product and applications...

Biamp Systems | 9300 S.W. Gemini Drive | Beaverton, OR | 97008 | USA | +1.503.641.7287 | www.biamp.com

PRODUCT AND APPLICATIONS BULLETIN

FILE: Section 7 [Applications] PRODUCTS: Nexia® CS– Conference System DSP Nexia SP– Speaker Processor DSP RCB Hub – Remote Control Bus hub Logic Box – Logic Control Box VCB – Voltage Control Box APPLICATION: Warehouse with departmental paging / intercom and background music. REQUIREMENTS: • Large warehouse with paging/communication between ten departmental zones • Background music selection and volume control per departmental zone • Distribution of audio, and a remote control network, throughout the warehouse PRODUCT OVERVIEW:

Nexia CS is a digital signal processor with 10 mic/line inputs and 6 mic/line outputs, intended for a variety of conferencing applications such as boardrooms, courtrooms, and council chambers. Nexia SP is a digital signal processor with 4 line inputs and 8 independent mix outputs, intended for speaker processing type applications requiring line inputs feeding a larger number of discrete outputs. Nexia system designs may include a broad selection of audio components, routing options, and signal processing. The internal system design is completely user definable via PC software, and can be controlled via dedicated software screens, RS-232 control systems, and/or a variety of optional remote control devices. Multi-unit Nexia systems can be created utilizing Ethernet and NexLink digital audio linking. Logic Box and Voltage Control Box (VCB) are programmable control interfaces. The Logic Box provides twenty logic inputs/outputs, allowing custom control via external switching circuits. The Voltage Control Box provides four analog inputs plus four logic inputs/outputs, allowing custom control via external potentiometers and/or switching circuits. Logic Box and Voltage Control Box are connected to a system on a 5-wire daisy-chain, providing serial communications to the system and eliminating the need for local power sources. Multiple devices can be connected on a remote control network, over a large physical distance. The Remote Control Bus Hub (RCB Hub) provides eight parallel ports for the connection of remote control devices to a Nexia system. Each port can accept multiple remote controls connected on a 5-wire daisy-chain. A single Hub, connected to a single Nexia unit, allows multiple branches to be added to the remote control network. The Remote Control Bus Hub can be used with any combination of control devices, including Volume 8, Select 8, Volume/Select 8, Logic Box, and Voltage Control Box.


APPLICATION EXAMPLE:

This application demonstrates the use of Nexia for paging/communications and background music in a large, departmental warehouse. The design utilizes a Nexia CS and a Nexia SP (ten mic/line inputs, four line inputs, fourteen outputs, with NexLink). An example system design file is shown on the back page. This is a grocery warehouse, divided into ten departments (i.e. canned goods, paper products, dairy, frozen foods, produce, etc.). Each department has a dedicated 70V distributed ceiling speaker system. Centrally located within each department is a control panel, for inter-departmental communications and background music. Four separate ‘auxiliary’ areas (offices, hallways, restrooms, and maintenance) also receive background music, but without paging. The system consists of a Nexia CS and a Nexia SP, which are connected via Ethernet (for initial programming and sharing of remote control data) and NexLink (for sharing of digital audio signals). These two units then work together as one system, with the Nexia CS providing inputs for ten paging microphones and the Nexia SP providing inputs for four background music (BGM) sources. Each unit is responsible for a portion of the required outputs (Zones 1~10 and Aux 1~4). The outputs feed a pair of MCA8150 multi-channel amplifiers (not shown), with 70V output transformers installed internally and channels configured for appropriate power to each of the fourteen separate distributed speaker systems. The control panel in each department consists of a paging microphone, a set of eleven momentary paging switches (available as an integrated feature on some paging microphones), an RP-L1 potentiometer panel, and an RP-S4 four-switch panel (set for momentary behavior). The microphone is connected to the corresponding input of the Nexia CS. The eleven paging switches are connected to a Logic Box, to facilitate page routing. The RP-L1 and RP-S4 are wired respectively to the ‘analog’ and ‘logic’ connections of a Voltage Control Box (VCB), to facilitate BGM volume and source control. A Logic Box and VCB are installed locally at each of the ten departmental paging stations. These control interfaces are wired back to the Nexia devices (installed in an equipment closet) on a remote control network. A Remote Control Bus Hub (RCB Hub) is strategically located in each ‘half’ of the warehouse. The RCB Hubs allow the remote control network connected to each Nexia unit to be wired with multiple branches, removing the need for a single daisy-chain wiring configuration and effectively extending the maximum total cable length allowed on the remote control network. Each remote control network branch (RCB Hub port) is wired as a separate single daisy-chain, with the final device on that branch terminated via the provided switch or jumper strap. The maximum total cable length for the remote control network is determined as the sum of the longest two branches, which combined must not exceed 1000 feet (300 meters). For example, in this application the two longest branches on either control network are from the Nexia to the RCB Hub and from the RCB Hub to the most distant Logic Box/VCB. If each of these branches was 500 feet (150 meters), then the maximum cable length would be reached. This is entirely acceptable, as long as all other branches are less than 500 feet (150 meters). All routing and processing of signals is done back at the Nexia units in the equipment closet. In the system design, each mic input has a Comp/Limiter, each BGM source has a Leveler, and each output has a Parametric EQ (5-band). Page routing is via a Matrix Mixer (10x10) and BGM selection is via a Router (4x10). NexLink blocks share audio between Nexia units. Page routing and BGM selection recall custom ‘macro’ presets, affecting only specified outputs of the Matrix Mixer or Router. Mics and speakers are not in close proximity, so paging between zones (or even into the same zone) is completely unrestricted. Duckers provide automatic page override of BGM. A logic circuit (see Logic Box-1) provides a paging ‘reset’ function (this circuit is packed into Custom Blocks on all other Logic Boxes).


7-10app.doc

product and applications...

Documents