Midas PRO2 Overview page 11

Navigating the Channels
The concept of "paging" or "layering" is eliminated.
Instead the operator is invited to create groups
of mixes or musically related channels, which
are structured around the process of mixing
the show. This is preferable to locating target
channels from arbitrary "layers" or "pages" which
have no logical delineation and often start and
end at inconvenient points (i.e. half-way through
a logical sequence of inputs).
There are three types of groupings available on
PRO2. VCA (Variable Control Associations) MCA
(Mix Control Associations) and POPulation groups.
These groups are identified using colour coding
and high-visibility labelling and further supported
by the full-colour daylight-visible TFT screen.
Selecting a VCA or POP group will bring all of the
members of that group to the designated area of
the control surface, populating from the VCA area
outwards. If the group has more members than
visible input channels, the group can be viewed
either by scrolling the input faders, or pressing
the EXTEND button. This will populate the VCA
fader area with the additional input channels.
Advanced Navigation Modes
The PRO2 features three modes of channel
navigation. These options make it possible for
an engineer to easily and efficiently mix a large
number of inputs on a very compact control
surface, and makes the PRO2 Midas' most
dynamic user-interface to date. The Advanced
navigation modes are accessed using the four
large illuminated advanced navigation hardware
buttons.
When the FLIP button is engaged, selecting an
output will flip the input faders to become the
input channel send levels to the selected output.
When the GEQ NAVIGATION button is engaged,
selecting an output which has a GEQ assigned,
will present the GEQ on the VCA faders. Scrolling
the VCA faders left and right will provide
access to all 31 GEQ faders. If FADER FLIP is
also engaged, the input channel faders will
become the contributions to the selected mix.
If HIDE UNNASSIGNED CHANNELS is selected,
the operator will only be presented with input
channels which are sending to that mix.
When the FX NAVIGATION button is engaged,
selecting an output which is patched to
an internal FX processor will deploy that
FX processor on the screen and map the
ASSIGNABLE CONTROLS to it. If FADER FLIP is also
engaged, the input channel faders will become
the contributions to the FX processor. If HIDE
UNASSIGNED CHANNELS is selected, the operator
will only be presented with input channels which
are sending to that FX processor.
If the MCA button is engaged, when an output
(mix) is selected, the MCA faders for that output
are deployed on the VCA fader bank.
MCA groups (Mix Control Association groups),
operate similar to VCA groups, but are
specific to the selected mix. When the PRO2
is in Advanced navigation mode, and MCA
navigation is engaged, the MCA faders control
the contributions of their members only to the
currently selected bus. This is a unique and
powerful mixing tool, which puts the PRO2 in a
class of it's own for innovation and usability.
PRO2 has the ability to make working with the
console as simple as requirements dictate, or as
deep and complex as a user desires. To introduce
the concept, think of multilayered 3-D VCA's, or a
mixing console with 200 linked VCA groups! Both
are valid starting points.
Hide/show unassigned channels when flipped.
When in this mode, and the FLIP button is
engaged, selecting an output flips the input
faders to become the input channel send levels
to the selected output. The console will only
populate with the input channels which are
assigned to the selected output.
Automation
One of the most critical requirements for Theatre
applications is the power and flexibility of console
automation. The Midas PRO2 has taken into
consideration these very specific requirements,
and features the same automation software as the
XL8, which is itself no stranger to Broadway!
The PRO2's automation system can store and
recall up to 1000 snap shot scenes. These contain
the audio parameter values for every control
on the console as well as the network routing,
configuration of the FX rack, and the format of the
mixer itself, all of which is scene-specific.
Hardware automation "safe" buttons are provided
to enable the operator to quickly isolate selected
processing areas from recall should this be
required during a performance. In addition
to these, the store and recall of scenes can
be "scoped" such that only the areas that the
operator wants to store or recall are affected (all
other controls remaining in their current state).
Channel settings can be edited in advance
of recall (across all scenes) from the SHOW
EDITOR screen, and scenes can be re-ordered,
inserted and deleted, simply and quickly without
overwriting their designation. Scenes can be
recalled instantaneously, with no discernible
drop in audio, or via complex crossfade options,
including programmable surround-sound
panning events.