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In case a preferred Views Host or WM Touch fails for network or hardware problems, the Dynamic Music Distribution has the Failover Redundancy, which allows the system to continue running using another View Host available on the network. This feature is available starting with WM Touch firmware v1.1.2.9 and Views Host v1.6.4.3. This feature allows seamless failover redundancy across multiple WM Touch and/or PC Views Hosts within the same system. Failover redundancy ensures that the system control will continue to run smoothly even in the case of a WM Touch or PC Views Host failing/going offline. Note that the new failover redundancy does not require any configuration and that the health check of devices within a Dynamic Music Distribution system is a fully automated background process, the onlydifferencewill be theIPAddressof the server because the new Views Host will have a different IP address from the preferred.

Project Properties - Views Host

The chart below shows some key points that needed to be considered while designing the system for Dynamic Music Distribution.

AMPLIFIER SERIES MAXIMUM ZONES AVAILABLE GPI AVAILABLE DANTE CARD DANTE Input DANTE Output DANTE TX Flows DANTE RX Flows

X8 4 Zones - Brooklyn II 16 8 32 32

X4 2 Zones - Brooklyn II 16 8 32 32

T Series (4 Ch) 2 Zones - Ultimo XT 4 4 2 2

T Series (2 Ch) 1 Zone - Ultimo XT 4 4 2 2

MEZZO AD (2 Ch) 2 Zones 4 Ultimo XT 4 4 2 2

MEZZO AD (4 Ch) 4 Zones 4 Ultimo XT 4 4 2 2

Ottocanali DSP+D 4 Zones - Brooklyn II 16 8 32 32

Quattrocanali DSP+D 2 Zones 4 Ultimo XT 4 - - 2

Duecanali DSP+D 1 Zone 2 Ultimo XT 2 - - 2

Table 4 – Summary of Powersoft amplifier capabilities

To have zone, source, and scene control on your project, the project needs to “Run” or bedeployedfirst. If the project is not “Run,” the WM Touch will not have the control interface loaded and the WM Passive will only act as aVCAvolumecontrol for your amplifiers. To “Run” the project, you would need to make sure that your project is set up properly. If the project was not set up properly, an error will pop up when you try to run the project. To “Run” the project, click on the “Rocket” icon and then click “Run.”

Runningcontrols&Views

Thediagramsbelow show the location of the “GPI”portof each amplifier.

Figure 1 – Quattrocanali DSP+D GPI port location

Figure 2 – Duecanali DSP+D GPI port location

Figure 3 – MEZZO GPI port location

Notes:Please refer to the Application Notes on how to set up GPI control atwww.powersoft.comor check out our YouTube channel for a tutorial video.

Apart from controlling the system using the WM Touch, users can also configure the system to be controlled using the WM Passive wall controllers. The WM Passive wall controllers need to be connected to the “GPI” inputs of an amplifier. Do take note that not all the amplifiers come with “GPI.”

The table below shows the amplifier models and their available “GPI” inputs.

AMPLIFIER SERIES GPI AVAILABLE

X Series

T Series NONE

MEZZO A / MEZZO AD 4

Ottocanali DSP+D NONE

Quattrocanali DSP+D 4

Duecanali DSP+D 2

Table – List of GPI on Powersoft amplifiers

Notes:

The “GPI” signal from one amplifier can be shared over the network with another amplifier. This will enable the user to have WM Passive wall controllers controlling other amplifiers on the network.

While some of the non-DSP+D amplifiers like the Quattrocanali feature “GPI” inputs are used for VCA control. For zone, source, and scene control, a DSP+D enabled amplifier is required.

For MEZZO both A and AD models can have zone, source, and scene control on the “GPI” inputs.

DANTE multicast flowsubscriptionsneed to be created fromDANTEController. To do this, the device needs to be online. The multicast flow needs to be created on the transmitter end of the Dante device. To do that, double click on the transmitter and click on “Create a multicast flow” option. For further information, you can always refer to Audinate’s official documentation.

Figure 1 – Selecting a Dante Transmitter

Figure 2 – Create a Multicast Flow Option

Figure 3 – DANTE Multicast Flow Example scheme

By default, patching DANTE outputs of the amplifiers to other devices createunicastflows. In the event that more DANTE devices need tosubscribeto the DANTE outputs, (2 DANTEtransmitterflows for MEZZO AD and T Series and 32 DANTE transmitter flows for Ottocanali) users will find themselves running out of flows for a unicastsubscriptionor find themselves running into a “fan-out”error. Upon finishing “Running” the project, the “Summary” page on ArmoníaPlus will also indicate that a multicast DANTE flow subscription needs to be created. To create a multicast flow, the user will need to use DANTE Controller.

Figure 1 – Dante Controller “No More Flows” Error

Figure 2 – ArmoníaPlus Summary PageMulticast Flows Warning

Figure 3 – DanteFANOUTExample scheme

Dante Fan Out Warning is now also available. This new feature addresses Powersoft’s Dynamic Music Distribution and that at times designers and installers may experience no audio playback after system deployment.

When designing Dynamic Music Distribution systems based on a Dante backbone it is possible that a unicast Dante source is set to feed more than 4 individual amplifiers at the same time. This will result in Dante fanout error and audio will not be received on all amplifiers.

To address this problem ArmoníaPlus 2.2 now detects possible fanout conditions during system deployment within the user's design. Upon deployment, a warning is displayed asking users to check the devices at risk as well as direct resources on fixing the problem.

Potential Dante fanout conditions can be addressed even after system deployment by enabling multicast flows on the Dante sources creating the issue within Dante Controller.

ArmoníaPlus 2.2 introduces the use of Dante Overflow warnings when working with Powersoft's Dynamic Music Distribution. This may happen when users set unique sources to play each zone since the 4-channel MEZZO can now support 4 independent zones.

This may lead to the user believing that MEZZO can play 4 different Dante sources from 4 different Dante transmitters at the same time, while in fact, this is not the case. The MEZZO Series can only support 2 flows, In the example, Dante sources from up to 2 independent Dante transmitters.

To prevent the misuse of Dante flows and the Dynamic Music Distribution system not working properly, users are now warned of the Dante Overflow condition when the following circumstances are both met while designing a system.

When a MEZZO, 4-channel amplifier is set to drive more than 2 zones.

When the same zones are linked to sources from 3 or more unique Dante transmitters.

ArmoníaPlus 2.2 has your back every time you design with the addition of Dante flow warnings. Using ArmoníaPlus 2.2, the user can be assured that their system design will always run efficiently and properly.

With the release of ArmoníaPlus 2.2, 4-channel models of MEZZO now support up to 4 zones. This specific request from integrators has now been addressed and the MEZZO Series of amplifiers can drive as many zones as their total number of available outputs.

The System design workflow within ArmoníaPlus stays unchanged apart from the 2-zone limitation on 4 channels MEZZO. This has been removed with the release of new firmware which is available for all MEZZO Series amplifiers.

It is important to note that this feature is only available for MEZZO Series amplifiers and that this will never be implemented for Quattrocanali DSP+D Series amplifiers due to processing capabilities. ArmoníaPlus 2.2 now features greater zoning control for MEZZO Series amplifiers while building onto Powersoft user requirements.

The 4-channel MEZZO AD models use the same DANTE chip as the 2-channel version. Both will have a maximum of 2 DANTE flows. When a 4-channel MEZZO AD is being used to drive more than 2zonesand 3 or more unique DANTE transmitters are linked to the zones, a warning will appear to the useralarmingthem to theriskof “overflow”. This is due to the capability of the DANTE chip being used in the MEZZO which can handle a maximum of 2 unique DANTE Flows simultaneously. This is in no way a limitation of the amplifier to process the sources.

Figure 1 – Overflow Example scheme and ArmoníaPlusWarning

The Dynamic Music Distribution capability of the system also enables dynamic routing. Dynamic routing enables the user to easily share their analogue or AES3 signal with other amplifiers on the network through DANTE receivers. This is made possible with the use of DANTE transmitters available on select Powersoft amplifiers.

Some considerations need to be kept in mind on the number of simultaneous DANTE sources that one amplifier can convert vs. the number of simultaneous DANTE sources that one amplifier can receive. This is due to the Dante flows available related to the number  used within the amplifier.

The table below shows the type of DANTE chip being deployed in each Powersoft amplifier and the number of DANTE inputs / outputs and DANTE flows available.

AMPLIFIER SERIES DANTE CARD DANTE Input DANTE Output DANTE Flows TX DANTE Flows RX

X Series Brooklyn II 16 8 32 32

T Series Ultimo XT 4 4 2 2

MEZZO AD Ultimo XT 4 4 2 2

Ottocanali DSP+D Brooklyn II 16 8 32 32

Quattrocanali DSP+D Ultimo XT 4 - - 2

Duecanali DSP+D Ultimo XT 2 - - 2

Table 2 – List of Dante-enabled Powersoft amplifiers.

Notes:

One Unicast Dante flow (configuration by default) can contain up to 4 audio channels while One Multicast Dante flow can contain up to 8 audio channels.

Dante " transmit " flows are used when sending audio out from a Dante device and a " receive " flow is used to accept audio in from another Dante device.

Dynamic Music Distribution enables the system to differentiate zones assigned to one or more amplifiers without needing a central DSP or zone mixer. Do take note that the number of zones that an amplifier can have does not always correspond to the number of outputs available on the amplifier.

Here is a list of the various amplifiers and their zoning capability.

AMPLIFIER SERIES MAXIMUM ZONES AVAILABLE

X8 4 Zones

X4 2 Zones

T Series 4 Channels 2 Zones

T Series 2 Channels 1 Zone

MEZZO A/AD 2 Channels 2 Zones

MEZZO A/AD 4 Channels 4 Zones

Ottocanali DSP+D 4 Zones

Quattrocanali DSP+D 2 Zones

Duecanali DSP+D 1 Zone

Table 1 – Maximum zones available on Powersoft amplifiers.

Notes:

As a rule of thumb, except for MEZZO Series, all other amplifiers have ½ the number of zoning capabilities compared to their outputs.

Dynamic Music Distribution does not support speakers linked in “ Spit Mode” to amplifiers, so they cannot be assigned to any zone.

Dynamic Music Distribution offers System Integrators the ability to scale inputs and zones conveniently and efficiently with dynamic routing capabilities embedded in its amplifier platforms. This makes it simpler to share music between different zones independently from the source location and to carry control signals in an automated fashion without the need for a centralized DSP.