Page 31 of 88
Channel Routing Definitions
RockNet carries 160 channels of 24bit/48k Hz audio on a single CA T.5 cable bidirectional in the re-
dundant ring topology.
In order to enable the user to rout e the channels in the network from the front panel of the RockNet
devic es the I/O routing is done in blocks of 4 (four) consecutive channels. The channels that belong
together are marked wit h a separation line and two yellow arrows on the front panel of eac h RockNet
devic e.
A block of 4 (four) channels is called a QUA D:
QUAD
(four
channel
block)
In RockNet audio networks I/O routing is done in blocks of 4 (four) channels in order to
be able to perform a manual I/O routing of 160 channels on the front panel. A block of
4 (four) channels is called a QUA D. The number of QUA DS that can be assigned
within the network is 40 (160 divided by 4 equals 40). The four channels of a QUA D
are always consecutive:
QUA D 1 equals channels 1 - 4,
QUA D 2 equals channels 5 - 8,
QUA D 3 equals channels 9 – 12
… and so on …
QUA D 39 equals channels 153 - 156
QUA D 40 equals channels 157 - 160
CHA NNEL
A channel is a 24bit/48kHz audio signal in the network.
A single analog line level or microphone preamp input is a channel.
A single analog line level out put is a channel.
AES/EBU inputs and outputs are always two channels.
RockNet is the audio transport network bet ween several sources and destinations.
Inputs and outputs are always looked at from the RN.300 network perspective. This means that an
input is always a signal that is put into the network and an output is always a signal that is taken from
the network.
This is obvious at input and out put devices but it is a little bit different from the usual send and return
nomenclature of analog thinking.
With RockNet a send (a signal sent from the stage to t he cons ole) is an out put taken from the network
at the console. A return (a signal sent from the console back to the stage) is an input into the network.
In order not to mix-up input and output designations at different locations of the network the nomencla-
ture of RockNet has been defined as ADD (input) and DROP (output) from the network perspective:
ADD
(input)
Any input signal int o the RockNet audio network is called an ADD since it adds a signal
or channel to the network.
An ADD QUA D number is unique and can only be assigned onc e in a network. The
assignment of ADD QUADS is interlocked on device and network level.
160 channels can be ADDE D to a RockNet300 audio net work.
DROP
(output)
Any output of the RockNet audio net work is called a DROP since a copy of a signal or
channel is DROPPE D from the network.
Any signal once ADDE D remains in the network. A DROP is always a copy from an
ADDE D signal or channel from the net work.
This is the mechanism how splits are established.
A single channel once A DDE D to the network can in theory be DROPPED up to 768
times from the network.
USO
RESTRITO
