Calrec Hydra2 User manual

calrec.com Putting Sound in the Picture
HYDRA2 ORGANIZER USER GUIDE
Gigabit Ethernet Networking
H2O

Calrec Audio Ltd
Nutclough Mill
Hebden Bridge
West Yorkshire
England UK
HX7 8EZ
Tel: +44 (0)1422 842159
Fax: +44 (0)1422 845244
Email: enquiries@calrec.com
calrec.com
No part of this manual may be reproduced
or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying
and scanning, for any purpose, without the prior
written consent of Calrec Audio Ltd.
Whilst the Company ensures that all details in this
document are correct at the time of publication,
we reserve the right to alter specifications and
equipment without notice. Any changes we make
will be reflected in subsequent issues of this
document. The latest version will be available
upon request. This publication is for International
usage.
Calrec Audio Ltd reserve the right to change
specifications without notice. E & O.E.
The established policy of Calrec Audio
Ltd. is to seek improvements to the design,
specifications and manufacture of all products.
It is not always possible to provide notice outside
the company of the alterations that take place
continually.
Despite considerable effort to produce up to
date information, no literature published by
the company nor any other material that may
be provided should be regarded as an infallible
guide to the specifications available nor does
it constitute an offer for sale of any particular
product.
Apollo, Artemis, Summa, Hydra, Bluefin and
High Density Signal Processing (HDSP) are
trade marks of Calrec Audio Ltd. Dolby®E is a
registered trade mark of Dolby Laboratories, Inc.
All other trade marks are acknowledged.
© 2014 Calrec Audio Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

H2O
CONTENTS
Information 5
Important Information 6
Health and Safety 8
Introduction - Hydra2 Networking 9
Overview 10
Single Console Networks 11
Multi-Console Networks 12
Router Cores 14
IP Address Management 15
Confirming IPs 15
Changing IPs 15
Master Routers 16
Configuring Master & Slave Routers 16
Sync in Multi-Router Systems 17
I/O Box Identification 18
Fixed Format I/O boxes 18
Address 2 18
Modular I/O box ID setting 18
I/O Port Identification 19
Default / Native Labels 19
H2O edited custom labels 19
Console edited custom labels 19
Port Description 19
Using H20 21
Connection and Login 22
Connection 22
Accessing H2O 22
I/O Boxes and Port Labels 23
Add / Remove I/O boxes 23
Box and Port Labels 23
Access Rights 25
Manage Folders 26
Organizing Folders 26
Adding Ports to Folders 26
Port Grouping 27
Manage Clients 28
Port Patching 29
Making a Patch 29
Source Settings 30
Accessing from the Port Patching Screen 30
Accessing from the I/O Box & Setup Screen 30
Port Protection 31
Patching to a Protected Output 31
Salvos 32
Viewing and Adding To Salvos 32
Executing a Salvo 32
Saving Salvos 32
Getting and Deleting Salvos 32
Sync Sources 33
Metadata and EMBER Control 34
Hydra Patchbays 35
Creating Hydra patchbays 35
Port Sharing 36
Un-patching 36
Label & SW-P-08 Data Import / Export 37
Editing CSV files 37
SW-P-08 Configuration 38

4 HYDRA2 Operator Manuel

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Putting Sound in the Picture
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INFORMATION

6 HYDRA2 Operator Manual
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Should you require any technical
assistance with your Calrec product
please contact your regional Calrec
distributor. Customers within the
UK or Ireland should contact Calrec
directly.
For a complete list of worldwide
distributors by region, go to www.
calrec.com or contact us for more
information.
For pre-delivery technical enquiries, UK
and Ireland customers should contact the
Calrec project manager assigned to their
order. Post delivery, the Calrec Customer
Support team will take care of your
technical enquiries.
Our UK customer support team works
closely with our global distributor network
to provide the highest level of after sales
support. Your distributor should be your
first point of contact and will often be
able to provide an instant solution, be it
technical advice, spares or a site visit by
an engineer.
Calrec UK customer support and our
global technical team provide free of
charge technical support and advice to all
customers by phone or e-mail.
Calrec after sales support includes:
• Free of charge comprehensive
technical advice and support by phone
and e-mail
• Repairs
• Quick supply of replacement or loan
hardware in the event of a failure
• Provision of export documentation for
the return of faulty parts
• Operational training
• Maintenance / technical training
• Supply of replacement components
• Supply of documentation
• Service contracts
We offer a range service contracts to our
UK and Ireland customers, from 24/7
telephone support, regular health checks
and extended warranty, amongst other
benefits. Please contact our customer
support team for more information on
service contracts.
Product Warranty
A full list of our conditions and warranties
relating to goods services is contained in
Calrec’s standard terms and conditions. A
copy of this is available on request.
Repairs
If you need to return goods to Calrec for
whatever reason, please contact your
regional distributor, or Calrec customer
support beforehand for guidance, as
well as to log the details of the problem
and receive a reference number. For
customers outside the UK and Ireland,
shipping via the distributor saves
customers from dealing with exportation
paperwork. If there is a need to send
direct to Calrec, contact us beforehand to
log the incoming repair and for assistance
with exportation documents.
Standard of Service
Ensuring the highest standards is a
priority, if you have any comments on
the level of service, product quality or
documentation offered to you by Calrec,
please contact the Calrec Customer
Support team in the UK who will endeavor
to address your issues. Calrec welcomes
all customer feedback.
For feedback specific to this document,
please contact enquiries@calrec.com.
Whenever you contact Calrec
Customer Support please have the
following information to hand:
• Name
• Company
• Email Address
• Full details of enquiry (e.g. fault report)
• Serial number of faulty hardware (if
applicable)
Once this information has been provided,
a service ticket will be created to log
your enquiry. The service ticket reference
number will be given via email.
Serial Numbers
All units produced by Calrec are given
a serial number and are booked into
a central record system at the time
of manufacture. These records are
updated whenever a piece of hardware is
dispatched to or received from a customer.
When contacting Calrec Customer
Support with a hardware inquiry it
is important that the correct Calrec
serial number is provided to enable the
customer support team to provide a high
level of service.
Telephone:
(9:00am-5.30pm) +44 (0) 1422 842159
Email - Technical: support@calrec.com
Email - General: [email protected]
Postal Address:
Calrec Audio Ltd.
Nutclough Mill,
Hebden Bridge,
West Yorkshire,
HX7 8EZ,
UK
Fax: +44 (0) 1422 842159
Website: www.calrec.com

CALREC Putting Sound in the Picture 7
After Sales Modifications
Please be aware that any modifications
other than those made or approved by
Calrec Audio Limited or their agents, may
invalidate the console’s warranty. This
includes changes to cabling provided by
Calrec and variations to the recommended
installation as detailed in Calrec
documentation.
Modifications to this equipment by any
party other than Calrec Audio Limited
may invalidate EMC and safety features
designed into the equipment. Calrec Audio
Limited can not be liable for any legal
proceedings or problems that may arise
relating to such modifications.
If in doubt, please contact Calrec Audio
Limited for guidance prior to commencing
any modification work.
Installation
In many installations the AC power
connectors will not be readily accessible,
effectively making the equipment
permanently connected. The installation
should be carried out in accordance
with all applicable installation rules and
regulations.
Service Personnel
The AC power disconnect devices are
the 2 x IEC (IEC60320-1 C13/C14)
couplers located at the rear of each unit.
WARNING: The apparatus has a dual
power system. It is essential that BOTH
AC power IEC couplers are disconnected
to prevent exposure to hazardous voltage
within the unit.
Third Party Equipment
Integrating third party equipment into
a Calrec system may compromise the
product’s ability to comply with the Class
B radiated emission limits set in the EMC
(Electro Magnetic Compatibility) standard
EN55022.
Calrec Audio Limited can not be
responsible for any non-conformities due
to use of third party equipment. If in doubt,
please contact Calrec Audio Limited for
guidance prior to integrating any third
party equipment.
ESD (Static) Handling Procedures
In its completed form, this equipment has
been designed to have a high level of
immunity to static discharges. However,
when handling individual boards and
modules, many highly static sensitive
parts are exposed. In order to protect
these devices from damage and to protect
your warranty, please observe static
handling procedures, for example, use an
appropriately grounded anti-static wrist
band. Calrec will supply an electrostatic
cord and wrist strap with all of it’s digital
products.
All modules and cards should be returned
to Calrec Audio Limited in anti-static
wrapping. Calrec Audio Limited can supply
anti-static wrapping upon request.
This applies particularly to digital products
due to the types of devices and very
small geometries used in their fabrication,
analog parts can, however, still be
affected.
LEAD FREE STICKERLEAD FREE
RoHS Legislation
In order to comply with European RoHS
(Reduction of Hazardous Substances)
legislation, Calrec PCB and cable
assemblies are produced with lead-free
(tin/copper/silver) solder instead of tin/
lead solder.
In the unlikely event of a customer
having to carry out any re-soldering on
Apollo, Artemis or Hydra2 hardware,
it is imperative that lead-free solder is
used; contaminating lead-free solder with
leaded solder is likely to have an adverse
effect on the long-term reliability of the
product. Circuit boards assembled with
lead-free solder can be identified (in
accordance with IPC/JEDEC standards)
by a small oval logo (see below) on the
top-side of the circuit board near the PCB
reference number (8xx-xxx). The same
logo is used on the connector hoods of
soldered cable assemblies.
If in doubt, please check with a Calrec
customer support engineer before
carrying out any form of re-soldering
ISO 9001 and RAB Registered
Calrec Audio Ltd has been issued
the ISO9001: 2008 standard by the
Governing Board of ISOQAR.
The award, for both UKAS and RAB
registration (see below), is the most
comprehensive of the ISO9000
international standards. Granted in
recognition of excellence across design,
development, manufacture and after-
sales support, the certification follows a
rigorous and thorough review of Calrec’s
internal and external communication and
business procedures.

8 HYDRA2 Operator Manuel Information
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Important Safety Instructions:
• Read these instructions.
• Keep these instructions.
• Heed all warnings.
• Follow all instructions.
• Do not use this apparatus near water.
• Clean only with dry cloth.
• Do not block any ventilation openings.
Install in accordance with the
manufacturer’s instructions.
• Do not install near any heat sources
such as radiators, heat registers,
stoves, or other apparatus (including
amplifiers) that produce heat.
• Protect the power cord from being
walked on or pinched particularly at
the plugs, convenience receptacles,
and the point where they exit from the
apparatus.
• Use only with the cart, stand, tripod,
bracket, or table specified by the
manufacturer, or sold with the
apparatus. When a cart is used,
use caution when moving the cart/
apparatus combination to avoid injury
from tip-over.
• Refer all servicing to qualified service
personnel. Servicing is required when
the apparatus has been damaged in
any way, such as power-supply cord
or plug is damaged, liquid has been
spilled or objects have fallen into the
apparatus, the apparatus has been
exposed to rain or moisture, does not
operator normally, or has been dropped.
• Warning: To reduce the risk of fire
or electric shock, do not expose this
apparatus to rain or moisture.
• Not intended for outdoor use.
• This equipment must be EARTHED.
• Before starting any servicing operation,
equipment must be isolated from the
AC power supply. The disconnect
devices are the 2 x IEC connectors
(IEC 60320-1 C13/C14 couplers).
• Do not allow ventilation slots to be
blocked. Do not leave the equipment
powered up with the dust cover fitted.
Cleaning
For cleaning the front panels of the
equipment we recommend using a soft
anti-static cloth, lightly dampened with
water if required.
Explanation of Warning Symbols
Triangular warning symbols contain a
black symbol on a yellow background,
surrounded by a black border.
The lightning flash with arrow head
symbol within an equilateral triangle, as
shown on this page, is intended to alert
the user to the presence of dangerous
voltages and energy levels within the
product’s enclosure that may be of
sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of
electric shock or injury.
The exclamation mark within an
equilateral triangle, as shown on this page,
is intended to prompt the user to refer
to important operating or maintenance
instructions in the documentation supplied
with the product.
Earthing
This is a Class I product. An Earth
connection MUST be provided in each AC
power cord.
The Earth Bolt connection at the rear of
the console should be connected to Earth
using Earth cable at least 6mm2 in cross
section (10 AWG).
Lithium Battery Replacement
Caution: Danger of explosion if battery is
incorrectly replaced. Replace only with the
same or equivalent type. Batteries must
not be exposed to excessive heat such as
sunshine, fire or the like
This device complies with part 15 of
the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful
interference
2. This device must accept any
interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation.
DANGEROUS VOLTAGES
IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS

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Putting Sound in the Picture
H2O
INTRODUCTION - HYDRA2 NETWORKING

10 HYDRA2 Operator Manual Introduction - Hydra2 Networking
OVERVIEW
The Hydra2 system is designed to
provide seamless, scalable audio
networking of Calrec audio consoles
with Calrec audio I/O interfaces.
Hydra2 allows large numbers of
audio inputs and outputs to be easily
connected, shared and controlled,
irrespective of their location, as well
as providing comprehensive built in
redundancy.
Audio consoles and I/O can be physically
added to the network as and when
needed. Added hardware automatically
syncs with the rest of the system and
makes itself available for use.
The Hydra2 Organizer, H2O, is an
administrator-level user interface designed
to provide control over the network
without the use of an audio console.
Amongst other things, H2O can change
access rights for individual consoles
to selected I/O on a port by port, or by
port group basis, effectively splitting the
network to safeguard multi-production
environments. Input to output cross-point
routing can also be carried out to aid in
control room and resource management.
Hydra2 provides 1-to-N routing;
inputs may be routed to any number
of destinations. They can be used in
multiple places on a console, on multiple
consoles, as well as being sent directly to
multiple outputs by cross-point routing, all
simultaneously.
Hydra2’s interconnections are made
using SFPs to allow use of copper or fiber
connections. Distances are only limited by
the SFP type. The capacity of the network
is vast, both in terms of the number of
input and output ports and the switching
capability.
Each connection between Hydra2 units
can carry up to 512 signals in both
directions, simultaneously, at 48kHz.
I/O interfaces are available in a range of
format types including balanced analog,
balanced and unbalanced AES digital,
MADI, Dolby-E decoders, SDI embedders
and de-embedders. New formats can
easily be supported as they arrive. Hydra2
also supports non-audio I/O interfaces in
the form of general purpose inputs and
outputs (GPIO) for remote control input
tallies and output switching. Please refer
to the Hydra2 installation manual for more
details on available I/O types.
As with all Calrec products, audio
quality and product reliability are our top
concerns. All Hydra2 hardware and audio
interfaces are designed to the highest
standards with no compromise to audio
performance. All analog pre-amps and
line level paths are designed around our
proven and highly respected circuitry,
providing very high headroom with a very
low noise floor. Our lossless proprietary
network transportation protocol does not
compromise the high audio quality within
the digital domain. Particular attention
is also paid to communications reliability
and system status monitoring, power
generation and distribution, thermal
management and physical robustness.
The system is designed with redundancy
and fault detection at the forefront,
providing backup paths for data and audio
in the event of hardware failure, to keep
any disruption of audio or control to the
absolute minimum. All critical components
are fed from dual power supplies.
Hydra2 supports the Ember and SW-P-08
protocols for integration with third party
routers and control systems to enable
remote control and data transfer.

CALREC Putting Sound in the Picture 11
Apollo, Artemis and Summa consoles
rely on the Hydra2 system for all audio
routing. A single, standalone console
uses a simple Hydra2 network with all
I/O boxes having direct connections
to the router card in the console’s
processing core. This creates a star
formation, in that all elements connect
to a central point; the router card.
FIGURE 1 - STAR FORMATION
The router card is responsible for directing
audio and data across the Hydra2
network and within the processing rack
itself. When an input port is patched to a
fader, the router card requests that the
relevant I/O box sends audio from the
selected input port and passes that audio
on to the DSP card within the processing
rack for use by the console. When an
output is patched, the router card takes
the output audio from the DSP card and
sends it to the relevant I/O box/port.
When an input to output patch is made,
the router requests the input and then
sends it directly to the I/O box output port
in question.
The comprehensive routing system and
the ability to perform point to point input
to output patching reduces the need for
I/O to be wired via physical patch points.
Any input can be used multiple times in
multiple places, simultaneously sending
audio to any/all input channels as well as
other locations on the console such as
external inputs or monitor inputs. All audio
can then be patched directly to multiple
output ports if the raw signal is required
by other equipment. Console DSP audio
outputs can also be sent to multiple
output ports / I/O boxes and be made
available to other consoles via Hydra
Patchbays.
SINGLE CONSOLE NETWORKS
Input to output patching provides routing
capability without the use of DSP or the
need for a control surface.
Multiple port patching to mixed I/O
formats along with input to output
patching reduces the need for external
audio routers, distribution amplifiers, and
convertors such as ADCs / DACs.
Router /
Processing
Rack
Audio I/O Audio I/O
Audio I/OAudio I/O
FIGURE 2 - EXAMPLE OF A SINGLE CONSOLE NETWORK
87654321
STATUS
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2L
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4L
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5L 1R
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5R 2L
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48V SIG
6R
SIG SIG SIG SIG
RESET
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Y
HDA
AN LOGA
12 4-
INPUTS OUTPUTS
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STATUS
ActConActCon
PORT2PORT1FANPSU
48V SIG
1L
48V SIG
1R
48V SIG
2L
48V SIG
2R
48V SIG
3L
48V SIG
3R
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4L
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4R 1L
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5L 1R
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5R 2L
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6L 2R
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SIG SIG SIG SIG
RESET
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Y
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AN LOGA
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INPUTS OUTPUTS
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STATUS
ActConActCon
PORT2PORT1FANPSU
48V SIG
1L
48V SIG
1R
48V SIG
2L
48V SIG
2R
48V SIG
3L
48V SIG
3R
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4L
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4R 1L
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5L 1R
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RESET
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AN LOGA
12 4-
INPUTS OUTPUTS
Control Room
Equipment Room Studio Floor
Audio Inputs / Outputs
Audio Inputs / Outputs
Audio Inputs / Outputs
e.g. for playout devices, external
effects units, loudspeaker monitoring
feeds etc.
e.g. for external routers, servers,
transmission equipment etc.
e.g. for microphones, foldback /
monitor feeds etc.
Control Surface
Processing Rack
Hydra2 Connection
Control Surface Connection

12 HYDRA2 Operator Manual Introduction - Hydra2 Networking
MULTI-CONSOLE NETWORKS
Routers from different processing
racks can be connected together.
Networking consoles in this way
gives access to all I/O from all control
surfaces and system PCs on the
same Hydra2 network.
Each console’s access to I/O can be
managed from the Hydra2 Organizer
(H2O). Individual consoles can be denied
access to I/O by groups of I/O boxes,
specific I/O boxes, specific ports, or
groups of ports.
Inputs can be used simultaneously by
multiple consoles on the same network.
Any console with access can patch audio
to any of its DSP inputs and to any output
ports.
Router to router connections, like I/O
boxes, can be made using any of the
16 front panel Hydra2 router ports.
Connecting racks together creates
multiple linked star formations, as shown
in Figure 1. All 3 routers shown have
access to all of the I/O shown. The path
from I/O box to console may pass through
multiple router cards before reaching the
console’s own router.
It is important that there is only one path
between any two points in the network
(not counting secondary paths designed
for redundancy, or configured trunks for
increased bandwidth). Having multiple
paths between two points will cause
data collisions and instability. Figure 2
shows an incorrect connection of three
processing racks. The addition of a third
router-to-router link creates a duplicate
path. The route between any two
processing racks can be direct or via the
other processing rack. Removing any one
of the three marked links will correct the
problem.
When connecting two or more routers
together it is important that one of
them, and only one, is configured to
be the Master Router.
Please see the Master Router section of
this document for more details.
It is also important to the ensure IP
address compatibility of the systems
being connected together.
Please see the IP Address management
section of this document for more details.
FIGURE 1 - CORRECT CONNECTION OF A THREE STAR FORMATION NETWORK
Router /
Processing
Rack
Audio I/O Audio I/O
Audio I/OAudio I/O
Router /
Processing
Rack
Audio I/O Audio I/O
Audio I/OAudio I/O
Router /
Processing
Rack
Audio I/O Audio I/O
Audio I/OAudio I/O
Three router racks connected with no duplicate paths.
Router /
Processing
Rack
Audio I/O Audio I/O
Audio I/OAudio I/O
Router /
Processing
Rack
Audio I/O Audio I/O
Audio I/OAudio I/O
Router /
Processing
Rack
Audio I/O Audio I/O
Audio I/OAudio I/O
FIGURE 2 - INCORRECT CONNECTION OF A THREE STAR FORMATION NETWORK
Incorrect Connection The additional link creates duplicate paths.
Each Hydra2 link is capable of carrying up
to 512 channels of audio simultaneously
in each direction. This imposes no
limitations over I/O box to router
connections as no single I/O box contains
more than 512 input or output ports.
It is important however in multi-rack
systems to understand the network
topology; a single connection between
two routers is also limited to 512 channels
in each direction. This imposes a limit on
the amount of I/O that can be accessed
via other routers’ connections at any
given time. The bandwidth available is

CALREC Putting Sound in the Picture 13
87654321
STATUS
ActConActCon
PORT2PORT1FANPSU
48V SIG
1L 48V SIG
1R 48V SIG
2L 48V SIG
2R 48V SIG
3L 48V SIG
3R 48V SIG
4L 48V SIG
4R 1L
48V SIG
5L 1R
48V SIG
5R 2L
48V SIG
6L 2R
48V SIG
6R SIG SIG SIG SIG
RESET
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Y
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1 2 4-
INPUTS OUTPUTS
87654321
STATUS
ActConActCon
PORT2PORT1FANPSU
48V SIG
1L 48V SIG
1R 48V SIG
2L 48V SIG
2R 48V SIG
3L 48V SIG
3R 48V SIG
4L 48V SIG
4R 1L
48V SIG
5L 1R
48V SIG
5R 2L
48V SIG
6L 2R
48V SIG
6R SIG SIG SIG SIG
RESET
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Y
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1 2 4-
INPUTS OUTPUTS
87654321
STATUS
ActConActCon
PORT2PORT1FANPSU
48V SIG
1L 48V SIG
1R 48V SIG
2L 48V SIG
2R 48V SIG
3L 48V SIG
3R 48V SIG
4L 48V SIG
4R 1L
48V SIG
5L 1R
48V SIG
5R 2L
48V SIG
6L 2R
48V SIG
6R SIG SIG SIG SIG
RESET
R
Y
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1 2 4-
INPUTS OUTPUTS
87654321
STATUS
ActConActCon
PORT2PORT1FANPSU
48V SIG
1L 48V SIG
1R 48V SIG
2L 48V SIG
2R 48V SIG
3L 48V SIG
3R 48V SIG
4L 48V SIG
4R 1L
48V SIG
5L 1R
48V SIG
5R 2L
48V SIG
6L 2R
48V SIG
6R SIG SIG SIG SIG
RESET
R
Y
HDA
A N L O GA
1 2 4-
INPUTS OUTPUTS
87654321
STATUS
ActConActCon
PORT2PORT1FANPSU
48V SIG
1L 48V SIG
1R 48V SIG
2L 48V SIG
2R 48V SIG
3L 48V SIG
3R 48V SIG
4L 48V SIG
4R 1L
48V SIG
5L 1R
48V SIG
5R 2L
48V SIG
6L 2R
48V SIG
6R SIG SIG SIG SIG
RESET
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Y
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1 2 4-
INPUTS OUTPUTS
87654321
STATUS
ActConActCon
PORT2PORT1FANPSU
48V SIG
1L 48V SIG
1R 48V SIG
2L 48V SIG
2R 48V SIG
3L 48V SIG
3R 48V SIG
4L 48V SIG
4R 1L
48V SIG
5L 1R
48V SIG
5R 2L
48V SIG
6L 2R
48V SIG
6R SIG SIG SIG SIG
RESET
R
Y
HDA
A N L O GA
1 2 4-
INPUTS OUTPUTS
87654321
STATUS
ActConActCon
PORT2PORT1FANPSU
48V SIG
1L 48V SIG
1R 48V SIG
2L 48V SIG
2R 48V SIG
3L 48V SIG
3R 48V SIG
4L 48V SIG
4R 1L
48V SIG
5L 1R
48V SIG
5R 2L
48V SIG
6L 2R
48V SIG
6R SIG SIG SIG SIG
RESET
R
Y
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A N L O GA
1 2 4-
INPUTS OUTPUTS
87654321
STATUS
ActConActCon
PORT2PORT1FANPSU
48V SIG
1L 48V SIG
1R 48V SIG
2L 48V SIG
2R 48V SIG
3L 48V SIG
3R 48V SIG
4L 48V SIG
4R 1L
48V SIG
5L 1R
48V SIG
5R 2L
48V SIG
6L 2R
48V SIG
6R SIG SIG SIG SIG
RESET
R
Y
HDA
A N L O GA
1 2 4-
INPUTS OUTPUTS
87654321
STATUS
ActConActCon
PORT2PORT1FANPSU
48V SIG
1L 48V SIG
1R 48V SIG
2L 48V SIG
2R 48V SIG
3L 48V SIG
3R 48V SIG
4L 48V SIG
4R 1L
48V SIG
5L 1R
48V SIG
5R 2L
48V SIG
6L 2R
48V SIG
6R SIG SIG SIG SIG
RESET
R
Y
HDA
A N L O GA
1 2 4-
INPUTS OUTPUTS
FIGURE 4 - EXAMPLE OF A THREE CONSOLE NETWORK
determined by usage on either side of
the link. In the example shown in Figure
4, If console A is sending 100 channels
of audio to outputs connected to console
B’s rack, Console B and C can then
only access 412 channels from inputs
connected to the A rack. Clearly this only
becomes an issue for large systems. In
these circumstances standalone central
routers should be considered. Please see
“Router Cores” on page 14 for more
information.
If more bandwidth is required, router ports
can be configured as trunks, which can be
connected to ‘trunk’ ports on other routers
adding an additional 512 mono channels
of bandwidth in both directions. Please
contact Calrec customer support for more
information.
System A System B System C
Control Surface Control Surface Control Surface
Router / Processing Rack Router / Processing Rack Router / Processing Rack
Audio Inputs / Outputs
Audio Inputs / Outputs
Audio Inputs / Outputs
Audio Inputs / Outputs
Audio Inputs / Outputs
Audio Inputs / Outputs
Audio Inputs / Outputs
Audio Inputs / Outputs
Audio Inputs / Outputs
Hydra2 I/O Box Connection Router to Router Connection Control Surface Connection

14 HYDRA2 Operator Manual Introduction - Hydra2 Networking
ROUTER CORES
Standalone router racks, called Router
Cores, that have no DSP and no control
surface attached, can be used to increase
the capacity of I/O connections by
providing an extra 16 or 32 router ports
with each additional rack.
Router Cores can be used as a central
point for shared I/O resources and
console router connections. Dedicating a
standalone router as the Master Router in
a network and locating it in an equipment
room, powered on 24/7, ensures that
the network is always active and that any
console that is powered on has access
to all their own I/O as well as all I/O
connected to the Router Core.
Audio I/O
Router
Core
Console
Core
Audio I/O Audio I/OAudio I/O Audio I/OAudio I/O
Audio I/O
Audio I/O
Audio I/O
Audio I/O Audio I/O
Audio I/O
Control Room 1 Control Room 2 Control Room 3
Studio A Studio B Studio C
Audio I/O Audio I/O
Equipment
Room
Console
Core
Console
Core
Having a central point for console
connections on a large network with a
lot of shared I/O makes router to router
bandwidth easier to manage.
The consoles / control rooms shown
below in Figure 1 have access to the
studio floor and equipment room I/O
without it being routed via other console
cores.
FIGURE1 - NETWORK WITH STANDALONE MASTER ROUTER

CALREC Putting Sound in the Picture 15
IP ADDRESS MANAGEMENT
In an Apollo/Artemis/Summa/Hydra2
system, each hardware element is
allocated a unique IP address, be it a
router card, Control Processor card,
or an I/O box.
IP addresses follow the format of:
AAA.BBB.XXX.YYY.
AAA is given a value unique to the
customer / owner of the system.
BBB is given a value unique to each
router / processing rack owned by a
customer.
AAA.BBB is set by the configuration of
the active Control Processor card within
a rack. Physically changing a Control
Processor card could change the IP
address of all hardware associated
with that rack, including the I/O boxes
connected to it, if the replacement card is
not correctly configured.
XXX.YYY is automatically set for each
element within and connected to the
rack, including rack cards, control surface
elements and I/O boxes, but not other
processing racks, or items connected
via other racks. XXX is set by the type
of hardware, YYY is set by the location /
port that the hardware is connected to.
Maintaining this format of IP allocation
ensures that systems can be connected
together without address conflicts, as
shown in Figure 1.
Confirming IPs
To confirm the IP addresses associated
with a processing rack, log in (with
administrator privileges) to the PC
associated with that rack and launch the
Calrec Program Updater application.
On startup, the Program Updater scans
all the hardware it can find and lists it. The
first hardware element detected by the
Program Updater is the configuration PC
itself, followed by the Control Processor
and then the remaining hardware
associated with that rack. All hardware
listed is part of the same system and will
have the same number for the first two
bytes, AAA.BBB.
Another system owned by the same
customer will have the same first byte,
AAA but a different second.
A system owned by a different customer
will have a different first byte AAA, but
may have the same second byte BBB.
Changing IPs
The first two bytes of the IP address
are set by the Control Processor.
Changing the IP requires logging in to
the card’s Linux environment and editing
a configuration file. This should only be
carried out by competent technicians.
Please contact our Customer Support
team for guidance on IP address changing
if required.
Broadcast Facility
Control Room 2Control Room 1
IP Address -
001.001.xxx.yyy
IP Address -
001.002.xxx.yyy
Rented OB / Mobile Unit
IP Address -
002.001.xxx.yyy
Hydra2 Router to Router connections.
FIGURE1 - MULTI-ROUTER IP’S

16 HYDRA2 Operator Manual Introduction - Hydra2 Networking
MASTER ROUTERS
In any Hydra2 network there needs to
be a Master Router.
In a single router / processing rack
system, there is only one active router
card. All router cards fitted within such
a rack will be factory pre-configured as
Master Routers so that whichever card is
active will be the master.
In a multi-rack system, one of the racks
needs to be dedicated as the Master
Router and the router cards in this rack
should be configured as such. All other
routers on the same network need to be
configured as Slaves.
Having more than one Master Router rack
in a single networked system will result
in instability. Not having an active Master
Router on a network will also cause
instability.
The rack configured to be the Master
Router needs to remain powered and
active to maintain reliability of the network.
No individual system within the Hydra2
network should be used if the Master
Router is not active.
Similarly, it is important to understand
the network topology to know which I/O
boxes are available to which consoles if
individual racks (other than the Master)
are powered down.
When two or more networks are joined or
a network is split, for example if two OB /
mobile units are occasionally connected
together, it is essential that the Master
Routers are managed. If connecting two
networks, one of the masters will need
to be re-configured as a slave. When
separating two networks, one of the
slaves needs to be changed back to a
master.
Configuring Master & Slave Routers
Only the active main router card in the
chosen rack needs to be configured as
the Master, however, it is good practise to
set the secondary main router and also
the primary and secondary expansion
routers (if used) as masters as well.
This allows for cards to be moved
around within the same rack to aid
troubleshooting (if hardware problems
are experienced) as well as ensuring the
backup is correct in the event of a hot-
swap.
Configuring the Master/Slave status
requires logging into the router card’s
Linux environment and editing a
configuration file. This should only be
carried out by competent technicians.
Please contact the Calrec Customer
Support team for guidance on Master
Router configuration if required.

CALREC Putting Sound in the Picture 17
SYNC IN MULTI-ROUTER SYSTEMS
In a multi-rack system each router /
processing rack requires its own sync
connection. The router in each rack
provides sync over the network in turn
to the I/O boxes connected to it.
It is vitally important that all router /
processing racks on the same network
are locked to a sync derived and locked
from the same source. If any routers are
clocked by free running sync, or if they
are derived from different sources, both
network audio and communications will be
compromised.
Racks running on different syncs can
cause instability leading to the loss of I/O
and unreliable error messaging.
If sync is being distributed via equipment
such as regenerators / buffers, it is
important to ensure that they are all set to
lock to the correct input from the master
sync generator.
Master House Sync Generator Backup House Sync Generator
CONTROL
ROUTER/ EXPANDER ENABLEDSPSYSTEM
RESETS
hydra
FAIL
GOOD
FANS AES3 VIDEO2
VIDEO1
WORD
CLOCK
SYNCINPUTS
DSP1 PROCESSOR1 PROCESSOR2 DSP2 PSU1 PSU2
CONTROL
EXPANSION1 ROUTER1
hydra
EXPANSION2ROUTER2
hydra
MOK ST0
ST1 ST2
ST3 ST4
ST5 ST6
ACIN
USB
ST1 ST2
ST3 ST4
ST5 ST6
ACIN
USB
MOK ST0
ROUTER/ EXPANDER PSU PSUROUTER/ EXPANDER ROUTER / EXPANDER
DSP
CONTROL
PROCESSOR
CONTROL
PROCESSOR
DSP
ROUTER/ EXPANDER
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
SFP
MAC
4
MAC
3
12
USB
MAC
6
MAC
7
MAC
5
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
SFP
MAC
4
MAC
3
12
USB
MAC
6
MAC
7
MAC
5
D1D2
D3
D4
D5
D6
D7
D8
D1D2
D3
D4
D5
D6
D7
D8
9
11
13
15
10
12
14
16
1
3
5
7
2
4
6
8
10 9
12 11
14 13
16 15
21
43
65
87
ETHERNET
LINKS
LINKS
9
11
13
15
10
12
14
16
1
3
5
7
2
4
6
8
10 9
12 11
14 13
16 15
21
43
65
87
ETHERNET
LINKS
LINKS
9
11
13
15
10
12
14
16
1
3
5
7
2
4
6
8
10 9
12 11
14 13
16 15
21
43
65
87
ETHERNET
LINKS
LINKS
9
11
13
15
10
12
14
16
1
3
5
7
2
4
6
8
10 9
12 11
14 13
16 15
21
43
65
87
ETHERNET
LINKS
LINKS
Sync Buffer
CONTROL
ROUTER/ EXPANDER ENABLEDSPSYSTEM
RESETS
hydra
FAIL
GOOD
FANS AES3 VIDEO2
VIDEO1
WORD
CLOCK
SYNCINPUTS
DSP1 PROCESSOR1 PROCESSOR2 DSP2 PSU1 PSU2
CONTROL
EXPANSION1 ROUTER1
hydra
EXPANSION2ROUTER2
hydra
MOK ST0
ST1 ST2
ST3 ST4
ST5 ST6
ACIN
USB
ST1 ST2
ST3 ST4
ST5 ST6
ACIN
USB
MOK ST0
ROUTER/ EXPANDER PSU PSUROUTER/ EXPANDER ROUTER / EXPANDER
DSP
CONTROL
PROCESSOR
CONTROL
PROCESSOR
DSP
ROUTER/ EXPANDER
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
SFP
MAC
4
MAC
3
12
USB
MAC
6
MAC
7
MAC
5
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
SFP
MAC
4
MAC
3
12
USB
MAC
6
MAC
7
MAC
5
D1D2
D3
D4
D5
D6
D7
D8
D1D2
D3
D4
D5
D6
D7
D8
9
11
13
15
10
12
14
16
1
3
5
7
2
4
6
8
10 9
12 11
14 13
16 15
21
43
65
87
ETHERNET
LINKS
LINKS
9
11
13
15
10
12
14
16
1
3
5
7
2
4
6
8
10 9
12 11
14 13
16 15
21
43
65
87
ETHERNET
LINKS
LINKS
9
11
13
15
10
12
14
16
1
3
5
7
2
4
6
8
10 9
12 11
14 13
16 15
21
43
65
87
ETHERNET
LINKS
LINKS
9
11
13
15
10
12
14
16
1
3
5
7
2
4
6
8
10 9
12 11
14 13
16 15
21
43
65
87
ETHERNET
LINKS
LINKS
CONTROL
ROUTER/ EXPANDER ENABLEDSPSYSTEM
RESETS
hydra
FAIL
GOOD
FANS AES3 VIDEO2
VIDEO1
WORD
CLOCK
SYNCINPUTS
DSP1 PROCESSOR1 PROCESSOR2 DSP2 PSU1 PSU2
CONTROL
EXPANSION1 ROUTER1
hydra
EXPANSION2ROUTER2
hydra
MOK ST0
ST1 ST2
ST3 ST4
ST5 ST6
ACIN
USB
ST1 ST2
ST3 ST4
ST5 ST6
ACIN
USB
MOK ST0
ROUTER/ EXPANDER PSU PSUROUTER/ EXPANDER ROUTER / EXPANDER
DSP
CONTROL
PROCESSOR
CONTROL
PROCESSOR
DSP
ROUTER/ EXPANDER
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
SFP
MAC
4
MAC
3
12
USB
MAC
6
MAC
7
MAC
5
POK MA
PRI RST
MOK NOK
ST1 ST2
SFP
MAC
4
MAC
3
12
USB
MAC
6
MAC
7
MAC
5
D1D2
D3
D4
D5
D6
D7
D8
D1D2
D3
D4
D5
D6
D7
D8
9
11
13
15
10
12
14
16
1
3
5
7
2
4
6
8
10 9
12 11
14 13
16 15
21
43
65
87
ETHERNET
LINKS
LINKS
9
11
13
15
10
12
14
16
1
3
5
7
2
4
6
8
10 9
12 11
14 13
16 15
21
43
65
87
ETHERNET
LINKS
LINKS
9
11
13
15
10
12
14
16
1
3
5
7
2
4
6
8
10 9
12 11
14 13
16 15
21
43
65
87
ETHERNET
LINKS
LINKS
9
11
13
15
10
12
14
16
1
3
5
7
2
4
6
8
10 9
12 11
14 13
16 15
21
43
65
87
ETHERNET
LINKS
LINKS
Equipment Room
Master Router Rack
Console Router Rack Console Router Rack
Control Room 1 Control Room 2
Primary Sync Path Secondary Sync Path
Sync Buffer

18 HYDRA2 Operator Manual Introduction - Hydra2 Networking
I/O BOX IDENTIFICATION
Each I/O box on the Hydra2 network
needs to be given a unique ID in the
form of a number between 0 and 255.
The Hydra ID, or “HID” for each box
is set using a DIP switch accessible
from the rear of fixed format I/O
boxes, or on the side of the controller
card within a modular I/O box.
Label pockets are fitted to the front panel
of I/O boxes to aid visual identification.
Fixed Format I/O boxes
The 8 way DIP switch is set as an 8 bit
binary representation of the HID value
with the left hand switch used for the
most significant bit, and the right hand
switch for the least significant bit. A switch
in the down / off position represents
a binary 0 and a switch set in the up /
on position represents a binary 1. Each
switch / binary bit equates to a decimal
value, starting at 1 for the least significant
bit. The remaining switches are double
the value of their less significant neighbor,
making the 8th / most significant bit
equate to a decimal value of 128.
All fixed format I/O box ID switches are
orientated the same way, though some
boxes, such as MADI units, use a different
style switch with more pronounced
labelling. Ignore any labels on the switch
itself and always refer to the Calrec
labelling on the surrounding panel which
will show the most significant bit switch on
the left and the binary 1 position as up.
Care should be taken when setting HIDs
to avoid accidentally duplicating the same
ID on more than one box. Duplicate box
IDs can cause network conflicts. I/O
boxes should be disconnected from the
network before changing their HID, and
reset or power cycled once the DIP switch
is set to ensure the new HID is active
before reconnecting to the network.
If replacing an I/O box for any reason,
choosing a box of the same type as the
original and setting it with the same ID
makes it a drop-in replacement which will
work with existing user memories and
settings, requiring no further configuration.
When connecting additional I/O boxes to
a network it is important to be aware of
the existing I/O HIDs in order to select
a unique number and avoid creating a
conflict.
Address 2
Some I/O boxes, such as MADI units,
are fitted with 2 banks of DIP switches—
Address 1 and Address 2—to provide
a 16 bit ID, and therefore a greater
range of values. Please note that only ID
values between 0 and 255 are currently
supported. Any DIP switches labelled
Address 2 should all be set to the off
position.
Modular I/O box ID setting
The ID for modular I/O boxes is set by
a DIP switch on the controller card and
is only accessible by removing the card.
Please refer to the Hydra2 installation
manual and ensure ESD precautions are
observed before removing any modular
I/O box cards.
ID switches on modular I/O controller
cards are orientated differently. Ignore any
labelling on the switch itself and refer to
the Calrec labelling printed on the circuit
board around the switch to clarify its
orientation. When viewing the card from
the side, the most significant bit is on the
left and the least significant bit on the
right. Pulling a switch towards you sets it
as a binary 1, away from you as a binary
0. The following illustrations show the
ID switch on the modular I/O controller
card from the side and top views. Again
the decimal value of 39 is used for the
example.
1
1 0234567
ADDRESS
0
1
0
0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1
128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1
32 4 2 1 =+++ 39
STANDARD SWITCH FOR HID SETTING
• The above diagram shows how
each switch relates to a decimal
value. The setting shown in the
example provides a decimal
HID value of 39
MODULAR I/O CONTROLLER - SIDE
01234567
ID BITS
Sw3
1248163264128
Front Panel
1 2 4 8 16 32 64 128
MODULAR I/O - VIEWED FROM TOP
Front Panel

CALREC Putting Sound in the Picture 19
I/O PORT IDENTIFICATION
Default / Native Labels
Each Hydra2 input and output port has
a default label beginning with the HID
number of the I/O box the port is located
in, followed by the number of the port
within that box. For example, a port in a
source list labelled 12-08 would be the
8th input in the I/O box with the HID of
12. The same port label in a destination
list would be the 8th output of the same
I/O box 12.
AES ports are numbered in stereo pairs
and as such have a L or R suffix to denote
the left and right legs of each pair. For
example 16-09R in a source list would be
the right leg of the 9th AES input pair to
I/O box 16.
MADI I/O boxes have two inputs and two
outputs, each of which contains 56 or 64
channels of audio (quantity set by front
panel button on the I/O box). Labels for
ports within a MADI stream contain an
additional number to identify the MADI
stream the port is in. For example, 31-2-
40 in a destination list would be channel
40 in I/O box 31’s second MADI output,
the middle number being used to identify
the MADI stream.
Modular I/O boxes can contain a mixture
of formats of I/O and their default port
labels contain a reference to the card
slot within the I/O box to further aid
identification. Modular I/O card slots are
labelled using letters rather than numbers.
Note that some card types take up more
than one slot space, such cards are
identified by their left most slot. Slot labels
are printed across the upper fixing rail and
each card has a small circular hole in the
upper left corner through which the slot
label can be seen. Slots are labelled in
alphabetic order however, the characters
F, I, O, Q, U and Y are omitted as these
could easily be miss-read and confused
with other letters or numbers. The central
slot in the card-frame is not included in
this labelling scheme as external I/O
cards are never fitted in this location. It
is instead labelled “H2 Interface” and is
always populated with a Hydra2 network
interface card. A source list port label of
12-K-04 would be the 4th input of the
card in slot K of the I/O box with the HID
12.
Modular SDI cards have two SDI inputs/
outputs per card. Each SDI stream can
have 16 channels of audio embedded into
it. An SDI port label of 12W1-8R would
be the 16th (and last) audio channel in
the first SDI stream of the card in slot W
of the I/O box with a HID of 12. 12W2-1L
would be the first audio channel of the
second SDI stream on the same card.
Each port’s format (Mic / Line / AES /
MADI / SDI etc) is also displayed and
color coded adjacent to its label to further
aid identification.
H2O edited custom labels
Default / native labels provide a unique
ID for each port and are very useful at an
engineering level, however, custom labels
may be more beneficial at an operational
level by referring to the device feeding or
being fed by the Hydra2 port, e.g. ‘Mic2’,
or ‘VT6’.
Port labels can be edited by H2O users.
H2O edited port labels are passed on
to all consoles on the same network,
replacing their defaults.
Console edited custom labels
Port labels can also be edited at a
console level using the console’s Main
PC Application for Apollo and Artemis
consoles, or from the Touch Display
interface for Summa consoles. Console
edited labels are only visible on the
console from which they were entered,
other consoles and H2O will not display
them.
Ports that require the same label to be
visible from each console should be edited
using H2O to avoid having to name them
on each console.
Port Description
If required, a description can be entered
against each port label in both H2O and
from each console’s PC/Touch Display
interface. As with labels, H2O-entered
data is visible to H2O and all consoles,
whilst console entered data is only visible
to the console it was entered on. The
description field allows for more text to be
entered against a port than can fit into a
label field.

20 HYDRA2 Operator Manuel
Other manuals for Hydra2
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