Studer D950 Operating Instructions Manual page 19

Computer-based Management
Date printed: 03.09.03
24-bit A/D and D/A converters, as well as remote controlled Mic Pre-
amplifiers. The D950 can remotely control the analog gain, high-pass fil-
ter, and phantom power of these Line/Mic input boards. Outboard D19m
MUX (multiplexer) racks handle conversion in multiplex mode from ana-
log line-level or digital AES/EBU-format signals to MADI format, or in
individual mode with AES/EBU-format outputs. D19m DEMUX (de-
multiplexer) boards can also be supplied for handling analog line-level or
AES/EBU-format outputs. A separate Monitoring/Signaling rack provides
a variety of control-room and studio outputs, talkback, and related func-
tionality.
Monitor level control is accomplished within the analog domain, thereby
ensuring full 24-bit monitoring capability. This is not the case with sys-
tems that attenuate monitoring signals in the digital domain which, by de-
sign, compromise the integrity of monitoring signals by reducing the bit
count proportional to the amount of level attenuation.
A fully-loaded D950 DSP frame will accommodate a large number of
audio signal paths – over 256, maximum, depending on the channel DSP
load – with more than 128 Summing Busses and the ability to handle as
many as 800 audio inputs and outputs via the system's built-in signal
router.
The D950's external PC runs a Windows NT-based application (D950
System software) that controls such functions as system management,
control, and automation. In conjunction with a large onboard color video
display unit (VDU) and internal keyboard/trackball, the PC can also gen-
erate signal-flow diagrams and display various channel features that have
been included in a system configuration file. (The system can be also con-
nected to a conventional modem for remote diagnostics and software up-
dates, and also controlled via a facility-wide digital control network.)
Audio paths can be configured during system setup to be either mono or
stereo and can provide internal processing blocks such as input selection,
filters, four-band parametric EQ, channel insert, variable delay, dynamics
control (compression, limiting, gate and expander), stereo or multi-channel
panning options, direct out and solos modes. Control Groups capable of
controlling all the parameters of multiple channels can also included in the
configuration.
The precise nature of the system topology is controlled via a Configuration
Utility that runs on the D950's PC (it can also be run on most Windows 9x
or NT based PC computer, with a reasonable hardware compliment). This
exclusive D950 Configuration software offers users the freedom to config-
ure the console to meet their exact needs within a matter of minutes. With
this unique facility, operators are no longer restricted to fixed console ar-
chitectures and can customize the D950 for the task at hand. Multiple con-
figurations can be stored and quickly recalled. This allows several console
designs to be used on the same hardware platform.
The D950 Series Digital Mixing System offers both Snapshot and Dy-
namic (timecode-based) automation of console settings. Each snapshot
stores all console parameters (including patches made in the General
Patch), while the AutoTouch Dynamic Automation system offers all of the
familiar timecode-based update, take-over and glide modes. All knobs and
SW V3.3
D950 Digital Mixing System
Introduction 1-5