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In this issue:

Q-Sys Newsletter




January 2011


Version 2.0 - What's New?



New Q-Sys Hardware:


Page Station
New Q-Sys hardware supported in Version 2.0 include Page Stations, the DDI-11 DataPort adapter TSC-3 Controller, TSC-8 Controller and CobraNet Card. These devices can be selected in the Inventory menu and added to the design.

Page Stations
Page Stations are PoE powered and available with 4, 8 or 16 capacitive touch buttons. The hand-held mic models are now shipping and the gooseneck mic models should be ready in a couple of months (check back later). Like all other Q-Sys peripherals their functions are set up and controlled by the software. Learn more...

DDI-11 DataPort Adapter
The DDI-11 is a passive adapter that provides line-out functionality from a DataPort card. Its primary use is in systems where the contractor wants to employ unused DataPort outputs to drive equipment with line level analog inputs. Learn more...

TSC-8 Controller
TSC-8 Controller
The TSC-8 is an 8" in-wall capacitive touch controller for hosting User Control Interfaces.
Q-Sys Designer will generate a template that perfectly accommodates the 800x600 LCD and makes for an elegant user experience. Learn more...

TSC-3 Controller
The TSC-3 enables simple and cost-effective control for Q-Sys systems and other devices. The TSC-3 utilizes Q-Sys Designer software to create custom control panels (UCIs) with buttons, faders, custom navigation and other software tools. These UCIs can be utilized to control any aspect of a Q-Sys system and other devices that are put under Q-Sys control. Learn more...

CCN32 CobraNet Audio I/O Card
The new CCN32 CobraNet Audio I/O Card enables system bridging between Q-Sys and a CobraNet legacy platform. The CCN32 provides up to 32 x 32 channels of CobraNet audio in/out of a Q-Sys system. Designed specifically for customers who have a large networked legacy system, the CCN32 provides a cost-effective means for a phased approach to bridge between an existing CobraNet platform and the conversion to the Q-Sys platform.

New Software:


Q-Sys V2.0 adds new tools including the Design Administrator Interface, Device Configurator Interface, Design Inspector, and UCI Viewer. Additionally Q-Sys will shortly support iOS platform UCI controllers (iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch).

Design Administrator Interface

The Design Administrator Interface (DAI) is a new unified control interface that allows the end-user to manage and make adjustments to the Q-Sys system without taking the system off-line or accessing the system design. It has tabs for various functions including:

Additionally, when Page Stations are included in the design the DAI provides setup functions for the Page Stations, PA Zones, and PA Global Settings. The Design Administrator Interface is found in the Tools menu, it can also be found in the upper right-hand corner of the Q-Sys Designer software when a design is running. The DAI can also be run standalone (meaning it does not need the Q-Sys Designer software running) on a network connected PC.

Device Configurator Interface
The Device Configurator Interface (DCI) replaces the functionality of the Web Management Interface with a setup and management application that enables changing network settings, device ID and device security. Like the DAI, the DCI can be run stand-alone so that venue IT staff can control the network parameters of Q-Sys devices without gaining access to the design. The DCI can be found in the Tools menu of the Q-Sys Designer software.

Design Inspector
The Design Inspector identifies orphaned controls and un-terminated named signals in the system design. It is found in the left-hand accordion bar.

UCI Viewer
In previous Q-Sys Designer releases Apple AIR was used to run User Control Interfaces (UCIs) on network PCs. This is no longer supported and a new UCI Viewer application is available to download and run on network PCs.

iOS Support
An iOS (iPad, iPhone/iPod Touch) application has been submitted to the Apple APP store for review. Once it is approved by Apple and released users will be able to download it to their iOS devices and run User Control Interfaces (UCIs) via Wi-Fi. In the User Control Interface properties menu there are templates for building UCIs with the correct aspect ratios for these devices.

Component Additions, Enhancements, and Changes:


AcousticDesign Loudspeakers - Added support for the new AD-C820, AD-C821 and AD-C1200 high-power ceiling loudspeakers.

Audio Player - Added features to the Audio Player (formerly Audio File Player). Enhancements include the File Status window, a sub-directory pull down menu, new back-lit buttons, and the addition of the Play on Startup feature.

Delay Matrix Component - Added a new component that provides up to 128 inputs and outputs with up to 256 channels per Input/Output.

Doppler Shift Component - Added a new effect component that provides the psychoacoustic effect of an audio source that is moving towards then passing the listener.

FIR Filter Component - Added a new component that provides the capability of loading user generated coefficients into an FIR Filter.

High-Pass FIR Filter Component - Added a new component that provides standard High-Pass filters with linear or minimum phase.

Low-Pass FIR Filter Component - Added a new component that provides Low-Pass filters with linear or minimum phase.

Parametric EQ Component - Added a Reset button to the Parametric EQ, that when pressed returns all parameters to their default values.

Public Address Router Component - The PA Router is the hub of the Q-Sys Paging System. It performs the following tasks: The PA Router accepts audio files for preambles, messages and background music.


Download Q-Sys Software version 2.0 today




Interesting Installations: Q-Sys In Major Asian Projects



Universal Studios Singapore


Universal Studios Singapore
On March 18th the new Universal Studios theme park opened in Singapore. It is part of the Resorts World at Sentosa (RWS) venue on Sentosa Island, an area developed for entertainment and pleasure.

Q-Sys systems handle the audio processing, distribution and up to 128 tracks of audio playback for Waterworld as well as for the park wide system that includes Port Cochere, Crane Dance and the Lake of Dreams at RWS.

The most interesting use of Q-Sys and QSC amplifiers is in the Waterworld attraction where it is used for FOH audio processing of live and recorded tracks, loudspeaker management, point source effects playback, back of house sound, queue area paging and for surround effect pans.

This system was designed, built and commissioned by EAS of Singapore, with KhengKeong (KK) Tan leading the effort. His design is based upon the Waterworld attraction at Universal Studios theme park on Osaka, Japan with many significant improvements. The old system uses a combination of digital and analog audio products and fills 11 equipment racks. By using Q-Sys, Mr. Tan was able to reduce that to 5 racks, four of which are used for amplifiers, which are controlled and monitored via the Q-Sys GUI using the Dataport connection.

The decision to go with Q-Sys was made in the earliest days of Q-Sys, even before the product was officially launched and was the first commitment to use the product in Asia.

Since the Q-Sys page stations were not yet available when the system was specified Mr. Tan created his own custom paging stations which were wired to an AMX controller that in turn handles the control logic and issues the necessary commands to trigger a Q-Sys paging block using external control over TCP/IP. There are 8 pre-programmed "spiel" messages on buttons on the custom paging panels. Each triggers specific messages that are stored in the Q-Sys core's audio player block.

Waterworld Show
As the set stage was large, point source effect loudspeakers were used to help the audience focus on directional cues from a specific location. In Q-Sys, these loudspeakers are tied to an audio player block that play when triggered by the Medialon show controller. For surround sound, mixers with 2D panner blocks were stored in snapshots and recalled with specific ramp times to create the effect of seaplane flying over the heads of the

It is really a great effect and our hats at QSC are off to KK Tan for using Q-Sys in such a creative and effective manner. His work was a great success! In fact, it was in the process of developing this design that he explained the specific needs to our staff, which resulted in the creation of the "radius panner" which is now part of the standard product. The staff at Universal Studios Singapore is extremely pleased with their QSC systems and the level of support they have been receiving at their new facility.

Photos courtesy of Wong GS (EAS)



Asia Games


Asia Games
In November of 2010, the Asia Games took place in Guangzhou, China. Outside of the Olympics, this is the largest sporting event in Asia with nations throughout Asia and the Middle East attending. As part of the vast upgrades the city of Guangzhou went through in preparation for the events, facilities were created on Haixinsha Island. The opening ceremonies were held at that venue, and were truly spectacular.

Beijing Oriental Prime Connections Film/Technology Co. Ltd provided the Q-Sys system as well as the other QSC products. This system covers a vast area on the island and includes 534 weatherized AD series speakers, Q-Sys cores and I/O, QSC amplifiers and QSC paging stations.

The system is distributed in four equipment control rooms and includes two Core 3000s, used in a redundant configuration of two fully redundant systems, located in different control rooms. If a failure should occur, it will be automatically detected and the automatic switchover will take place in a matter of seconds. This provides the utmost in reliability. Audio tracks are played into various areas and are pre-programmed as to when and where they play.

Asia Games
This system includes 11 QSC page stations that are part of the Q-Sys system so they are tied into the Q-LAN network just like all the other networked audio products. Both pre-recorded announcements and live announcements are made over this system. The Q-Sys system controls many products over the network and it is used for general pages, emergency paging, and for security purposes.

While both of these projects are high profile and used in front of live audiences, each designer was able to create the exact needs for their particular project. The results were two very different systems that, in each case provided a solution that met the exact needs of the facilities.

Photos courtesy of PCI


Tips and Tricks Blog:


We have started a Tips and Tricks Blog with material from our developers, as well as our field application engineers. The Blog, hosted on our website, will be updated from time to time. Like most blogs you can comment on the posts and in this case interact directly with the engineers.

Visit the Tips & Tricks Blog





I hope you have found this first edition of the Q-Sys Newsletter useful. If you have a topic you would like to see addressed, an interesting installation you’ve worked on or a tip you would like to share in a future edition, please drop me a line at dale_sandberg@qscaudio.com.

 

Thanks,

Dale Sandberg








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MPEG Layer-3 audio coding technology licensed from Fraunhofer IIS and Thomson. Supply of this product does not convey a license nor imply any right to distribute MPEG Layer-3 compliant content created with this product.