Exclusive Distributor Newsletter #10
iPad control of 4 Series - the simple way!
It’s all been about APA, these past few newsletters, and we thought it was about time that 4 Series got a mention as they’re still core to our business and hopefully a substantial part of yours! With summer just around the corner, and festivals being frantically organised all over the planet, anything that can make the audio set-up easier for everyone involved will always be welcome.
So, here’s a reminder of what you can achieve with the simple combination of a Moxa N-Port and an iPad.
The Moxa N-Port, for those of you that don’t know, is a little marvel of a box about the size of a packet of cigarettes, that converts Ethernet data to serial data for seamless control of any serially enabled device.
Moxa NPort 5150 – a simpler, more reliable solution to Ethernet and Wifi remote connections.
We would be the first to admit that sometimes trying to jump directly from wired Ethernet control to WiFi to serial can be quite difficult, and the advantage of the Moxa solution is that it is first and foremost a wired (and so very reliable) device, but it can also just be plugged into a wireless router to instantly and simply go wireless.
Hooking up a Moxa to DP4 Series is easy as we supply the adapter (which is just a simple cable) and it’s direct to RS485 so you can go for up to 1000m between the converter and the unit.
The app is available in the app store if you just search for DP4 remote it’ll show up:
A download of the app will get you the iPhone and iPad versions together.
The app set-up to connect to a Moxa is explained in the Walkabout kit manual on our website, and we pre-configure the Moxa so it’s ready to go straight from the box (but there are also instructions if you decide to buy one form elsewhere and do it yourself, or need to reset it for any reason). All that info is here…
For those of you who haven’t tried the app, it was co-developed between XTA and a German software developer, and we fully endorse it, which is why it’s included in the Walkabout Kit instructions. As the developer, Andi Zeh, works full time as a production manager and sound engineer as well, he still owns the rights to this and recovers his development costs from the app store fee – we don’t make any profit from its sale.
Once you’re connected and up and running with your device(s) connected, you can do pretty much everything you can in AudioCore – set up crossovers, gang outputs (per device – no global ganging), adjust all EQ (including Graphics) in real time, watch metering, adjust delays and limiters, and store and recall settings to the device(s).
All devices show up with real time metering so you can monitor the entire system in a single screen.
Click and drag EQ for inputs or outputs in real time. Pinch to adjust ‘Q’!
There are also sophisticated copy and paste facilities to speed up complex syetem set-up with multiple devices, and don’t forget that the app also supports most OEM processors that are in AudioCore, so DAS’s DSP4080, Martin Audio’s DX2, Funktion One’s XO4A…
Just to end on something else, let’s head back to APA, and mention that it’s on show next month at InfoComm in Las Vegas, along with the latest Dante connectivity and mac version of the AmpControl software application. If you’re heading to the show, you’ll find Group One here…
