CHAPTER 5: CONSTELLATION PROCESSOR INSTALLATION
Constellation processors should be mounted within a rack in an equipment room near the
venue. Each processor comes with an IEC power cable and a link cable, and each system
includes one null modem serial cable.
It is recommended that you prefabricate and build as much of the Constellation system racks
as possible, so that you are able to load the software and pretest the processors before they
are installed on site. This will reduce installation time, as well as diagnostic variables if any
troubleshooting is necessary.
Choosing an Equipment Rack
The equipment rack you use should be a deep steel rack with good RF rejection. It should be
deep enough to mount all electrical strips and wire with enough room for separation of the
different cable types. It is always a good idea to put lacing bars for wire support where possible.
It should also be sealed with all the empty rack spaces being taken up with blank panels. Most
manufacturers have good accessories for these racks as well as electrical accessories. Choose
one with a good fan ventilation system for temperature control. These additional parts will
ensure that your equipment is maintaining consistent operating temperature. Possible vendors
include Lowell, Middle Atlantic Products, Atlas, and many others.
It is important that these racks be sealed with side, back, and top vent panels in order for proper
shielding on site. It is not acceptable to use wall plugs for the rack installation because of reason
of securing the power on-site and proper seal of the rack.
Installing Processors in the Equipment Rack
Every Constellation system includes at least one MS-CONSTELLATION processor, and one or
more MS-VRAS and MS-EXPANSION processors. The conventional order in which they should
be mounted in the rack, from top to bottom, is as follows:
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