RTI AD-64 Audio Distribution System

Controls up to 64 zones using multiple AD-8/4/8x/4x/16x Devices

Revision History

1.0 Builds on older AD-x driver by allowing up to 64 zones through multiple AD-8's, Adds 'previous source' command and limited 'Doorbell' functionality. Adds variables and events for source and zone usage tracking.

1.2 Adds dynamic variable renaming and configuration. Adds extensive eventing to allow zone commands to be re-routed to external devices. Increases the minimum time between commands to avoid missed commands when using back to back driver commands in a macro.

1.5 Version 1.5 introduces limited support for AD-8x and AD-4x by adding IP Control and changing the default volume set ranges to -75 to 0. If you're using the new commands with an AD-8 you will have to manually adjust the gauge and slider ranges to use -62 as a minimum rather than -75

1.6 Version 1.6 introduces grouping functions.

1.61 Fixes a problem using the Doorbell function on AD-8/AD-4 (non-x versions)

1.62 Eliminates some redundant variable names and adds dynamic naming to the group commands
1.63 Adds missing Source Select events

1.64 Fixes the remaing command events

1.65 Fixed sample text for Group 1 Name

1.7 adds support for the AD-16x and expands the configuration options for those using IP control by allowing connection by friendly name, IP address, or MAC address.

1.71 Fixes the Select Group functions

1.72 Several APEX tag fixes and handles group counts of 0

1.73 Fixes sample text on Group Name variables

1.74 Fixes issue with AD-4/AD-8 configuration

Connection

This driver provides serial and network control of up to 64 zones of RTI's Audio Distribution Devices. The serial connection is a straight through connection, a standard RTI RJS-232 adapter will work fine. In the driver configuration you enter how many units you have, and then assign ports to them using the pull down menus.

AD's of different sizes

Unlike earlier version of this driver the devices now fill in as many zones as they have; If device 1 is and AD-4x and device 2 is an AD-16x then the AD-16x will be zones 5 through 20. While the driver supports 64 zones, the maximum number of devices possible is 8.

Commands

The driver provides single zone control of all zone functions, and all zone control of most functions (no volume).

Direct volume set and source changes will turn on and unmute the zones.

If you want a particular panel to control different zones at different times you can use the ‘Selected Zone’ functions. A series of commands exists to pick a particular zone to be used on subsequent commands. This zone can be selected directly by number, you can toggle up or down through them or pick it out from a scrolling list. Once chosen that zone is the Selected Zone for that panel or remote. Zone commands such as routing and volume, which are normally sent to zones 1-8, can be sent to zone ‘0’ and will be sent to the selected zone for that panel.

Zone and Source Naming

The Driver tab has configuration options that allow you to name the zones so they can appear in the list by name as well as display their name when selected, and to select the number of zones being used so the list is the correct length and the increment and decrement functions can wrap correctly.

Bass and Treble

The bass and treble commands are defined as being -12 to +12 but they are in two db increments. Volume Up and Down commands will cause the value to change by 2 db. The default command and variable settings work fine with sliders but if you use discrete set commands the AD-x will ignore any commands that have an odd number for a parameter.

Previous Zone and ‘Doorbell’

Whenever the driver routes a zone to a new source it remembers the previous source and can return to it with a single command, you can back up though the last 25 sources should you need. The doorbell command is a steroid enhanced version of the previous command. When you send a ‘doorbell on’ command to a zone the driver will remember its current source, volume and power state. When you send the ‘doorbell off’ command it will return the zone to its previous source at the old volume, unless it was off in which case it will simply turn it off. The doorbell command gets built as a macro with a doorbell command for each zone to be used. The doorbell command does take some time to execute so you should use it on the fewest number of zones you can get away with.

Very large installations (3 or 4 AD's) and/or sending the doorbell command to a large number of zones can cause a lot of traffic which can cause consecutive doorbell commands in a macro to miss. This can be solved with a slight delay, usually just 0.1 seconds between commands in the macro.

Driver Events

The driver will send events when zones turn on or off, or when their source changes. It triggers an event when a new zone is selected (although it doesn't know the device that did it). It also sends an event when the external mute is triggered.

New events in 1.02 include events when the first zone turns after they’ve all been off, and again when the last zone is turned off. In addition there is a pair of events for each source, one when it is picked for the first time and another when the last zone deselects it. All these states have new Boolean variables to use with reverse or invisible states.

1.3 adds driver events when audio commands are actually sent to the device. The included commands are power, mute, volume up and down and input selection. This allows you to 'redirect' these commands to other devices by using the events to trigger macros controlling other devices. If you have one AD-8 you can tell the driver you have nine zones and use the commands for zone 9 to control an external audio receiver

Sample File
The sample file includes a KX7 sample with all the commands called out for the first 8 zones as well as a page with a scrolling list of zones and sources. The lower left of the panel lets you switch between pages for volume and pages for eq, between the first four tracks and the second four and you can switch to a page for all the ‘Selected Zone’ commands: One page with one set of controls that can control any of the up to 64 channels.

The iPad layout has all the same controls extended to 16 channels but starts on a page showing the ‘Selected Zone’ commands. This first page has three main sections. The first can set all zones to a set input, turn them off and on or mute and unmute them. The source buttons also serve as tallies for the sources in use. Any time a source is in use by a zone the button will be highlighted. Next to the source tallies are numbers that show the number of zones using a particular source. This is probably not a variable you’ll use in your projects but can be a great help troubleshooting.

As of version 1.6 the 1-8 page of the iPad sample shows a simple example of using the grouping functions to create a 'Party' mode using group 1. Grouping function are discussed below.

Groups
Groups became available in the 1.6 version of the driver and require firmware 3.00 or higher in the AD-8x or AD-4x. All AD-16x's have grouping. The driver supports up to 8 zones even though the AD-4 only supports 4

Groups are initially configured in the processors driver tab by first indicating how many groups will be used and then optionally naming them. Naming the groups allows the names to show up in the command and variable library tabs in ID. It allows the processor to fill the Group Name variables for use on your panels.

In addition to the options that exist in the device's web interface to create permanent groupings, groups can be altered on the fly using driver commands. Zones can be added, removed or toggled in and out of groups. There are also commands that allow a zone to be removed from all groups, as well as a command to remove all zones from a group. A zone can only be in one group. All of these commands can be assigned to a specific zone or group, or can use either the selected zone or group (or both) for that particular device. Groups have the same characteristics as zones, with the exception of volume. They can be turned on and off, muted and assigned a specific source. Groups do not have their own volume however, there is a variable that will track Group Volume set commands so that sliders will work but this variable DOES NOT TRACK GROUP VOLUME UP AND DOWN. The zones retain their own individual volume level so that a balance can be created between individual zones in a group. Groups do have a Volume Set command which will set the volume of all zones in the group to a specific level but that will obviously change the balance of levels within the group.

When the first zone is assigned to a group the group takes on the power, mute and source characteristics of that zone. Any zone after that to get added to the group will be set to take on the characteristics of that group instead, including having its source changed to match the current group source. Its volume level is not altered.

When in a group the individual volume commands for a zone, as well as power and mute continue to work normally. If you change the zone’s source however, the zone will leave the group.

To change the state of the entire group you have two choices. First, you can use the group commands. Any group command will be sent to all zones in the group. Secondly you can use the Zone/Group Context version of the commands. Those commands will work normally on a zone until it is in a group, after that it will work on all zones in the group.