Netbox 32 AD MX

Dante IP audio Analogue to Digital interface with 32 input and 32 output channels organized in 16 mono analog + 8 stereo digital channels. The stereo digital audio channels can be configured as AES/EBU or SPDIF standard. It also incorporates 16 GPI and 16 GPO (each GPO connector includes a power supply pin to feed the output circuitry). This allows you to add any device to the Dante AoIP network. This is a plug and play technology with automatic detection of the hardware and simple audio routing.

The Netbox 32 AD MX performs as a mixing and distributing matrix, so it can mix inputs combinations (each one with independent relative level) to any of its 64 outputs (16 analogue, 16 digital and 32 IP Dante), as programmed using Netbox RTC application. Digital audio channels can be configured as AES/EBU or SPDIF standard. It also incorporates 16 GPI and 16 GPO (each GPO connector includes a power supply pin to feed the output circuitry).

Front:

1. Power-ON LED. Indicates the device’s power supply status.
2. LAN LEDs. Indicate the status connection of the audio over the following local area network ports: LAN 1 (main interface) and LAN 2 (secondary interface).
3. Audio level LEDs. Each LED indicates the level of each device’s input or output channels.
4. Power switch. Netbox 32 has a power switch located in its front panel.

Rear:

1. Power input: Netbox 32 features a universal-input internal power supply (with optional redundancy).
2. Ethernet ports (LAN 1 and LAN 2). Two Ethernet ports: LAN 1 must always be wired, while LAN2 is to be connected only when the system is configured in “Daisy Chain” mode or a redundant system is set up.
3. GPIO connectors (DB15). Netbox 32 includes two of these connectors including 8 GPI each, and another two with 8 GPO each. All the connectors have a common ground and provide a 5V reference signal. Thanks to the open protocol implemented, operation with third-party devices is possible, allowing GPI and GPO transportation between systems using the IP network.
4. AES-3 / SPDIF digital inputs and outputs, also using female DB15 connectors. 4 dual circuits per connector, 2 input + 2 output connectors.
5. Analogue inputs and outputs use female DB15 as well: 4 circuits per port. 4 input + 4 output ports.

General Features

• Multi-channel audio connectivity in program production centres through simple Ethernet cabling
• Double Ethernet Audio over IP connections in all AEQ consoles and digital matrixes.
• Standalone, double audio over IP interfaces, making audio input and output connections to central controls, link dispatches, analogue studios, OB locations and any other locations where an AEQ digital mixing console is not available.
• The system is usually structured as a star-topology using Gigabit Ethernet switches. For smaller installations, the system can be cascaded  or “daisy chained”, as network interfaces are duplicated.
• Where maximum availability is a design goal, the network can be wired with duplicate switches, ensuring uninterrupted operations with redundant paths

Netbox Tool application
Setup Wizard running over Windows operating systems, offering the following features:

• IP configuration and synchronization.
• Input and output gains control, stereo pairings and phase (Figure 1).
• GPIO configuration, selection of the network devices receiving its GPI and pairing of physical and virtual GPIO (Figure 2).
• IP addresses configuration to send the vumeters for any of the device inputs (analogue, digital or Dante), in order to link to Visual Radio systems.

“Dante Controller” application
Running over Windows operating system, offering the following features:

• View all Dante-enabled audio devices and their channels on the network.
• View Dante-enabled device clock and network settings.
• Route audio on these devices, and view the state of existing audio routes.
• Lock and unlock Dante devices.
• Change the labels of audio channels.
• Customize the receive latency (latency before play out).
• Save audio routing presets.
• Apply previously saved presets.
• View and set per device configuration options.
• View network status information, including: multicast bandwidth across the network and transmit and receive bandwidth for each device.
• View device performance information, including latency statistics and packet errors.
• View clock status information for each device, including frequency offset history and clock event logs.

Netbox RTC application
Netbox 32 operates as a 64×64 audio matrix using “Netbox RTC” real time control software. Running over Windows operating systems, it performs the following features:

• Routing with audio mixing and distribution coming from mono or stereo analogue, digital and Dante inputs, delivering them to analogue, digital or Dante outputs.
• Configuration and scheduling salvo management.
• Multi-user and multi-device control. Different views and particular scenarios can be configured, and critical lines can be protected.
• Dante signals are routed within the IP network using “Dante Controller”.

Technical Specifications

Inputs and outputs:

• Analogue channels: 16 bidirectional channels.
• Dual or Stereo digital channels: 8 bidirectional channels.
• Dante / AES 67 channels: 32 bidirectional channels.
• Balanced electronically analogue line-level inputs and outputs.
• Maximum analogue input and output level: +24 dBu.
• Nominal analogue input and output level: +4 dBu (-20 dBFS).
• Bandwidth: 20 to 20.000 Hz @ +/- 0.5 dB.
• Input and output gain adjustment range: +12 dB / – (individually or in pairs)

GPIOs:
NETBOX 32 AD MX provides 16 physical GPI into 2 DB15 connectors, 16 physical GPO in two DB15 connectors and 265 virtual GPO that may be used to perform any of the following functions:

• Transportation of signalling between devices
• Informing about audio presence at any input.
• Informing about audio absence in any output.
• Remote muting of any output.
• Activation and triggering of macros and salvos.

Physical GPI and GPO are standard GPIO, while virtual GPIO use AEQ’s proprietary protocol, although it is starting to be implemented by several integrators. GPIO can also be transported through the IP network between compatible devices. This way, a GPIO can drive GPOs in other equipment. This is what we call “Virtual GPIO”.

DANTE Network Technology:

• Data format: Dante Audio over IP technology. AES 67 compatible
• Plug-and-play technology – automatic detection of the hardware and simple audio routing.
• Precise sample-level synchronization, even through several switches.
• Very low and deterministic delay in the entire network.
• Flexible and scalable network topology, supporting a great number of audio transmitters and receivers.
• Supports a single integrated network used for audio, video, control and monitoring. Compatible with other kinds of traffic using QoS management.
• Uses low-cost, off the self network infrastructure.
• 24-bit , 48 KHz. audio resolution.
• Delay: 1-2 ms (@ 48 KHz typical, depending on network performance and complexity).
• 2 RJ45 Ethernet ports per interface, 1000 BASE-T, transformer isolated, that can be used for redundancy or daisy-chain connections.
• Binary rate: 100/1000 Mbps.
• Maximum segment length: 100m max. over CAT5e or better cabling.

Redundancy:

• NETBOX 32 AD MX optionally device features a redundant power supply. In case that one of them stops receiving mains or fails, the system is fed by the other one without any operation disruption.
• NETBOX 32 AD MX includes two Ethernet ports. These may be configured in “Daisy Chain” mode, Primary/Secondary or Master/Slave modes.
• When Primary/Secondary redundancy mode is configured, the device uses Dante native redundancy system, which allows for Primary/Secondary failover without loosing audio samples.

Mixing:
Apart from its processing capabilities, NETBOX 32 AD MX can also mix any of its inputs to any output. This means that any set of inputs can be mixed to any of the outputs. Each output gain can be individually adjusted. They can also be muted.

Versions Available:

• Netbox 8 AD: 8 I/O Dante, 4 I/O Analog, 2 I/O Digital Dual Stereo.
• Netbox 32 AD: 32 I/O Dante, 16 I/O Analog, 8 I/O Digital Dual Stereo.
• Netbox 32 AD 2PS: Features of Netbox 32 AD with dual Power Supply.
• Netbox 32 AD MX: Netbox 32 AD inputs and outputs with routing and mixing functions.
• Netbox 32 AD MX 2PS: Features of Netbox 32 AD MX with dual Power Supply.
• Netbox 32 AD VOX: Inputs and outputs of Netbox 32 AD with VOX CONTROL function for Visual Radio.
• Netbox 32 AD VOX 2PS: Features of Netbox 32 AD VOX with dual Power Supply.