System Component; The Mix Controller - Euphonix CS3000 Operation Manual

SECTION 1 : INTRODUCTION

System Component:

The Mix Controller

96-fader CS3000, model # CS3000D-4-96
Euphonix CS3000/2000 Operation Manual
T
he Euphonix CS3000 & CS2000 are digitally controlled analog audio
mixing systems. The system foundation consists of four component
parts: the digital Mix Controller, the Audio Tower, the patchbay, and the
support computer.
The Mix Controller resembles a conventional control surface in many ways,
with rotary controls, faders, and routing displays. However, the Mix Controller
is basically a group of computer systems working together, connected to the
remotely located Audio Tower via a multi-way serial cable snake. This snake
passes information from the Mix Controller to the electronics in the Audio
Tower. Every block of 8 faders in the Mix Controller is a computer, as is the
Master Controller and the Digital Studio Controller (DSC).
When a fader within a group of 8 faders is moved, that section's computer
interprets the movement and sends instructions down the serial line to the
Section 1: Introduction
appropriate audio card. The
gain of the Digitally Con-
trolled Attenuator (DCA)
associated with that fader is
changed by exactly the
amount the fader has moved.
In the event of a power
failure, console settings can
be retrieved from battery-
backed RAM.
Operation of the Euphonix is
similar to a conventional
console. However as you will
see later, there are many
incredibly powerful features
that only a system such as
this can support.
It is worth looking briefly at
the Audio Tower so you
understand what occurs
when controls are adjusted
on the Mix Controller. A
single Audio Tower can
accommodate up to 56
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