Sonifex AVN-CU2-DANTE 2 Mic/Line Input Commentator Unit, Dante®

Sonifex AVN-CU2-DANTE 2 Mic/Line Input Commentator Unit, Dante®

To give commentary teams a versatile, flexible tool, the AVN-CU2-DANTE employs a novel strategy. Its powerful mix engine, which sits on top of the standard Dante® Controller settings, is what gives it its strength. After creating Dante® flows, inputs and outputs can be freely blended into physical or AoIP inputs and outputs. This can be done by utilizing rotary encoders and programmable buttons, which can be used to control the gain and pan of inputs, outputs, or cross-points, giving complete freedom for various scenarios.

It may be operated manually or remotely in a variety of commentary scenarios, and its controls can be "locked down" to prevent tampering or alteration and ensure dependable performance. It offers a completely new perspective on how commentary units need to function and is housed in a tough, clear, and user-friendly container. Conventional commentary units feature fixed controls in fixed locations on the unit, as well as fixed analog and digital I/O. Their basic architecture, which includes restricted routing, mixing, and DSP of the audio channels, limits their inputs and outputs since it is determined during hardware design.

We’ve taken a different approach with the AVN-CU2-DANTE. It was designed from the ground up to be totally flexible in operation and the use of Dante AoIP means that inputs and outputs can be added as required (up to a max of 16 per unit). Because any physical analogue or digital input can be mixed and routed with any Dante AoIP input to any physical output or Dante output, you can define your own audio pathways. Additionally you can choose which of those pathways need to be controlled (volume and pan) by the use of rotary encoders.

Using a built-in web GUI, up to 4 nameable pages of 6 rotary encoders (24 in total) can be placed on the mix matrix at inputs, outputs or cross-points. Encoders can control the volume and pan of headphones and volume of inputs, outputs or cross-points. Each rotary encoder has a separate colour-coded meter section showing the channel name, detailed level metering and left/right panning on a bright daylight reading display. Colours can be programmed per encoder to quickly identify particular source groups, so headphone source selection becomes intuitive.

With live metering and a web interface that replicates the unit's front panel, the device may be fully operated remotely. Every button and encoder has front-panel lock-out settings, including "quick lock-out" for the rows of buttons and pages of encoders. All of the controls can be used as though they were at the unit. This enables you to set up the device for straightforward talent operation as well as more intricate settings, including combining talkback or OB truck feeds. The AVN-CU2-DANTE includes two stereo headphone outputs with lockable jack sockets that can be used by two commentators, as well as two mic/line inputs with a broad, adjustable gain range.

It’s powered using Power over Ethernet (PoE), using Neutrik EtherCON® connectors, with primary and secondary ports for power and data redundancy. There’s an additional 4 pin XLR 12V DC input. The unit supports up to 16 input and output AoIP channels and up to 16 simultaneous input and output AoIP streams.
The 6 push-button rotary encoders control input and output levels and panning. The 12 key-cap buttons are fully configurable for any button function and can have different colours for the on and off functions.

Metering is available per input/output, with output metering configurable as pre or post level adjustment. The top of the display shows output metering, a limiter indication and the name of the output. An adjustable limiter is available on every output and is applied automatically to prevent signal clipping.

The unit has 2 x locking mic/line inputs with +48V phantom power indication and 2 x headphone outputs on locking 6.35mm jack sockets.

Fourwire I/O on rear panel RJ45 connectors provide an AES3 or analogue input and output that can be assigned as mic outputs (line level), talkback outputs, programme inputs or talkback inputs as desired. In addition, the AES/analogue connections can be used as an insert or exit point into/out from the AoIP network.
The unit has dual redundant network ports on both RJ45 (PoE using 2 x Neutrik EtherCON® connectors) and SFP cages for long fibre runs.

There are 10 x configurable GPIO on a 15 way D-type connector with 1 x switched changeover output. GPIO & VGPIO (virtual GPIO, i.e. network commands) can be configured on a matrix to visually show actions, combined with button presses and event triggers, such as input/output muting, which enables some automation. Button presses can control buttons and functions on other network connected AVN-CU units using VGPIO.

The complete configuration of the unit, including all encoder settings, button setups and Dante mix matrix audio routes, can be saved off to a text editable .json file. Up to 8 of these files can be stored on the unit and loaded from the main Menu, meaning that the unit can be pre-configured for any venue, or event and with these setups instantly recalled onsite.

All of the buttons have key-cap text and can be configured for any button in any position. There are some standard operations available:

• 2 x On-Air buttons can be used to connect mic audio to the main output, either over AoIP or via the AES digital audio connection. The On-Air buttons can be locked if required.
  
• A Menu button can be used to access limited setup options on the TFT display.
• 2 x Page buttons change the display and encoders to monitor an additional set of sources, mix points, or outputs. Up to 4 pages can be pre-programmed, e.g. one for talkback inputs, one for outputs, and one to monitor other sources.
• 2 x Cough buttons take the commentator off-air while pressed.
• A User button can be programmed to perform any function, using the web server.
• 4 x T/B (talkback) buttons can be configured to initiate talkback over AoIP or AES digital audio connection, using 4 x talkback buses. The talkback buttons operate with lazy talkback, taking the commentator off-air when invoked.
• 6 x rotary encoders.
• 4 x pages of 6 rotary encoder positions (24 in total).

The illuminated ‘Sonifex’ logo acts as a power indication and there are illuminated LEDs to indicate network clock status, AoIP Primary and AoIP Secondary link status, PoE Primary, PoE Secondary, and DC power active.