[QLab] Live Audio feed?

[Charlie Richmond]

On Fri, 23 Mar 2007, Matt Otto wrote:

> I've experienced PC crashes before and what if I am moving to Mac to
> avoid all the worms and nasty internet monsters that could affect and
> impair my PC?

Definitely a potential downside.  We would never recommend connecting your sound 
system to the internet though in any case.....

> I have this dream where one day I'd have a wifi enabled computer that
> would long on specific dates when the computer is not in a tech or
> run. Connects to the internet check for updates and if there are some
> download and install them. This is not possible with today's PC.
> Maybe Vista will change that but from what I read its not likely.

It's quite possible now with XP and a firewall fully installed and functional. 
As well, the only software installed on that computer would be SoundMan-Server 
because it's only purpose is to be the sound system's engine - the core of the 
sound system, much more powerful than coreaudio is and destined to stay way more 
powerful and more functional for a very long time.

We are not enthusiastic about most of the 'features' that Vista adds but none of 
them really affect SoundMan-Server since it runs without a significant GUI or 
user interaction other than over the LAN.  One thing new is a better audio model 
which has even lower latency and complexity though.  It keeps the OS almost 
right out of the audio operation which is a very good thing.  We have not yet 
found out just how stipped down we can make it....

> Also going with SoundMan means more hardware/another computer to keep
> up to date.

The concept is definitely not for everyone for sure!  The idea is that SM-S is a 
central sound system that can host many interfaces over the LAN to serve many 
functions as power users will want.  Some of the things that it can do 
simultaneously:

Host the sound designer's computer (QLab so the show can be edited during tech)
Host the live mixer's moving fader console so they can sit in the house and mix 
without taking up any more space than necessary (like LCS)
Host the effects producer if there is a separate one.
Host the computer for the SM to monitor the sound cues without interaction
Host the automatic actor tracking system, running on a separate computer if 
necessary
Host the touch screen controller allowing the house staff to put the system into 
a variety of preset modes without necessarily bringing in an operator to fire up 
the main control computer
Host the loudspeaker processing software that allows the system to be configured 
like a SoundWeb type system but without having separate hardware.

And if any one of these individual devices fails or quits, they won't 
incapacitate the main sound system at all.

I think ultimately this is the future.  I'm certainly no apologist for Windows 
and don't like it any more than you do but it does have an extremely good and 
powerful sound enging capability and that's all we are using it for - plus 
absolutely every conceivable sound card or interface you can use will have 
windoze drivers that are well sorted out....

Again, this won't be for everyone at all but many third party developers (like 
Chris) are working on having theis sound control software interface with 
SM-S....

> Have fun,

Definitely!!!

Thanks....

Charlie