[QLab] How did you set up your redundant system?

[John Leonard]

on 17/7/07 13:18, Christopher Ashworth at chris at figure53.com wrote:

> I was wondering:  for those of you who have set up a redundant QLab
> system, would you be able to share what equipment and configuration
> you used?  I'd love to make a "blueprint" for this kind of setup
> available on the new website....

I used the following, all provided by Autograph Sound Recording, in London.

Two Mac Minis and two RME Fireface 800 interfaces.

Remote control via a custom made switch-box, sending contact closure info to
a MIDISolutions F8, which in turn sends MIDI program changes to both RME
boxes and their respective computers. Providing the operator always uses the
remote to run the show, the two systems stay in sync.

KVM changeover via a neat Hewlett-Packard rack mount KVM switcher, and audio
changeover via Autograph's custom audio switcher. These units are designed
and built by Tony Robinson at Autograph and provide seamless audio
changeover of either eight or sixteen channels via a front panel switch or a
remote unit. You can switch in mid-cue and never hear it happen.

Not the cheapest system, but by far the safest. As there's no desk on this
show, it's the only way to achieve a fast and instant changeover of both
computer and audio, if required. With a digital desk, I'd guess that
duplicating channels would be the simplest way of switching between
interfaces.

Normally, to get a fully redundant system using other programs, the rack
would have been much larger and much heavier (and nowhere near as nice to
program.)

I have a show going out on tour soon and I'll almost certainly use a similar
set-up, although possibly from another rental house - more arm twisting
coming up!

Regards,



-- 
John Leonard
Sound & Show Control
10 Belsize Park
Hampstead
London
NW3 4ES
United Kingdom


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