Working with The Vault--standards?

[Justice C. Bigler]

I was working on adding some content to The Vault tonight, I input specs and a starting page for the PM5D and SD8 consoles. I was going to do another couple of entries, Avid Profile, and Soundcraft Vi something or another.



It occurred to me that, especially in the case of the digital consoles, we don't often compare features in exactly the same way, for instance the input channels of the previously mentioned consoles. Some can be mono, some can be stereo, and on some the number of input channels depends on how the stage rack is out fitted.



Do we want to come up with a uniform way to compare these products? and to display their features?



I can see this happening with the newer style of digital, matrix based coms, wireless gear, etc...



Thoughts?

 

[jeffsw6]

Re: Working with The Vault--standards?

Justice, I was thinking about the very same thing earlier this week, specifically about a table of digital console features/comparison.



I am sure of one thing, it won't hurt anything if we just start inputting information and let the format work itself out as we go along.



Windows Update killed my browser overnight before I decided how I wanted to represent the information for a console, but I was thinking that these pieces of information are the useful things that a person would look at when just examining a generic listing of various digital consoles:



Brand/Series

Input Channels

+ number of built-in A/D converters on smallest surface or rack

+ maximum configuration on largest model in series

+ side-chain on gate? dynamics? ''key control?'' peaking or bandpass?

Buses

+ AUXes, Groups, or configurable dual-purpose buses

FX

+ how many processors, plug-in support, etc.

+ if FX processors may be used for GEQs

GEQ

+ how many dedicated GEQs available, and if they are fixed to certain buses or outputs, which ones those are

Faders

+ how many input faders?

+ how many master faders?

+ if there is only one kind of fader which is always multi-purpose, state such, e.g. on LS9

Supported Digital Audio Transport formats

+ ADAT EtherSound any proprietary digital snake etc.

Display/etc

+ color LCD, external monitor connections, etc

+ supports USB keyboard/mouse?

Show file

+ common show file across models in series? compatible with other series from manufacturer?



I am sure there are others. Eventually, we would figure out what belongs in a quick summary, and what just won't fit. There is limitless space on a page dedicated to each console series or model.

 

[Caleb Dueck]

Re: Working with The Vault--standards?

I'd like to see notes on each console, or at least the cheaper ones, where common features or workflow are compromised. For example, 4 band fully para EQ plus HPF, or does the HPF kill the low band? Fully para EQ, or are the highs/lows crippled somehow?



Also, aux mixing workflow. Can I adjust faders for the main house mix while also adjusting aux sends? Or am I stuck with house or SOF, or a slow 'selected send'? Can I choose between many-inputs-to-one-mix and one-input-to-many-mixes, without killing main mix capability?



Fixed structure, or any strip can be anything (in, out, aux, DCA, etc)?



Screen- qty, touch yes/no.



Comments- standout + or - for each console. IE, surface or PC control, but not both.