Presets, User Permissions and Time-Dependent Level Limiting

AHM AHM General Discussions
1

I have the following use case:

The AHM will be used as a mobile system in a rack and deployed at four different locations. Each location has its own requirements and therefore needs its own preset, including individual level/limiter settings.

I have two questions:

1. Preset access / user permissions

How can I configure the AHM so that only an authorized user can recall or change the presets?

For example, I would like the regular operator to be able to adjust volume and operate the system, but not be able to accidentally load a different preset and thereby change or bypass the configured level limits.

2. Time-dependent maximum levels

Each location has its own schedule for the maximum permitted level.

For example:

  • During the day: normal maximum level

  • From 22:00: maximum level reduced by 10 dB

  • At another location: perhaps the reduction starts at 23:00

Ideally, this should happen automatically via the Event Manager.

The important question is: How can this be implemented so that the time-dependent maximum level cannot be accidentally overridden by an operator recalling another preset?

There is also an additional complication:

The AHM may not be powered on at the beginning of the scheduled period. For example, the system might only be switched on at 23:00, when the 22:00 event has already passed.

In that case, I would expect the AHM to recognize the current time and immediately apply the appropriate level limit for that time.

Is this possible with the AHM-16 / AHM System Manager? If so, what would be the recommended way to configure it?

Any advice on the correct architecture using Presets, Scenes, Event Manager and user permissions would be greatly appreciated.

2

Hello!

1: This depends on how you give users control.
If you’re offering a CC interface then users have to log into this before they can use it, and you can lock the interface with a pincode.
If they’re just going to have access to the front panel, it’s harder to restrict access - you can make a pincode style system using the front panel buttons, albeit it’s not completely straightforward.
How are you intending to let your authorised users access the AHM controls?

2: This is easily handled - you can have the event manager handling the maximums by either using a control group to set maximums or (more likely) using a preset that adjusts the limiter that exists on every output.
Other presets won’t affect the limiter (or the control group) so their impact will always be present.

AHM will always restart in the state that it was in when it was turned off, unless a “Startup Preset” is set.
If you were to turn it on after an event time, it wouldn’t trigger the event again. I’m not sure that automated recalling of an event that has already passed is currently possible with the current firmware version. If it was turned on after an event has passed, the operator turning it on would need to put the unit into the correct mode by recalling a preset.

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