Playback Redundancy and Show Control
DADman and Firmware functionality for Thunder | Core products
Channel-based redundancy for playback systems and live processing. Manual or logic-based switching and show control.
Control | Pack is a DADman and Firmware upgrade that provides native switching between any set of sources to output destinations, providing fast and automated redundancy in playback live processing applications, as well a manual switching of routing preset for show control applications when using Thunder | Core products: AX64, AX Center and Core 256.
There are a variety of use cases for the Control | Pack functionality.
- Redundant playback computer back track interface system
- Effects processing / Inserts on native systems
- Playback of computer VST instruments /effects
- Show control / scene change management
- Backup of source selection e.g. microphones
The DAD Thunder | Core products – AX64, AX Center and Core 256 – have a very comprehensive, flexible, and versatile I/O and routing structure and are indeed highly capable Thunderbolt 3 interfaces for MacOS and Windows computers with 9 samples latency and a high channel count of 256 bidirectional channels@96 kHz as well as the DADlink zero latency interface between more DAD Thunder | Core interfaces.
Dual Thunderbolt 3 Playback Example
Dual Dante Playback Example
Depending on the need for I/O capacity, AX64, AX Center or Core 256 interfaces can address applications in live music audio systems related to playback or inserting audio on computers for back-tracks and native effects processors.
Further, the routing capabilities can enable functionalities related to backup source switching and show control with instant reconfiguration of the audio path and signal flow in live music audio systems.
Preset Layers and Buckets
The routing presets are configured via DADman and natively loaded into the unit.
A total of 32 independent presets can be configured with 4 layers called ‘buckets’ and with up to 256 x 256 channels each. The preset configuration can route sources from any of the available input channels of the interface to any set of output channels instantly. The number of channels is independent of the sample rate.
A bucket is configured with one set of input sources. Each bucket can have any combination of inputs enabling different sources to be switched to the designated outputs of the preset.
Switching presets and buckets.
Switching automation.
Switching
Switching buckets in a preset can be done via signal triggers natively in the Thunder | Core interface, manually from DADman or via external control devices.
Automated switching can be done based on a signal integrity-based trigger from the configured signal detectors that are available on all input channels in a Thunder | Core unit. The detector and trigger configuration is done in DADman, but operates native in the unit
The triggers enable switching between buckets in a preset layer. A major application is to switch between computers playing backtracks or computers providing native effect inserts.
Signal Detection
Each of all the available input to the Thunder | Core unit has a signal detection system for both the AE6 and pilot tone signal, which can determine the integrity of a test signal allocated to this channel. This detection is in addition to the signal peak meters that show the signal level in DADman.
Signal detection on channels can be pilot tone triggers or an AE6 digital trigger. Furthermore, signal detection can also be done on port level for MADI and AES3. The built-in signal generators for pilot tone and AE6 signal are available as sources in the system and can be freely routed to any one or more outputs.
The switching time for a bucket is within one audio sample with AE6 triggered switching, providing a near-inaudible transition and around 1ms for pilot tone detection. When switching manually via DADman or an external control panel, the switching time is zero audio samples.
AE6 and Sine Wave Signal Generators
Two generators are available as fully assignable trigger sources into the complete routing matrix of a Thunder | Core product.
The AE6 signal is a digital sequence, which is the same in all samples of the signal generated. This enables the AE6 detector to determine if the signal is correct within one sample. The AE6 signal appears as just another audio signal and can be transferred via all digital interfaces of a Thunder | Core unit.
AE6 can not be transferred via an analog interface or via a sample-rate converter without being corrupted. The pilot tone signal can be transferred on all analog and digital interfaces also via a sample rate converter.However, the detection time of a pilot tone is higher than for AE6.
AE6 can not be transferred via an analogue interface or via a sample-rate converter without being corrupted. The pilot tone signal can be transferred on all analog and digital interfaces also via a sample rate converter. However, the detection time of a pilot tone is higher than for AE6.
