New TFT Remote Panel with LCD Keys for DFC Console

As promised in the last Blog here is the first picture of the new remote panel as suppled to Twickenham studios.

The main features of this panel are as follows

• TFT Display - able to display more system information.
• 21 programable keys - only the keyboard, Shift, Recall, Store are not programable.
• The lower 18 keys are LCD keys which display the key function.
• Jog Wheel, four LCD keys may be replaced by a Jog Wheel.
• Two Serial Ports and a USB serial port.
• Two or more panels may be connected in a daisy chain.
• Direct connection to CBServer via the USB port.
• Sony 9 pin Input for control from desk
• Software updates and keyboard programming via USB port.
• USB Powered  

Fully compatible with existing systems this panel is currently available as a remote to the RM-6 and existing systems as shown in the updated Twickenham block diagram (previous blog). Below is a system diagram using two DFC-TFT remotes and a RM-6.

Atmos, Twickenham and Multi-Machine Track Arming enhancements to the Sony Protocol

It took a few try's to get the system at Twickenham working properly with two 64 track recorders, but after 1 week it seems to be working well. As part of the installation I installed the prototype of our new TFT based remote control panels - see the next blog entry for a full description

If two 64 track recorders becomes normal then it will be necessary to reconfigure the communications between the console and the machines/machine control system. The DFC has 6 sony P2 ports that will support 48 tracks per port but a number of consoles only have one port.

The standard Sony protocol can only control one recorder, here are three possible solutions to track arming multiple machines from a single sony protocol port

1) Implement our xmc protocol,   a number of years ago Harrison implemented this which allows them to track arm multiple record machines. The advantages - no modification required to our systems and frame accurate timecode without video syncs, disadvantage - a major change to the console communications s/w.

2) Map the tracks over multiple ports, the maximum possible is 112 which can be mapped over multiple tracks. The advantage - no modification required to the controlling s/w, disadvantage absolute maximum number of tracks is 112, not all serial ports implement the maximum (eg. DFC 48 maximum),.

3) Enhance the Sony protocol to support multiple recorders. The advantage - can support up to 112 tracks per machine, disadvantage - The controlling s/w must be modified to support the new commands. Most of the required commands are present in the RM-6 to support the our multi-machine protocol (xmc) a subset of these can be added to the Sony protocol.

What are we doing about multiple record machines?

1) The next release of the RM-6 will include all the above solutions. Once implemented the commands will be available for any manufacture to use.

2) I am currently updating the serial control system for one mixer manufacture to increase the number of record channels to 96,  at the same time I will add the commands to support multiple record machines.

Recording up to 192 tracks on two Protools from a DFC

As noted in a earlier blog the DFC can only arm 48 tracks on each serial port, this two ports are required to arm up 96 tracks on a single machine. In order to record up to 96 tracks on two machines 4 ports are required!

The diagram below shows how this is done and the menu settings required to achieve this at Twickenham Studios.  Note that the menu entries are for the latest version of the X4 and RM- software which were updated this week. Contact me for further details if you need them

Diagram updated to include a second remote, our new DFC-TFT as requested by Twickenham.

Detective work in Paris

Some months ago Daniel (our French representative) complained that every morning his SR-4 crashed when turned on, when reset or restarted it worked without problem. My test unit in the UK however did not suffer from the same problem even with identical software and setup.

A visit to Paris found a bug reading the EEPROM that caused the unit to crash if it could not interface with the EEPROM there remained the problem of why it was not reading the EEPROM.

This week Daniel swapped the chip used to read and write to the EEPROM, this cured the problem, but even when the old chip was put back the problem was gone!

The moral of this story is that if you are having strange problems on old equipment (the SR-4 4 was probably 15 years old) try removing any IC's on sockets and cleaning them!  

Advance Information on a new remote for the RM-6

Bellow is the TFT-422 the first in a new series of remotes that we are developing this year, This uses a TFT Display, with combination of  LCD keys and normal keys.

In developing a new remote for the RM-6 we have added two features to our remote controls, as follows

1) TFT display, our new interface can drive 3.5", 4.3" and 5" displays, the TFT display is the same as used on most smart phones and gives a bright clearly legible display capable of showing more information than the existing 2x40 LCD display.. One of the more obvious differences in designing a panel for LCD or TFT displays is the shape, this required changing the panel and the layout of the display. The display on the above panel is a 3.5" TFT.

2) LCD Keys, allowing macros to be changed easily, allowing individual users to define there own key sets. In using LCD Keys you have to take in consideration that they are bigger and deeper that our standard switches  and cost 15x as much. Because this is a free standing unit it would be impossible to use LCD Switches at the front as they are too deep.

We are also planning a new built in panel with all LCD keys except for the Numeric keyboard with an option of extra keys or Jog Wheel

Digitizing Audio from Film using Wordclock as a reference

When transferring audio it is important for the audio to run at the correct speed, positional lock with the moving image a separate procedure often using a punch frame or clapper at the beginning of the reel . If the speed is not correct the sound and image will drift apart, the longer the reel the further they can drift.

We were asked to devise  system to make a simple locked transfer from film to Digital Audio, the customer also wanted to control the film from the DAW. We recommended  our BS-1 Bi phase generator with Sony 9 pin control input. To simplify the system added  a wordclock reference input to the BS-1 removing the need to a video sync generator.

If the workstation does not have a Sony 9 pin output but has Midi Machine Control then our P2MMC-usb can be used to control the BS-1.

Protools Loops, LTC Dropout and Master Error (RM-6/SR)

This week I have added yet another menu to the software as follows!

Menu 022- Rdr Dropout/Master Code Jump
0= Ignore 1=10frm Dropout 2=Re-Lock

The default selection in the original software is equivalent to 1=10frm Dropout.

Protools Loops
When you loop on Protools as a master the slave machines did not follow as the standard setting will roll over timecode jumps, Select 2=Re-Lock for the slaves to follow.

LTC Dropout
For Live performance I have been asked to make the system Jam to the LTC and then ignore dropouts. Select 0=Ignore for this. Once the system has seen timecode the generator will run as master until either
1) The Reader receives Stationary timecode
2) The unit receives a stop command.

Master Error
The software now displays a master error (the difference between the generator and the master timecode) in the same way as the slaves. The master error is only displayed when not zero. If not zero and changing then the the master and controller are not locked to the same reference.