Studio Technologies Talent Console

The Model 209 Talent Console offers a unique combination of audio, remote control, and tally-output resources for use in podcast and other specialized audio applications. The unit is housed in a compact enclosure that's intended for mounting under a tabletop, within custom furniture, or as part of an on-air set.

Applications

Model 209 can provide an "all-Dante" solution for one podcast location. A wide range of other applications can also be supported, including sports and entertainment TV and radio events, streaming broadcasts, corporate and government AV installations, and post-production facilities. The unit's capabilities allow it to be easily integrated into REMI/At-Home applications.

Installation, Configuration, and Operation

Installation, configuration, and operation of the Model 209 is simple. The lightweight aluminum enclosure mounts under a tabletop or other work surface. On the unit's back panel an RJ45 jack is used to interconnect with a standard Ethernet port that supports Power-over-Ethernet (PoE). This connection provides both Model 209 power and bidirectional Dante digital audio. Also located on the unit's back panel is a 3-pin female XLR connector which allows connection of a dynamic, ribbon, or condenser microphone. The connected microphone can be a standalone "stick" type, a microphone associated with a broadcast headset, or a mic installed as part of a boom microphone mounting assembly. An integrated low-noise P48 phantom power source allows support for a wide range of professional condenser microphones.

Ethernet Data and PoE

The Model 209 connects to a local area network (LAN) by way of a standard 100 Mb/s twisted-pair Ethernet interface. Two LEDs display the status of the network connection. The Model 209's operating power is provided by way of the Ethernet interface using the 802.3af Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) standard. This allows fast and efficient interconnection with an associated data network. To support PoE power management, Model 209's PoE interface reports to the power sourcing equipment (PSE) that it's a class 2 (low power) device.

Dante Audio-over-Ethernet

Audio data is sent to and received from Model 209 using Dante audio-over-Ethernet media networking technology. As a Dante-compliant device, Model 209's two Dante transmitter (output) and two Dante receiver (input) audio channels can be routed (subscribed) to other devices using the Dante Controller software application. The Dante transmitter and receiver channels are limited to supporting four Dante flows, two in each direction. The digital audio's bit depth is up to 32 with supported sample rates of 48 and 96 kHz. The Model 209 is compatible with the AES67 interoperability standard. In this mode the two Dante transmitter (output) channels will function in multicast; unicast is not supported. In addition, the unit is compatible with the Dante Domain Manager (DDM) software application.

Audio Quality

Model 209's audio performance is completely "pro." A low-noise, wide dynamic-range microphone preamplifier ensures that mic input audio quality is preserved while minimizing the chance of signal overload. The output of the microphone preamp is routed to a high-performance analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) section. The audio signal, now in the digital domain, routes through the unit's microcontroller integrated circuit and on to the Dante interface section where it is packetized and prepared for transport over Ethernet.

Configuration Flexibility

The Model 209 can be configured to meet the needs of specific applications and user preferences. All configuration choices are performed using the STcontroller personal computer software application which is available free of charge on the Studio Technologies website. There are no mechanical switch settings or button-press sequences required to configure how the unit functions. Selectable parameters include P48 phantom power on/off, microphone preamplifier gain, headphone and sidetone operation, talkback button operation, level display, remote control inputs, and tally outputs.

Microphone Input and Audio Outputs

The gain of the microphone preamplifier can be selected over a range of 20 to 65 dB in single dB steps. This allows Model 209 to match the output sensitivity of a range of standalone and headset-associated microphones. A low-noise source of P48 phantom power can be enabled, if required, to support a variety of condenser microphones.

Headphone Output

The headphone output signal routing can be configured from among three choices. The dual-channel stereo mode is provided for applications where two channels of talent cueing need to be independently sent to the left and right headphone output channels. The dual-channel mono mode allows the two Dante receiver (input) audio channels to be summed (mixed) and sent to both the left and right headphone output channels. Lastly, a unique single-channel mono mode is provided for applications where a single-channel headphone, earpiece, or earbud is being used. The two Dante audio receiver (input) channels are mixed together and sent only to the left channel of the headphone output. No audio signal is present on the headphone output's right channel.

Remote Control Inputs and Tally Outputs

The two remote control inputs can be configured to activate several functions. They can be assigned to perform the same action as the talkback push button switch. This allows control of the audio signal as it is sent to the two Dante transmitter (output) channels. The remote-control inputs can also be configured to control the tally outputs.

Future Capabilities and Firmware Updating

The Model 209 was designed so that its capabilities and performance can be enhanced in the future. A USB receptacle, located on the unit's back panel, allows the application firmware (embedded software) to be updated using a USB flash drive. The Model 209 uses Audinate's Ultimo integrated circuit to implement the Dante interface. The firmware in this integrated circuit can be updated via the Ethernet connection, helping to ensure its capabilities remain up to date.