Controlling the JBL Professional DSC280 System Controller Using SIA-Smaart Pro

Transcription

1 Controlling the JBL Professional DSC280 System Controller Using SIA-Smaart Pro SIA Software Company, Inc. an EAW Company The SIA-Smaart Pro Real-Time module can control crossover and delay functions on the DSC280 as well as output EQ, limiter, gain and phase compensation. This document discusses details of the Real-Time module s external device control interface specific to the DSC280. More general information about controlling external devices from Smaart Pro can be found in the SIA-Smaart Pro user s manual or the Real-Time Module help file. Making Control Connections The JBL DSC280 is remotely controllable only via MIDI. To control this device from Smaart Pro, your computer must be equipped with a Windows-compatible MIDI I/O hardware interface typically a joystick-to-midi adapter cable or an add-on MIDI I/O box that connects to a serial or parallel port. Computer JBL DSC280 MIDI Thru To MIDI Mixer or Switcher (Optional) Connecting a single DSC280 to your computer for control from SIA-Smaart Pro The MIDI connections between devices should be made with outputs going to inputs and inputs to outputs. In other words, if you were connecting a single DSC280 to your PC, the connector from the PC should be connected to the DSC280 s port. The connector from the DSC280 then goes back to the PC s port as in the figure above. The DSC280 s MIDI Through port on the can be used to connect to a device other than a DSC280 such as a MIDI mixer or switcher. Computer Two (or more) JBL DSC280s MIDI Thru To MIDI Mixer or Switcher (Optional) MIDI Thru Daisy-chaining multiple JBL DSC280s. Multiple DSC280s can be daisy-chained together by connecting the port of the first unit to the port on the second and so on. The port of the last unit in the chain connects to the connector on the PC. Each DSC280 in the chain must be assigned it s own unique MIDI Channel (1-16) so the maximum number of DSC280s you can address through a single PC MIDI port is 16 (or 15 if you are using a MIDI mixer or switcher).

2 Controlling the JBL Professional DSC280 System Controller Using SIA-Smaart Pro revision 1, 8/99 Page 2 Configuring the DSC280 in Smaart Pro Once the physical control connections are made, each DSC280 you want to control through Smaart Pro must be configured as an external device in the Real-Time module. The first step is to add a device definition for each unit. Start Real-Time module and click the External Device Info button (shown at the left) on the top toolbar or select External Devices from the Options menu to open the External Device Information dialog box. Click the Add button at bottom left of the dialog box window. When the Add External Device dialog pops up, select JBL DSC280 from the drop down list and click OK. A device definition is created and the JBL DSC280 Configuration dialog box (shown on the right) opens automatically. In this dialog box, you need to specify a Device Name for the physical device and the MIDI channel you will use to control this device. The MIDI channel selected here must match the MIDI Channel number set on the DSC280 itself using the front panel controls. When multiple DSC280s are chained together you will need to add a new device definition for each unit in the chain and the MIDI channel setting for each unit must be unique. The Device Name appears only on the list of configured (physical) devices in the External Device Information dialog box and in the System Controllers list in Delay Locator mode. The Other Names section is where you set the output channel names you want to appear in the drop-down lists of available devices on the external device control panel and in the System Presets dialog box. You can also choose which output channels will appear in these lists by checking or unchecking the Show in drop-down lists box next to each of the five output channel name fields. For example, if you were operating this DSC280 in a stereo linked configuration, you might only want to see master channels listed and would leave slave channels unchecked as shown above. The DSC280 Control Panel, Top to Bottom Once an DSC280 is connected and configured internally, put the Real-Time module in Transfer Function mode and click the External Device Mode button (shown on the left). The external device control panel will replace the Trace Information Area that normally appears to the right of the main plot area and the Real-Time module will attempt to establish communication with the device selected in the drop-down list of available devices at the top of the control panel. Make sure one of the names you set up for a connected DSC280 output channel is selected. When communication is established with the remote device, a set of markers appears on the plot to indicate positions of any filters assigned on the current output channel. Crossover (high/lowpass) filter positions are indicated by triangular markers, EQ (bell and shelf) filters show up as square boxes with cross-hairs appended. If you do not see any filter markers within a few seconds after selecting the device and you know there are filters assigned, check all the cables, connections, and configuration settings. If you have more than one MIDI I/O device configured in Windows, make sure you have the correct and devices selected on the Devices tab of the Options dialog box.

3 Controlling the JBL Professional DSC280 System Controller Using SIA-Smaart Pro revision 1, 8/99 Page 3 The SIA-Smaart Pro Real-Time module shown controlling a JBL DSC280 digital system controller. The light blue signal trace is a real-time frequency response measurement of output channel D-Left, the output channel currently under control. The magenta and yellow traces are stored response curves for mid- and low-frequency bands. Note that two different types of filter markers are visible on the plot. The square markers control EQ (bell or shelf) filters. Triangular markers indicate the 3 db down point for High and Low Edge (crossover) filters. After the markers appear, select a filter by clicking it s marker with your mouse. The settings for the filter will appear in first three fields of the Filters section of the DSC280 Control Panel (shown on the right). The DSC280 features several different filter types and the information displayed in the Filters section of the control panel will vary based on the type selected fields for any parameter not applicable to the type of filter currently selected are disabled (grayed out). For bell (parametric) EQ filters, the control panel displays the center frequency (Hz), bandwidth (Oct) and cut/boost (db) value. For (High and Low) shelf type EQ filters the 3 db down point (Freq) and cut/boost value are displayed. For crossover filters, only the 3 db down point (Freq) parameter is variable and the other two fields are disabled. The drop-down list box below the three filter parameter fields controls the type of filter associated with the currently selected marker. Again, the choices vary based on the type of filter selected. For EQ filters, the available options are Bell (parametric), and High or Low shelf. For crossover filters, the options are Butterworth, Bessel, or Linkwitz-Riley (L-R). When a crossover or shelf filter is selected, the (db/oct) field immediately above enables to allow you to select the slope of the filter in db per Octave. The name or number of the of the currently-selected filter is displayed below the filter type list box. Crossover filters are identified as Low Edge or High Edge. When an EQ filter is selected, the filter number is displayed.

4 Controlling the JBL Professional DSC280 System Controller Using SIA-Smaart Pro revision 1, 8/99 Page 4 Clicking the Flat button in the Filters section will set a selected EQ filter to 0 db cut/boost. The All Flat button flattens all EQ filters on the output channel currently being controlled. Note that the Flat and All Flat buttons affect only EQ filters. Crossover filters can only be assigned and unassigned through the System Control dialog box (see next page for more information). The last control in the Filters section is the Show Inverted check box. This option is normally used only when the response curve of the selected channel is inverted (using Smaart Pro s Swap Transfer Function Inputs feature) to facilitate using a room/system response measurement as a guide for setting filters. The output channel name currently under control is displayed immediately below the filters section. In Stereo Linked mode, the name of the slave channel associated with the channel currently under control is also shown in parentheses. Storing and Recalling Programs Below the Filters section, in the Program section of the control panel, are two buttons labeled Recall and Store. Clicking the Recall button pops up a dialog box that allows you to retrieve a program for the DSC280 stored either on the controller itself or in a file on disk. Clicking the Store button pops up a similar dialog box that allows you to save the current settings as a program stored in memory on the controller or as a file on disk. This feature can be used to copy filter settings from one unit to another since programs for the DSC280 stored on disk can be loaded into any connected DSC280. The DSC280 s front panel display normally shows the name of the last program recalled from memory on the controller itself and so will the title line above the Transfer Function plot in the Smaart Pro. If any controller settings have been changed since the program was recalled, an asterisk will appear after the program name to indicate that the current control states no longer reflect the stored settings. The plot title and the label on the DSC280 s front panel display will only change when a different program is recalled on the device or when the current settings in Smaart Pro are saved to a memory slot on the controller. The DSC280 has three basic types of security; program locking, Lock Mode and OEM Lock/Owner Lock. When you store a program on the DSC280 you will have the option to store it using the program lock feature. This prevents accidental changes to current controller settings from overwriting settings stored in the program. Program locking does not prevent you from making changes controller setting in Smaart Pro after a program is recalled or from overwriting the stored program. Smaart Pro can overwrite locked programs without requiring you to unlock them. It does mean that the stored program is held intact in memory and can be recalled after changes are made. It also means that any changes you make after recalling a program will only be applied to the program stored in memory if you overwrite the existing program. If you recall a different program without storing your revised settings, your changes will be lost. Smaart Pro ignores Lock Mode on the DSC280. You can make any changes you like and store and recall programs whether Lock Mode is on or off. OEM Lock or Owner Lock security is another story. Most of the same restrictions that apply to working with OEM/Owner Locked programs using the 280 s front panel controls also apply when controlling the unit using Smaart Pro. The main exception is that DSC280 s hardware interface actually hides locked controls and Smaart Pro does not. When you recall OEM/Owner Locked programs on the DSC280, controls for locked parameters are disabled but visible. You will be able to see all the settings but you cannot change any locked parameters while OEM/Owner Lock is on. If you turn the OEM or Owner Lock of for a given program, using the DSC280 s front panel controls (password required), you can make changes to current controller settings but again, your changes will

5 Controlling the JBL Professional DSC280 System Controller Using SIA-Smaart Pro revision 1, 8/99 Page 5 not affect the program stored in memory and you will not be allowed to overwrite the stored program with your revised settings. Smaart Pro cannot overwrite an OEM/Owner Locked program on the 280 even if OEM/Owner Lock is turned off. To store your own program in memory slot containing an OEM/Owner Locked program, you first need delete the existing program using the 280 s front panel controls. Smaart Pro also does not support OEM Lock or Owner Lock when storing programs for the DSC280. When you store a program using Smaart Pro, either on the 280 itself or as a file on disk, no OEM/Owner Lock tags are set on any parameters. If you recall an OEM/Owner Locked program and then store to another available memory slot (i.e., one that does not contain an OEM/Owner Locked program) or as a file disk, you can make any changes you like to the copy and store the revised settings as your own program. If you want to protect a program created by Smaart Pro with OEM Lock or Owner Lock security, you will need to use the DSC280 s front panel controls to set it up. All Smaart Pro external device program files (stored on disk) are given the file name extension.eqp. When you save a program to disk, you have the option of attaching a descriptive text comment to the file. When you select an EQP file to be loaded from disk, the type of device the program is for, the type of program (if applicable) and the text comment (if any) are displayed at the bottom of the Open file dialog box. Since this is really the only way to tell EQP file for different devices apart, it s a good idea to store files for different devices and/or for different jobs in separate folders. The lower portion of the DSC280 control panel, below the Program section, has a few additional controls. In the Mutes section, you can mute or un-mute any of the 280 s output channels by checking or un-checking the appropriate check box (the output is muted when the box is checked). When the Stereo Link box is checked, controls for each Left/Right pair of output channels are linked so that changes made to the settings on one output channel are also applied to the linked channel. In Stereo Linked mode, if the settings on the two linked channels are not identical, changes made on one channel are applied incrementally to the linked channel. For example adding 2 db of boost to filter number two on output channel B-Left will also add 2 db of boost to filter number two on B-Right. When adjusting EQ filters in stereo linked mode, be aware that the linking relationship follows filter number and not necessarily frequency order. Care should be exercised to use like-numbered filters for similar frequency ranges on linked channels. At the bottom of the DSC280 control panel are two buttons labeled Config and Sys Control. The Config button pops up the DSC280 Configuration dialog box (discussed on page 2) to allow you to make changes to the device and channel names MIDI channel settings. The Sys Control button opens the System Control Options dialog box. This is where you will find controls for most system controller functions not shown on the DSC280 control panel. Beginning in SIA-Smaart Pro 3.5, this dialog box is also accessible in Delay Locator mode. The DSC280 System Control Dialog Box The DSC280 System Control dialog box allows you to control input and output delay time, crossover (highpass and lowpass) filter frequencies, polarity, limiter threshold, gain and mutes for all output channels on the DSC280 currently under control regardless of which output channel is currently selected. You can also set the input delay time and turn on the Stereo Link and Mono Lo features from this dialog box. The System Control Options dialog box is resizable, so you can shrink it to a convenient size to show just the information you wan to see, and modeless, meaning you can leave it open while you continue to work in the main Real-Time module program window.

6 Controlling the JBL Professional DSC280 System Controller Using SIA-Smaart Pro revision 1, 8/99 Page 6 When you make change to the settings in the dialog box, you will see the changes reflected in any associated on-screen controls. For example, click the spinner (up/down) buttons next to the Lo Freq field for the currently selected output channel. This changes the 3 db down point for the highpass filter and you will see the triangular marker for that filter move on the Transfer Function plot to reflect the change. Type the word Out in the same field then click the Apply button and the marker on the plot will disappear. Note that whenever you see the Apply button activate itself, it means some action is required from you to send the change you just made to the DSC280. If you change a value using the spinner buttons, select something from a list, or check or un-check a check box, the changes are sent immediately and the Apply button will not activate. When you type a value in a text field, you have to press the Enter key on your keyboard, select another control, or click the Apply button to actually send the change. At the top of the DSC280 System Control dialog box on the left, the name assigned to the device currently under control is displayed. Just below the device name is a check box to turn on the Stereo Link feature. To the right is the Channel section where you select which bank of out put channels (Left or Right) you want to control. Next to the Channel section is the Main Delay field. This field controls the overall the input delay on the DSC280. The Mono Lo check box causes the DSC280 to send both A outputs (Left and Right) a mono sum of the Left and Right input signals when checked. The center section of the dialog box is devoted to a table consisting of four rows of controls one row for each output channel in the selected output bank. At the left of the table, the column labeled Band lists the physical output channels (A-D) and the name assigned to each channel are displayed. The first column of actual controls sets the delay time for each output channel (specified in milliseconds). The next column sets the phase adjustment for the crossover points between channels A and B, B and C, and C and D in degrees. Note that the DSC280 sets this value in five-degree increments between 0 and 180 so Smaart Pro will round arbitrary values to the nearest 5. Also note that setting this value to anything other than zero will steal EQ filter number 2 from the lower channel. The next two columns control the 3 db down frequencies for each output s highpass and lowpass crossover filters (labeled Lo Freq and Hi Freq respectively). If the word Out appears in any of these fields, it means that filter is not currently assigned on that channel. You can turn the corresponding filter on using the spinner buttons to the right of the input field or by typing in a value (in Hertz) and pressing the Enter key on your keyboard. To de-assign any of these filters, type Out in the corresponding field and press Enter or click the Apply button. The next two columns to the right (Lo Slope and Hi Slope) are list boxes for selecting the slope for the crossover filters (in db per octave).

7 Controlling the JBL Professional DSC280 System Controller Using SIA-Smaart Pro revision 1, 8/99 Page 7 The Polarity for each output channel is set in the next column to the right. The options are normal (Norm) or inverted (Inv). The next two columns control limiter the threshold (in dbu) and the overall output Gain (in db) for each channel. The column of check boxes on the far right sets the Mute for each output in the output bank currently selected (checked = muted). The Close button at the bottom of the window below the control table closes the dialog box. Please note that this does not a cancel any changes you have already applied to the controller settings. Config opens the JBL DSC280 Configuration dialog box (see page 2 for more information). The Apply button is used to send changes entered by typing values into text fields. The SIA-Smaart Pro Real-Time module shown in Delay Locator Mode. Note the System Controllers selector in the lower right corner of the window. When a supported system controller is configured in the Real-Time module for remote control, the (physical) Device Name assigned in the configuration dialog box (see page 2 for more information) will appear in the drop-down list. You can access the System Control dialog box to control delay settings on the remote device by selecting it from the list and clicking the System Control button. A Publication of SIA Software Company, Inc. One Main Street Whitinsville, MA USA SIA An EAW Company telephone: Copyright 1999 SIA Software Company, Inc. All rights reserved.