Midas PRO6, Owner'S Manual

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Chapter 2: PRO6 Live Audio System
PRO6 Live Audio System
Owner’s Manual
Control software
The operating system of the PRO6 is Linux, which is an open-source, stable, proven
operating system (OS). Linux is used in many mission-critical applications worldwide
and has allowed Midas’ software engineers to write a ground-up system that contains
no ‘hidden’ or unused code. This has resulted in an efficient, compact application,
which is quick in operation, quick booting and comparatively easy to debug.
Two copies of the master control software run on separate processors to provide
resilience to failure.
GUI
The PRO6 has two, daylight-viewable, TFT screens that provide fast zone and channel
strip status indication. Although, any screen can display any information but, in the
standard configuration, screen information relates to module location. So, the mix bay
screen displays the channel strip and fast zone (12 inputs and 16 outputs), while the
master bay screen displays the channel strip input fast zone (four inputs) and all
meters. The master bay screen is also generally used for automation, effects, GEQs,
third party screens etc., although this is dependent on the current application (concerts
will probably be different to theatre) and also operator preference.
The screens are controlled from the primary navigation zone at the bottom of the
master bay via two trackballs. A USB keyboard (supplied) is used for text editing.
System card expansion
Additional digital I/O format options will be available later, for example, MADI.
Console linking
You can link two PRO6 Control Centres together. Just connect an AES50 cable from a
spare AES50 port on one router to a spare port on another, and then set them up
“Generic AES50” connections in the GUI menu’s Patching screen.
Integration of third party hardware/software
The PRO6 network includes the capability to interface any third party hardware that
uses AES/EBU or AES50 digital audio, or standard analogue audio interface.
Each PRO6 AES/EBU input and output has a sample rate converter. Synchronisation to
external AES3 interfaces can be:
• Global - via inputs on the routers.
• Local to each input.
• Local to each output (synchronisation to adjacent local output).
Multiple local connections can be at different sample rates.
The use of the AES50 protocol for the transmission of digital audio means that any third
party digital audio hardware that features this connection can be connected to the
Midas network, and will transfer audio to and from the Midas hardware without any
additional interfaces or converters (provided it runs in TDM 96kHz mode). This will be
particularly useful as the protocol gains acceptance with recording and playback
devices, loudspeaker controllers, audio networking systems, digital amplifiers etc.