iConnectivity PLAYAUDIO 12 User manual

User Guide

Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Key Features 3
In the Box 4
System Requirements 5
Macintosh 5
Windows 5
iOS 5
Hardware Connections 6
Front Panel 6
Rear Panel 7
Getting Started 8
Install iConfig and Upgrade Your PlayAUDIO12 Firmware 8
PlayAUDIO12 Failover Redundancy 9
How the PlayAUDIO12's Failover System Works 9
How to Arm the PlayAUDIO12 for Automatic Failover 9
How to Test Automatic Failover 11
How to Configure the PlayAUDIO12 for Manual Failover 11
Controls 12
Interactive Touch Panel Display 12
Using the Touch Panel 12
Scene 12
Volume/Gain 13
Outputs 13
Phones 14

PlayAUDIO12 User Guide v1.0
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the PlayAUDIO12, a unique audio/MIDI interface and integrated failover system
that has been designed to provide compact and easy-to-operate failover protection for the live per-
formance arena.
Your PlayAUDIO12 offers superb sound quality and flexible MIDIcapabilities, and integrates performance
and peace-of-mind by providing fail-safe control and playback of backing tracks, virtual instruments, and
MIDI devices in a live setting.
Key Features
Key features of the PlayAUDIO12 include:
l(10) 1/4” TRS balanced audio outputs for low noise connections on any stage. (All outputs are +48v
phantom power resistant.)
l(1) 1/4” TRS stereo headphone output for convenient headphone monitoring.
l(2) USB-B ports for connection of up to 2 computers simultaneously.
lStudio sound quality for the live arena:up to 24-bit/96kHz DA conversion.
lAutomatic and manual computer switching modes, for lightning-fast switching between connected
computers.
lUSB MIDI host port, offering up to 8 ports of USB MIDI for class-compliant controllers and/or mod-
ules.
lEthernet MIDI for rugged, long-distance MIDI connections.
lSimple, manual control over PlayAUDIO12's key features from the front panel.
lControl In footswitch input that allows for manual computer switching and/or user-assignable con-
trols.
lControl Out connection for slaving additional PlayAUDIO12 units.
lUSB Audio 2.0 and USB MIDI 1.0 class-compliant.
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PlayAUDIO12 User Guide v1.0
In the Box
lThe PlayAUDIO12 Audio/MIDI interface.
l(1) USB-A to USB-B cable for connecting a MacOSor Windows computer to your PlayAUDIO12.
lThe PlayAUDIO12 power supply.
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PlayAUDIO12 User Guide v1.0
System Requirements
Macintosh
lMac OSX 10.8 or later
l(1) free USB port
Windows
lWindows 7 or later
l(1) free USB port
iOS
liOS 8.0 or later with Lightning connector
lApple Camera Connection Kit
lCoreMIDI-compatible application
Visit http://www.iconnectivity.com/support-system for the most up-to-date compatibility requirements, as
these are subject to change.
Product features are subject to change. Apple logo, Macintosh, OS X, Mac, iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch
are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iConnectivity, iConnectMIDI, iCon-
nectAUDIO, ConnectAUDIO, mio, PlayAUDIO, and Audio passThru are trademarks of iKingdom Corp.
Copyright (c) iKingdom Corp. 2017
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PlayAUDIO12 User Guide v1.0
Hardware Connections
Front Panel
lStereo Headphone Jack
lUSB-A Host MIDI port. This USB 2.0 jack supports up to eight 16-channel MIDI Ports from eight USB
MIDI class-compliant devices.
lUSB-B Device Ports. Use these ports to connect up to two computers or iOS devices simultaneously.
lControl In Jack. Use this TRSinput to attach a footswitch for manual failover switching.
lControl Out Jack. Use this TRS output to chain additional PlayAUDIO12 units.
lInteractive touch panel display. The PlayAUDIO12's touch panel makes it easy to set output levels/-
gain and to create audio/MIDI Scenes that can be recalled later.
lRotary Control Dial. For manual adjustment of volume/gain levels, saving settings to memory, and
powering the unit ON and OFF.
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PlayAUDIO12 User Guide v1.0
Rear Panel
lPower Jack. Connect the included PlayAUDIO12 power supply here.
lBalanced Analog Outputs. The PlayAUDIO12's 10 analog outputs provide low noise, phantom
power-resistant connections that boast up to 24-bit/96kHz DA conversion.
lMIDI Ethernet Port. Use this port for long-distance MIDI connections.
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PlayAUDIO12 User Guide v1.0
Getting Started
Install iConfig and Upgrade Your PlayAUDIO12 Firmware
Before you begin using your PlayAUDIO12, we recommend that you upgrade your unit's firmware to the
latest version using iConnectivity's iConfig application. Follow these steps to install the iConfig software
and perform the firmware upgrade:
1. Download the latest version (4.2.6) of the iConfig software installer.
i. Go to https://www.iconnectivity.com/software/iconfig
ii. Follow the instructions for downloading the iConfig software installer specific to your computer.
2. Connect your computer to the PlayAUDIO12. For Mac and Windows computers, use the USB-
A to USB-B cable that came in the box to connect your computer to the USB Device Port 1 on the
front panel of your PlayAUDIO12 unit.
3. Launch the iConnectivity iConfig installer file. Connect your computer to the internet. Then,
with your computer connected to the PlayAUDIO12, double-click the iConnectivity iConfig
installer.
4. Accept the firmware upgrade if your unit detects that newer firmware is available. The iCon-
fig software will prompt you to upgrade if a newer firmware version is available. Verify that your
device is connected to USB Device Port 1 and click Yes to continue with the upgrade. An Upgrade
Complete prompt will appear when the process completes, at which point iConfig's Device Info page
will refresh with your PlayAUDIO12's device statistics.
Figure 1: Updating the PlayAUDIO12 firmware
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PlayAUDIO12 User Guide v1.0
PlayAUDIO12 Failover Redundancy
How the PlayAUDIO12's Failover System Works
Your PlayAUDIO12 unit comes equipped with two discrete failover mechanisms:Automatic Failover and
Manual Failover. This failover redundancy is designed to ensure that your backup system can always be
engaged instantly and seamlessly, whether via auto-detection or through manual switching. Taking advant-
age of both of these failover mechanisms is recommended for all live performance scenarios.
Automatic Failover uses a test tone sent from your DAW to establish an audio-recognition sync lock
between your primary playback device and your PlayAUDIO12 interface on a dedicated internal audio
channel. Once armed, the PlayAUDIO12 instantly switches to your secondary device if any break in the
test tone signal is detected, providing a seamless failover to your backup system without audio or MIDI
interruption.
Manual Failover allows you to connect a footswitch to the PlayAUDIO12's Control In jack and instantly
switch between your primary and backup computers on the fly, enabling you to manually move to your
backup system in the event of an emergency, or if you anticipate an issue with your primary system before
it actually occurs.
How to Arm the PlayAUDIO12 for Automatic Failover
A test tone generator is required to arm the PlayAUDIO12 for Automatic Failover. If a test tone generator
isn't included with your Digital Audio Workstation, download and install iConnectivity's LifeSine test tone
plugin from https://www.iconnectivity.com/downloads/.
Follow the steps below to arm the PlayAUDIO12 for automatic failover and test your unit's failover cap-
ability:
1. Connect Computer A (your primary playback device) to USB Device Port 1.
2. Connect Computer B (your failover playback device) to USB Device Port 2.
3. Verify that the PlayAUDIO12 is set to Scene A (green LED indicator). If the LED indicator light is red
(indicating that Scene B is active), touch the Scene LED once to toggle the button state and make
Scene A the active scene.
Figure 2: Scene A must be the active Scene on the PlayAUDIO12 to arm the unit for Automatic Failover
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PlayAUDIO12 User Guide v1.0
4. On both computers (Computer A and Computer B), open your Digital Audio Workstation and load
your playback project.
5. On Computer A (your primary playback device), instantiate your test tone plugin on a free track and
assign it to the PlayAUDIO12's audio output 13 (Control Tone). When your PlayAUDIO12 unit
detects the test tone, the green Scene A LEDlight will blink, indicating that the PlayAUDIO12 is
armed for automatic failover.
Figure 3: Sending the test tone to the PlayAUDIO12's audio output 13 from Ableton Live 9
Figure 4: The Scene A LED indicator will blink steadily when the unit is armed for automatic failover
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