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  • 1 month later...
Posted

Hi all

My name is Riccardo from Milan, Italy

I'm new into this forum.

My project consit to build a automation system (VCA) with fly faders and recall MUTE, EQ and gate.

Project is for restoring two consoles: a SOUNDTRACS JADE that worked under a system called TRACMIX 2

This system operated with two floppy disks. One of these loaded operative system and other write automation mixdown program. System used a Z80 Processor and a MOTOROLA 68000 for gates. In this computer you can find some 27C256's and lot of PAL16L8. You could used a common TV color as display that was connected with a old SCART Keyboard and gate control was installed in the center of desk. TRACMIX 2 graphic remember a COMODOR 64

I made a CD mixdown using this automation sysem. It working good considering the age which it was designed, but 16L8 burn as matches and fader positions was not accurate.

SOUNTRACS JADE was a tipical English sound console: very very good full parametric equalizer and very very versatil routing plus 12 AUX

Mic preamlifier are not the best. Not speed but weary

Other console that I woluld resume was a D&R OCTAGON

This console was designed in 90's for Cinema mix facility. 48 bus all configurables and recalled, listen martix, eight monitor channels (LCR, Lmc, Rmc, Ls, Rs and LFE). Two joystick for 360 Pan sound.

If you observe this dask you can see that is not a common sound mix console. 48 channels version was very very large. In center desk is installed a 12" display and a keyboard. Full parametric equalizers, auxs, mutes and joysticks are total recalled. Automation was designed with the folowing concept:

a MUX BOARD for eight channels a MASTER CHANNEL was governed with a CPU for roting programmng. A MASTER CPU provide to send and receive LTC. MIDI, SONY RS422 protocol and RS232 comunicate with a external PC where is installed the software. POWER VCA software is interfaced with console and work under OS DOS last version. Software graphic is DOS tipical as windows 95 colors. D&R advised to not install POWER VCA under Windows also it worked anyway, but program was very very slow to upload any take session on the hard drive. 

On processor card was installed a PHILIPS 80C552 a 27C256 and a 62C256

D&R POWER VCA was a very very strong automation software but today not very good to comunicate with operator. Interface don't permit to update mixdown directly on the software. You can only see knobs and slider position without move them.

I would to upgrade the system with a new interface that permit to use desk also a DAW with CUBASE or NUENDO or stand alone mode.

Some mix operator love list sound pass throug carbon faders and not trough VCA (THAT 2180/2181 f.e.) as SOUNTRACS wisely did. On Jade you can use faders in manual mode or under VCA. NEVE used a stereo fader to permit the signal to pass throug organic resistor. The half part of fader was used to sen voltage values to ADC converter.

I hope you appreciate my audio console tales and my idea.

My first question is: is possible to implemente the numer of motorfader NG MODULE to 24 or 48 unit? make a MASTER CPU to connect with a PC?

For example, as I have explaned in my tale, D&R used a a old 80C552 with a EPROM.

Today is possible use only a microcontroller as PIC18F452

I look forward to your kind reply.

My Best.

Riccardo

 

 

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