Soundcraft Vi DANTE Professional Audio Mixers User Guide

Vi DANTE™  Card User & Setup Guide 

Vi DANTE Professional Audio Mixers

The Soundcraft® Vi DANTE™ card is a 64 x 64 interface between a Vi series console  and  any  Dante  compatible  device  from  Harman  or  other  3rd party  manufacturer. The card  is  available in two versions: Local Rack/CSB (D21m 3U format) and Vi Stagebox (6U format). Note that the Stagebox version is an IO card only and does not allow you to  connect a Stagebox to the console using Dante instead of MADI.
Dante provides a digital audio  network  that  uses  standard  Internet Protocols  over  both  100Mbps  and  1  Gigabit  Ethernet.  Dante  uses  audio independent, high accuracy network synchronization standards  to ensure all Dante devices are synchronized at all times. Dante runs on  standard  computer networking  hardware,  and  does  not  require  dedicated network infrastructure.
The Audinate Dante Virtual Soundcard software allows connection of  a PC/Mac to a Dante audio network. This system allows the computer  to  record  from and  playback to the Dante network using most common DAW packages. Dante Virtual Soundcard uses the Ethernet port on the computer to communicate with the Dante  network; no special hardware is  required other than installing Dante Virtual Soundcard software. One DVS license token is provided FOC with the card,this license can only be installed on one specific computer.
Additional information about the DANTE system including the latest software set‐up and tools may be found on the Audinate® website http://www.audinate.com/

Configuring The Dante Card
In a manner similar to CobraNet™, patching on the console makes a connection between console I/O slot channels and up to 64 channels on the Dante card. Connections between the Dante cards are set using a tool, in this case the Dante Controller software from Audinate®. As communication across the Dante network is essentially between named cards and channels the configuration must be correct to ensure cards talk and listen to the correct/desired channels on the Dante network.
This user guide summarises the process and provides a simple worked example; full setup details and configuration tools are downloadable from the Audinate web site www.audinate.com.
In addition it is necessary to set the clock status of the Dante card both within the network and in relation to the console hardware. This is described below.

Channel Count Setup

The Dante card uses 64 in and 64 out channels by default, but can be restricted to use less input or output channels if required. This may be necessary on Vi consoles in order to avoid exceeding the 192in/192out  channel limit  of  the  local  rack  (or  the  4in/64out  channel  limit  if  fitted in  a  Vi  or Compact Stagebox). For example, if only output channels are required on the Dante card, the input channels can be set to 0, to maximise the number of input channels available for other cards.
The DIP switch S1 on the Dante card main PCB is used to set the input and output channel count, in steps of 8chs from 0‐64 channels. Refer to the diagram on the next page which shows the location of the  channel  count  DIP switch  S1  and  the  factory  default  setup  of  64  in/64  out.  To  create other channel count settings that are not marked on the switch, add any two or 3 switch settings together, ie to select 48chs, the 32 and 16 switches should be moved down to the selected position. Note the maximum channel count (input or output) is 64 and minimum is zero.

Sync Setup

The Dante card can act as  either a main clock  source for  the Dante network, or as a synchronised clock. If there is only one  console on the network, this will generally be set as the main clock source for the  etwork, but in cases with more than  one console, or where another device acts as the main source clock, it will be necessary to set the console’s Dante card to be a synchronised clock.
The Dante clock sync status is set up using Dante Controller software (see later in this guide), but in addition to the Dante clock setup, the card’s clock status within the console has to be set. This is done using a DIP switch S2 on  the  Dante card main PCB. Refer  to  the  diagram  on  the  next  page for  the location and setting of this switch.
MIX:   Select this position to make the Dante module lock to the console’s internal Wordclock, only to  be  used when the Dante card is  set as the Preferred  Master for the Dante network.
This setting is the factory default.
CARD:   Select this position to make the console lock to the Dante network clock, to be used when the Dante  card is  synchronised to the  network. Note: In this case, a BNC wordclock cable  must also be connected from the Wordclock Out BNC onnector on the  Dante  card,  to  the  console’s Wordclock IN.
Note that it is also necessary to set up the clocking scheme of the Dante network correctly, to avoid audio clicks and dropouts, please refer to the section titled Device Status and Clock Status in the following pages.

DIP switches S1 & S2 Location Diagram

Note! Switches point down to select channel count –ignore the ‘ON’ legend on switch body!
Diagram shows the default setting of 64 in / 64 out

Refer to the previous page for information on the function of these switches.

Setting up the Dante card for operation on the network

As mentioned earlier, it is necessary to use a software tool connected externally to the card, in order to route audio from the card to/from another Dante‐enabled device.

1. Download & install the latest software for the Vi consoles from www.soundcraft.com.
   (Software Version must be 4.7.5.205 or later). With earlier versions of the console software, the Dante card will not be recognised by the console and will not appear in the patch.

2. Download and install latest Dante Controller software from www.audinate.com.

3. Connect a Mac/PC to the Dante card, this may be via a switch/router or direct to either the PRIMARY or SECONDARY ports. The LINK indicator on the card will begin to flash indicating an active connection.
   NOTE:   A  crossover  cable  is  not  required  as  the  network  ports on  the  Dante  card  will automatically sort out the transmit and receive connections to the other device.
   NOTE:   Ensure any firewall operating on the network port of the computer is  switched off.

4. Start  the  Dante Controller application, after a few moments a screen similar to the one below will appear:
   

Using Dante
The  following sections coverbasic  setup  and use  of  the  Vi Dante cards. For detailed information regarding Dante please refer to information on Audinate’s web site www.audinate.com.

Network View
Routing – Matrix view of routing (click on a‘+’ symbol to expand the matrix view).

Device Status – Displays information about discovered Dante devices; double click a device name to enable its configuration.

Clock Status  – View and edit Dante Network clock configuration.

Clock Role column:
Setting a single ‘Preferred Master’ will ensure that device is selected as the main clock source, if two or more devices are set for ‘Preferred Master’ the main clock source will be elected by the Dante system.
NOTE:   Clock  Status  settings apply  to  the  clocking  of  the  Dante network,  therefore  attached  devices  such  as  consoles  must  be  clocked to/from  the  Dante  network  as  appropriate  or  required in  any given system.
It is suggested that in most simple cases with one console connecting to peripheral equipment (eg a computer recording device) via Dante that the console is set as preferred master, which means that  the  item ‘Sync to External Word Clock’ must also be  checked’.  If there are  two or more consoles connected together then obviously only one should be set as preferred master.
‘Sync to External Word Clock’:
When  checked  the  Dante  card  will  clock  from  the  console  internal word  clock,  if  not  checked  the  console must be clocked to the Dante card or system word clock as appropriate or required in the  given system. Normally this is achieved by connecting a short BNC jumper cable from the wordclock OUT of the Dante card, to the wordclock IN of the console.
Note on Clock status when connecting the Dante card to a Vi3000 console’s Dante interface
The Vi3000 console includes a built‐in Dante interface, and as such has the capability for the console  to automatically sync to the internal Dante card’s clock, when the Vi3000’s Dante interface is set to  ‘sync’  clock  status  (ie another  device  is  set  as  Preferred  Master),  and  the  setting  ‘Sync to  External  wordclock’  is  NOT  checked  (ie  console  synchroni sed to Dante  network  clock).  Therefore  with  the  Vi3000, an external BNC jumper cable  is not required and  the  console will automatically
switch  to  indicate ‘Dante’ as the clock source (viewable in the Menu‐Sync page of the Vi3000).

Failure to set up the clocking scheme of the network correctly is likely to result in audio clicks during operation.

Device View

The Device View allows viewing and editing of a selected Dante device.
Receive – This tab presents information about all channels  being received,  and  channels  available to  the  current  device.  The  tab  is arranged  into two areas:
Receive  Channels:  Lists  the  Rx  channels  in  the  left pane of the window. It shows whether or not they are connected  and,  if  connected,  the channel  they  are connected to and the status of that connection.

Available Channels : On the right pane of the window, lists the Tx channels from other devices that are  available  for  subscription  by  the current  device.  You  may  drag  and  drop  Available  Channels  to Receive Channels.

Transmit: This tab is used to view and edit the transmit configuration of a device.

Transmit Channels : The area on the left pane of the tab  shows  the  Tx channels  for  the  device,  and  any user‐defined  channel  label.  It allows  the  user  to create  labels  for  transmit  channels.  Input  to  the table  is  filtered  to  prevent  illegal  characters  from being  used  in channel  labels.  To  change  a  Tx channel label double click on the label and type in a new  one.  Tx  channel  labels  must  be  unique  on  a single device.

Status:   The  Status  tab  is  used  to  view  information about  a Dante  device,  this  information  may  be required for trouble shooting and checking software / firmware is up‐to‐date.

Device  Config :  This  tab  on  the  device  view  allows viewing  and editing  of  the  following  device  specific parameters.
Rename Device: Allows renaming of the Dante device.
Sample Rate: 48K – this is fixed and cannot be edited.
Latency: Allows selection of an appropriate latency.
NOTE:   The  0.15  msec  setting  is  unavailable  on  Vi Dante cards as these include an internal switch.

Factory Reset : Allows remote reboot of the Dante interface and to reapply factory settings. Following a  reboot  it  is  recommended  to power‐cycle  the  console  including  disconnection  of  the  AC  power  cord. Factory Reset wipes the following device configuration settings:

• User‐defined device name
• User‐defined channel labels
• Clock configuration (clock master / external clock master setting)
• Static IP addresses
• Redundancy configuration
• Sample rate setting (including pull‐up/down)
• Latency setting
• Any existing audio routes

Network Config : This tab enables viewing and editing of Dante Redundancy mode.
Switched  Mode ‐ When  set  to  Switched,  the secondary  Ethernet  port  will behave  as  a standard switch port, allowing daisy‐chaining through the device.
Redundant  Mode ‐ When  set  to  Redundant, the  device  will  duplicate Dante  audio  traffic to  both  Ethernet  ports,  allowing  the implementation of  a  redundant  network  via the secondary port. In this case care must be taken  to  avoid  accidently  making  any connection  between  the  two parallel networks.

Note:   All  devices  on  a  Dante  network  MUST be  set  to  the  same Mode  (Switched  or Redundant),  otherwise  the  network  will  not function reliably.

Dante Presets

Although patching to and from the Dante card in the console is stored as part of a show or part of a cue the configuration and routing of the Dante cards and Dante audio streams is not.

In  the  event  a  Dante  card  is  replaced  or similar,  the  ‘new’  card will  require configuring, this may be done manually or by loading  a previously  stored  preset  from  the ‘File’ menu of the Dante Controller software

Connecting Dante Devices

The following example illustrates two Vi1 consoles ‘House’ and ‘Monitor’.

Audio inputs are sent to the monitor console, these can be connected directly to the console or via a stagebox attached via a MADI card to the monitor console.
A direct output from each input of the monitor console feeds the FOH console which is patched to receive audio from the Dante option card.
The  FOH  console  mix  is  returned  to  two  spare  channels  of  the monitor  console  and  the  direct outputs of those inputs are in turn patched to the system outputs; once again these can be  directly on the console or attached via a MADI card to the monitor console.
The link between the Dante cards may be via a switch as shown with a solid green line or direct from card to card as shown by the dotted green line.
NOTE:  Once configured the PC is not required.
NOTE:  Dante may operate in redundant mode, this is not shown for simplicity.

Alternative Options

Once audio is in the Dante domain the possibilities become near endless, in this alternative system:

• All system outputs leave via a Dante enabled processor such as the BSS BLU 806
• An additional console does a live stereo mix‐down for web streaming or similar
• A laptop running the Audinate Virtual Soundcard makes a multi‐track recording

Vi Dante Card User & Setup Guide V1.3

References

• Audinate - Pioneering the future of AV
• Soundcraft - Professional Audio Mixers | English (US)

Read User Manual Online (PDF format)

Download This Manual (PDF format)

Download this manual  >>