NAB: "Proof of Concept" Linux system, plus tracks from Fox's "24"

[Harrison Press]

For those who are interested in post production and will be at NAB, please stop by the Harrison booth.

We've assembled a truly innovative "proof of concept" system based entirely on the Linux platform. 5 computers (a total of 12 cores) work together in this system, each contributing a part of the processing and control load, very similar to the way a renderfarm works in a graphics facility.

The Harrison products on display are:

• Trion: a mixing control surface which simultaneously controls several DAWs along with Harrison DSP.
• Xengine: a multi-Opteron, ultra-low-latency DSP engine with 64-bit I/O over gigabit ethernet cable.
• Xrouter: a 1536x1536 audio router with (4) 64-bit Xrange ports, (8) MADI ins, and (8) MADI outs.
• Xdubber: a recorder/workstation, optimized for stem recording and playback in floating-point.

Setup for this ultra-sophisticated system couldn't be simpler. The components are connected using CAT5 cable for both control and audio. All control cables are connected to a single ethernet switch, and gigabit audio is sent to our XRouter which provides signal-by-signal routing between the boxes at 64-bit depth. The XRouter embeds video sync in the audio stream which allows sample-accurate locking to timecode. The only connectors needed are a set of XLR connectors for outboard gear and monitors. For those of you looking for a drop-in upgrade for your mixing room, this is it!

In addition to the Harrison products, we are showcasing some "up and coming" products from the Linux Audio consortium:

• 64Studio: an easy-to-install linux OS with a comprehensive selection of audio software
• JACK: an inter-app audio routing protocol that allows multiple programs to share audio and a timeline
• Ardour2: a digital audio workstation (DAW) with all of the post-production necessities
• xjadeo: a video playback utility which synchronizes with sample accuracy to Ardour

While still in "beta" form, we've found that in many ways this software is more stable, more accurate and more powerful than similar products at any price point.

Come see a piece of the future of the audio industry. If you've heard about Linux but never really seen what it can do for your facility, this is your chance.


MIX A SCENE FROM "24"!

Additionally you'll be able to view and remix the stems from Fox's hit show, "24"! We'll have the audio and video from a crucial segment running in our booth. Trust me, this week's epsiode is going to be a big one! You'll hear people talking about it at the show. Come by the Harrison booth to try mixing the tracks.



For further information contact:
Claude Hill - Sales Director
or
Gary Thielman - Advanced Products Manager
Harrison Consoles
1024 Firestone Parkway
La Vergne, Tennessee USA 37086
Voice 615-641-7200
Fax 615-641-7224
Email info@harrisonconsoles.com
Internet www.harrisonconsoles.com

[BenLoftis]

Here is a picture of the Ardour workstation and the Xdubber showing tracks from 24:

[funkcity]

Ben

I'll see ya Monday at NAB.

Just make sure the damn thing works!!

[BenLoftis]

funkcity,

It works.

More pictures and details at:


Harrison announces affordable, Hi-Def Xrange products

[WidgetNinja]

Not sure if it's you, but this guy is pretty much the first guy in pro-audio software worthy of his title:

Gary Thielman - Advanced Products Manager
Harrison Consoles

Most vendors would use the same acronym, APM, but the A would stand for archaic. This guy has my respect for actually stepping back and thinking before doing.

Call me crazy, but I'm gonna venture out and suppose there's not even a dongle that crashes my OS at random.

[dr.sound]

After visting the Harrison booth at NAB I left with a good impression of a future proof stem recorder at a very nice price point. Adding Harrison's great custumer support and it looks like a product that will make inroads to quite a few Hollywood Mix Stages.
All the Best!!

[charles maynes]

I am sure this was very nice, but with most of the studios dipping their toes into the ICON puddle, the costs of outfitting even a modest configuration of the system may be a prohibitive thing compared to a similar track count Digidesign system.

Of course Harrison knows well what is required for Feature film and TV dubbing, but with that universe seeming to never stop it's contraction and cost cutting, it seems it will be a challenge to get people onboard to this class of hardware.
And not to be negative, but it took a long time for Harrison to move off the MacII computer platform for the MPC- I am sure the software team has gotten much more burly since then...

charles maynes

[dawhead]

Originally Posted by charles maynes

And not to be negative, but it took a long time for Harrison to move off the MacII computer platform for the MPC- I am sure the software team has gotten much more burly since then...

I don't want to downplay the significance of some of the I/O handling used in the X-Dubber, but realistically it can be said that Harrison took the wise move with the dubber of outsourcing the majority of the software development to the open source world (and more specifically, me and the rest of the Ardour team). We're fast, we're good, and the best part is: any body else can use the work that has been put into Ardour to make the dubber work. Even Reaper :)

[charles maynes]

Originally Posted by dawhead

I don't want to downplay the significance of some of the I/O handling used in the X-Dubber, but realistically it can be said that Harrison took the wise move with the dubber of outsourcing the majority of the software development to the open source world (and more specifically, me and the rest of the Ardour team). We're fast, we're good, and the best part is: any body else can use the work that has been put into Ardour to make the dubber work. Even Reaper :)

your comments are noted, but when you consider the numbers of possible installed units (which I would gather to expect would not exceed 250) the value of open source does lessen. If Harrison does abandon the platform, which is not an "if" but a "when" statement, the users could take over the software development. In past instances this does not generally prove workable. The system will be run until its core components suffer entropy and fail.

When you compare this to the installed base of an app like ProTools, you end up with many more user vested in the ongoing success of the product family. I hope it proves to be a successful product, I am concerned that it may prove to be too late though.

charles maynes

[dawhead]

Originally Posted by charles maynes

your comments are noted, but when you consider the numbers of possible installed units (which I would gather to expect would not exceed 250) the value of open source does lessen.

I think you have reversed the link between Ardour (the open source component) and the X-Dubber. Ardour wasn't written to make the X-Dubber happen. The X-Dubber is a product that exists in part because Ardour exists. Ardour was under development for years before Harrison got involved (or SSL, for that matter), and its existence, functionality and future development are not based on the sales of some number of units of any particular hardware product.

If Harrison does abandon the platform, which is not an "if" but a "when" statement,

I suspect that a little research will reveal that Harrison continues to provide support for products that are older than ProTools.

the users could take over the software development. In past instances this does not generally prove workable.

I am not aware of any examples of a previous open source pro-audio oriented product. By contrast, there are at least a dozen major open source software projects in the world (just little things like operating systems, web servers, databases and so forth) that are effectively maintained by their user communities. If you're rooted in the pro-audio world it can be tough to see how deep and wide the impact of open source software really is, but if you read the IT trade press you will realize that these products are seen as more than viable alternatives to proprietary software, and in some cases are the market leader.

When you compare this to the installed base of an app like ProTools, you end up with many more user vested in the ongoing success of the product family.

Its far from clear to me that the ProTools user community can do much one way or another about the ongoing success of Digidesign/Avid. I think you may also underestimate the size and vested interest of the Ardour user community.

[charles maynes]

Originally Posted by dawhead

I think you have reversed the link between Ardour (the open source component) and the X-Dubber. Ardour wasn't written to make the X-Dubber happen. The X-Dubber is a product that exists in part because Ardour exists. Ardour was under development for years before Harrison got involved (or SSL, for that matter), and its existence, functionality and future development are not based on the sales of some number of units of any particular hardware product.

I suspect that a little research will reveal that Harrison continues to provide support for products that are older than ProTools.

I am not aware of any examples of a previous open source pro-audio oriented product. By contrast, there are at least a dozen major open source software projects in the world (just little things like operating systems, web servers, databases and so forth) that are effectively maintained by their user communities. If you're rooted in the pro-audio world it can be tough to see how deep and wide the impact of open source software really is, but if you read the IT trade press you will realize that these products are seen as more than viable alternatives to proprietary software, and in some cases are the market leader.

Its far from clear to me that the ProTools user community can do much one way or another about the ongoing success of Digidesign/Avid. I think you may also underestimate the size and vested interest of the Ardour user community.

your points are noted, but I do not know if we are on the same page as far as the useage of a system such as the x-dubber-

In Audio post, which is a market Harrison has been a leader in for 30 years, is a very small community- It also is about as vertical a market as one might find in an industry. Hardware and software being used in this has to be nearly "mil-spec" due to the critical nature of schedules and the high prices which are charged for the services.
The notion of "open-source" app development is a new one for this industry- but it is not one for other mission critical applications- There lay the rub, when software might have more twisted flow chart as to who is working on what module of an application and how it might be qualified in QA before being added to the build.

With Digi, It took literally a decade before ProTools REALLY was stable enough for that sort of application- And now it is being used in a similar capacity that X-Dubber is geared for- It is in use at Fox, Disney, Todd-AO, Warner Bros on a day to day basis-

I am not certain if Universal and Sony have switched to it, but they would be in the minorty as to the major film sound installations.

As far as the users having a say in PT's longitivity- they have some influence certainly- they have a direct effect however in buying the items which maintain the companies viability- I do not think Harrison does have a similar cash flow, so I would put my money on Avid/Digi being a stronger company on that front.

As to the size of the Ardour community, perhaps you are right, however in Los Angeles I know of no one using it in a professional context. That is not to say they aren't, but If the comunity were THAT big, I am sure I would hear of someone out there.

THis is not at all to imply that Ardour is not a great application, but at least in my experience, It has made no impact in the audio community that I am familiar with.

And since I do film sound as my day job, I am ALWAYS suspicous of new technology- It is a part of the job description.

charles maynes

[Eric L]

Originally Posted by charles maynes

I am not certain if Universal and Sony have switched to it, but they would be in the minorty as to the major film sound installations.

Universal has, and they love it. I was just up there and they could not have had more good things to say about PT 7.3 as a dubber. Even considering all their mix stages have Harrison digital consoles, I expect they will be sticking with PT.

[minister]

Originally Posted by Eric L

Universal has, and they love it. I was just up there and they could not have had more good things to say about PT 7.3 as a dubber. Even considering all their mix stages have Harrison digital consoles, I expect they will be sticking with PT.

this is what i understand as well about Universal. in fact, the Dubbing function is the one new thing that they plead with Digi to maintain and continue to improve.

they have so many PT rigs and stations and on all the stages, it would take an earthquake for them to migrate. but i don't think they are giving up their Harrisons anytime soon either!

(just don't ask them about their luck with Expansion Chassis............)