An extensive redesign of its audio capabilities has seen the Denton Bible Church (DBC) in Dallas, Texas, install a DiGiCo Quantum338 console for FOH and monitor mixing, as well as a DiGiCo SD12 for broadcast mixes. The systems serving the church’s 3,500-seat sanctuary are tied together on an Optocore Digital Fiber network, at the heart of which is one of Optocore’s new AutoRouters.

The audio network was installed and set up by Digital Resources, based in nearby Southlake. Audio Sales Manager Lance Eddleman chose the Optocore AutoRouter solution for the church for its ease-of-use and flexibility, and worked with Optocore North America’s Brandon Coons and Group1 Ltd to ensure it was a good fit for the church.

The AutoRouter works as a central patchbay, replaces the redundant ring topology of an Optocore network and turning it into a redundant star network. AutoRouter’s transceiver ports detect when devices are connected at remote patch points, and reconfigures the active connections to maintain redundant fibre tunnels to each location. AutoRouter automatically adds devices to the network loop as it is powered up. When a mobile device is disconnected or powered down, AutoRouter closes the loop to the remaining devices to keep a redundant architecture without any user action.

‘The church relies on volunteers to run their system, and having Auto as the virtual tech to maintain the network is fantastic for them,’ Eddlemen says. ‘No one has to go to the equipment room, struggle with jumper cables or patch panels, or remember which connections are in use or which ports go to what remote locations.

‘Installation of the Optocore router was easy,’ he continues. ‘We just connected the fiber runs to the corresponding sockets and it discovered the network. As the church grows its audio system, we can expand the ports to allow for additional remote points and equipment.’

The transceivers in the unit allow a signal refresh to achieve longer cabling runs; in addition, it can act as a media converter and be mixed with Multimode and Singlemode TRX to support different fibre runs within the facility or between multiple buildings. AutoRouter is interoperable with new and existing Optocore and DiGiCo fibre networks. Also, because the routers’ capabilities are format independent, it can be used for Yamaha TwinLANe and Avid AVB networks.’

‘Since its release, many of the industry’s top integrators and cutting-edge facilities have put in place AutoRouters,’ says Brandon Coons of Optocore North America.

‘We are seeing them put into performing arts centres, sports arenas and especially churches because of the power and flexibility they give the system.’

See also:
Denton Church upgrades with DiGiCo and Optocore

More: www.optocore.com