Fairlight Merlin User manual

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Installation Manual
SoftwareVersion 16.3
Part Number: DMER201-G
Document Number: 295
Manual by: Owen P Walker
Copyright © 2001

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IMPORTANT NOTICE
COPYRIGHT
The material in this document is copyright to Fairlight ESP Pty Ltd, and may not be quoted
or reproduced in any form without written permission from the company.
LIMITED WARRANTY POLICY
All the software and hardware provided with, or purchased especially for, Fairlight
products has been tested for functionality. Fairlight ESP Pty Ltd will make its best efforts to
correct reported defects for future releases subject to technical practicabilities. Fairlight ESP
will also replace any defective media on which software has been delivered provided that the
item to be replaced is returned to the dealer who supported the product within 90 days of
purchase.
Fairlight ESP Pty Ltd makes no warranty or representation either expressed or implied
with respect to the system's performance or fitness for a particular purpose.
In no event will Fairlight ESP Pty Ltd be liable for direct or indirect damages arising from
any defect in the product or its documentation. Further, Fairlight ESP Pty Ltd will not accept
any liability for any programs, sounds, audio recording or sequences stored in or used with
Fairlight products, including the cost of recovery of such data.
The warranties, remedies and disclaimers above are exclusive and take precedence over
all others, oral or written, express or implied, to the extent permitted by law in the
geographical area of the product's use. No employee of Fairlight ESP, agent, distributor or
employee of an agent or distributor is authorized to offer any variation from this policy.
Copyright 2001:
Fairlight ESP Pty Ltd,
Unit 2, 1 Skyline Place,
French's Forest, NSW 2086,
AUSTRALIA.
Telephone [phone]
Fax [phone]

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
IMPORTANT NOTICE ......................................... 2
CERTIFICATES & COMPLIANCES ........................... 5
SAFETY SYMBOLS ............................................ 6
MAINS PLUGS & MAINS POWER CORDS .............. 7
OBTAINING TECHNICAL SUPPORT ........................ 8
SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION ............................. 9
1.1 Product Description .............................. 9
1.2 Manual Summary ................................. 9
1.3 System Overview ............................... 10
1.4 Unpacking .......................................... 11
1.5 Equipment Supplied ............................ 11
1.6 Static Precautions ............................... 12
1.7 Environment........................................ 12
SECTION 2 - ENGINE PHYSICAL INSTALLATION ..... 13
2.1 Mechanical Installation ...................... 13
2.2 Electrical Installation .......................... 14
2.3 Engine Rear Panel Connections .......... 15
2.4 Cabling ............................................... 16
2.5 External Cable Length Considerations 17
2.5.1 MERLIN CONTROL CABLE ................ 17
2.5.2 SONY 9-PIN CABLE ....................... 17
2.5.3 VGA CABLE ............................... 17
2.5.4 AUDIO CABLE .............................. 17
2.5.6 DIGITAL AUDIO CABLES ................. 17
2.6 Connecting The Various System .............
Components .............................................. 18
SECTION 3 - MERLIN CONSOLE PHYSICAL INSTALLATION
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3.1 Introduction......................................... 19
3.2 Mechanical Installation ...................... 19
3.3 Electrical Installation .......................... 20
3.3.1 MERLIN CONTROL CABLE ................ 20
3.4 Interconnecting The Console And ...........
Engine ....................................................... 20
3.6 Internal and External SCSI Devices.... 21
SECTION 4 - SYSTEM CONFIGURATION ............... 22
4.1 Introduction......................................... 22
4.2 Switching on the Equipment ............ 22
4.2.1 Console ...................................... 22
4.2.2 Engine ........................................ 22
4.3 Boot up screen .................................... 24
4.4 Software Installation ........................... 26
4.4.1 Installing Software From .................
Exabyte ............................................... 26
SECTION 5 - CONFIGURING DISK DRIVES .......... 28
5.1 External Hard Disk Drives ................. 28
5.1.1 Wide Based Disk Drives ............ 28
5.1.2 Narrow Based Disk Drives ........ 28
5.1.2 Configuring The Engine For ............
Narrow Use ........................................ 29
5.1.3 Mixing Wide And Narrow Disk ......
Drives ................................................. 30
5.2 Checking for Newly Installed SCSI ........
Devices .................................................... 31
5.3 Setting Up Removable Media .................
Devices .................................................... 31
SECTION 6 - ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ................ 32
6.1 Cleaning The Exterior Of The Units..... 32
6.2 Cleaning The Monitor Screens ............ 32
6.3 Cleaning The Engine Air Filter ............ 32
New Air Filters .................................... 33
APPENDIX - CONNECTION SPECIFICATIONS .......... 34
Introduction ............................................... 34
A1 - Audio I/O Configuration .................... 34
QDC Configuration ................................... 35
A1.1 Analog Audio I/O Specifications ..... 36
A1.2 Digital Audio I/O Specifications ....... 36
APPENDIX - CONNECTION & SIGNAL.....................
SPECIFICATIONS ............................................ 51
A2 Control & Reference Pinouts ............... 51

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A3 General Purpose Interface .................. 52
A4 Mixer ................................................... 53
A5 Controller ............................................ 54
A6 Printer .................................................. 55
A8 9-Pin A ................................................. 56
A9 9-Pin B ................................................. 56
A10 9-Pin Slave ........................................ 57
A11 LTC - I/O ............................................ 57
A12 Serial Port .......................................... 58
A13 Midi I/O ............................................. 58
A14 AES Sync I/O ..................................... 59
A15 Modem .............................................. 59
A16 VGA................................................... 60
A17 Video Sync - In .................................. 60
A18 Word Clock - In ................................. 60
A19 Word Clock - Out .............................. 60
A20 Dimensions ....................................... 61
A20.1 Engine ....................................... 61
A20.1 Power Requirments......................... 62
A20.2 Merlin Console ......................... 62

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CC EMISSION CONTROL
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital
device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if
not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications.
The Merlin Console and Engine conform to the EMC directives :-
EN 55022:1998 Class A - Emissions
EN 55024:1998 Class 3 - Susceptibility
The Merlin Console and Engine also conform to the Safety directives :-
UL 1419 - Professional Video & Audio Equipment
IEC 60950 - Information Technology Equipment
For further information on EMC procedures please refer to the following titles:-
Noise Reduction Techniques In Electronic Systems by Henry W Ott
EMC by Tim Williams
Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in
which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense. Changes
or modifications not expressly approved by Fairlight ESP can affect emission compliance and
could void the user’s authority to operate this equipment.
CERTIFICATES & COMPLIANCES
CHARACTERISTICS DESCRIPTION
Equipment Type Supplemented Data: Information Technology
Equipment Class Supplmental Data: Class 1 - Grounded equipment
Installation Catergory Requirment Category 2 - Local level appliances,
portable equipment etc.
Pollution Degree
Requirment: Level 2 operating enviorment - Normally
only non-conductive pollution occurs. Occasionally
there may be a temporary conductivity caused by
condensation.

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SAFETY SYMBOLS
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral
triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of un-insulated
“dangerous voltage” within the product’s enclosure; that may be of
sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
L’eclair, dans une triangle, est destiné à alerter l’utilisateur de la
présence de haute tension dangereuse non isolée dans l'enclosure du
produit, qui peut être d’un voltage suffisant pour constituer un risque
d’électrocution.
Das dreieckige Schild mit Blitzsymbol soll den Benutzer vor
unisolierten Hochspannungen innerhalb des Gerätes warnen. Es
besteht Lebensgefahr durch elektrischen Schlag!
El simbolo del rayo dentro de un triángulo equilátero, es usado
para indicar la presencia de un voltage peligroso en el interior del
aparato, de suficiente intensidad, como para constituir riesgo de
electrocución a las personas.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to
alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance
instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.
Le point d’exclamation dans une triangle est destiné à alerter
l’utilisateur de la présence d’instructions importantes de
fonctionnement et d’entretien dans la littérature accompagnant
l’appareil.
Das dreieckige Schild mit Ausrufungszeichen soll den Benutzer auf
wichtige Bedienungs- und Wartungshinweise in der
Bedienungsanleitung hinweisen.
El simbolo de exclamación dentro de un triángulo equilátero avisa
al usuario de la presencia de instrucciones importantes acerca del
funcionamiento y mantención del aparato en los documentos que se
incluyen.

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MAINS PLUGS & MAINS POWER CORDS
The following lists the recommended Mains Plugs and Leads for use in various countries
throughout the world.
Standards applicable for Mains Plugs Rating Country
ASTA BS1363 1984 10A @ 250VAC UK
BS546, 1950 10A @ 250VAC India, Kenya, Nigeria, Kuwait,
Parts of Asia and the Far East
IEC695-2-1 & NF-USE 10A @ 250VAC France & Belgium
DIN49441 & CEE 7 Sheet VII 10A @ 250VAC Europe
SEV 10A @ 250VAC Switzerland
CEI23-16 10A @ 250VAC Italy
NEMA5-15P & NEMA6-15P 10A @ 250VAC USA
Standards applicable for Mains Leads Rating Country
CSA22.2 No.42 & UL498 10A @ 250VAC Canada & Japan
ASE 1011 (1959) 10A @ 250VAC Switzerland
CEI 2316 10A @ 250VAC Italy
SRAF 1962 10A @ 250VAC Denmark
AS3112-1990, NZSS198-1967 10A @ 250VAC
Australia, New Zealand, Fiji,
Papua New Guinea, Republic of
China
UL498 & SJT 10A minimum rating with IEC60320-
1 coupler 10A @ 250VAC USA
Mains Attachment Plugs
Mains Power Leads

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OBTAINING TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Users requiring technical support should contact their local Fairlight office or distributor.
Information can also be found on the world wide web at :-
http://www.fairlightesp.com.au
United Kingdom USA – West Coast
Fairlight ESP Limited
Unit 12, Spectrum House
32-34 Gordon House Road
London NW5 1LP
England
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Fairlight USA
844 North Seward Street,
Hollywood, CA90038
USA
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
France USA –East Coast
Fairlight France
41-43 Rue des Peupliers
92100 Boulogne-Billancourt
Paris
France
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Fairlight USA
2 West 45th Street, Suite 605
New York, NY 10036
USA
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Germany Japan
Fairlight Deutschland Gmbh
August-Bebel-Strasse 26-53
14482 Potsdam-Babelsberg
Berlin
Germany
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Fairlight Japan Inc.
Seijyo 4-2-23, Setagaya-Ku,
Tokoyo 157-0066
Japan
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Asia - Pacific
Fairlight ESP Pty.limited
Unit 2, 1 Skyline Place,
Frenchs Forest NSW 2086
Australia
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]

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SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION
1.1 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Merlin is the first of a new generation of disk based multitrack recorders from Fairlight.
The system marries together an advanced user interface with the technology of the latest
generation of digital audio workstation in a combination that has a significant impact on
productivity and efficiency.
The Merlin interface incorporates a dedicated editing Console with a unique graphical user
interface. These tools allow the operator to work quickly and efficiently without impeding the
creativity of the recording and editing process, and can now be fully utilized in the
professional audio suite. The Merlin offers a number of unique benefits through its
adaptation of DSP and proprietary technology to the audio environment.
For a more detailed explanation of the Merlin, please refer to the Merlin User Manual.
1.2 MANUAL SUMMARY
The purpose of this manual is to provide all the technical information required to design a
suitable installation for the Merlin system and to fit and connect the units. It is assumed that
the installer is familiar with both analog and digital audio signals. For full operational
instructions please refer to the Merlin User Manual.

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1.3 SYSTEM OVERVIEW
The Merlin is made up of four interconnecting components, the Merlin Console and
external power supply, a Flat Screen Display Monitor and a Engine rack mounted unit which
contains all the electronic circuitry, disk drives and audio I/O necessary to run the system.
Console Power Supply Unit
Merlin Console & Flat Screen Monitor
Engine

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1.5 EQUIPMENT SUPPLIED
1.4 UNPACKING
It is advisable that before any installation work is attempted that the system be unpacked
and the contents verified. A sizeable area approximately 3 meters square should be suitable.
Using the basic packing list attached record the items you have received. This will both help
you when you have to make an enquiry, by having the relevant details logged in your
Installation Manual, in the event of a packing omission. At this stage do not power up the
system, nor remove electronic modules from the system, as damage may occur if not handled
correctly.
EQUIPMENT SUPPLIED QUANTITY CHECK LIST
Engine 1
Merlin Console 1
Merlin External Power Supply Unit 1
Mouse 1
Merlin Installation Manual 1
Merlin User Manual 1
Merlin Console Controller Cable 1
Keyboard 1

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1.6 STATIC PRECAUTIONS
Please take note that all Fairlight manufactured electronic modules are static sensitive and
should be handled under anti static conditions. When working on a system always ensure that
you have an anti static lead connected and that the system is connected to ground through an
earth lead.
Never work on the system while powered up unless you are authorized by Fairlight to do
so. As a matter of practice always touch the external chassis of the system before opening the
front panel. If cards are not handled under anti static procedures your machine may sustain
damage which could either cause a complete failure or may cause intermittent crashes and
subsequential system failure.
When handling cards please ensure that they are placed in anti static bags when not in the
system. For shipment purposes electronic modules should be placed in an anti static bag and
then suitably surrounded with loose packaging materials in a solid card board box. Cards
shipped to Fairlight without the correct anti static packaging will have their warranty voided. If
you have any enquiries on this matter please feel free to contact your local Fairlight office or
distributor.
1.7 ENVIRONMENT
The system is designed to be operated in a clean air-conditioned environment. Generally,
an area comfortable for people ( 20°C - 21°C ) should be suitable. The rack mounted units and
disk drives, use fans for ventilation. Users may find it desirable to install these units away
from the operator/console location. Note that cable lengths, as detailed in Section 2.5 -
External Cable Length Considerations, should be taken into account when planning the
installation.
Make sure that the rack units can access cool air through the opening on the front of the
Engine and expel warm air from the back. As with all computer systems, the Fairlight will
operate more reliably if static generating floor coverings are avoided.
Do not fit the Engine into a closed environment except where ducted cool air is forced
through the Rack. Do not run the Engine whilst it is on the ground as it will accumulate dust,
which may eventually cause a failure.
The Engine unit is normally installed in a suitable 19" rack which is at least 600 mm deep,
or has an open back section. It is recommended that external hard drives be mounted on a
rack tray, above or below the Engine, using the shortest possible cables to prevent SCSI bus
corruption.
Please Avoid:
Fitting the Engine where air circulation will be restricted.
Installing Engine close to heat sources.
Installing in dusty or damp area.
Installing in area subject to vibration.
Installing in area with strong magnetic or electric fields

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SECTION 2 - ENGINE PHYSICAL INSTALLATION
The Engine unit, takes up 8 RU, when fitted into a 19" rack. It operates from either 100-
120v or 200-250v, 50-60Hz with the mains inputs being auto- switching, as such there are no
switches to be set. At least two people are required to fit the Engine into a 19" rack as the unit
is quite heavy. If available it is suggested that a third person be made available for the initial
installation into the rack, such that a person can guide the Engine into the rack, from the rear.
The Engine should be fitted so that there is no restrictions to the ventilation, at the rear of
the unit. If external SCSI devices are to be connected it is recommended that these be placed
on a rack tray above or below the Engine.
It should be noted that typically the Engine unit is fitted with a boot drive with SCSI I.D. " 0
"( although the boot drive can be at any ID ). The Engine uses fans for its forced ventilation
system, these generate an amount of ambient noise. As stated before the Engine should be
located in an air conditioned machine room away from the studio and other heat generating
equipment.
1 Install the Engine into a 19" Rack unit. Once this is done, the front facia of the Engine must
be removed to allow 8 retaining screws to be fitted.
2 To mount the Engine into the rack, remove the front dress panel and insert 4 retaining
screws on to both the left and right rack mounts. Once this is done reattach the front dress
panel.
2.1 MECHANICAL INSTALLATION
Engine Front Panel

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4 Retaining Screws
4 Retaining Screws
Engine front Facia
2.2 ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION
The Engine is designed to run from a single phase power source with one of its current
carrying conductors at or near ground earth ground potential ( the neutral conductor). Only
the line (live) conductor is fused for over-current protection. Systems that have both current
carrying conductors live with respect to ground , such as phase-to-phase in multi-phase
systems are not recommended as power sources.
It is recommended that both the Engine and Console are connected to the same electrical
supply or ring main which ideally should be regulated and smoothed. If the power source is
likely to be unexpectedly cut then both the units should be fed from a backed up power source
such as a UPS.
For Power Requirements, see Appendix A21 at the back of this Manual.
Mains connections should be fitted with the appropriate type of plug. See Section “Mains
Plugs & Power Cords” at the front of this Manual.

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2.3 ENGINE REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS
The Engine rear is split into two distinct sections; the System I/O Panel, located to the right
and the Audio I/O section, located to the left.
The System I/O Panel contains all the synchronization needed to allow communication
with external devices including RS-422, Midi, LTC, AES Sync, Serial and GPIO.
To allow communication with other Fairlight products including Fame and Prodigy, a
Mixer port is provided.
To allow comunication with the Merlin Console, a Controller port is provided.
The System I/O Panel also contains the VGA Output, Word Clock and Video sync In
connectors.
The Audio I/O Section can contain up to a maximum of 4 QDC cards, which perform all
analog and digital I/O Connections and Processing.
Each QDC card can contain a maximum of :-
16 Analog Inputs and 32 Analog Outputs
or a maximum of :-
32 Digital Inputs and Outputs
16 Analog Inputs.
Depending on what configuration is ordered, the system can allow for more QDC cards to
be configured. Please contact your local Fairlight office or Distributor for further information
regarding the maximum inputs and outputs which can be configured within the system.
Please refer to the Appendix page 53 for further details on the Audio I/O and System I/O
Panels.

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The interconnecting cables suppled as standard may not be long enough for your
installation, in which case you must provide longer cables. The following information gives
specific wiring details and highlights any special requirements, however as with all equipment
not supplied with the Merlin system, it is the installer’s responsibility to ensure that these
cables comply fully with the applicable safety and EMC regulations.
2.4 CABLING
Once the mechanical installation of the Engine is complete, a number of cables must be
connected. Some of these connect various components together and may have been supplied
with the Merlin system, others provide connection to the rest of the environment.
QDC Card System I/O Panel
Engine Back Panel

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2.5 EXTERNAL CABLE LENGTH CONSIDERATIONS
Poor cabling can be the bane of a good system. Earth loops, floating inputs and outputs
and extended runs are just some of the issues to be addressed when planning an installation.
2.5.1 MERLIN CONTROL CABLE
The Merlin Control Cable connects the Merlin Console to the Engine. The cable carries
RS232, RS422 and MIDI signals and is limited to a maximum length of 30 meters, providing
correct attention is paid to signal pairing using twisted pair cable. Ensure sufficient slack is left
at the Console end to ensure movement of the Console does not cause undue stress on the
connector, or cause the connector to partially disconnect, which can damage the serial
drivers. When fitting or reconnecting the cable ensure that power is off at either the Engine or
the Console.
2.5.2 SONY 9-PIN CABLE
The 9-Pin cable connects the Engine to a Sony 9-pin protocol machine. The recommended
maximum length for this cable is 30 meters. Again it is recommended that the power be
switched off at one end when connecting to protect the drivers.
2.5.3 VGA CABLE
The Video cable connects the VGA output from the Engine to the attached Monitor. It is a
15-way shielded 50 Ohm cable with high density D-type connectors at each end. A maximum
length of 20 meters is typical.
2.5.4 AUDIO CABLE
Standard shielded audio cable is suitable.
2.5.6 DIGITAL AUDIO CABLES
Digital cables connected to the Engine system must be of the correct 110 Ohm impedence.

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2.6 CONNECTING THE VARIOUS SYSTEM COMPONENTS
1 Once cabling issues have been dealt with the various system connections need to be
made.
2 Connect an IEC Power lead to the back of the Engine.
3 Connect the 15 way D connector of a Video cable to VGA 1 connector on the System I/
O Panel on the rear of the Engine.
4 Connect the Console Controller cable to the connector on the System I/O panel
located on the rear of the Engine.
5 Connect any external SCSI drives to the external SCSI card (if fitted) and ensure that
the last device is terminated. Ensure that the SCSI I.D.'s are not in conflict with each other.
6 Connect all Synchronization cables such as LTC, Word clock, Video Black burst etc.
7 Connect all audio input and output cables to the QDC cards located on the rear of the
Engine.

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SECTION 3 - MERLIN CONSOLE PHYSICAL INSTALLATION
3.1 INTRODUCTION
The Merlin Console provides a control surface to allow the engineer to work quickly
and efficiently. The Console has a number of user definable macros and keystrokes. For
more information regarding the operational use of the console please refer to the Merlin
User manual.
3.2 MECHANICAL INSTALLATION
The Merlin Console should be sat on a level horizontal surface.
Merlin Console
Mouse Port
Merlin Back Panel
Console Controller Port
Power Switch
Power Supply Port
Keyboard

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3.4 INTERCONNECTING THE CONSOLE AND ENGINE
1 Place the Console at a suitable location close to the mixing desk.
2 Connect the Console Controller cable to the 37 Pin D connector on the rear of the
Console.
3 Connect the mouse to the 9 Pin D connector on the rear of the Console.
4 Connect the Console power supply cable to the Merlin Console and then connect the
mains power to the Merlin Console power supply unit.
5 Connect the Keyboard cable to the Keyboard socket on the back of the Merlin
Console.
6 Once all connections have been made to the Console, it can be powered up safely, by
pressing the switch located on the back panel.
3.3 ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION
The Power Supply unit is an auto ranging unit which will take any input voltage from 100 to
250VAC using a standard IEC mains cable. As there are no mains switches on the power
supply it should be plugged into a switched mains outlet. The output from the PSU is 12DV,
fed to the console via an 8 pin mini DIN connector. As the output lead is fairly short, the PSU
should be located close to the close.
A small LED indicator illuminates when the supply is on.
3.3.1 MERLIN CONTROL CABLE
The Merlin Control Cable connects the Merlin Console to the Engine unit. The cable carries
RS232, RS422 and MIDI signals and is limited to a maximum length of 30 meters, providing
correct attention is paid to signal pairing using twisted pair cable. Ensure sufficient slack is left
at the Console end to ensure movement of the Console, does not cause undue stress on the
connector, or cause the connector to partially disconnect, which can damage the serial
drivers. When fitting or reconnecting the cable ensure that power is off at either the Engine or
the Console.
CAUTION : 1. DO NOT USE ANY OTHER POWER SUPPLY TO POWER THE CONSOLE.
2. DO NOT CONNECT THE POWER SUPPLY TO THE CONSOLE WITH THE MAINS
POWER TURNED ON.