Digidesign Venue Questions...

[fifthcircle]

So it is looking like a festival gig I have coming up with be running a Venue. Part of the reason for this is because we're running 70 channels and the whole thing needs to be tracked to Pro Tools. That integration from FOH should make the recording end of things a lot easier for us this year.

I have a couple questions, though, that I haven't found answers for yet...

1. Can you run both an HD and an LE system on a console? I need to record stems (8 tracks) as well as the multitrack.
1b. Is there an option for an ADAT output to run a 2nd multitrack (ie my LE system)
2. How do you go about monitoring the Pro Tools systems while recording? I usually have an A2 running the recording. That person usually is monitoring the system to make sure everything is kosher and to catch problems before I find them.
3. How is the matrix configured (ins versus outs)? Can you bring individual tracks up on the matrix like you can on some consoles (the M7CL comes to mind with this)?
4. How does the routing divide up when you are running 2 local racks for 96 inputs? Does that affect the routing into a PT HD system?
5. I know the bus routing is somewhat fixed. Is there an easy way to assign auxes to unity quickly and easily to compensate for the number of fixed vs variable busses that may need to be set.

Think that covers things for now... I may have more questions later. It certainly looks like a cool console. Just need to figure out how to make it work for this festival (I have distributed L-C-R at stage, 4 channels of surround around the main seating area and tons of delays). We're gonna have an external matrix to help with all of that distribution...

Thanks!

--Ben

[Roland]

Originally Posted by fifthcircle

So it is looking like a festival gig I have coming up with be running a Venue. Part of the reason for this is because we're running 70 channels and the whole thing needs to be tracked to Pro Tools. That integration from FOH should make the recording end of things a lot easier for us this year.

I have a couple questions, though, that I haven't found answers for yet...

1. Can you run both an HD and an LE system on a console? I need to record stems (8 tracks) as well as the multitrack.
1b. Is there an option for an ADAT output to run a 2nd multitrack (ie my LE system)
2. How do you go about monitoring the Pro Tools systems while recording? I usually have an A2 running the recording. That person usually is monitoring the system to make sure everything is kosher and to catch problems before I find them.
3. How is the matrix configured (ins versus outs)? Can you bring individual tracks up on the matrix like you can on some consoles (the M7CL comes to mind with this)?
4. How does the routing divide up when you are running 2 local racks for 96 inputs? Does that affect the routing into a PT HD system?
5. I know the bus routing is somewhat fixed. Is there an easy way to assign auxes to unity quickly and easily to compensate for the number of fixed vs variable busses that may need to be set.

Think that covers things for now... I may have more questions later. It certainly looks like a cool console. Just need to figure out how to make it work for this festival (I have distributed L-C-R at stage, 4 channels of surround around the main seating area and tons of delays). We're gonna have an external matrix to help with all of that distribution...

Thanks!

--Ben

Hi Ben,

Haven't got much time at the momment, but I will try and answer some of your questions, it's worth checking things out on the DUC forum, there is a seperate section reguarding Venue.

Venue can either run LE or HD, but not both at the same time.

No option to run a second system, however I've not heard of any failures and the system has a reputation for being pretty bullit proof. It might be possible to do some fancy splitting using RME and SSL boxes, however I think you would run into problems because of your track count. There is an outfit working around the NY area who are tracking with two Pro-tools systems and using a D control console, they were talking about track counts of well over 100 and they worked on the Grammy's for broadcast so a pretty good endorsement, also apparently the Montreux Jazz festival was using Venue FOH and another Venue in the truck for Broadcast.

I don't believe it is possible to monitor the recording, unless you use another system for comming back, possible this can be done with a D control, but it would be not so straight-forward.

You can assign eight (I think) user channels to the matix and another eight to the PQ (think stereo matix's) I believe they are independent.

As far as I am aware even using 2 stage racks for 96 inputs only requires one FOH rack so this isn't an issue.

I'm not sure why you would need to set auxes to unity, if you need a copy mix this can be pulled off in the Matix or PQ, however you can flip sends to facers and I think it is CTL click to set unity gain, though I haven't tried this. I would give this a go on the D-Show standalone software to test it out, this is a quick way to get a feel for the software.

You might well find that you can do it all on the single console, dependent on the number of different delays you need, remember your PQ's give you a load more options.

Regards


Roland

[fifthcircle]

We're probably going to use an outboard matrix/dsp system for the show. This way, we have a start point for the tuning of our system regardless of what console we have. The festival happens every year with the same PA vendor so the setup of the system isn't an issue. For years, we had an ancient Peavy Media Matrix system, but that is now [thankfully] a memory. I think we're going to a Meyer Galileo this year because really the system, while complex, is largely distributed audio to a lot of places. We can feed it L-C-R, delay stereo, delay mono and we're set to distribute whatever we want. EQ for subs and surrounds can come off the console.

Thanks for your answers. It helps a lot.

I'll download the software- I had just done it to my laptop when it crashed so I need to do it again. How "linked" is the PT session to the console? Does it automtically set up the session based on what it sees from the board? Is it possible to just add a 192 I/O so we have a way to monitor?

As for the aux question- The nature of this show is that I have a few sources that in most situations are fixed as a bus, but at times I may need to raise or lower the levels. If I set up the bus as an aux, most of the time, it will just be at unity, but other times it will be important to be able to move those levels. As I remember when I got a demo of the console, at setup time, you need to make some choices as to preset bus configurations- none of which were perfect for what I need to do. I would hope that would change in a future software upgrade, but from what I've seen, that isn't happening soon.

--Ben

[Roland]

I agree about the Auxes, having only eight if you want 8 stereo busses can be a pain, but I guess they are working on the basis that if you need 16/24 auxes you are probably using it as a dedicated monitor console and the busses become less of an issue. Of course they have also aimed the PQ's at providing "ears", arguably, the matrices can be used as wedge monitor feeds too. Also you always do have your VCA's, as well as your groups, so as long as you don't need to put processing over a group you have another option.

The Protools, recognizes the desk as an audio interface and therefore sets you up for 48/64 inputs, I assume its the same with the 96/128 input version, I haven't tried that. I would go and post some of this stuff in the DUC forum for more definitive answers.

Regards


Roland

[fifthcircle]

Thanks Roland. I'll go post all of this over there.

--Ben