NAB 2012: DiGiCo To Launch UB MADI Interface

UK digital console manufacturer DiGiCo will showcase its latest digital broadcast offerings at Booth C2252. Hosted by its U.S. distributor, Group One Ltd., DiGiCo will feature the newly launched UB MADI interface, the Purple Box optical converter, three digital broadcast consoles (SD7B, SD10-24B and SD11B), and a pair of remote racks (SD-Nano and SD-Mini).

DiGiCo’s digital consoles—used by teleproduction outsourcing companies like NEP on various events including X-Games, PGA Tour golf, and NASCAR—provide cost-effective solutions with enough busses to cope with broadcast’s fast-past demands.

UB MADI is a plug-and-play device that automatically detects the MADI input format and clock selection and allows any computer to instantly connect via USB 2.0.  ASIO or Core Audio drivers allow connection to almost any DAW with a MAC or PC. UB MADI uses the latest Stealth Digital Processing FPGA technology from DiGiCo’s award-winning SD range of consoles and delivers 48 simultaneous inputs and outputs, totaling an unprecedented 96 channels of audio I/O to a standard USB 2.0 port.

DiGiCo’s Purple Box is a simple yet elegant solution to greatly extend the possible distance beyond the reach of a standard coaxial MADI or CAT5E connection. The CAT5E/MADI-to-optical converter is housed in a 1U rackmount device with two completely independent I/O structures allowing conversion from Coaxial CAT5E/MADI-to-optical or vice versa. The device has Dual Redundant Power Supplies and can ship with ST, HMA or OpticalCon connections.

The DiGiCo SD7B has the routing capacity, processing ability, and user interface to form the heart of the most complex broadcast audio productions. It enables multiple operator engineering with the provision of three giant 15” TFT LCD touch screens, each of which sits above a bank of 12 faders. Adding EX-007 Expander Units takes the active physical fader count to 100 without any need to access input channel banks.

The work surface handles up to 996 simultaneous optical plus 224 MADI, 24 analog and AES/EBU connections on an SD7B system, along with 128 busses (each with full processing in mono, stereo, LCR or 5.1), 32 matrix busses and 32, 32-band graphic equalizers. Two new-generation Tiger SHARC chips provide an array of high quality reverbs and effects, with the option to specify an integral Waves Soundgrid with its own dedicated processing engine for access to ultra low-latency broadcast-specific plug-ins that take no resources from the console’s main processing engine. Two complete redundant, hot-swappable processing engines are fitted as standard within the console.

The SD11B, with 32 full flexi channels and also 19” rack mountable if required, now incorporates true broadcast functionality such as Surround Busses with Multi channel folding and unfolding, Mix Minus, Talk to Direct/mix minus out, complete 5.1 monitor matrix with a 48 by 6 source to speaker selection. Back stop and Auto Fader PFL, Audio Follows Video.

The SD10B, or its physically smaller sibling the SD10-24B, provide a potent blend of features, performance, flexibility, and sonic clarity. Facilities include 96 channels with full processing, 12 of which are Flexi Channels that can be configured as mono or stereo, with full processing available in either mode, 48 assignable busses that offer multiple configurations, plus a stereo, LCR or 5.1 master buss and a complete 5.1 monitoring matrix with a 48 x 6 source to speaker selection.

SD-MINI is 4U rack-mounted box that uses 4 SD rack cards and can have any configuration of I/O’s for analog or digital connections. The MINI Rack offers the same benefits of multiple sample rates as the SD Rack.

SD-NANO is 2U rack-mounted Optics-only SD rack that can accommodate two SD rack cards.