Stress testing the TMC-1-Penta, The New D-Command Interface

Stress Tests
Last week I went to see NTP at Copenhagen in order to stress test the TMC-1-Penta Ethernet connection to prove that the connection between the TMC-1 and DAD AX32 would remain working under high load conditions. I am happy to say the the TMC-1 performed well. Even when I forced a disconnection the  TMC-1 reconnected gracefully and continued working.

The New D-Command Interface
On my return trip the flight was delayed (as usual) I used the time to prepare the software required to connect the TMC-1 as an interface between the  DAD AX32 and the Avid D-Command console or even S6 console. I finished and tested the software this week using a TMC-1-XMon to emulate the D-Command. There are no tallies in the X-Mon protocol but the meters are visible on both and all commands from the D-Command work as expected. A Tx-Rx Invert cable is required to link the 15pin 'D' connectors on the D-Command and the TMC, I will a add the details to the TMC-1-Penta Manual next week after I have installed this system in a 7.1.4 room at Pinewood.

Requests for more user functions on the TMC-1

First an apology: There was a bug in the initial postings of the latest TMC-1 software. This has now been corrected, it was only up for a few hours.

As soon as I increase functionality on the TMC-1 or any other product I get requests for even more. I am not complaining though, I am happy that customers are using the unit and are providing feedback. Owen who runs The Bridge Sound and Stage has provided me with good feedback on using the TMC-1 in a stereo music environment. As I have not worked in music studios for 30 years I needed it! Below is a screenshot from the TMC-1 configuration tool showings Owen's current keyboard layout. Hopefully I will be able to update this in the future - Owen has also promised photo's of his studio.

RM-6 - Print Master function and TFT Remote

The RM-6 is an established design and it is unusual to make major upgrades after over 13 years.

The Print Master function was added to the PD-1 after about 1 year, the function is simple, define one or more stems as a Print masters. If any stem enters record the printmaster stems also enters record, the Print master stems go out of record when all other tracks drop out of record. Thus any modification made to a stem is also recorded on the print master stem.

Not all consoles include the print master function in their Pec/Direct panel, to overcome this problem I added the printmaster function to the RM-6. At the same time I had to add a Printmaster macro to CBServer, CBServer3, and the new TFT Remote control for the RM-6. To enable/disable the printmaster setting is very simple.

To Enable:
1) Stop
2) Arm the print master tracks
3) Depress the Print master Macro Key
 the Print master macro key will illuminate and  the armed tracks will turn off.

To Disable
With no tracks armed depress the Print Master key

TFT Remote
We have now supplied 7 TFT panels 5 to upgrade existing RM-6 installations and 2 with a new RM-6 installation. The TFT-Remote is very versatile and can be used with existing remote panels, with CBServer and CBServer3. Multiple remotes can be used with the RM-6. The panel below includes 18 TFT keys, there advantage is that not only can the text displayed be changed with function but the illumination intensity and colour are also prograable.

TMC-1 major s/w update

When showing the TMC-1 to possible customers it became evident that there were many different requirements from a stereo music studio,  7.1 and even 80 channel Atmos and Auro.

To cope with this we have made the TMC-1 keyboard and display more user programable as well as providing a new Mac/Windows programming tool. The reaction from beta testers is very favourable.

Here is the new meters screen, all 8 of the keys below the screen are programable, their function is displayed at the bottom of the screen. `you cam also see the new input selection indicator.

Here is the Mac/Windows user key and naming screens

USB422 Latency and Yosemite III - Solved

Today I posted on the USB-422 web page signed low latency drivers for Yosemite.

The certification from Apple arrived when I was on holiday and it took a while before I could update the software. I checked the driver on the Yosemite macbook air that I purchased for testing. I certified the driver on a separate computer so that I could be sure that the driver was certified for all computers.

The hardest part of the installation is to be sure that the Low Latency driver is being used. Please read the MacLow installation notes! You can use the Latency check program that I wrote to be sure.

You can see the two versions installed below.

 Please let me know if you have any problems!

Yosemite and Latency II - More Problems

Last week I had a customer report more problems with Yosemite so I tried to replicate my last results - and failed! I then re-installed Yosemite from scratch and still failed!

To help make tests I wrote a small test program which measures the total time to send and receive a message.
 http://www.colinbroad.com/cbsoft/usb422/latency-mac.zip
Note: It is the maximum time that is of interest.

On investigation I discovered with the help of others that Yosemite requires signed drivers, if you rename the kext files or edit the plist file it disables the signing and the driver will no longer install.

I am now waiting for certification from Apple which will take 7 - 10 days assuming that they approve my application. If I get certification I will build a certified driver.

There is one alternative if you need it now, you can run a uncertified driver by disabling the gatekeeper which will then allow uncertified drivers to run. Wolfgang at SMM has confirmed this works.  Note: this allows any uncertified program to run with out confirmation.

TMC-1 User Interface

You may have noticed the change in the description below the title. I have worked on the TMC-1-Penta design since the beginning of the year and I am now happy to release it on our customers. In the process I have updated the User Interface for both versions of the TMC-1 (XMon and Penta) a number of times.

I have to thank Owen Curtin at the Bridge Soundstage for his feedback, Owen was the first person to order a TMC-1-Xmon about 6 months ago. Although I have not always implemented his suggestions they made me look at his problems and come up with my own solutions. Owen also came up with solutions to two of the limitations of the X-Mon - Monitoring the Studio Loudspeakers in the control room and playing back into the Studio from a different source to the Control Room.

I hope that my existing users will find the time and patience to upgrade to the new user interface and will like the changes that I have made.  If there is anything that I have removed that you want back or anything else that you need, let me know and I will try and work out a way.

Unless I have an urgent request or bug fix I hope that this will be the last User Interface upgrade for a while.

The picture below shows the new Meters Page with the Sum source indication, user defined names and Meter layout, you can also see one of the new user key functions [SLS A/B].
Note: I disconnected XMon to stop the Meters.