PESA to Unveil Massive Audio Routing Switcher
PESA, which makes high-definition video and audio signal distribution solutions, said it will unveil its new Cheetah Enterprise Audio Routing System (EARS) architecture at National Association of Broadcasters show next month in Las Vegas.
PESA Cheetah Enterprise Audio Routing System
PESA, which makes high-definition video and audio signal distribution solutions, said it will unveil its new Cheetah Enterprise Audio Routing System (EARS) architecture at National Association of Broadcasters show next month in Las Vegas. Based on PESA’s DRS Audio Distributed Routing System, the new Cheetah DRS-EARS is a third-generation system that can now be configured up to 6144×6144 and beyond, company officials said, and removes the boundaries between mixed signal formats.
The Cheetah DRS-EARS is designed facilities such as cable head ends, cable and broadcast networks, satellite facilities, telecom companies, and corporate facilities, according to PESA. It allows users to integrate AES/EBU, analog audio, MADI, and time code within one distributed system.
“The new Cheetah Enterprise Audio Routing System is a robust and reliable system that adapts all the features audio professionals demand in a large-scale audio distribution system,” said Keith Bond, PESA’s vice president of product development, in a statement. “Many broadcasters and mobile production engineers understand the competitive advantage gained through the efficient exchange of distributed audio through our routers and control system.”
According to the company, audio routing has evolved from crosspoint routers that were large and expensive to time domain multiplexing routers that are smaller and much less expensive. PESA said it created a distributed routing system that used attributes of both TDM and packet routers. Its modular architecture allows up to 128 inputs or outputs to be placed in different locations to maximize efficiency in cable management. Using Gigabit Ethernet for data packet distribution, an input frame and output frame are connected up to 300 feet away from the main processing frame using only one RJ-45 cable, or miles away using a single fiber-optic connection.
The EARS Data Exchange Engine (DXE) supports up to 24 ports in 1RU and can interconnect frames to build a system up to 1536×1536 mono. Additionally, the EARS-DXE provides optional fiber-optic interconnects for system expansion. By connecting four DXE modules together, audio systems up to 6144 X 6144 mono can be achieved. PESA says the architecture of the EARS DXE chassis will allow future expansion up to 12,288 inputs and 12,288 outputs.
The EARS package provides all the essential signal processing features needed to distribute AES3, AES3id, Time Code, Analog Audio and MADI in one frame and without the need for external converters. Any input type is converted to a packet stream and can be switched as stereo pairs or as two independent mono analog channels. Control and diagnostic features include sample rate conversion, gain and phase inversion, level adjustments for every input and output path. Paired channels can be swapped, summed or subtracted and variable delay can be assigned to any input or output path based on video frames or seconds, according to the company.
Each EARS-DXE can be configured for complete system redundancy of the data paths. A second interconnect on each DXE allows for two parallel data paths in the event signals are lost on the primary path. Each frame supports redundant power, redundant control, and quick access front loadable, hot swappable matrix cards. Frames are available in a variety of interconnect options which include BNC’s, ELCO or 6-Pin Pluggable connectors for AES, Analog Audio and Time Code.
The Cheetah DRS-EARS router operates with PESA’s PERC2000 control system for router configuration and customization. Additionally, each DRS-EARS system can be monitored and controlled via Cattrax, a Windows-based network management software package for unified control management of all PESA routers and control system components.
