Part C: Q-LAN - Audio Channels vs. Audio Streams
| Site: | QSC |
| Course: | Q-SYS QuickStarts |
| Book: | Part C: Q-LAN - Audio Channels vs. Audio Streams |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Thursday, 21 November 2024, 3:42 AM |
Description
Lesson Description
Network Audio Streams, Network Audio Channels and Local Audio Channels.
Video Transcript
0:08
Let’s take a little time to talk about the Audio Channel capacities of the Q-Sys Core.
0:12
There are Network Audio Channels, local audio channels, Network Audio Streams
0:16
it can get a little confusing. So let’s walk through it point by point.
0:23
If you have an I/O Frame with four Line-In cards, each of those cards has four inputs.
0:29
If you plug a physical device into each of these inputs,
0:32
then you have sixteen channels feeding into your I/O Frame.
0:35
This information is all packaged into one Network Audio Stream and sent over the gigabit network to the Core.
0:42
This one Network Audio Stream contains sixteen Network Audio Channels,
0:47
which are the sixteen inputs on your I/O Frame.
0:50
You can check your design at any time in the Q-Sys Designer software
0:53
to find out how many Network Audio Streams and Network Audio Channels you are using.
0:57
You can press Shift +F6, or go to the File Menu and select Check Design.
1:03
This menu will tell you the percentage of Digital Signal Processing you are using,
1:07
the number of streams and channels for both your Network Audio Input s and Outputs,
1:11
as well as how much bandwidth these streams are using.
1:14
A Core 1000 is able to process 64 network channels in and 64 network channels out,
1:20
and if the system is running Designer software 3.0 or higher these become 128 flex channels,
1:26
which can be used for network channels in or out.
1:30
On top of this, don’t forget that you also have Local Channels.
1:34
Every Core has its own channels as well.
1:36
The Core 250i and the Core 500i, for instance, can each hold up to eight I/O Cards.
1:42
The audio from these cards go directly to and from the Core without ever going over the Gigabit network.
1:48
If you packed this Core with AES3 cards (which allow 4 inputs and 4 outputs each),
1:54
then you would have 32 local input channels and 32 local output channels in addition to the
2:00
128 network audio channels that you are also capable of processing.
2:05
More importantly, keep in mind that you can get far more physical output channels
2:09
than network output channels. Since output channels can often carry the same information
2:13
when you send your audio to multiple amplifiers and loudspeakers, they can share a network channel.
2:18
For more information on how to get the most out of your network channels, check out our
2:22
“Maximizing Output Channels” video. Thanks, and we’ll see you next time.
Helpful Tips and Definitions
Network Audio Channel (NAC): A unique point-to-point audio signal on the network.
Network Audio Stream (NAS): A bundle of one or more NACs going to or from a single peripheral connected to the Q-LAN network, and wired in the design running on the Core.
Local Channel: An input and output channel using an I/O Card installed in the Core. Since local channels do not travel over the network, they do not count against your maximum NAC count.
Check Design: Select this option in the File Menu or press Shift+F6 to check on your DSP, NAC, NAS, and bandwidth use.