the system In practice latency only becomes a problem when mixing signals from systems having significantly different delays The Dante protocol used by RedNet exhibits very low latency and you should not experience any problems in normal recording practice when using it for multichannel audio transport between a DAW and sources or monitoring With the RedNet PCIe ...

Page 10: ...embedded in the incoming Dante bitstream Green blinking confirms card is a Dante PTP master the card is set in Dante Controller to generate the Dante clock which will be used by other units Orange sync failure 4 ERR reserved for future use NOTE additional LED displays are thus AllLEDsred cardhasenteredfailsafemode Ifthissituationoccurs usersarerecommended to contact Focusrite Customer Support All ...

Page 11: ...stem will have the lowest audio latency possible and support the maximum number of channels See note below regarding use of RedNet with Pro Tools HDTM systems If you are not using the RedNet PCIe Card a RedNet system can be hosted on any compatible computer with one Ethernet port using the Dante Virtual Soundcard This is a software application which may be downloaded from www audinate com Please c...

Page 12: ...Using Dante Virtual Soundcard You will require Dante Virtual Soundcard if your system does not include a RedNet PCIe Card or one or more RedNet 5 units Technical Requirements In addition to meeting the specifications on page 8 your Mac or PC must have at least one vacant Ethernet port If you are installing the RedNet PCIe Card it must also have a spare PCIe Card slot To download software either Da...

Page 13: ...ante Controller This software application is automatically installed when RedNet Control is installed Dante Controller is a useful addition to but not essential for simpler systems Most RedNet functions can be controlled from RedNet Control but non standard routings can be be defined in Dante Controller Dante Controller can also be downloaded from www audinate com Register first then download and ...

Page 14: ...tween 1 and 128 RedNet will automatically route the physical inputs and outputs of the RedNet units available on the network to the DAW inputs and outputs in a one to one numerical sequence taking into account the order in which the units are sorted on screen in RedNet Control To give a simple example if you have a RedNet 1 8 line inputs 8 line outputs and a RedNet 4 8 mic line inputs on the netwo...

Page 15: ...utputs could also be made available via the RedNet 2 s outputs System 3 Single Control Room and Live Room setup digital As above but RedNet 3 replaces RedNet 2 in CR for interface to digital mixer GBit Switch Mac PC CAT 6 Ethernet Cables Control Room Digital Mixing Desk 32 Digital I O 32 Digital I O GBit Switch Live Room 8 Channel Mic Pre 8 Channel Mic Pre This would be a suitable system if the mi...

Page 16: ... include a RedNet PCIe card The host computer would instead have the Dante Virtual Soundcard installed and a single Cat6 connection between RedNet 4 and the host s resident Ethernet port would suffice This system would be ideal for basic high quality recording but would require monitoring to be through an amplifier speaker system connected directly to the host computer s resident audio output ...

Page 17: ...ach room has its own local Ethernet switch and each is connected in turn back to a central switch in the machine room The host computer which may or may not be a DAW platform is connected to this central switch In such a system the routing of any physical input to any physical output somewhere else in the system would be set up using Dante Controller which permits specific per channel routings to ...

Page 18: ... is labelled ROUTED and the lower is labelled AVAILABLE Initially all RedNet units on the network will be AVAILABLE because no routings have yet been established Note that the left hand inputs and right hand outputs grey panes of each panel are un numbered at this stage To route audio to or from a RedNet unit left click on the unit s panel and drag it upwards into the ROUTED area After a few secon...

Page 19: ...er by dragging them from the ROUTED area to the AVAILABLE area Note that right clicking anywhere in the RedNet Control window except the metering areas will open the utility menu which contains the option UNROUTE ALL Selecting this will unassign all units in the system See Utility menu on page 21 If you hover the cursor over the channel number of any unit in the ROUTED area you will see tooltip te...

Page 20: ...y a unit and then name the unit according to its usage see item 7 below 5 Tools icon clicking this will open a menu whose contents will depend on the RedNet unit type Various unit settings may be controlled More details are given in the RedNet hardware manuals 6 Busy Warning Fault icons if the network is re interrogating as it will when a unit is moved between ROUTED and AVAILABLE for example a bl...

Page 21: ...nformation including firmware and software versions Reset Routing this is effectively an undo command for any custom routings which have been set up using the Dante Controller The Audio routings are restored to the default one to one mapping determined by the units layout in the RedNet Control window Edit Routing clicking this option launches Audinate Dante Controller or if Dante Controller is alr...

Page 22: ...Control s operation The fundamental difference between a Dante Virtual Soundcard based system and a RedNet PCIe card based system is that Dante Virtual Soundcard imposes certain restrictions on the system s maximum capabilities The most important of these are Dante Virtual Soundcard only supports sample rates of 48 kHz and 96 kHz Dante Virtual Soundcard only supports up to 64 bidirectional audio c...

Page 23: ...ol against each RedNet device may be clicked to expand the full set of inputs or outputs Note that in the case of an input only interface e g RedNet 4 no outputs are listed Clicking the symbol against the horizontal vertical titles Dante Transmitters and Dante Receivers simultaneously expands all audio inputs and outputs respectively clicking the symbol collapses them In addition to the RedNet dev...

Page 24: ...rrently mapped to the audio channels of the RedNet PCIe card Consider a simple situation where a single RedNet 1 unit is on the network Expanding the RedNet PCIe card inputs vertical axis Dante Receivers and the RedNet 1 audio inputs horizontal axis Dante Transmitters will give a display like this ...

Page 25: ... Control and or rearranging their order in ROUTED gives a channel by channel confirmation in Dante Controller of the routing thus established Custom routings The simple default routings established from RedNet Control will probably suffice for most recording situations However you can alter the routing setup at any time by clicking at any of the intersections in the Dante Controller matrix When yo...

Page 26: ...om register Customer Support You can contact Focusrite Customer Support at Email supportteam focusrite com Phone 44 0 1494 462246 Troubleshooting If you are experiencing problems with your RedNet System we recommend that in the first instance you visit our Support Answerbase at www focusrite com answerbase ...

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