AXUM QUESTIONS AXUM ANSWERS
1 12 faders broadcast audio mixer FULLY MODULAR? Yes the Axum is, up to 128 faders is possible.
2 12 Mic/Line inputs? Yes, use 3x micAD boards
3 4 Stereo inputs? Yes, use 1x LineAD board
4 4 groups and Stereo master out? Yes, use 2x LineDA board
5 3 Band equalizer and high & low cut filter? Axum has 6 band (or 4 band and Low Cut & High cut)
6 4 adjustable level AUX for each channel with on/off and post/pre switch? Yes Axum have 32 buss (or 24 Aux buss, Prog, Sub, Cue and Com)
7 Does AXUM have XLR balancing inputs and outputs? All in and outputs are balanced on RJ45 and via breakoutpanels on XLR
8 Is there a Monitoring facility for inputs and outputs, with pre and after fader listening? Yes, Cue can selected pre or post fader
9 About “Monitoring facility for inputs and outputs, with pre and after fader listening”
Customer wants to know how this works. I saw the user manual but it is not so clear for me. Could you give us a little explanation, please?		 On the buss setup you select if the buss is pre or post fader.
So program one knob to set the CUE buss pre or post.
10 Is there a Monitoring output for control room and studio? Yes 8 stereo monitor output busses.
11 Is there a VU meter for each output and master? Yes, this can be a hardware meter via an extra line-output.
12 Channel status indicator LED? Yes, Prog, Sub, Peak Signal, Eq, Dynamics, Aux1/2/3/4
13 Headphone monitoring? Yes, and real Headphone outputs.
14 About “Headphone monitoring” I see the Axum has 2 x 6,3 mm jacks for the headphone monitoring and it is connected to the CRM-DA module. Which signals coming from the mixer can you monitoring? You can route any signal to the headphone output because it is part of the matrix. In the CRM-DA board is the level control and the TB-summing.
15 Phase switch? Yes
16 Pan Pots? Yes
17 Phantom Power Supply? Yes
18 Insert and return? Yes each channel with extra cards.
19 Multi tone generator with output level adjustment? Yes via matrix
20 Talk back facility? Yes
21 About “Talk back facilities” I do not see anything on the user manual but I see there is this possibility from the description on your web site. The digital, analogue and CRM cards offers this possibility.
Could you kindly explain deeply (which MIC input is enable for the Talkback, is the Talkback toward Clean feed , Aux and Announcer outputs and so on…)?		 Each output board (Line DA, CRM-DA, DD, ) has his own TB summing DSP.
So you can use each input to generate a TB signal to any output.
TB is directly routed to an output and not to a buss! You can assign switches on your front panel to act like dedicate talkback buttons to dedicated outputs.
22 Redundant power supply with auto/manual changeover? Yes, for Control Surface and I/O Racks available.
23 What faders is the AXUM using? 100mm ALPS Motor faders (voltage controlled amplification)
24 About “16x100mm VCA faders with metal case”  they wants to know more: what the faders control?
Is it linear encoder?		 It is a linear fader, an AD converter reads the voltage level. (like in all consoles)
25 Remote start/stop and remote control? Yes, plenty available.
26 Gate expander compressor limiter? Yes, one knob dynamics at present, more complex compressor/expander/gate is under design
27 About “Gate expander compressor limiter” they wants to know more.
Which type of dynamics? Does the mixer has the gate, expander, compressor and limiter?		 In each module you have a 1 knob dynamics (0..100%) it is a expander/compressor in one design. No complicated controls.
28 Fast storage and recall settings/user data? Yes in data base.
29 About “Fast storage and recall settings/user data's” please details. You can make a setup and choose what must be changed by a recall.
30 Off line configuration tool? Yes on a internally generated website
31 About “Off line configuration tool” is there another user manual? I hope end of February 2009 the user manual will be ready
32 Internal routing for Mic/Line, AES EBU IN/OUT with SRC? Yes
33 High Definition LCD button? We have LCD displays for channel information.
34 Motorized faders? Yes
35 About “Motorized faders” which type the Axum uses? Alps
36 Ethernet 10/100? Yes
37 Radio automation console capability? Yes by GPIO and/or MambaNet
38 About “Radio automation console capability” it is not clear a thing: You told me the GPIO commands can be sent on an Ethernet network. This means the Axum can be interfaced with a radio automation system like Netia, for example?
All the commands and actions on a playlist in the Netia can be transferred through its protocol to the Axum and the mixer can manage everything in complete automatic manner (moving the faders, opening the channels and so on)?		 Yes, but it depends on how the customer wants to work.
39 External 4 fader stage control? Yes
40 If we integrate a 4 faders module in a bigger frame (18 position) in manner to have 3 + 1 modules (for a total of 16 faders), can the last 4 x fader module acts like subgroups for the previous 12 channels?
If we need at the same time 12 mono analogue inputs for radio microphones and 8 line inputs we need in total 3 x LINE-AD, 8 Line input (4 stereo) modules, is not it?		 The faders are only remote controls, what you control with it doesn’t matter.
On each DSP board you have 32 stereo channels and 16 busses.
So the customer decides what the faders control (channel level or buss level or something else)
41 In every Line A/D card, we have 4 balanced stereo inputs or 8 balanced mono input or we have both at the same time? Can I decide, for example, if I want 3 stereo inputs and 2 mono inputs or 2 stereo inputs and 4 mono inputs and so on…

Yes, you have 8 mono channels and you can make them stereo.
You select which input is stereo (you can even select a mic and line input as a stereo input)
42 What about level meters (or is metering display only via web interface)?
Both, on a TFT screen and there is a hardware 60 segment meter available that can be connected to the Control Surface and is connected by MambaNet to display whatever you want.
Also via an analog output on one of the cards an external meter can be driven.
43 What is „PC-Radio section (=2positions/modules)“? There is a manufacturer in Holland that we make a hardware section for to control their Play out system PC RADIO, see http://www.broadcastpartners.nl/website/
44
With the Axum, is it possible to build two or more independent studios using one rack and engine (up to the max i/p o/ps)
As the engine card has only one vga output, can you connect additional pc to provide the meter application in each studio?
Yes this is possible, also every control surface has its own VGA output connector to connect a TFT screen. So locally the meter application can run there too.
 
45

Does AXUM has digital inputs on Sub-D in AES-EBU format, on break-out box

 All audio connections (analog and digital) on the AXUM are shielded RJ45 connectors (not the ADAT, FireWire and SDI). We have break-out boxes for RJ45 to XLR and/ or Jack.
Of course we can make a special breakout box for D-Sub9. (the breakout boxes are entire passive)
46

Is there an Embedded TCP/IP web server

Yes, also the external software.
47

Is there a possibility for ganging mono inputs for stereo operation?

 Yes, all inputs and outputs have their own routing/level control on the IO-board.
The output board also have TB functionality.
48

Is the input Level range adjustable from -60dBu to -35dBu (Ref. 0dBu=0,775V rms) with sensitivity control?

 The microphone input has a PGA2500 (TI) digital controlled gain ( -70dBu up to +20dBu (Pad) ).
49

Sample rate converters on each digital inputs

 Yes, we have dig IO-boards with and without SRC.
Axum-Rack-DD and Axum-Rack-DDSRC.
50

Management of custom input interfaces?

 Yes, you have/can setup functions per Switch, Encoder, Pot and Fader.
So you can customised the entire consol (UI, remote I/O and Audio I/O)
51

Overall S/N ratio > 80dB?

 Yes
52

Channel Separation (Between L&R of same channel) better than 60dB, with maximum input and output within frequency band of 20 Hz to 20kHz

 Yes, on 44.1/48kHz
53

Talk-Back facility with studio and another console installed in control room, other studios and dubbing room shall be available.
The talk back mike should preferably in-built. Is the talkback bus routable in the mixer outputs?

 Yes, the AXUM has an advanced TB functionality with 4 separate busses.
The TB can be routed to each output (analog/digital) of the console and it can sum with or dim/mute the normal output audio. Yes, the TB-bus is routable to each output.
54

Two numbers of LCD indicators to provide the VU as well as PPM (selectable) should be available to monitor the level on any of the output buses. (Can you provide us with some VGA screenshots?)

 The audio-meter can be shown on the VGA monitor, and the VGA monitor can directly connect to the fader remote box. (Screenshot http://www.d-r.nl/dnrsite/products/AXUM/axum.htm)
55

The console should perform satisfactorily in the dry temperature range of 5°C to 40°C and humid conditions prevailing in tropical climate.
A test certificate in this regard should be produced from an approved Test House.

 We prepare full compliant measurements at a notified body.
56

Which engine functions are controlled via GPI?

You can select one of all switch functionality of the virtual mixing-console to be controlled by the GPI.
The same as you can assign each switch/pot/encoder and fader to one of the functions of the virtual mixing console.
57

Which object status could be sent to GPO?

 Beside the global functions such as Redlight, Module-On etc. can also all local functions echo through the GPO (such as the LED of the switches).
58

Can AXUM send GPO signal in pulse?
If it's possible, how long duration of the pulse?
How can I change GPO signal shape between status and pulse?

The AXUM GPO can be continue or pulse signal. The duration can be setup between 10..255 mSec.
Setup of the GPIO functionality can be done in the local website of the AXUM.
GPI = 5V TTL, 100 kOhm input impedance.
GPO= Selection of optical isolated relay or 5V TTL output. Optical isolated relays, is max: 50V at 200mA.
59

Does AXUM have a kind of function to configure GPI logic, for example turn on CRM Monitor, DIM in case GPI ch1 active OR GPI ch2 active ?

Yes, you can control by the GPI all global and local functions of the virtual mixing console.
60

We provide not only Mixing Consoles, but also system integration services to our customer.
So it is quite important to know this kind information.
And I believe that a kind of stand alone AXUM configuration software will help us to understand your console.
Would you please send it us, if you have.

We have a document with all functions in the AXUM (v1.0). The AXUM functions are controlled by MambaNet (D&R Ethernet protocol). So to better understanding the possibility of MambaNet I included also the MambaNet document.
It is also possible that you sent MambaNet commands by Ethernet to the AXUM to control and read back the console.
61 I want to create 3 studio's with one I/O Rack . Is this possible?

Every DSP card can process 32 stereo channels to 16 stereo busses and 4 stereo monitor busses.

In your situation one DSP card deal with:

  • studio 1:     12 faders
  • studio 2:     12 faders
  • studio 3      8 faders

But.. you also have to divide the 16 stereo busses these processing channels can be assigned to:

  • Studio 1:     4 main output buses, 4 Aux send busses (8)
  • Studio 2:     4 stereo busses (e.g. Prog and Auxes) (4)
  • Studio 3:     4 stereo busses (e.g. Prog and Auxes) (4)

Then we have the 4 stereo monitor busses:

  • Studio 1: 2 stereo monitor busses (CRM and Studio), of course a single monitor buss can be sent to multiple audio-outputs.
  • Studio 2: 1 stereo monitor buss, of course a single monitor buss can be sent to multiple audio-outputs.
  • Studio 3: 1 stereo monitor buss, of course a single monitor buss can be sent to multiple audio-outputs.

If there is the need to have more modules and/or monitor buses in this set up you can add an extra DSP card doubling the number of available modules/monitor busses to choose from. (no doubling of the 16 stereo buses, sorry)
62

More than 36 months availability of products/spare parts?

 Yes, company policy is to hold spare parts available for at least 5 years after the last shipment of a type of console/product.
63 Tell me more about MambaNet

For third parties it’s possible to integrate with our new platform/console Axum using MambaNet. 

Some basic information is shown at http://www.mambanet.org 

MambaNet is a protocol which makes it possible to control software and/or hardware from other processes (e.g. over a network).

To implement MambaNet in your Windows or Linux processes we have made a MambaNet C Library, with all required functionality.

 

To make your own products MambaNet compatible you will require:

1)       A Manufacture ID assigned by us.

2)       The protocol specifications and eventual the Windows/Linux C Library for fast time to market.

 

Products that talk MambaNet can control all Axum functions and receive the state of all Axum functions.

That makes it possible that:

-          your software/hardware controls Axum functionality.

-          The Axum surface can control your software/hardware.

 
64 Fader 1 - Mic input (mono) (we are getting the LEDBAR moving only on Left) MIC input
By the ‘source configuration’ you may select MICAD ch 1 left and MICAD ch1 if right. So this means its mono-to-stereo
65 2) Gain to low. For MIC inputs you have analog gain and DSP gain. There are several ways to setup the analog gain.
In the source configuration for example you can give ‘Gain’ which is the analog gain for MIC inputs.
66 Where do we connect the redlight for a "short-circuit continoues "

GPO’s

 

   In the rack configuration you can select the ‘card’ where your have the GPO connected.

   Looking to the objects you can find:

   GPO-1 till GPO-8:       This can be configured to the function you want to see
   GPO-1-Time (till 8):     This is continues if select ‘0’ and 1-255 mS for value 1-255

   GPO-1-Active-state:    This determines the polarity (Normal active-state = 1).

 
67 Where do we connect Stereo sources? Stereo sources can be connected to:
Analog to the LINE Input cards (One stereo on a RJ45)
Digital to the DD Input cards.
68 How would we connect fader-start Faderstart can be connected to any GPO (see point 3).
69 where do we connect the main output and main monitors/headphones? CRM/Ph are connected to the CRMDA card:
RJ45 A/B are speaker outputs.
RH45 C/D are phones outputs.
70 Where and how do we connect the hybrid? Hybrid:
Can be connected to any in/output you like, in destination configuration you tell the N-1 input for the hybrid.
Remember the console has a pre-config, so the CRM/Phones and basic signaling is already setup!
71 Where do I connect my TFT screen for on screen metering? Every control Surface (where your faders are) has a VGA output for your TFT screen.
72 More than 36 months availability of products/spare parts? Yes, company policy is to hold spare parts available for at least 5 years after the last shipment of a type of console/product.
73
Please answer me , if connection for the one AXUM system e.g. 3 consoles, how many DSP card must install in system ? (one per connecting console ?).
One DSP card (4 maximum in a system) can handle a maximum of 32 processing channels, this is independant from the Control Surfaces.
Any control surface/fader can use a DSP channel.
74
What is limit of faders per consoles, connecting for the system ? (I understand that quantity be limited - 128 fader total in system ?) 
Yes a maximum of 128 faders (4x32 DSP channels need a maximum of 128 faders to control all channels) can be installed in the frames.
They can be loaded in sections of 4 in any number of frame size.
75 What is the default and config value in the Surface configuration page? Therefore you need to understand something regarding MambaNet. MambaNet is to communication protocol used in the Axum system.
You have 'Node' like fader panels, CRM panel, I/O cards. On these node you have 'Objects' like switches, faders, GPI or GPOs.
In the Rack configuration page you get an overview on the 'Rack nodes'.
In the Surface configuration page you get an overview on the 'Surface nodes'.
If you select a node you can see you can setup 'default' and 'config' for each object:
The grayed-out default value is the 'factory default startup-state'.
You can let the AXUM override this default value by giving in a value. for example GPO-Time of an AD-CARD is factory default 50 which means the GPO generates a pulse of 50 mS, you can give a value of 0-255 where 0 means continuous and 255 = 255mS pulse.
 'config' determines which function of the Axum is connected to the object. for example a GPO object you can configure to do: 'Global - Redlight 1' or 'Module 1 EQ On/Off'.
This makes clear you can make the knobs, faders, GPIs/GPOs functioning as you like...
76 How can I reach the Input module and module routing configuration pages what I found in page 19 and 21 in the printed user manual?

By the web server, but it could be some different if you have earlier/later versions of the AXUM system.
Possibly the new Manual will be corresponding your console.
Actually the input module/routing configuration are now placed in the section 'Module configuration' on the website.
77 Where can I set the talkback destinations?

Then you select a knob to do talkback (Surface configuration -> Node -> Switch) and select the function:
"Destination - Headphone 1 - Talkback"

78 How can I save (for backup) and restore all configuration of the system? It can be very safety if I want to change the configuration anytime.

The best backup is to make a image-copy of the internal Compact Flash card, which is in the 'rack engine'.
This makes sure you have all data en software (and not only the configuration).
78 Can I make some different module configurations? And if yes, where can I set these and how can I change them from the control surfaces?

In the latest version of the AXUM system we have 'module presets' which you can put on knobs at the consoles.
If you are already running 'version 2' we can make remote access (from internet) to the console and eventual update / help with configuration.
To do so you have to do a 'port redirect' in your Internet router to the <AXUM-RACK-IP> port 22.
If I than have your WAN-IP and port that is redirected I can log on to the system to check/update on a moment the system is not in use...
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