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A mic icon is shown to the left of the Mode name when the channel’s
source is a Control Room, Studio, or external location microphone. This
icon is typically set to turn red when the channel is on.
Rotating the Channel Encoder, when the channel is off, changes the
channel display (Figure 4-5) to show the list of alternate sources set for
that channel. The current source is shown highlighted in the middle.
Rotating the control clockwise moves the highlighting down through the
list while rotating it counter-clockwise moves the highlighting up through
the list. While the new source is being selected, the hardware device
name, which has the highlighted source as one of its inputs, is shown
above the white line. In Figure 4-5 the highlighted source is on Blade01,
which is the default name for the PR&E Mix Engine, which is the rack-
mounted device with the EMX console’s audio inputs and outputs.
Figure 4-5 Alternate Source Name List
Source names are typically shown in one alphanumeric order list with
their device names shown above the white line, but the console can be
configured to show source names by device (a configuration choice set by
engineering). When this mode is active, and the channel encoder is first
rotated, a list of networked devices is shown. Selecting a device then lists
the source names on that device in alphanumeric order.
Regardless of which method is being used, clicking the Channel Encoder
with a highlighted source name connects that source to the channel. The
display then switches to show the source name in green (Figure 4-4).
Caller/Remote Operation
When any channel source is from a caller or a remote, the Off Line
assignment buttons can be used to create a special “return signal” for each
caller/remote while their fader channel is turned off. This allows for hands-
free conversations between the board operator and the caller or remote.
Typically, the caller/remote channel is assigned to Cue so the board
operator can hear them. The board operator’s mic channel and the
caller/remote channel are both assigned to Off Line. The mic channel’s Off
Line button lights up solid while the caller/remote channel’s Off Line button
blinks. The blinking identifies which bus is being returned to that caller or
remote—but always minus that caller’s or remote’s voice.
Typically, no other channels are assigned to Off Line so that the
caller/remote only hears the board operator’s mic, unless a host or
producer also needs to talk to the caller/remote, in which case their mics
can also be assigned to the Off Line bus.
When a caller or remote is the source on a fader channel the TB
(Talkback) and Auto FB (Automatic Foldback) buttons become active.
TB (Talkback)
Press/hold the TB button to momentarily talk to the caller or remote,
regardless of whether its return audio is the Off Line bus or a PGM bus.
While TB is pressed, the bus audio that’s being returned to the caller or
remote is cut off and only talkback audio is heard.
Note: The console’s talkback destination (the EMX TkBk
destination in the Navigator app) is typically connected to the
board operator or host mic. If there is no talkback audio when
pressing the TB button, then it’s a good chance the talkback
destination has not been connected. This would also affect the
Monitor Control panel talkback buttons: STU TB and EXT TB.
The TB button is mainly used with live remotes to give them cues about
the program, but it can also be used with callers if there is a lot of noise in
the control room (like during a morning zoo format). This condition means
that using “hand’s free” call answering, where the board operator mic
channel is assigned to the Off Line bus, may not be desirable. Of course,
you might also just not want a caller to hear everything that’s going on in
the studio. In this case the board operator and/or host mic would be
unassigned from the Off Line bus and the TB button would have to be
press/held on the caller channel to selectively talk to the caller.
Note: Since the caller/remote channel is usually assigned to cue,
turning up the cue speaker too loudly during a hands-free call can
allow the caller’s voice to be picked up by the board operator or
host mic. This can cause an echo due to acoustic feedback. For the
best audio when recording a caller, turn down the cue speaker
volume and listen to the caller using headphones.
Auto FB (Automatic Fold-Back)
If the caller/remote is to go live to air, light up the Auto FB button.
When lit, the caller/remote’s return audio feed automatically switches from
the Off Line bus to the lowest-assigned PGM bus (typically PGM 1) when
their channel is turned on. The caller/remote will then hear everything
that’s going to air—minus their own audio, so they can interact with guests
in the studio or other show elements.
When the caller/remote channel is again turned off, their return audio
automatically switches back to the Off Line bus so the board operator can
give cues for a live remote or again talk privately with the caller.
Note: The return signal going back to the caller or remote is often
called an IFB (Interruptible Fold Back) signal because while the
caller or remote listens to the fold back audio (typically the Off
