Avid has announced the Venue SC48 Remote System, bringing remote I/O functionality to the Pro Tools integration and direct plug-in support of the Venue.

Consisting of the SC48 console and new Venue Stage 48 remote box, Ethernet Snake Card and Venue 3 software, the SC48 Remote System is an alternative to the all-in-one SC48, enabling I/O to be sited away from the console. This is achived over a fully redundant Ethernet AVB snake on Cat6 cable

The Stage 48 remote I/O box will also be available as an add-on option (with its companion Ethernet Snake Card) to existing SC48 users.

The Venue 3 software upgrade adds features and improves workflow. It supports record and playback of up to 32 Pro Tools channels (increased from 18) over FireWire (SC48 and FWx Option Card), allows bigger mixes with expanded input processing channels (increased from 48 to 64) and Venue Mix Rack (increased from 64 to 80) Systems. Added functions include: HPF settings included in all EQ presets, and when copying/pasting EQ settings; quick configuring of console layouts by dragging and dropping channel strips; monitor mixes on 24 buses (up from 16); expanded plug-in capacity (40 slots for SC48, up from 20); and programming of the Console User button in the Events List to perform common tasks such as tap tempo or recalling a snapshot.

‘Customers are seeking ever more powerful features in compact mixers,’ says Senior Product Manager, Sheldon Radford. ‘With the SC48 Remote System, they get the sound, performance and reliability Venue systems are known for, plus the flexibility to split up the I/O and place each distribution where needed for optimal sound. They can customise the system to support up to 48 inputs on stage or distribute the I/O to handle a variety of sources on stage, at FOH, and even another location anywhere in the room.’

The Venue SC48 Remote System, Venue 3 software upgrade, Stage 48 remote box and its companion Ethernet Snake Card are all expected to be available worldwide in February 2012.

More: www.avid.com

DiGiCo will launch the latest in its series of I/O rack modules at the forthcoming AES convention in New York – the Mini and Nano racks bring a wide range of input and output options to the company's SD systems.

Multiple DiGiCo mixing consoles can be positioned in an Optocore’ 2G optical loop, suited to complex live or broadcast productions where multiple consoles need to share and sub-mix I/O. An example of how this can work in the real world is for FOH, monitors and a live broadcast feed. Instead of all the I/O connections having to be in one place, they can be distributed throughout a venue at the most convenient points.

‘With a digital system it makes no sense to have long lengths of analogue cabling between your audio sources or amplifiers/loudspeakers and a central I/O rack,’ says DiGiCo Marketing Director, David Webster.

‘In a theatre, you might want 56 mic inputs and 24 outputs as a main I/O rack, then a few more each side of the stage, perhaps a few for an event in the foyer and some more in an adjacent rehearsal room. Now you can use an SD-Rack for the main onstage I/O rack, but have a Nano rack each side of the stage, another in the foyer and a Mini rack in the rehearsal room, all communicating and working with up to five redundant consoles.’

Alternatively, at a sports broadcasting event, a combination of I/O racks can be distributed about the field of play, all backed up on a redundant single or multimode optical loop. Up to 14 rack IDs can be defined on each loop providing a full optical distribution system.

The Minirack has four standard SD hot swappable I/O card slots. These can be populated with any combination of the SD-Rack I/O cards; currently these include mic/line, line output, AES I/O, AES In, AES Out, Adat, Aviom, Dante and an in development HD-SDi card. Standard on the rack are Madi I/O connections along with the choice of either HMA, OpticalCon or ST optics.

Half the physical size of the Minirack, the Nano offers two SD hot swappable I/O card slots, with the same card options. Optical connections are again user defined with HMA, OpticalCon or ST options.

With DiGiCo’s Gain Tracking, all consoles can share the inputs of all racks, while any slot of eight outputs on any rack can be allocated to any console on the optical network, provided it has not been previously allocated by another console.

‘Another advantage of the system is cost savings,’ Webster adds. ‘For example, if the FOH engineer only needs eight outputs, he can use a slot of outputs on the rack that the monitor guy is using - so it means you don’t need to buy two racks.’

Together with DiGiCo’s SD and D racks, the Mini and Nano racks provide a completely flexible I/O rack solution for a wide variety of possible applications.

More: www.digico.org

Studer has introduced Vista Remote Access for its Vista line of digital mixing consoles.

Vista Remote Access allows Vista owners to access and manage their console from anywhere in the world at any time, all on a secure network.

Remote Access offers additional technical support directly from Studer factory-trained engineers, enabled with real-time monitoring and system interrogation of the user’s Vista system. The system can be used to address and support anything from system setup and configuration, to real-time screening of log files to identify problems with the Vista system, even during live productions.

The Remote Access operation is simple to set up and uses a closed network for maximum system security. Vista owners simply dedicate a PC or laptop as the Remote Access interface, which hosts the secure network connection. The computer hosts a third-party Remote Access application and the Studer Virtual Network Connection (VNC). At Studer, a technician uses the VNC connection as the secure portal to access the owner’s Vista system, giving them monitoring and control capabilities from their location.

Through the network security system, the PC or laptop provides Studer with direct access to the owner’s Vista without exposing it to the Internet or any form of open network. The Remote Access uses encryption and has a minimum of two levels of password protection, providing another layer of security and confidence.

Vista customers can take advantage of Remote Access at any point of ownership. If time and resources are limited, Studer technicians are able to walk the user through the system for training, or work together online to troubleshoot user or function-related questions. This is strong support for any facility or production working with new engineers, freelancer, or contractors who are not familiar with the Vista system or show configuration. It can also act as a tool to help users save time by allowing the Vista technician to prepare for a show or event.

Remote Access is available for any Studer Vista 5, Vista 5 SR, Vista 8, Vista 9, running v4.2.00 software or above. The latest software is available as a free upgrade. Interested Vista customers can contact their local Studer support centre. The Remote Access package is included in all Extended Warranties purchased from Studer USA or a Studer Sales representative can add it to the customer’s system configuration at time of purchase.

More: www.studer.ch

The Neve Genesys is to receive a raft of additional features and functions, to be released at the forthcoming New York AES Convention.

The base configuration of the console offers 16 mic/line preamps, 16-channel DAW monitoring, 32-channel analogue summing at mixdown, DAW control for systems including Pro Tools, Logic, Nuendo, eight auxiliary buses, eight group buses, main outputs, four effects returns, 5.1 monitoring, two cue mixes, talkback services and an internal power supply.

Genesys has the capability to be upgraded as requirements change — it can be expanded to more than 60 channels in a straight or articulated frame, with options including motorised fader automation, recall, mastering-grade A/D and D/A converters, digitally controlled EQ and dynamics and remote mic amp control.

New features:

• New and updated Routing Implementation (LCR/stereo)
• Pro Tools track arm/disarm control from the console surface
• Apple Logic Pro Integration:

      · Control of up to six Banks of eight faders each (48 Channels)
      · Extensive control of pans/sends
      · DAW metering
      · Ability to ‘Flip' pans/sends onto faders
      · Channels Encoder in DAW simulates V-Pot

• EQ/Dynamics processing can be placed in any order in the audio path using the keyboard/mouse with a graphical representation of the audio chain
• EQ/Dynamics Link/Copy/Paste feature
• Digital Line Enable on channels with AES/FireWire
• Ability to lock Mmonitor level
• Improvements for Gangs/Trims, MTC operation, FireWire clock sync

More: www.ams-neve.com

New software features for Out Board’s TiMax2 SoundHub scaleable mix-engine, which now provdes an audio playback server and delay-matrix platform capable of handling 64 channels of analogue or AES I/O, with Madi, Ethersound, Cobranet and Dante networking options in a single compact 2U-high chassis.

TiMax2 SoundHub S-Version TimeLine Editor, meanwhile, now offers in-depth audio showcontrol programming, featuring multichannel waveform-based editing, looping, panning and volume profiling.

Another intoduction is the new AES-MIO module, which allows TiMax to handle multiple sample rates and clocking options across 16 AES inputs and outputs, plus 16 analogue outputs.

More: www.outboard.co.uk

Widely considered a national icon, Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre has reopened after a six-year refurbishment. As a partner of the Russian general contractor, Salzbrenner Stagetec Mediagroup designed, delivered and installed major parts of its new audio technology.

Three large Stagetec Aurus audio consoles with full DSP capacity have been installed. One is at the heart of the theatre in the sound control room of the grand auditorium, where the outstanding acoustic properties have been restored...

Lawo has announced new software for its mc² consoles and Nova73 HD router.

The main components of the Version 4.12 release include support for Lawo’s Remote App for Apple iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad; the AMBIT upmix algorithm, which offers automatic high-quality stereo to 5.1 conversion; support for a new 3G SDI card; and a new GUI page for control of the mxDSP card 64x64 summing matrix.

AMBIT

AMBIT is a new DSP module available for all surround channels that require upmix of any stereo source to 5.1. It can be used for instant creation of a consistent surround sound format when only stereo is available. AMBIT features brand new algorithms including the Lawo Auto Centering function. This enables retention of a stable front image when dealing with varying content.

• Available on any surround channel
• Real-time processing within the very low latency of a Lawo DSP channel
• Fully downmix compatible
• All settings can be recalled via production data and/or snapshots
• AMBIT is free of charge

Lawo Remote app

Lawo’s first iPhone compatible app is fully supported by the v4.12 release. Via WLAN, all the console’s basic functions – such as Fader, Mute, Snapshots and user buttons – can be controlled from the remote Apple device. For example, user buttons can be simply assigned to create a mini monitor panel for the director, or to remote control GPIs on the studio floor or stage. Many more custom functions can be easily set up to control mc² series consoles and Nova73 HD routers.

This app is available as a free download from the Apple App Store.

3G SDI card

A new 3G SDI card is now available, and is fully compatible with v4.12. With this card, the 16 audio channels of the  full resolution production standard 3G SDIcan be de-embedded, embedded, processed and (transparently) routedwithin the Lawo audio network. The SDI card provides a 16x16 matrix for the de-embedder and a 32x16 matrix for the embedder. Additional features of the new card include: every audio channel in the embedder can be individually delayed; video delay, word length reduction with dithering, SRC or bit transparency; a ‘Clean’ mode for re-organizing audio within the SDI stream.

Third-party integration

Lawo has always set standards when it comes to the integration of third-party devices, and now provides the ability to remote control other computers, easily and efficiently. Version 4.12 software enables connection to any networked computer via Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). The remote control could be of a VSM Touch panel from the mc²56 channel display or control of ProTools or Riedel configuration software, as well as several other systems. The controlled computer can be running Windows, Linux or Mac OS. As many computers as are required can be flexibly remote controlled from the same screen or from different screens.

Additional useful features in this release include an automatic software update of all Dallis Stageboxes from the control system; an enhanced Audio Follow Video function; a new intuitive and simple routing protect for all destinations has been implemented, and a new tone generator is now available on all MkII routers.

More: www.lawo.de

As part of a comprehensive upgrade, v2.5 software for Smart AV’s Tango controller surface offers a range of new features for many DAW engines.

Among these, Logic Pro can now insert plug-ins directly from the Tango surface, as well as control and remove them, while Nuendo boasts increased jog wheel shuttle capability along with in-depth protocol control of all major Nuendo 5 features. Updates for Pyramix include being able to individually assign channel strip features into different automation modes, for instance having EQ in Touch, Dynamics in Latch and Sends in Read – this has already proved powerful with beta testers who have mixed films using this new feature.

Since its release three years ago, Tango has received 10 major software revisions, bringing many features added, as well as support for new DAW engines and a number of upgrades, bug fixes and user-inspired features. ‘The constant upgrades have made Tango evolve,’ says RAab Stevenson (vocal coach and producer for Pink, Justin Timberlake and Kelly Rowland). ‘It makes my investment so worth while; it keeps getting better’

The Smart AV team is now readying an announcement concerning support for more DAW engines in the new year.

More: www.smartav.net

Unveiled at Plasa 2010, Soundcraft’s Si Compact Series range uses the EMMA Lite DSP platform found in the larger Si Series to provide up to 40 inputs to mix in three frame sizes, the smallest of which is also rack-mountable – 16, 24 or 32 mic/line input formats, with four stereo returns.

With tour sound, corporate event, house of worship and theatre applications in mind, the desk has motorised faders and Soundcraft FaderGlow on two layers, with a full encoder set for all the functions on a channel, from input gain through EQ and dynamics to bus controls It also offers four Lexicon FX processors with dedicated buses in addition to the main mixes, and BSS Graphic EQ for every bus, as well as Harman HiQnet integration.

‘While, over the past two years, we’ve expanded our digital range with high- and mid-range extensions to the Vista, OnAir, Vi and Si desks, we’ve been determined to drive our product portfolio down into the sub $10,000 price points,’ says Andy Trott, Harman’s VP and General Manager for Mixing, Microphones & Headphones. ‘Our strategy has always been to integrate no-compromise audio quality together with innovative, feature-rich specifications and an easy-to-use-and-learn, highly intuitive user interface. Si Compact is the result of 18 months extremely focused and creative development; it brings together so many professional features and technologies from across Harman Professional brands into a highly specified but yet super compact mixing platform at an unbelievably low price point.’

More: www.soundcraft.com

Designed to address the variety of on-air and production demands now facing radio broadcast studios, Lawo’s sapphire consol offers ‘a unique combination of a fresh and intuitive control surface, high performance and maximum flexibility’. It is intended to enable broadcasters to tailor on-air- or production studios to their needs and requirements.

The sapphire is based on the crystal console, using the same extremely flat construction to allow fexible placement. The desk supports up to 40 faders, which can either be placed arbitrarily on individual studio islands or integrated into the desk, allowing moderators to work from different positions while the studio is on-air. This flexibility extends further using layers – up to 80 mono sources can be connected simultaneously. In addition to mono, stereo and 5.1 sources are possible, each of which can be assigned to a single fader. The configuration of individual buttons is also highly flexible. To arrange controls efficiently and allowing quicker access to additional channel parameters and different modules with longer channel strips, ‘Extensions’ can be used. These feature high-quality OLED displays, rotary controls, and buttons. An optional Overbridge with high quality surface and modern design can be added to allow displaying channels directly via the channel strips.

The heart of the sapphire is the Dallis system, providing a powerful and flexible DSP infrastructure. Various other tools, such as an integrated router, signal processing with dynamics units, EQ, silence detects, or the integrated talkback function, are also supported.

Finally, there is a choice of interfaces that covers all standard formats and is constantly updated. Allowing access to IP-based audio networks and efficient connection to other studios, sapphire is promised feature a Ravenna Audio-over-IP interface in the near future.

More: www.lawo.de