CHAPTER 1: Getting Started
Welcome to the world of HAL!
To help you get started with the installation of the HAL System, we have provided a simple
breakdown of the key installation tasks—presented in the recommended order. If you are new to
the HAL System, we recommend that (after reviewing this workflow) you spend a few moments
reviewing the basics of the system before actually beginning the installation. We understand that
your job is to get this system installed as quickly and efficiently as possible, but a slight detour
to review the product details is well worth your time. See "Introduction to the HAL System" on
page 4.
The Installation Workflow
There are seven key tasks involved in the installation of a HAL System. An overview of each
task is listed below, along with page references to the specific details for each task. We rec-
ommend that you review this entire list to get a sense of the work flow, and then return to the
first task to begin the actual installation process. Note that the order of some of these tasks can
vary. See each task description for more details.
Task 1: Install and connect the HAL.
This task involves the physical attachment of the HAL hardware to your audio rack. You can per-
form this task off-site or on-site. Once installed, you then connect other devices to the HAL and,
if necessary in your environment, connect the HAL to your Ethernet network. If you are installing
onsite, you may want to pull and terminate the CAT 5 cabling first (see "Task 4: Pulling and Ter-
minating CAT 5 Cabling" on page 30) so that the cables are ready to connect to the HAL. For
details on installing the HAL, see "Task 1: Install and Connect HAL" on page 25.
Task 2: Install and connect HAL Expansion Units (if needed).
If your system requires one or more Expansion Units (EXPs), you should install and connect them
to the HAL before beginning the installation of your Remote Audio Devices (RADs) and Digital
Remotes (DRs). For details, see "Task 2: Installing and Connecting HAL Expansion Units" on
page 27.
Task 3: Configure the system.
Before the system can function properly, you must configure the hardware (the HAL, EXPs,
RADs, and DRs) as well as the audio processing and path. You perform this configuration using
the Halogen software that is shipped with the HAL hardware. (The software is also available on
the Rane website at rane.com/hal.) You can configure the system by loading a configuration file
that contains the appropriate hardware settings, audio flow, and processing; or you can create the
configuration directly on a live device. We
strongly
recommend using a configuration file as a
starting point!
In most cases, the audio designer will have already created this configuration file, which makes
your installation job much easier. All you have to do is load the file into the HAL device. For
the purposes of this guide, we have assumed this scenario—that the configuration file has already
been created for you. If not—well, you’re going to need to do a little more reading. You can find
additional information about configuration files in the Halogen Help System (accessed from the
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