Wheatstone Corporation D-8 Quick start guide

D-8 Digital Control Surface
TECHNICAL GUIDE
600 Industrial Drive, New Bern, North Carolina, USA 28562

GENERAL INFORMATION
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D-8 / Feb 2008
General Information
Introduction
The D-8 Digital Audio Control Surface is a member of Wheatstone’s line of D-series
control surfaces with the functions and control capabilities required by television broad-
cast facilities, including plenty of output mixes:
2 main mix buses - one may be configured for 5.1 digital surround
4 stereo subgroup mixes
2 stereo auxiliary sends
8 mono Mix-Minus outputs
24 mono Bus-Minus or direct outputs
4 mute groups
The intuitive input fader section provides LED indicators for all bus assignments for
“ataglance”confirmationofmainbusandMix-Minusassignments.Aboveeachfaderon
the input panel is a channel ON switch, 8-character backlit LCD source display, PFL
switch,BUS-MINUSTBswitch,eightMix-MinusandfoursubgroupassignmentLED’s,
two lighted stereo bus assign switches, four mute group status LED’s, two AUX Send
encoderswith ONswitches, anda SETswitch. TheSET switchprovides instantaccess to
the integrated touch screen monitor for comprehensive input channel control including
EQ, filters, compressor/limiter, expander, and surround panning.
The Master output control panel provides group bus and master output faders, mute
group control, and talkback functions. Integrated on the output panels are central shared
controls for assigning input faders to group, Mix-Minus, and mute group buses. The

GENERAL INFORMATION
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D-8 / Feb 2008
Monitor Control panel features three monitor output level controls with source
displays and studio talkback, an event recall system (with security function), and
an array of user-programmable switches.
Designed to integrate flawlessly with the Wheatstone BRIDGE digital audio
network router, the D-8 control surface allows you to easily create large or small
expandable platform-based systems that are exceptionally user-friendly. Wheat-
stone BRIDGE network cages house all I/O ports and engine cards, and may be
wired in tandem within a single equipment room or interconnected to separate
remote locations by means of CAT-5 cables or fiber to provide single wire studio
integration schemes.
Once configured, the system operates entirely independently of external
computers. Configuration itself is intuitive and customized onsite by means of
user-friendly graphical interfaces provided by Wheatstone desktop software. The
D-8 surface also takes full advantage of Wheatstone’s exclusive VDip configura-
tion software, so that studio functions (like mutes, fader and timer starts, tallies,
etc.) are easily configured right at your desktop. All settings are retained in non-
volatile storage, allowing the entire system to run independently.
All D-8 surfaces have a built in automation control Interface which enables
external control of many D-8 surface functions by popular video automation
systems over an Ethernet network. Our Translator desktop software adds another
level of flexibility by integrating house router crosspoint control with the D-8
surface.

G E N E R A L I NFORMATION
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D-8 / Feb 2008
Control Surface Placement
The D-8 digital audio control surface is designed for leg set or countertop
mounting. Leg set assembly instructions are included with the optional leg set.
Although the rubber feet on the bottom keep the surface from being easily moved
when simply placed on the counter, holes have been provided so that screws may be
used to mount the surface securely to the countertop. Carefully remove the appropriate
end panels from the frame, screw the mainframe to the counter top, and reinstall the
removed panels. The frame dimensions (in inches) are shown in the drawings below.
Do not connect the D-8 control surface to its power supply until the surface is
installed or mounted on the leg set. Never connect the power supply to the AC power
line unless the surface’s 5-pin D-SUB DC power cable is securely connected first.
22.8"
1.2"
19.6"
16.2"
15.0"
1.4"
52.3"
13.4" 22.8"
5.5"
23.9"23.9"
1.25" 6 HOLES, D=0.2";
USE #8 SCREWS
D-8 - 24 FADER INPUT

INPUT PANEL
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Input Panel (IP-D8)
Controls and Functions
Each input panel of the D-8 digital audio control
surface has four identical strips representing four
input channels. The D-8 provides two methods for
changing parameters on a fader strip. The majority of
functions are accessed from the touch screen VGA
monitor(seeChapter6fordetails).Asmallnumberof
functionsaredirectlyaccessedusinghardwareswitches
and pots located on the surface. Most users will use a
combinationofbothmethodsinday-to-dayoperation.
Note that the Input fader strip has a minimum
number of physical controls, and certain bus assign-
ment buttons located on the MASTER output and
MONITOR panels are shared among all input faders.
Input Sources
Each input fader panel is fitted with four faders.
Mono,Stereo,or5.1Sourcescanberoutedtothefader
from any cage in the system. Note that certain fader
positions may be dedicated to 5.1 sources as denoted
by the “5.1” label on the fader knob. To select the
desired input source, first press the channel’s SET
button or click on the fader’s number in the Input
Selector Bar at the bottom of the VGA monitor. By
turningtheSOURCESELECTknob(ontheMON-D8

INPUT PANEL
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D-8 / Feb 2009
panel), the available inputs are displayed in the
fader’s 8-character SOURCE display. When
the desired input source is scrolled into the
SOURCE window, pressing the TAKE button
(on the MON-D8 panel) will cause that source
to be switched to the input of the channel, and
the source name will be displayed in the
SOURCE window.
SET Button
TheSETbuttonislocatedatthetopofeachfaderstripandforcesthefocus
oftheVGAtotheselectedinputfaderstrip.Thisallowstheoperatortoaccess
various controls and displays in the MON-D8 panel and apply them to the
selectedchannel. To use, press theSET buttonand then make your appropri-
ate section settings in other areas of the control surface. Once a SET button
hasbeenpressed,thebuttonlightsup,andallsettingchangeswillapplytothat
inputchanneluntiladifferentinputSETbuttonispressed.TheSETfunction
may be configured in the Options.txt file (see Appendix 1) to automatically
timeout after 20 seconds.
AUX
Each channel of the input panel has two AUX send knobs (AUX 1 and
AUX 2) to set the level of the channel’s audio in the AUX SENDS. Two
switches (ON 1 and ON 2), determine whether the channel feeds AUX 1
(ON 1) and/or AUX 2 (ON 2). Aux sends may be pre-configured in the
Options.txt file to be tapped pre or post fader. See the User Programming
section in the Appendix 2 of this manual for details.
MuteAssign Displays
EachfadercanbeassignedinanycombinationtoMUTEMASTERA,B,
C,or Dbypressing thefader’s SETbutton,then selectingthe desired INPUT
CHANNEL MUTE ASSIGN switch located at the top of the MASTER fader
panel.TheMUTEindicatorLED’sonthefaderstripwilllightsolidtoindicate
theassignmentandflashslowly when muted.Anychannelthatisassigned to
aMUTEMASTERwillbemutedwhenthecorrespondingMUTEMASTER
is activated. Mute masters are useful for turning several microphone faders
Off with a single button press - like when going to a break.
ASSIGN Switches - 5.1/ST 1 and ST 2
ASSIGN buttons assign the input channel signal to the two main buses:
5.1 (surround)/ST 1 (stereo 1) and ST 2 (stereo 2), respectively. The buttons
lightuptoshowwhichbusestheinputchannelhasbeenassignedto.Notethat
the5.1/ST 1switchroutestothefirstmasterbus.Thismasterbushasbeenpre-
configured to be a surround bus or stereo bus; it is not two separate buses.
MON-D8 Panel

INPUT PANEL
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D-8 / Feb 2009
GROUPAssign Displays
These four LED indicators (GROUP) show which audio group(s) the
channel has been assigned to using control switches in the GROUP ASSIGN
sectionoftheMST-D8panel(page4-3).ToassignaninputfadertoaGROUP,
first press the INPUT fader’s SET switch, then press the appropriate Group
assign switch at the top of the MASTER fader panel.
MXM Displays
Each fader can be assigned to any combination of the eight Mix-Minus
buses. The assigned settings are displayed in the MXM 1-8 LED displays.
Fadersareassignedtothese MXMs byusingthe
touch screen GUI on the VGA monitor (see
Chapter 6 for details) or using the hardware
switches located on the MON-D8 panel. On the
GUI press the MIX MINUS button at the top of
theVGAmonitor.UsetheMXMMatrixtoselect
thedesiredinputfaderandthenpressthedesired
MIX-MINUS ASSIGN button, located on the
MON-D8 panel. When you light one of these
LED’s you are removing the fader from the
Mix-Minus bus.
PFL(CUE) Switch
The CUE switch lets the control surface operator monitor the channel’s
pre-fader signal.
MON-D8 Panel

INPUT PANEL
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D-8 / Feb 2009
Bus-MinusOutputs
Each fader has a special dedicated output for IFB, Mix-Minus, or Direct
feeds - these outputs are collectively known Bus-Minus. These monaural
audio output signals may be freely routed to feed telephone hybrids, ISDN
interfaces,recordingfeeds,orotherdevicesasrequired.NotethatBus-Minus
is a separate system from the dedicated eight Mix-Minus buses.
What appears at the Bus-Minus output for a fader is determined by how
you configure the Bus-Minus output on the D-8 Input screen for your fader.
In a typical application like feeding a TV remote, one might configure the
remote talent’s Bus-Minus output to include a base mix of the board’s main
program output bus (say ST 1) minus the remote talent’s fader. Many other
Bus-Minus configurations are easily configured, including direct outs for
recording.
You can control and meter the output level of any Bus-Minus output by
switching to the Input screen for your fader or navigating to the main BUS
MINUS screen. You can always press the SET button on the fader strip to
cause the VGA monitor to switch to that fader’s Input Screen. Click on the
mainBUSMINUSnavigationbuttononthetopoftheVGAtoseeall24bus
minus outputs at once (see Chapter 6 for details).
Bus-MinusRouting
Bus-Minus outputs for each surface fader appear as Sources in the
SurfacesignalareaofXPoint,typicallylocatedabovesourcesignalID1001.
A typicalBus-MinusoutputsignalnameisintheD1BM01throughD1BM24
range;however,theexactnamedependsonthefaderandsurfaceIDnumber.

INPUT PANEL
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D-8 / Feb 2009
Bus-Minus TB Switch
The BUS MINUS TB switch routes the TB BUS audio, typically the
operator’s intercom microphone, to the Bus-Minus output for that chan-
nel,allowingtheoperatortotalkbacktothetalenthearingthatBus-Minus
signal.
Channel ON Switch
ThechannelONswitchturnsthechannelsignalONandOFFandfires
the channel ON(START)/OFF(STOP) logic. The switch LED lights to
indicate the channel is ON. Channel ON may be remotely controlled by a
physical GPI or by external automation via the surface’s TCP/IP control
interface.
Fader
Channel output level is set by a long-throw motorized fader for
automated level control.
NOTEthatinputchannelsconfiguredfor5.1sourceshavefaderknobs
engraved with “5.1.”

MONITOR PANEL
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D-8 / Feb 2009
Monitor Panel (MON-D8)
Controls and Functions
TheD-8digitalaudiocontrolsurfaceisequipped
with one MONITOR panel. This panel provides
speaker volume controls for the audio CR, two
studios, and a PFL speaker. Also included are
master volume controls for the Aux Sends, MXM
outputs, and Talkback level. Other functions in-
clude an Event snapshot store/recall system, six
programmable buttons, and a universal Source
selector knob.
Monitor Speaker Controls
Therearethreemonitoroutputsavailable:CON-
TROL ROOM, STUDIO 1, and STUDIO 2.
Each monitor has a LEVEL control, a SET
button, and a SOURCE display, located at the
bottom section of the MON-D8 panel. There are
also TB buttons to talkback to the two STUDIO
sections.
A“soft”MODEselectorislocatedontheMAIN
screen that allows users to switch between SUR-
ROUND, STEREO, MONO, LEFT only, and
RIGHT only modes.
Monitor sources can be selected using the
MONITOR MIX PRESETS buttons located di-
rectlyabovetheControlRoomknoborbyscrolling
the list of available sources using the SOURCE
SELECT knob.
Selecting Monitor Sources
•PresstheSETbuttonrightnexttotheCONTROL
ROOM or STUDIO knob.
• Press one of the MONITOR MIX PRESETS
buttons to select MAIN, ST 2, or one of two
programmable sources.
• Sources can be randomly selected with the
SOURCE SELECT knob and the TAKE button
located just above the MONITOR MIX PRE-
SETSbuttons.First,presstheSETbuttonforthe
monitor pot you’d like to change the source on,
then use the SOURCE SELECT knob to dial up
the desired signal. Press TAKE next to the
SOURCE SELECT knob to complete the route.