16
MIX ENGINE SIGNAL NOTES
This section covers each Mix Engine connection and how the apps are
used to configure that signal or connection. Figure 2-9 shows the audio
and logic jacks on the back of the Mix Engine.
Figure 2-9 Mix Engine, rear panel, Audio & Logic Jacks
Mic Preamps
–
T
he two female XLR jacks connect to the Mix Engine’s
two on-board low-noise mic preamps. Any type of dynamic or condenser
mic can be plugged in to boost the mics up to line level. The line level
outputs of the two mic preamps are on the MICS OUT jack which is
typically jumpered to ANALOG IN 1. These mics are typically assigned to
fader channels 1 and 2, which have factory-set EQ and Dynamics
Processing already applied, so an external mic processor is not required
with the DMX. If additional mic preamps are needed the
Razor 16A
Interface
has two mic preamps and the
M4IP-USB
Blade has four SQ
mic preamps, along with Vorsis Embedded mic processing, plus four USB
ports and local analog and AES outputs for headphone and studio monitors
or recording outputs.
Each preamp has a gain control and a recessed phantom power switch
on the back panel. For a dynamic mic set the phantom power switch to
off
(+48V LED is off). To power a condenser mic set the phantom switch to
on
(+48V LED is lit yellow).
Note:
Leave the phantom power switch set off until the condenser
mic and its mic cable is plugged in, then turn on the phantom
power. When a condenser mic must be unplugged, turn off
phantom power before unplugging the mic or unplug the cable at
the Mix Engine and then unplug the microphone.
MICS OUT
–
This jack has the line level outputs from both mic
preamps: Mic Preamp 1 is the left signal and Mic Preamp 2 is
the right signal. Connect a short straight-thru CAT5 cable from
MICS OUT
to
ANALOG 1 IN
since that input is preset for two
mono mic signals rather than for a stereo signal as are all other
Mix Engine inputs.
The Gain controls are adjusted, once the mics are wired and
the Mics Out jack is connected to the Analog 1 In jack, using the
Navigator
app
’s Blade > Source tab
, which has a Level Meter for
each input on the Mix Engine. With the talent speaking at their
normal “radio voice level” adjust the
mic Gain pot so the top of
the green bar graph signal is near -20 dBFS which typically
means their peak LED will be around -8 dBFS.
LOGIC -
The Mix Engine and Razor Interfaces each have one RJ45 Logic
jack for connecting logic to non-IP external devices like a Henry warning
light interface, a Mic Arm LED, or a CD player. Each Logic jack has six LIO
logic ports (on pins 2
–
7) plus ground (on pin 1) and +5 volts (on pin 8).
Each logic port is independently assigned, using Navigator, to function as a
logic output like On Tally, Studio In Use tally, Start Pulse, etc., or as a
logic input like Channel On, Channel Off, Ready, Cue, etc.
Each Mix Engine also has 128 Soft LIO (SLIO) logic signals which can be
used by WNIP-compatible devices, like talent stations and media servers,
for bi-directional command and control of the DMX console over Ethernet.
SLIO signals are also assigned using Navigator. Each can be set as either
an input or an output. See
Assigning Logic
(starting on page 42) for details
on assigning both LIO and SLIO logic.
ANALOG IN -
The
ANALOG IN 1-4
inputs are designed for ba4
dBu signals. Unbalanced, -10 dBv, signals can also be directly connected,
without needing a match box, since each input has input gain and balance
controls in Navigator (see
Level & Balance Controls
on page 41).
The inputs have the default names: BL01MIC1 (input 1 left), BL01MIC2
(input 1 right), BL001S02 (input 2), BL001S03 (input 3), and BL001S04
(input 4) in DMX signal lists. Any input can be separated into two mono
inputs (see
Changing the Signal Type
on page 40) to allow two mono
signals to connect to one RJ45 jack.
DIGITAL IN
–
The
DIGITAL IN 5
–
8
inputs are designed for stereo
differential AES/EBU (AES3) signals which, in most cases, can alternately
have an unbalanced S/PDIF digital signal connected. Their default names
are BL001S05
–
BL001S08 in the signal list. They have the same gain and
balance controls in Navigator as analog signals and any AES/EBU input can
also be split into two mono signals for connecting digital phone systems.
Digital In 8 can also be used as a Sync Reference input to synchronize the
DMX to an external sample clock signal.
PGM OUTPUTS
–
There are eight PGM Outputs (four stereo balanced
analog and four AES/EBU) which, by default, are cross connected to the
PGM 1
–
PGM 4 buses. These four destinations are named CB01PGMA
–
CB01PGMD in signal lists. Any source can cross connect to these
destinations, but they cannot be split for dual mono out operation and the
same signal is applied to both the analog and AES/EBU outputs.
Note:
If you change the source cross connected to any PGM or
Monitor output, uncheck the DMX Surface Setup option
Use Default
Signal Mapping
(see
Input/Output
on page 23) since that option,
when checked, will reconnect the four PGM buses to the PGM
outputs, and the default Monitor sources to the four Monitor
outputs, whenever the Mix Engine or DMX Surface is rebooted or
powered.
