DSP Frame I/O - Configuring the DSP Frame

At the beginning of each configuration, you have to set up the available I/O modules. You define which modules are in the DSP frame and which features they have.

To start the configuration, select the desired device in the project tree and then select DSP Frame I/O. An Input/Output table opens. In this table you can define the I/O modules and their Labels.

At present, there are four different DSP frames available: RM420-061 with 3 U, RM420-062 and RM420-063 with 6 U as well as RM420-064 with 9 U. You can change the DSP Frame, in the project tree select Device, select the Options tab. Select the desired DSP Frame in the DSP Frame Type box. (See also Options)

In the configuration dialog DSP Frame I/O, in the first column (#) you see the slot number. You can select the input and output modules for the corresponding slot by selecting them from the drop-down menus in the Type column. These drop-down menus, only show the module types that can be used on the corresponding slot.

For the DSP frames of the consoles 52/MX and RM4200D, the following modules are available:

DSP Frame I/O, Configuration of the modules in the DSP frame.

For the 52/XR MADI Router, the following modules are available:

In the columns Input Address and Output Address the system addresses are shown that belong to the input and output signals available on the module. The system address is consistently created for all signal connections, thus being valid for audio inputs, audio outputs, GPI, GPO and ACI. (See also Configuring the GPIO Ports).

The system address of a signal is created from the slot number of the module, the number of the port on the module and the used channel number on the port. The following table explains this procedure:

In this example, the audio signal with the Input Address 12.1.02 is the 2nd channel on the 1st port of the 12th slot.

For the digital modules RM420-111, the audio signals with the Output Address 5.2.01-02 are the two AES3/EBU channels on the 2nd port of slot 5.

You can arrange Audio signals in pairs for stereo. Use the Mono/Stereo drop-down menu to make configuration easier. The first channel with an odd number is always the left channel. Except from the Mic/Line inputs of the modules RM420-122 and RM420-123, all channels are set stereo by default. Also AES3/EBU signals or MADI signals can be used mono in the system, because for the device, the type of external audio signal is not relevant (Analog, AES3/EBU, MADI).

Enter a name of 16 digits maximum for the corresponding input or output in the Label column. This name appears everywhere in the software in selection lists for audio signals. Therefore, you should choose a unique name that clearly describes the connected devices or lines. You can change the Labels later on without any limitations.

If you delete labels or leave them blank, you can suppress them being shown in the selection lists. On the Options menu, click Configuration. Select the Audio and Logic Sources tab. Select the Hide sources without label check box.

In the Level Adjust column, you can set the headroom for each channel separately. Choose the headroom for each channel from the corresponding drop-down menu. The shown values always refer to the devices internal default level of 0 dBint.

You can also set the headroom for all channels at the same time. Use the Set All Digital Level and the Set All Analog Level drop-down menus on top of the column Level Adjust.

For digital modules, there are the following additional options that can be set separately for each channel or using the drop-down menu Set All on top of the table:

• SRC: This is the setting for the sample rate converter – SRC. The value Off removes the converter from the signal path (bypass mode). The preset value is In, the converter is enabled. Digital signals that are not synchronized to the systems sample rate of the device can be attached to the digital input. The sample rate of the attached signals may be between 30 kHz and 100 kHz. The settings of the sample rate converter (In or Off) does not affect the way an arriving sync-signal via the same input is processed (see also Synchronisation).
• Mode: This option toggles the terminator of the digital input between 110 Ohm (AES3/EBU, for professional equipment) and 75 Ohm (S/PDIF, consumer equipment).
• Output Mode: This option can adopt the values Pro (default value) or Consumer. The following parameters are changed accordingly:

• Output Dither: If you connect devices with a lower resolution of the digital signals to a DHD device, here you can define how the internal audio signal is to be dithered before leaving the digital output. With this function, the quality of the output signal can be improved. You can select 16 bit, 20 bit, 24 bit or Off (no dithering, preset value).
• GPI PullUp: You can use the GPIs of the RM420-311 module in two different modes. First, internally attach a voltage to the input (GPI PullUp = On) and complete the circuit externally only using the appropriate switch. Second (GPI PullUp = Off), you attach the switching voltage from outside.

The RM4200D DSP Frame supports the transfer of audio signals via MADI (Multichannel Audio Digital Interface). Due to space restrictions, the corresponding modules are not inserted as normal slot modules but plugged on the DSP modules RM420-848M as sub modules. The delay sub module RM420-424S is also plugged on the DSP module. (See also Delay Sub Module RM420-424S)

Each DSP module RM420-848M has a plugging slot for one sub module. On slots 10, 20 and 30 of a DSP frame, DSP modules can be operated either with or without plugged sub modules.

On the slots 10, 20 and 30, the DSP modules and sub modules can be combined as follows:

You can configure the following options for the MADI sub modules RM420-421S or RM420-422S in this DSP Frame I/O table.

• Number of Channels: Select here, if the MADI connection transfers 64 channels (64 Channels, preset value) or 56 channels (56 Channels). Use the function 56 Ch. linked 52/MB to connect the MADI port directly to a DHD MADI Breakout System. (The 56 Ch. linked 52/MB function is not available if the MADI port is already linked to another device, see Linked Devices) Please find detailed information on further options to configure a connected 52/MB in the chapter Linked 52/MB at a MADI Port in the 52/XR MADI Router manual.
• Digital format: Select here in which data format the audio signals are transferred. You can select the format AES10 MADI (preset value) or 32bit float. AES10 is a fixed point format similar to AES3/EBU, which does not allow levels higher than 0 dBFS. This limitation does not apply to the 32 bit floating point DHD format.
• Headroom: Here you can define the headroom for all audio channels of the MADI connection.

If a MADI sub module is selected, for each sub module an own subsection appears in the project tree under the DSP Frame I/O node, in the example named Demo MADI Port. Select this entry to configure the inputs and outputs of this sub module. For each MADI channel, the Input Address and Output Address is shown. You can configure the options Mono/Stereo, Label and Level Adjust identically as described for the other I/O modules.

DSP Frame I/O, configuration of a DSP module RM420-848M with MADI sub module.

The combination RM420-848M + 422S Redundant is a special function. Use, a Dual MADI module RM420-422S and connect two different fibre optics with identical channel assignment. If necessary, the connection can be switched from one MADI port to the other. Every available logic source of the device can be used as switching condition.

Option of configuration RM420-848M+422 Redundant, MADI error as logic source for switching.

To configure the switching condition, do the following:

1. In the project tree, select <Device>/DSP Frame I/O and configure the sub module option RM420-848M+422S Redundant for the DSP module.
2. Configure all options as desired. Click on the button below the heading Use MADI port 2 condition. The Logic Sources window opens.
3. Select the desired logic source for the switching. The logic sources for errors in the MADI transfer are located under the node System Functions.

For example, if you use these options for example on slot 20, you can select Slot 20 MADI 1 Error as a logic source. In case of a MADI error at the first port, the audio signals switch over to the second port. In addition, you could combine the condition Slot 20 MADI 1 Error with a key or a GPI in an OR-logic function to allow a forced switching to the second port.

The switching between the two Input MADI ports with the option RM420-848M + 422S Redundant happens directly on the MADI sub module. This means that in the further configuration, this module behaves like a single MADI module RM420-421S. The output routing is for both ports identical, only the inputs of port 1 are available as inputs for the configuration - in the switched error condition, these are the channels of port 2.

If a MADI port is linked to an 52/MB MADI Breakout System, you are able to define the layout of the connected 52/MB device here. Basically, this part of the configuration is to make the whole configuration process easier. You don't need to configure the 52/MB hardware.

I/O configuration of a linked 52/MB.

The following modules can be configured in an 52/MB frame:

Slots 1 to 14:

• 52-5111 XLR Digital In/Out Module, 4ch.
• 52-5112 XLR Digital In/Out Module, 4ch.
• 52-5170 (4in/4out or 8in or 8out) HD-SDI Audio Module
• 52-5210 XLR Analog In Module, 4ch.
• 52-5213 XLR Analog In Module, 4ch.
• 52-5220 XLR Analog Out Module, 4ch.
• 52-5223 XLR Analog Out Module, 4ch.
• 52-5230 XLR and Combined XLR/Jack Socket Analog In/Out Module, 2ch.
• 52-5240 XLR Analog In/Out Module, 4ch.
• 52-5243 XLR Analog In/Out Module, 4ch.
• 52-5250 XLR 4 Mic/Line Module, isolated
• 52-5260 XLR 4 Line Out Module, isolated

Slots C1 to C5:

• 52-5310 SubD GPIO Module, 8 out, 4 in
• 52-5311 SubD GPIO Module, 8 out, 4 in

The channels of the selected I/O modules can be configured to mono or stereo and you can set a label for each single input and output here. Additionally, you can set a local level adjustment for each single input and output.

For the inputs of the 52-5230 and 52-5250 modules you can adjust the headroom. Please note, that these settings influence the internal reference level (0 dBint) in the Level Adjust column. If you change the headroom of a 52-5230 or 52-5250 module and use the function Set all analog level afterwards, maybe some misinterpretation will occur. Therefore, check the values in the Level Adjust column of all 52-5230 and 52-5250 modules and - if necessary - choose again the wanted values for the single inputs to correct the settings.

The Delay sub module RM420-424S is special, because it has no physical inputs or outputs. If this module is configured, delay channels are automatically available to the faders 1 to n. The higher n, the shorter is the delay time available per fader. The distribution is according to the following table:

Faders means actual physical faders on the console, numbered from left to right - not the fader channels. If more faders than available delay channels are used, the remaining faders do not have a delay function. To activate the function, only the corresponding keys have to be configured.

It is possible to assign a default delay time to each delay channel. Go to the respective device in the project tree, DSP Frame I/O and to Port xx Delay (xx stands for the slot, the delay sub module is inserted). Click the desired channel in the Default column to adjust the predefined delay time. The shown number of delay channels depends on the DSP Fame I/O settings.

Default values of delay channels.

DHD systems allow the connection of external lines for in- and output of control signals (GPIO). Controlling inputs are called GPI (General Purpose Input), outputs GPO (General Purpose Output). In addition, analog voltage values can be used as input signals, such inputs are called ACI (Analog Control Input).

ACI inputs are used to connect external potentiometers for setting levels, for example for the headphone volume. For this, ACIs are assigned to internal potentiometers and have to be configured according to the selected function by inserting output functions in the signal path. (See also Output Functions)

The GPIOs available on the modules RM420-111, RM420-122 and RM420-222 are configured in the same window as the inputs and outputs for the output signals. In the project tree, select <Device>/DSP Frame I/O and select the Show GPIOs check box above the table of modules.

DSP Frame I/O, Configuration of the GPIOs.

The addresses for the GPIO signals are assigned according to the same rules as for audio signals. (See DSP Frame I/O - Configuring Input and Output Modules) In the Label column, you can assign a distinctive name of max. 16 ASCII digits to the signal.

The labels should always correspond to the connected device and function names to be able to identify the GPIOs quickly during further configuration and to keep the configuration simple. You can change the labels later on without any limitations. If you delete labels or leave them blank, you can suppress them being shown in the selection lists. On the Options menu, click Configuration. Select the Audio and Logic Sources tab. Select the Hide sources without label check box.