USER S MANUAL Musicson MDCS

2017 USER S MANUAL Musicson MDCS Control and Monitoring Software 3.8.20 Release

Contests 1.- Star and Daisy-Chain Network Typologies... Page 4 2.- Musicson Dsp Software Installation... Page 4 3.- Musicson Dsp Monitoring and Control Software... Page 5 3.1.- Introduction... Page 5 3.2.- Quick Start. Connecting Musicson Dsp Controlled Devices... Page 5 3.3.- STEP 1. Selfpowered Systems Network Connection... Page 5 3.4.- STEP 2. Control Center Features and Controls..... Page 5 3.5.- STEP 3. Locate and Change Units Name..... Page 6 4.- Musicson Software management.. Page 6 4.1.- Control and Monitoring Panels... Page 6 4.2.- Monitoring In/Out Signals...... Page 7 4.3.- Changing Input Gain...... Page 8 4.4.- Using Input Equalization Filters..... Page 8 4.5.- Using Input Delay and Signal Limiter....... Page 9 4.6.- Using Input High-Pass/Low-Pass filters... Page 9 5.- Advanced Grouping Functions... Page 9 5.1.- Create New Group... Page 10 5.2.- Select Units in a Group... Page 10 5.3.- Select Parameters to be Grouped.. Page 10 6.- Limited Warraty... Page 11

1.- STAR AND DAISY-CHAIN NETWORK TYPOLOGIES MUSICSON DSP controlled products offers the possibility to design a Star Network or a Daisy-Chain configuration via Etherconn RJ45 already supplied and installed in Input DSP Board. 1.- STAR NETWORK TIPOLOGY Star network CONTROL LAPTOP A Star Network is a local area network ( LAN ) in which all nodes ( DSP Controlled Musicson product ) are directly connected via CAT5 cable to a common central Computer. With this Network topology, all units will be WIRED or WIRELESS linked to Computer by using a Hub or a Switch or a Musicson PWM- 15; a 15-Port Wireless Ethernet Switch, so it s very easy to add or remove connected units. In a Star Network, a cable failure will isolate ONLY the unit linked to computer with this cable. All other devices will continue to function normally. If any unit connected in this Network goes down, none of the other units will be affected. All signals coming from / to any device to central computer goes directly without crossing through any other device in the net so, communication speed is highest compared with other network topologies. By other hand, wiring is much difficult to carry on and heavier when a large number of units should be connected. 2.- DAISY-CHAIN NETWORK Daisy-chain network CONTROL LAPTOP A Daisy-chain Network is a local network in which each node ( DSP controlled Musicson product ) has an Input-Link interface which allows a series connection between nodes. All signals coming from/to any device to central computer goes crossing through all devices in sequence until information reaches the destination. By other hand, wiring a Daisy-chain network is much easier and faster than s Star Network. In a daisy-chain network, each node or unit is connected to next one so, a cable failure will isolate all linked units. Worst case would be in case of cable from Control laptop to first node or unit fails. In this case, all units in network will be isolated from Control. MUSICSON DSP CONTROL SOFTWARE, supplied with all Musicson DSP controlled products, allows user both: 1.- On-Line real-time INPUT PARAMETERS CONTROL over all units connected in the network, including FACTORY PRESETS loading and GROUPING Functions. Please, refer to MCDS Section in this Manual. 2.- On-Line Real-Time Input/Output Signals and Limiters Monitoring over all units connected in the network, as well as each Power modules Temperature and Status. Please, refer to MDCS Section in this Manual. MUSICSON DSP CONTROL SOFTWARE ( MDCS ) allows user to open as many Monitoring and Control windows as units connected in the network. User can assign a UNIT NAME to any unit in network to identify all units. Software detects automatically all IP Addresses in the net and display all information required in opened window. 2.- MUSICSON DSP CONTROL SOFTWARE INSTALLATION MUSICSON strongly recommend to install MUSICSON DSP CONTROL SOFTWARE for all Musicson DSP controlled devices for Monitoring and Control Input/Output Signals via CAT5 cable ( wired through an Ethernet Switch or wireless by using new Musicson PWM-15 module ). It s a powerful, friendly and easy to use system Remote Control tool including an intuitive designed Graphical User Interface featuring also important parameters monitoring such as both amplifiers channel Temperature and Impedance Load. Musicson DSP Con Software. Following operating Systems are supported: - Windows XP with Service Pack 2 - Windows 7 - Windows 10 - Mac OS-X 10.5.8 or higher To install Software, please, follow installer instructions. It s a very easy process and it will take only a few minutes. Warning!: On some Windows 7 versions, user will need to run the Software as Administrator to connect with hardware correctly. To change to this mode, click with right pushbutton of your mouse and select Properties. Then, select compatibility and finally Run this program as Administrator.

Falcon-210DA Falcon-210DA Falcon-210DA Falcon-210DA 3.- MUSICSON DSP CONTROL SOFTWARE (MDCS) 3.1.- INTRODUCTION Musicson DSP controlled devices are fully equipped from MUSICSON with Ethernet solution via RJ45 connectors in its back panel as well as DSP COMMAND CENTER SOFTWARE for network capabilities to enable complete filters configuration, control, convenient cabinets grouping and monitoring solutions. With its intuitive and easy-to-use graphical interface, Musicson DSP Control Software provides remote ( wired or wireless ) access to load also FACTORY or USER PRESETS. Each unit must be connected to a 100BaseT Ethernet switch using a standard CAT-5 cable. Personal Computer to run control with Musicson Dsp Control Software must also be connected by 100BaseT connector to the switch or using a wireless access point on the same network. Using a wireless access point to manage Network will require additional TCP/IP protocols in user Computer as well as specific Ethernet configurations. 3.2- MDCS: QUICK START CONNECTING MUSICSON DSP CONTROLLED DEVICES Even if you have experience in handling control and monitoring software systems, it s hardly recommended for Musicson dsp controlled products users to follow this instructions with initial test configurations starting with simplest networking. Musicson Dsp Control Software is a powerful and reliable control and monitoring platform which can be used in any Musicson system featuring Input Dsp s modules. Note: To avoid any communication errors, please, avoid connecting the switch to any other Ethernet equipment than speaker/s and Control Computer. Warning!: If you are using a wireless access point with a Ethernet switch to control and monitoring your Musicson system, please, NEVER use 100BaseT network connector in your Control Computer for other Network uses. 3.3.- STEP 1. SELFPOWERED SYSTEM NETWORK CONNECTION Connect a Musicson selfpowered system to Control PC using a CAT5 or CAT6 cable. First time this connection is handled, all necessary drivers for a correct communication between Control PC and Hardware will be installed. This is an automatic process. 1.- Douglas selfpowered Series, DN, FR and KS Series have 2.- Falcon selfpowered Series may be connected in a DAISY-CHAIN been designed to be connected in a STAR NETWORK network. configuration. DOUGLAS IN A STAR NETWORK NETWORK SWITCH CONTROL LAPTOP NETWORK SWITCH CONTROL LAPTOP Connect the Computer to the Ethernet Switch with a standard CAT-5 cable as shown in figure through a Network switch. 3.4.- STEP 2. CONTROL CENTER FEATURES AND CONTROLS Launch Musicson Dsp Control Software in Windows or MAC by clicking twice in the icon created in Control computer desktop. Musicson Dsp Control Software will detect automatically, all devices connected in the network. Unit Name indicator will show a GREEN COLOUR besides detected unit if connection is Active. If a YELLOW COLOUR appears in Control Center screen, please, check all network connection, configuration and cables: there is a communication problem and you will not be able to use Monitoring and Control Software. In this case, a total number of 10 Falcon-210DA units are network connected. Main MENU will open Musicson Control Center panel in upper-left side of your Computer screen. 1.- UNIT NAME : FALCON-210DA. User is allowed to change UNITS NAME in through Software. 2.- REFERENCE : B8:96:74:01:4C:98 This is a DSP code automatically detected. User doesn t need to introduce 3.- ADDRESS: 192.168.1.15 IP Addresses for all Falcon-210DA automatically assigned to networked Units. 4.- LAUNCH: Press with mouse over GREEN arrow to open this unit CONTROL and MONITORING panel

Control Center panel allows a quick control over all networked units: 1.- MUTE all or individually selected units by clicking over MUTE icon marked in RED color. When a unit/s are MUTED, icon become RED 2.- Helps user to locate any unit networked by clicking over Light icon in BLUE color. When this option is pressed, selected unit rear panel leds will start blinking during 10 seconds. 3.- Change units status to STAND-BY clicking over GREEN color icon. In that way, amplifier consumption will be significantly lower. When STAND-BY is active, icon changes color from GREEN to RED. Unit/s will not deliver sound. 4.- Leds-bar for monitoring every networked unit Input gain level marked with YELLOW color. 5.- Click over green arrow BROWN marked to open unit Control panel 3.5.- STEP 3. LOCATE AND CHANGE UNITS NAME Musicson highly recommends to Musicson DSP controlled devices users, to rename units; especially when large number of line-array units are used. This, will help FOH engineer to locate and select a particular unit in a configured array if any settings should be made. 1.- Before flying an array system, please, switch all units ON and connect them in an Ethernet network as previously seen. 2.- Launch Musicson DSP Control and Monitoring software. 3.- Tap over first BLUE marked icon. 4.- Rear panel leds in selected unit will start blinking during 10 seconds. 5.- Once located, change to desired UNIT NAME. 5.1.- Click with mouse over UNIT NAME. 5.2.- Write new UNIT NAME. 5.3.- Press Enter in Laptop to confirm 6.- Repeat above steps for every Falcon-210DA networked. In this case, there are 5 Falcon-210DA units for RIGHT CHANEL and 5 Falcon-210DA units for LEFT CHANEL. Falcon-210DA unit which IP Address is 192.168.1.15 ( first one ) in this case will be unit number 3 in LEFT CHANEL. For example, it will be renamed to F-210DA L3. After repeating this steps in all networked units, FOH will be able to locate any unit faster and easier. 4.- MUSICSON SOFTWARE MANAGEMENT 4.1.- CONTROL AND MONITORING PANELS. Click with mouse over GREEN Arrow ( > ) in Musicson CONTROL CENTER to open units CONTROL and MONITORING panel. After a brief period of time, Musicson Control Center will open Monitoring panel for selected networked unit. Please, check in picture that ARROW in Control Center panel changes from GREEN to RED ( > ) when unit Control panel is already opened. This feature will help user to know how many and which units panel are opened or closed. Units Control Center Panel shows next information: 1.- Unit Preset. Actual Factory Preset settings loaded in DSP ORANGE marked 2.- Link. In GREEN color when normal operation. If indicator changes to RED color, means lost communication; please, check all network and interfaces connection and CAT% cables. 3.- Unit Name. Makes reference to the Name of Unit of opened panel BLUE marked 5.- Bar Leds. Show Input and each Output signal Level. User may Control some parameters from unit panel: 1.- Input Signal Gain: Increase or decrease Input Signal Gain by clicking over button icon and dragging upwards ( Increase ) or downwards ( decrease ); or simply, clicking over white window placed below icons and writing desired Input signal Level. 2.- Input/Outputs Mute: User can MUTE Inputs and also Outputs individually RED marked This may help to make a quick check of speakers or enclosures connected to amplifier outputs. Please, click over GRAY square placed below each output bar leds to MUTE it. Selected Input or

Outputs MUTE, will change to RED color as shown in picture. Click again to UNMUTE. 3.- Factory Preset Selection: Please, click over symbol in Preset Unit window in unit Control panel and a list of available Factory Presets will appear on screen. Actual loaded Factory Preset will be indicated by a symbol. Any of stored factory Presets can be loaded into DSP memory by clicking over most convenient one and pressing over Load window. Please, refer to next example in which actual loaded Factory Preset number 1 LONG THROW RED color marked, will be changed by Preset number 4 HFC 1 GREEN color marked. 1.- Select new Factory Preset to load in DSP memory GREEN marked by clicking over it. 2.- Click LOAD window BLUE marked finally to LOAD new factory preset settings in DSP memory. IMPORTANT!: note that it s necessary to click LOAD window to load factory preset settings. If LOAD is not pressed, preset information will NOT be loaded. When a factory preset is properly loaded, preset name appears on Presets Unit window. IMPORTANT!: Refer to Musicson products User manual to select most convenient Factory preset. It s vital to make a right factory preset selection to have maximum system performance and a compensated tonal balance over all audience. 3.- Please, note that actual factory preset loaded will be displayed in software Presets Unit window and also in back panel Input Preset Sel leds. REAR PANEL LEDS MUSICSON DSP CONTROL SOFTWARE UNIT PANEL Falcon-210DA 4.2.- MONITORING IN/OUT SIGNALS User will control INPUT, LOW1, LOW2, MID and HIGH OUTPUT level signals by MONITORIZING this signals in opened panel. Connect a signal source to selected Networked Falcon-210DA and play some music. Signal Levels will appear in Bar-Leds with GREEN Lights If signal are so high that are distorted, RED Leds will light on Bar Leds. Warning!: Never let RED leds lighting constantly in any Bar Leds. This may cause important breakdowns either in speakers and power modules. Musicson software is a valuable tool to get maximum performance with minimum distortion levels while monitoring Input/Outputs signals.

Note: Peak Signals are displayed on Bar Leds during few seconds. This will help user to fix more convenient Input Level. 4.3.- CHANGING INPUT GAIN User can increase or reduce from +12dB to MUTE, INPUT GAIN by 2 methods: - Clicking on INPUT faders and dragging upwards or downwards or - Introducing (writing) directly in IN window the desired level value. IMPORTANT!: Please, try not to use extreme Input Gain values; use 0.0dB as a standard Gain. Please, note that a ±3dB Gain change means twice the acoustic output compared with 0.0dB. 4.4.- USING INPUT EQUALIZATION FILTERS As previously commented, MDCS supplied with Musicson DSP controlled devices allow: 1.- Input/Outputs Signals Monitoring ( refer to previous Manual Sections ) 2.- Input parameters Control: X-Over and Optimization filters, Delay, Limiters and Compressors. In order to have enough rights to access to INPUT Control parameters ( X-Over filters, Equalization filters, Input Delay, Limiter, ) user may introduce Administrator password to open IN PANEL. Please, select Hardware Password in networked control panel unit as shown in next picture: Write password Ad_min to access to Administrator level which gives rights to make changes in Input parameter settings. Although Factory Presets makes any of Musicson systems to deliver high Output Levels with a flat Frequency Response by selecting most convenient one, in some cases, audience area features ( buildings, trees, walls, ) makes some Equalization corrections necessary in some/all units to avoid undesirable effects.. Click with mousse button over IN1 panel in networked unit as marked in figure. Control panel will appear in Control Computer screen showing all settings available in INPUT. MDCS features up to 10 Optimization filters ( including X-Over Low-Pass and High-Pass ) for each networked unit. Available filters types are: - BELL : Selectable in any Frequency with variable Q ( 0.2 to 20 ), and Gain ( between -12 and +12dB ) - NOTCH : Selectable in any Frequency with fixed Q=10 and G=-40dB - ALLPASS: Selectable in any Frequency with variable Q ( 1 to 25 ) - LOW-SHELF: Selectable in any Frequency with variable Q ( 3 to 25 ) and Gain ( between -12dB to +12dB ) - HIGH-SHELF: Selectable in any Frequency with variable Q ( 3 to 25 ) and Gain ( between -12dB to +12dB ) - BAND-PASS : Selectable in any Frequency with variable Q ( 0.2 to 25 ) - HIGH-PASS : Selectable in any Frequency with variable Q ( 0.5 to 2 ) - LOW-PASS : Selectable in any Frequency with variable Q ( 0.5 to 2 )

It s possible to use either Equalization panel to configure necessary EQ. filters or clicking with mouse over each point in GRAPH and dragging with left button of mouse pressed to select Filter Frequency center and Gain. 1.- It s possible to use PC mouse to adjust all EQ. filter parameters. Click with LEFT PC mouse push-button over desired EQ. filter number ( square symbol ) and, while holding on, move it upwards ( increase Gain ) or downwards ( reduce Gain ). Click with RIGHT PC mouse button over EQ. filter number ( square symbol ) and, while holding on, move it to the right ( to increase Q with narrower filter bandwidth ) or left ( to reduce Q with wider filter bandwidth ). 2.- It s also possible to switch Equalization filters ON and OFF ( by-pass ) in Real-time to check sound differences in order to make filters best choice by clicking over BLUE square besides EQ filter: BLUE color means EQ filter ON and GREY color means EQ filter OFF. Select in LEFT UPPER side on graph screen to display on each EQ filter all adjusted parameters such as Frequency Center, Q and Gain. User is allowed also to Save or Print adjustments information in a Graphical Format file (.PNG ) by tapping. Warning!: Please, do not attempt to use extreme or radical EQ. filters Gain. It could deteriorate system performance and quality Please, note that this kind of adjustments should be used only as an audience areas features corrections like trees, buildings, walls, Remember your Musicson device will deliver all necessary output corrections for an optimized system performance selecting most adequate Factory Preset. 4.5.- USING INPUT DELAY AND SIGNAL LIMITER 1.- Input Signal can be delayed for time corrections in delay lines by entering most adequate value in DELAY screen in Control panel. By default, Input signal delay is 0.00ms. Maximum Input Delay value will be 40ms that means 14.73 meters. For an easier Delay adjustment, user can switch units between milliseconds, seconds, meters, feet, 2.- Maximum Input Signal can be also Limited entering value on LIMITER THR screen. Limiter Release can be changed in LIMITER REL screen. By default, +12.00dBU is adjusted. 4.6.- USING INPUT HIGH-PASS/LOW-PASS FILTER Maybe, in some cases, could be useful to apply Input Signal X-Over filters. Input High-Pass and Low-Pass X-Over filters ( Butterworth, Bessel and Linkwitz-Riley types) are available to user with slopes between 6 and 24dB/Oct in Control Panel. User can easily switch X-Over filters ON and OFF by clicking over blue square: blue color means filter ON and grey color means filter OFF. To remove X-Over filters, simply write OFF in Frequency X-Over filter white box. 5.- ADVANCED GROUPING FUNCTIONS Working with large number of units, GROUPING function allows user the possibility to make convenient Groups of Musicson DSP controlled devices Parameters copying from one master to rest of Slave units Input configuration and adjustments. This function avoid user accessing to all individual DSP which require same adjustments to manually configure them. NOTE!: Musicson Dsp Control Software allows user to select NOT TO GROUP certain parameters to have individual control even inside a configured GROUP. There are 3 steps to configure GROUPS:

5.1.- CREATE NEW GROUP In this example, one GROUP will be configured with Falcon-210DA Left Chanel called PA_L. Process will be exactly the same for Right Chanel. In Control Center panel, select menu Tools New Group. Write in pop-up window the name for new Group. In this case PA_L and confirm selecting OK. Please, repeat this procedures as many times as different GROUPS should be configured. 5.2.- SELECT UNITS IN A GROUP. Select networked units to join in defined GROUP PA_L clicking in tools icon marked in BLUE as shown in figure. A panel Configure Group will be opened. Click on Select option to open a new panel in which will be shown all connected units which may be add to GROUP. Click over first unit to be grouped and select it by clicking > marked in RED color to add GROUP. Please, select ONE BY ONE every units to group ( in this case, all units with L ) and confirm following this process. Units selected will be displayed on Group Members window as shown: Confirm finally with OK. 5.3.- SELECT PARAMETERS TO BE GROUPED IMPORTANT!: Please, be advised that GROUPS should not be configured until FOH engineer define which parameters should be LINKED. If no parameters are selected, GROUPS functions will not work.

Tap on Setup Links menu marked in RED color as shown in next figure and select parameters to LINK by clicking over Category If ALL parameters should be LINKED, please, select ALL. In any case, please, select which parameters should be LINKED to finish with PA_L Group configuration. In this case, ALL parameters or Category will be linked. Please, select Add marked in RED in next figure to add ALL categories to PA SYSTEM group and, finally, confirm by clicking OK marked in GREEN in both panels. If any of parameters should not be grouped, please, select them in Parameter pop-up menu and choose Remove. IMPORTANT!: Please, note that all adjustments and configurations made in Input DSP s, will remain in memory each time Musicson device is switched OFF and ON again. Check before using your system, all configuration loaded. Musicson strongly recommends to load most convenient Factory Preset in each unit each time a new event is handled. 6.- MUSICSON LIMITED WARRANTY MUSICSON products like DSP selfpowered systems are guaranteed for two years from the date of original purchase and covers all defects in material and workmanship, including amplification and DSP modules. All Musicson selfpowered systems user must preserve original shipping cartons in case of unit should be sent to Factory. In other cases, Musicson will charge new carton if needed. In case of damaged cabinet could not be sent to factory for checking or repairing, Musicson will supply all necessary parts to replace damaged ones. Musicson Technical Department will be the last responsible to send pieces or repair any product under warranty after checking. Please, do not ship any Musicson product to the factory without authorization. Following aspects are not covered by warranty: product modifications, neglect actions, damages caused by improper use even during shipment; Musicson warranty will not cover any non-authorized repair. Please, contact Musicson for any further information about this section.

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