Axia Users Gain New Flexibility with Studio Control Panels

29 March 2007, Cleveland, OH USA

At NAB 2007, Axia Audio will be displaying a variety of new rack and turret/furniture mounted accessory controllers for use with Axia IP-Audio networks.

Six new Studio Control panels interface with Element to give on-air hosts, guests and producers remote control of headphone selection, mic channels and more, and three new flexible button panels can be programmed to trigger router salvos, load profiles, switch studios, control audio gear, provide intercom functions and more.

“We could spend a lot of time talking about the cool tech in these control panels,” says Axia president Michael “Catfish” Dosch, “but air talent doesn’t care about that. They just want to be able to press a button and have the right thing happen immediately! Which is exactly what they’re designed to do.”

The new accessory controllers on display will include:

• A family of 5-, 10- and 15-button Film-Legendable Button Controllers in 1RU rackmount form-factors. These buttons can be custom-programmed with Axia PathfinderPC software for use as “macro” keys for frequently-used switching applications, or to provide recording device controls. These can be placed anywhere fast access to switching operations is needed – control rooms, talent studios, production rooms, TOCs, etc.
• Programmable SmartSwitch 4-button Studio Accessory Panels. These backlit, dynamic-LCD displays are also programmed using PathfinderPC software and are designed for convenient placement adjacent to host or guest mic positions. Panels can be custom-programmed to provide controls for recording devices or used as one-button “macro” keys to perform simple switching applications or complex scene changes such as transferring program chains from studio to studio,
• Programmable FilmCap 5-button Studio Accessory Panels. Like their rackmount cousins, these controller provide on-board switching capabilities for applications not requiring the dynamic function changes found in SmartSwitch modules, and can be mounted anywhere.
• A Mic Control/Headphone Selector Panel for Element consoles. Talent can easily select their own headphone feed source and control its volume, as well as control mic channel on/off/mute functions. These functions are also available separately in stand-alone Mic Control Panel and Headphone Selector Panels.
• A Producer’s Mic Control Panel for Element consoles. This unique Accessory Panel can be placed at dedicated Producer’s positions to give talkshow or morning show producers control of their mic channel’s remote on/off/mute operations, as well as dedicated Talkback keys for easy communication with studio guests, hosts and remote talent via the console's backfeeds.

Also debuting at NAB is the new Element 2-Fader+Monitor module, which allows Axia clients to order Element consoles in compact sizes of 2 to 10 faders — perfect for space-sensitive applications. The new module combines two fader strips with overbridge alphanumeric displays and Status Symbols™ with a comprehensive two-space Monitor/Options section, all of which fit into a single four-position module. Element can be ordered with as many as 40 faders, in single-frame or split-frame configurations.

The Axia IP-Audio system allows broadcasters to build audio networks of any size using standard Switched Ethernet to connect a few rooms — or an entire facility. Axia IP-Audio networks can carry hundreds of digital stereo (or nearly a hundred surround) audio channels over a standard CAT-6 cable, eliminating much of the cost normally associated with wiring labor and infrastructure. Axia products include a family of “audio nodes” that allow easy mixing and matching of digital, analog and microphone audio, and eliminate PC sound cards.

Visit Axia at the 2007 NAB Convention, Booth N7726, for a complete demonstration of IP-Audio networking. For more information, contact Clark Novak at Axia, +1-216-241-7225, or e-mail cnovak@AxiaAudio.com.

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