PRODIGY.MP ADVANCED
From DirectOut Technologies
The PRODIGY.MP Advanced combines the functions of audio format converter and routing matrix with a powerful range of signal processing in a compact 2U unit. I/O options include Dante, Ravenna/AES67/ST2110-30, AVB Milan and Soundgrid networked audio formats, MADI and AES3 baseband digital formats as well as a wide range of analogue I/O.
Its design incorporates numerous fail-safe elements, and can provide a very high degree of resilience against signal or sync loss, data errors and similar potential disasters. Its channel count can be increased at any time by adding additional I/O modules. PRODIGY.MP Advanced is ideal as a venue’s audio hub, providing a central input point and a networked audio feed for broadcast, streaming or recording, as well as full FoH/monitor PA management.
Overview
- Multi-format audio router/converter with extensive range of DSP options
- Maximum channel count: 416 inputs, 420 outputs
- Modular I/O system – wide choice of options
- Highest level of resilience in operation, user-definable
- FastSRC – low-latency SRC on networked audio and MADI I/O, invaluable for rapid set-up
- Fully assignable crosspoint router
- Assignable DSP includes summing buses, FIR/IIR EQ, delay and dynamics
- Sync sources: internal or external wordclock, video, AES3 or networked audio input
- Two headphone outputs on front panel
- MADI I/O, invaluable for rapid set-up
- Fully assignable crosspoint router
- Extensive range of DSP options available via software licence
- Two headphone outputs on front panel
I/O Capability
- Two networked audio or dual MADI slots:
- Dual MADI ports with bi-directional HD-SRCs
- Up to 128 channels per slot (format dependent)
- Dante, Ravenna/AES67 (ST2110-30/31 and ST2022-7 compliant), AVB-Milan and Soundgrid I/O modules available
- HD-SRC optional on all networked audio and dual-MADI interfaces
- All networked audio modules have dual RJ45s plus SFP cage
- Dual MADI 128ch SFP interface with HD-SRC as standard
- Two MADI slots:
- Co-axial, SC optical, SFP options available
- 48k/96k frame, 56/64ch, S/MUX supported
- All common sample rates from 44.1 to 192 kHz, with ±12.5% varispeed
- Four baseband I/O slots:
- Eight bidirectional channels per slot
- Seven Mic/Mic-HD/Line analogue modules available
- AES3 module, with or without input SRC
Read more about I/O options here
Resilience Features
- EARS – dual redundant multichannel/playback auto changeover
- Mirror Mode – copy a defined set of unit parameters (or even the entire configuration) to a second unit for backup or parallel operation
- 32 Input Managers – define a hierarchy of up to five alternative inputs and precise conditions for auto-switchover
- Auto sync source priority – auto sync source reselection in event of sync failure
- MADI redundancy – dual I/O ports
- Dual PSUs
Read more about DirectOut’s approach to ultra-safe operation here
Fully Assignable On-Board Signal Processing
- Mix matrixes – eight 16 x 4 plus eight 8 x 8
- 64 EQ blocks; 32 configurable for IIR filtering, 32 for FIR
- 32 dynamics blocks
- 32 delay blocks
- 32 “Flex Channels” – may be configured as input channels with pre-fader processing and insert slots, or output channels with post-fader slots
- 8 channels of Loudness metering (via licence option)
- 16 Automix control groups for use with Flex channels (via licence option)
Read more about DSP options here
Control Options
- Front panel controls – via touchscreen
- Web server – independent control network for control of primary unit functions from a browser
- globcon – very powerful GUI freeware for enhanced and comprehensive control
- LTC reader – trigger any action from timecode
- MIDI – direct control of inputs or control mapping via globcon Trigger Manager
- GPIO – 2 in/2 out
- Ember+ (via licence option)
- OSC (via licence option)
- SNMP (via licence option)
- Automator (via licence option) – script engine for customised commands and events
- Lawo Home (via licence option)
The PRODIGY.MP platform is available in two other versions, Essential and Unlimited. The Essential is a lower-cost option without the Advanced’s on-board processing for routing and conversion applications, but may be upgraded either partially or fully via licence options. The Unlimited comes pre-loaded with all current and future licence options. All versions use the same basic hardware platform, and have identical I/O capabilities.
The DirectOut PRODIGY.MP Advanced is an audio routing matrix able to convert between different audio formats, and comes with a large “pool” of fully assignable DSP elements. As the central audio hub at a major music production, festival, sporting event or similar live sound installation, it can provide full system management for the primary FOH and monitor systems as well as synchronous and asynchronous conversion between multiple AoIP, Layer 2 networked and baseband audio formats. It will be of particular interest to the increasing number of broadcasters adopting remote production of such events. Its fully modular I/O makes it an ideal choice for rental company inventories.
PRODIGY.MP Advanced shares many of its features with other DirectOut products, which is why we have written several “White Papers” on the subjects of Resilience, I/O modularity, Control options and DSP expansion. Please follow the links to learn more: these pages will give you a good idea of the many important design features that make the PRODIGY range so flexible and powerful.
Routing and I/O Options:
In summary, PRODIGY.MP Advanced can convert freely between all common AoIP and Layer 2 networked and baseband audio formats: MADI, Dante, Ravenna/AES67, AVB Milan, Soundgrid, AES3, plus mic or line level analogue, as required. Routing may be that of an entire multichannel source, or on a per-channel basis.
Resilience:
Great importance is placed on the need for utterly bullet-proof operation at major live events or live broadcast: making PRODIGY the audio core will enhance the reliability of the entire system. All PRODIGY units have multiple redundancy provisions for essentials like backup input and sync sources. You can use two units in parallel with automatic duplication of settings and parameters, and also configure them to switch between units under pre-defined circumstances. The changeover will be seamless: for live productions this means that the audience will be unaware of an otherwise disastrous failure.
If the event is being recorded or broadcast, a second feed to a backup multitrack recorder is simple to set up, and multiple feeds can be created for broadcasters with different native audio formats.
Direct Out’s FastSRC, available on MADI and networked audio inputs and outputs, resolves many of the problems of integrating different audio systems in a complex situation where rigging time is limited. FastSRC essentially lets you “plug-and-play”, ironing out any minor differences in sample rate between systems during setup. Once the sync structure is established and the system goes live, FastSRC can be bypassed. For situations where permanent sample rate conversion is required with no compromise in quality, the networked audio and dual-MADI I/O cards are available with DirectOut’s reference standard HD-SRC.
Read more about DirectOut’s approach to ultra-safe operation here
Processing Options:
PRODIGY.MP Advanced is pre-loaded with a large “pool” of DSP elements: you can freely insert individual processing blocks into signal paths within the routing matrix to apply EQ, dynamics, etc., to whichever audio channels need treatment.
32 instances – or “blocks” – of each DSP element are available for assignment. The element types are:
- Dynamics: compressors. limiters, gates, etc.
- EQ, including FIR filter designs
- EQ, including IIR filter designs
- Delay: max delay 682 ms, also definable in samples and metres
- Summing buses for creating individual mixes
- Mix Matrixes (eight each of 16 x 4 and 8 x 8)
- Flex Channels: additional input or output channels that can be assigned as needed
Further types of DSP elements are available by licence option. These include 8 assignable channels of loudness metering and Automix control, allowing the creation of up to 16 Automix groups.
If you think you may have future applications of greatly differing complexity, you may wish to consider the PRODIGY.MP Unlimited variant. This provides not only all the processing features mentioned above, plus all PRODIGY.MP licence options as standard, but is also future-proofed in that any licence options yet to be introduced are also automatically enabled.
Controlling the PRODIGY:
PRODIGY.MP Advanced offers several options for control of its many functions, but we strongly recommend the use of globcon freeware. globcon (pronounced “globe-con”!) is a comprehensive control system designed for DirectOut products. It provides the user with a very clear graphical interface, and allows easy access to all aspects of the unit’s configuration and operation, as well as providing constant system monitoring.
There are also a number of options for control via MIDI. Control of input connections is available via either the onboard MIDI ports or MIDI-over-MADI. However, globcon also enables mapping of MIDI commands to many more PRODIGY parameters using Trigger Manager.
More complex control requirements may be serviced by the optional Automator licence. This scripting engine enables the construction of multi-layered customised commands and events.
For connection to 3rd party control systems in broadcast and live sound installations, the PRODIGY.MP Advanced may be equipped with Ember+, OSC or SNMP protocols to simplify the integration process.