[geeks] digicam envy

[Tim H.]

On Mon, 15 Jul 2002 10:57:58 -0400
Joshua D Boyd <jdboyd at cs.millersville.edu> wrote:

> Does it digitize all the audio and send it back, or is it digitizing
> the controls and sending the control information to the front where it
> controls a completely analog bit stream.  I would have thought that
> live people would still be sticklers for keeping everything analog as
> much as possible to prevent any possibility of clipping.

All audio stays up front, the mixer has become a box of connectors with
controls remoted via ethernet. I've never seen one myself, just
descriptions from my cousin.  There also seems to be some movement
toward powered speaker boxes, so you just stack the speakers, open the
rack-o-blinkenlights, run a small audio line and power to every speaker,
run your ethernet to the board, and go.  No more huge wires with twist
lock connectors to the speakers.  Considering the voltage and current
capability of a good sized rig, it's also safer to not have those
speaker wires laying around.

Of course the big shows were already using 600V power for the amp racks,
you get to use a lot smaller wire that way.  Apparently 600V is a
standard AC voltage, so places with significant power feeds have it
available, and outside shows usually bring their own diesel generator.

Tim