Digital Snake - Roland?

[cedd]

Hi all

 

I'm looking for a digital multicore, I've been on the ethersound and RSS (Roland US) websites.

 

Most systems appear to be big concert or festival systems.

 

I'm more after the following;

 

24 sends, 8 returns, stage box on stage (believe it or not!) and the opposite at the other end to move back into analogue for my mixer.

 

I work in pubs, clubs, schools and halls so I'm after it for the porability rather than the number of channels available. Most of the commercial systems seem to be huge, I wondered if there was anything in the lower end of the market?

 

The Roland one is a little big, but looks nice, any suppliers in the UK?

 

I like the hardware based remote control of the pre-amps, but don't mind using software if there's a diffeent system available.

 

Cheers

[stu00c]

One possibility (although maybe a tad too expensive) is to use Digigram's Ethersound ES8 products. Each 1U product has 8 inputs (ES8in) or 8 outputs (ES8out) so at each end of your (thin, CAT5) snake you will have only 4U of product.

 

More info can be found at www.digigram.com

[london sound]

Hi

 

You could also try Light Viper which I think is ditributed by AC Lighting and Stirling Audio.

 

 

 

 

 

Ian

[mackerr]

The Roland is about as small as you are likely to find. Since the technology is still pretty costly, and it's not really that hard to handle a 150' 32 pair analog multi, the advantages of digital transmission don't really get big till you get into larger, longer systems. As far as the Roland being too big, 32x8 like the Roland or LightViper isn't that different from the 24x8 you are seeking.

 

Mac

[TAG1960]

I am currently using 3 Aviom AN16s which work really well and are very flexible. Again no idea on pricing but talk to Amber sound for more details : http://www.ambersound.co.uk/

 

The only thing that tripped me up is the avioms in ability to cope with non audio source eg comms, so we still end up running analogue tie lines.

 

Good Luck

 

Neil

[Chris Hinds]

The Roland is also a superb value option at around £5000 total cost in the UK. You can only just get a decent analogue snake with flightcase for that with the same number of ways. The BBC have several, and it seems to be a well thought out option. I seem to recall there was a revied on the LAB a few months back... uh here it is.

 

Regards

 

Chris

[jon_sealey]

A bit off topic, but I've heard you can split to signal from a digital multi with an ethernet switch for monitoring/recording purposes?

[stu00c]

A bit off topic, but I've heard you can split to signal from a digital multi with an ethernet switch for monitoring/recording purposes?

 

This is possible with both EtherSound and Cobranet. With EtherSound you can also daisy chain units, which also allows you to send up to 64 signals in both directions on the same piece of CAT5.

 

Venues will often use this type of system will often have feeds going to secondary rooms, OB vans, recording gear etc etc. When you have to move multiple channels from A to B, C, D, Z and back again, these type of systems really come into their own.

[mackerr]

A bit off topic, but I've heard you can split to signal from a digital multi with an ethernet switch for monitoring/recording purposes?

This is possible with both EtherSound and Cobranet. With EtherSound you can also daisy chain units, which also allows you to send up to 64 signals in both directions on the same piece of CAT5.

This is also possible with the RSS, LightViper, Aviom, and Optocore systems, however not with an Ethernet switch. These systems are all proprietary, and not Ethernet compatible. Some of them do use Cat5 or Cat5e cable, but not for Ethernet.

 

Mac