1 Topic by phils

  • phils
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  • Registered: 2007-08-15
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Topic: More memory for wave files - help!

We have been telling our potential customers about 2 NION features that were first promoted in Meridian in 2004:
unfortunately now someone has believed us and wants to know how to do it!

An Alcorn McBride player was spec'd into a project, but it and the Biamp dsp were removed because NION could do both jobs better.
However, this was based on the expectation that a 2GB CF could be put in the n3.
The system has been sold, and the dealer has asked us how to do it!

An alternative approach would be to use the "optional" HDD to store the wave files, which has the advantage of staying well away from the OS, and also avoids possible problems with write cycles for the CF. Is this documented/possible yet?

Yet another approach (and possibly preferred) would be to play files that are on a network drive outside the box altogether.

However it is to be done, we really need urgent help to provide a way to handle more than 128MB of wave files.


One related question: when wave files are part of a multi-nionode project, are they saved in all the nionodes?
Or would it be possible to spread the storage load around in some way?

Thanks in anticipation.

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place."
                                                                                        - George Bernard Shaw

2 Reply by jvalenzuela

  • jvalenzuela
  • Initech programmer
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Re: More memory for wave files - help!

I always thought it would be cool for a NioNode to play media from a NFS mount.

3 Reply by JoshM

  • JoshM
  • JoshM
  • Recording Engineer at Burnt Orange Studio
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Re: More memory for wave files - help!

Phil-

The one issue with what you want to do means that whenever the wave files need to be modified or updated, redeployment of the project is required. We do not currently support importing and exporting wave files without deployment. This may change at some time in the future.

IF the wave files do not need to be changed on any sort of regular basis, the internal wave players will work well.

However, if someone needs to regularly change and modify the wave files, I have been suggesting to customers that they use a rack mounted PC with the NION. The PC should have a Cobranet PCI card in it (such as the card from Audio Science - ASI6416 - or I believe Digigram makes one as well. Now, with Cobranet to between the PC and the NION, you should be all ready to go.

There may be a way, at some time in the future, to upload and download wave files to and from the CF. Also, we agree that a larger CF card should be made available, so progress is being made on that front as well.

What kind of time frame are you dealing with on this?



Jason-

I agree. That has long been one of my desired features. However, I was hoping that it would be able to play from AND record to a NFS mount.

Josh Millward
Burnt Orange Studios

JoshM's Website

4 Reply by Joe Kurta

  • Joe Kurta
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Re: More memory for wave files - help!

...I always thought it would just be easier for Peavey to manufacturer a seperate playback/record hardware device (1/2 RU - solid state - 50 GB of storage min) that could be controlled via NWare.  Then, the size/speed of the CF in the NION wouldn't matter!

Thanks,

Joe

5 Reply by jvalenzuela

  • jvalenzuela
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Re: More memory for wave files - help!

Well there are a lot of devices that fit that pretty much fit that description. There are even a few that can interface directly via Cobranet. All that would be required would be a control interface, which may be possible with Python depending on the complexity of the protocol involved.

6 Reply by Joe Kurta

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Re: More memory for wave files - help!

I understand and admit that we have gone the python route in the past too to control several different playback units.  However, being this is a Peavey hosted forum it seems a new product idea of something that would integrate seamlessly with their software would seem fitting.  Especially if you consider how easy not using Python could be.

Thanks,

Joe

7 Reply by phils

  • phils
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Re: More memory for wave files - help!

I'm with Joe on this: it would be a great add-on to the range, and relatively easy.

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place."
                                                                                        - George Bernard Shaw

8 Reply by jvalenzuela

  • jvalenzuela
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Re: More memory for wave files - help!

How about adding prebuilt control modules, not unlike the current SNMP ones? For example I think Alcorn's digital binloop with CobraNet outputs is real slick, just add the ability to the Nion(and/or Conman) to control it via LAN and you have a nice solution. Then Peavey can go work on cooking up a Nio-CM1 instead... wink I mean folks like Alcorn, Anitech, Gilderfluke and 360 Systems already have excellent units in this area, all that is wanting is software really.

9 Reply by tucan

  • tucan
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Re: More memory for wave files - help!

How about an audio player module that fits in a Nion slot?

It could have an externally removable compact flash card and/or a USB socket for a thumbdrive, maybe even an onboard IDE interface for 2.5" laptop drives.......maybe a network connection for playing networked media files....

.... and all nicely controllable in Nware as if it were an internal message player, with its audio coming in through that slots IO channels.....

..maybe configurable as multichannel or 8 mono players or anywhere in between....

10 Reply by Joe Kurta

  • Joe Kurta
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Re: More memory for wave files - help!

Very nice.  Great idea tucan.

For what it's worth, I'd also like to see the wave file players in Nware support CHIMP (since the recorders already do).  That would be one more option to stream audio from one place to another.

Thanks,

Joe

11 Reply by Fergy

  • Fergy
  • MM Tech Support
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Re: More memory for wave files - help!

Both great ideas.

Would the audio that the CHIMP sends out be of good enough quality for incoming audio?

Make it intuitive, never leave them guessing.