Hi All
Looking at getting both a GLD80 and 112 but just wondering about the stage box possibilities.
So what are the actual channel capabilities of the dsnake protocol? can i use a 2412 with a 1608 in its expander port to make 40inputs, 20 outputs on stage down 1 cat 5? I’m assuming this is the case as the ME monitor channel count is 40?
Also is the expander port on the desk limited to 8 channels or could i again use either a 2412 or 1608?
Would really appreciate someone clarifying this for me!
Thanks in Advance
Yes to daisy-chaining an AR2412 + AB168 off the Dsnake port. IIRC the surface’s expander port can only take an AR84.
I dont own a GLD [yet] never say never
So are you saying that you can connect an AB168 from the AR2408 through Dsnake and "also an AR84 at the mixer [surface] to wicth that gives you 48 mic line channels?
Yep. Have a look at p7-8 of the manual. It shows a variety of possible system setups, including GLD’s dsnake socket > AR2412 > AB168, GLD’s expander port > AR84. This gives you a total of 48x remote preamps, + the 4x local preamps + the local RCA line ins + the local USB 2-track. You’ve also got the card inputs (eg 64 channels of Dante,) for a total of 126 inputs. This setup also gives you 24x remote outputs, + the local XLR + RCA + SPDIF + AES\EBU + USB 2-track recorder outputs, and the expansion card outputs (eg 64 channels of Dante out.)
Although the GLD only allows you to mix 44x mono and 2x stereo inputs at once, the extra IO can be used as insert sends and returns for any outboard you want to insert across channels/mixes, and you can use the expansion card for inserts IO. Of course you can patch the same mix/DO to multiple outputs if you want.
You can also use the stageboxes as a routing matrix, eg you can route an input directly to an output, even if it’s not one of the 44m+2st that’s part of your current mix. Although you won’t have any processing or level control on the signal, you do get a polarity invert option on the output. I haven’t yet figured out how to get preamp control and +48v on preamps that aren’t part of the 44m+2st when trying to get them straight to another output. I have a feeling that a socket will need be be made part of the 44m+2st, preamp gain and +48v set, then it can be unassigned from the 44m+2st and it will retain its settings.
PS, with this setup you can also plug MEU/ME1s into the Monitor socket on the AR2412 and get your 40x personal monitor outputs, patched from where ever you want, even signals that aren’t part of the 44m+2st.
I haven’t yet figured out how to get preamp control and +48v on preamps that aren’t part of the 44m+2st when trying to get them
straight to another output. I have a feeling that a socket will need be be made part of the 44m+2st, preamp gain and +48v set,
then it can be unassigned from the 44m+2st and it will retain its settings.
Have you tried connecting the ipad app, going from memory I believe that gives you access to all the channels, even if they are not on the surface.
-matt
We have that setup actually, a AR2412 use the expansion port to a AR168 and an AR84 on the surface expansion port.
Also using Dante for multi track recording. Loving it!!
Hi Mrvoltz. We have the GLD-112 with the AR2412 & AR84. I want to add the 168, but I can only find the AB168 not an AR168. The AB168 looks like it will need to be modified to go in the rack. can you give me some guidance?
IIRC the A&H don’t amke an AR168, only the AB168. However, there is a rack mounting kit for the AB168 sold separately (need to remove the rubber bumpers to install it; an official procedure, it’s not an un-authorized modification that voids your warranty or anything.)
Sorry, my mistake, ours would be the AB168 (typo) we just have it sitting in place not in a rack. As mentioned it can be rack mounted.
I was just wondering if it was possible to go from the GLD’s dsnake socket > AB168 > AR2412? Or is AR2412 > AB168 the only supported configuration?
Thanks!
Is the dSnake port at the GLD surface only capale of taking and AR0804?
So is this local surface port limited to just the 8 channels and 4 return?
OR is this configurable with lessor amounts going to the other main AR2408 and or AB168s’?
DSnake on surface can be any box.
@NZDave
Not to be confused with the dSnake socket, the expander port on the GLD surface is limited to an AR84 (it can not take an AR2412\AB168.)
Thanks
Oh I understand now.
Bit lazy of me not actually looked at the rear of the GLD surface! I have looked I just have a lot going on … 
So the surface has an expander port!?
That says it all ok.
Gosh that may have been an original oversight on A & H long term strategy?
hmm The mind boggles…
Another question to a GLD newbie…
Are there any insert cards for a GLD surface that will take a dSnake so there would be 2 dSnakes available from the GLD surface?
Thanks
NZdave
Are there any insert cards for a GLD surface that will take a dSnake so there would be 2 dSnakes available from the GLD surface?
Nope, just ACE, MADI, Ethersound, Waves, Dante, MMO.
Using only the dSnake and Expander ports + local preamps you can have a maximum of 52x preamps: 24 from AR2412 connected to the dSnake socket, 16 from an AB168 daisy-chained off the AR2412, 8 from AR84 on the expander on the rear of the console, and 4x preamps on the rear of the console itself.) This configuration would also give you 12+8+4 analogue XLR outputs (+ the RCA, SPDIF and AES\EBU outputs.) If you wanted more analogue IO it would have to come via one of the previously mentioned expansion cards, eg using ACE to get signals from\to an iLive, or finding a preamp with MADI out etc.
Ok Thanks for the reply
That pretty much sums it up for me.
So to get max number of stage inputs [excluding local inputs] Could I run another Cat cable from the ‘expander port at rear of surface to an AR84’ being on stage?
Whats the maxiumum distance for that?
Assuming the average distance being 50 to 80 metres say?
Thanks fvery much for your help.
NZdave
120m. So you’d run 2x Cat5 cables from the console to the stage, and on stage on one of the cat5 cables you’d have an AR2412 and a daisy-chained AB168, and the other cat5 cable would have the AR84, for a total of 48x remote preamps.
Edit: I’m pretty sure that the total length of the AR2412+AB168 can’t exceed 120m, so you could do 110m from the console to the AR2412, then another 10m into the AB168 to get 120m, and that would be the limit. What you couldn’t do is go 115m to the AR2412, then another 10 meters to the AB168, as then the total cable length between the 168 and console would be > 120m. Worth considering if you were planning to put the AR2412 on one side of the stage and the 168 on the other side, as opposed to having them in the same rack linked by a short patch cable.
Thankyou for that.
To push that envelope a little more…
Are all outputs easily assignable to where-ever on all of the AR/AB devices from the GLD?
Hypothetically-EG: AR2412 downstage Left / AB168 Linked to
down-stage Right and say AR84 to rear of stage?
Thanks for you help.
I appreciate the quick turn around whilst im sitting in editing suite mode fixing my iMacs.
regards
NZdave
Yep. Very easily. Press the IO button on the console, go to the relevant tab for the dSnake device, touch the relevant output socket and pick a signal (direct out, aux, group, main, insert point send etc.) You can do it one-by-one, but there’s also an n+1 function, whereby you can select one output (eg output5 on the 2412,) tell the gld which signal you want to appear there (eg bus7,) and tell it to do n+1 to output11, and it’ll automatically assign bus8 to output6, bus9 to output7, bus9 to output8 etc, all the way up to bus13 on output11. Download the GLD editor and play around with it.
I’m pretty sure that the total length of the AR2412+AB168 can’t exceed 120m, so you could do 110m from the console to the AR2412, then another 10m into the AB168 to get 120m, and that would be the limit. What you couldn’t do is go 115m to the AR2412, then another 10 meters to the AB168, as then the total cable length between the 168 and console would be > 120m.
@cornelius78
120m is the max allowed length of each dSNAKE connection, not the total run of the chain. However this is dependent on cable quality and external interference. Not all cables are guaranteed to work at 120m. Rule of thumb is stay within 100m to avoid pushing the limits (which might result in occasional QoS errors). So for example you can go 100m into the AR2412, then another 100m into the AB168 / AR84.