3Com PLM Series Owner's Manual
Contents
1. tion builds on the foundation of the road tested FP and legendary fP Series providing the same sonic signature powerful tight bass and transpar ent high frequency response In addition the PLM Series establishes new benchmarks for high power and channel density in tandem with digital signal processing system management and protection features found in no other product Thank you again for placing your confidence in L ab gruppen INTRODUCTION 2 2 2 Ethernet Fundamentals The PLM Series implements a full Ethernet stack providing all the standard features and benefits of an Ethernet device As with all Ethernet based devices some specific cable requirements apply and there are inherent limitations to the number of network nodes and cable lengths supported An overview of basic Ethernet system requirements is presented in section 5 3 of this guide It is assumed that the user has a basic understand ing of Ethernet based networking technology A level of knowledge equivalent to that needed for configuring a home or small office network should be sufficient for most PLM Series applications Also it Is assumed the user is familiar with basic networking terminology e g bandwidth port node A number of more advanced terms specific to PLM Series applications are included in section 7 References and Definitions 2 3 PC Configuration In most network configurations that include switch ers or routers of the types rec2. 24 dB that is stated in the Cat be requirements This limits the recommended length to 90 9 m Please be aware that Lab gruppen has not verified perfor mance at the maximum length Belden 1305A Cat 6 cable 4 pair 8 conductor Wire pairs are glued together to resist bend failure Approved for both indoor and outdoor applications Operating temperature of 20 C to 60 C Manufacturer website www belden com Vv NN 6 1 4 Recommended network connectors LEMO type multipin connector The Neutrik EtherConRJ45 connector has come into wide use in the touring business However Neutrik 14 PLM Series Network Configuration Guide only guarantees the performance of the EtherCon for 1000 mating cycles In order to provide a more reliable long term solu tion Lab gruppen recommends the circular metal push pull connector from LEMO These connectors are rated to withstand 5000 mating cycles and are available in both crimped and soldered versions LEMO connectors gt Rated at 5000 insertions Operational from 50 C to 200 C Nickel brass construction Manufacturer website www lemo com Recommended part numbers gt Female panel connector PHG 2K 308 CYMC75Z In order to use the LEMO connector one 24 must use the following pin out Pins 4 and shifted If the connector is made with a pin to pin wiring configuration the connection will work for 100BASE TX but not for 1000BASE T RJ
3. 45 LEMO 1 1 orange white 2 2 orange 3 3 green white 4 6 blue 5 5 blue white 6 4 green 7 7 brown white 8 8 brown LAB GRUPPEN REFERENCES AND DEFINITIONS 7 The following definitions will help the user better understand some specific terms used in this guide and in other PLM Series technical documentation Lab gruppen has made every effort to make sure that the information here IS correct and accurate Auto sensing Auto uplink Backbone Crossed network cable Differentiated Services Code Point DSCP topology Hop Latency MAC address Packet Power over Ethernet PoE Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol RSTP SFP Small Form factor Pluggable SSID Star Switch Ethernet Description The Ethernet ports on the PLM automatically determine the base speed of the network connection 10Base T or 100Base T and configure themselves appropriately The Ethernet ports on the PLM are able to operate with either straight or crossed network cables This ability to connect correctly with either type is termed auto uplinking Large Ethernet networks are often implemented with a very high speed trunk part of the network topology feeding the main switches which in turn support smaller lower speed local networks The term backbone is used to describe such a trunk An Ethernet cable in which four of the eight conductors pins 1 2 5 amp 6 are not wired pin to pin Such a cable is re
4. Dante Cat 5 cabling meets the requirements for the PLM Ethernet control network However the higher ratings of Cat be and Cat 6 are recommended for use as the backbone between switches particularly if Dante is being used Cat 3 or Cat 4 cables may still be in use in some installations Neither of these satisfies the bandwidth requirements of 100BASE TX or 1000BASE T net working and should not be used with PLM Series networks Table 5 1 can be used as a guide when specifying maximum recommended lengths for Ethernet cables within a PLM network Spectral Bandwidth Length LAN Table 5 1 Recommended PLM network cable lengths 8 PLM Series Network Configuration Guide LASB GRUPPEN 5 2 PLM Series Topology Overview Thanks to the auto sense and auto uplink features of the PLM Series Ethernet ports connecting multiple units is a simple task A free topology network can be implemented easily including external switches or hubs as required Following are some examples of various network configurations that can be used when setting up a PLM network 5 2 1 Daisy chained devices If a daisy chain network system see figure 3 Is implemented the secondary Ethernet connectors on PLM Series devices can be used as loop thru outputs to send the audio and or control signal to the next unit in the chain I e in the same rack As an example a system utilizing a Dolby Lake Processor as a break in point woul
5. Media Access Control A packet is a formatted block of data consisting of both control data and user data also known as the payload Control information provides data needed by the network to deliver the user data payload and assure data integrity Each packet travels over the network as a discrete and uninterrupted block of data Power over Ethernet is a system for transmitting electrical power over a twisted pair cable along with the data It is functionally similar to the phantom powering of microphones over audio cables PoE allows powering of remote network switches and other appliances without the need of a separate power supply and AC mains wiring RSTP is a data communication protocol that enables fast restoration of service following failure or interruptions on a network link Based on the old Spanning Tree Protocol it retains the plug and play benefits while providing far faster recovery of network connectivity SFP is an optical transceiver used in data communications It interfaces a network device to a fiber optic cable allowing the network to carry large amounts of data over long distances with minimal latency A Service Set Identifier or SSID is used to identify the particular 802 11 wireless LAN to which a user wishes to attach A client device receives messages from all access points within range Selection of the access point can be pre configured within the client device or chosen by a user from a displayed list of SSIDs Mult
6. The primary network would connect the primary port of each Dante equipped device PLM or DLP and the secondary network would connect all the secondary ports The dual redundancy mode has the benefit that any single switch can fail without causing an audible interruption in the network However the control and monitor PC will have to be manually switched between the primary and the secondary network if a failure on one network layer should occur A dual redundancy configuration doubles BY the number of switches and cables needed Also note that the Dolby Lake Processor DLP does not support this redundancy scheme via dual rear panel Ethernet connectors so one DLP per network layer would be required NETWORK CONNECTIONS AND TOPOLOGIES 5 5 2 3 Daisy chained switches In such a topology each group of PLM Series units typically those inside the same rack have a switch inside the rack to which each has a direct connection These local switches are connected in a daisy chain figure 5 2 3 Systems of this type can be made quite large if the switches are using 1000BASE T Gigabit Ethernet and although this is a very convenient system when it comes to wiring a topology of this type can potentially develop SPF issues 5 2 4 Daisy chained switch ring This is an enhanced variant of the above that can be created if the switches support RSTP or Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol See section 7 References and Definitions for
7. more information The benefit of this configuration is that if there is a cable failure the network will recover all devices on the network PLMs switches routers etc will still be able to communicate If a switch fails all devices will remain connected to the network with the exception of those devices that are directly connected to the failed switch If Dante is being used there will be a brief audible interruption in the sound b ms 2 s the length of which will depend on the size of the system and the vendor of the switch The PLM s own internal switches do not BY support RSTP Care must be taken to not Ted create a ring closed loop with the PLM s rear panel connectors Figure 5 2 2 Two level star topology PLM Series Network Configuration Guide 9 LASB GRUPPEN 9 NETWORK CONNECTIONS AND TOPOLOGIES 1000 Figure 5 2 3 Daisy chained switches 1000 1000 1000 Figure 5 2 5 Dual daisy chain switch topology 5 2 5 Dual daisy chained switches This is a hybrid that combines the ease of wiring of the daisy chain topology with the 10096 avoid ance of SPF issues in the dual redundant star spoke configuration figure 5 2 5 It is simply two daisy chained switch networks in parallel the primary and secondary networks are connected independently using the dual redundant mode in the PLMs If the control computer only has one network BR card it can
8. supported Secure remote monitoring software available freeware Approved by Audinate developers of the Dante network Manufacturers link www linksys com VV NW NN 6 1 2 Recommended wireless access point LinkSys WAP200 Access points utilizing the 802 11g or 802 11n formats are recommended both for their diversity and bandwidth A PoE type Power over Ethernet 902 3af access point that can be powered over its Ethernet connection is also a good idea as It is very easy to place at an optimal location since only one cable is needed for both network connectivity and power See in section 7 References and Definitions for more information y If the switch doesn t have PoE then a mid A span PoE adapter is needed as well PLM Series Network Configuration Guide 13 6 NETWORK HARDWARE RECOMMENDATIONS LASB GRUPPEN LinkSys WAP200 gt 802 3af compatible gt 256 bit secure encryption gt RangeBooster technology increases range and decreases dead spots using standard antennae gt Good results even with obstructive objects in broadcast path gt Accepts standards based PoE IEEE 802 3af or external DC power gt Manufacturer website www linksys com or www 3com com 6 1 3 Recommended network cabling Belden 1305A Although Belden 1305A is a stranded type BK cable providing high resilience against failure 3 from repetitive bending or stressing it ex hibits a loss of 26 4 dB instead of the
9. 4 pdf for further details regarding filtering of Dante packets LASB GRUPPEN 6 1 General Recommendations Critical networks such as those used in profes sional audio systems require infrastructure hardware offering the high level of connectivity and reliability essential for critical data intensive applications Additionally this hardware needs to be robust enough to survive the rigors of repetitive loading and unloa ding and frequent connection and disconnection Lab gruppen has evaluated a number of hardware manufacturers in regard to use within a PLM Series network Our findings have resulted in the following hardware recommendations Of course there are any number of scenarios involving systems of various sizes logistical and routing requirements so these recommendations are to be considered as guidelines only In addition to the recommendations provided other products may be equally suited to PLM Series ap plications Lab gruppen will continue to evaluate and verify network products as the market for network devices changes rapidly Updated information will be posted at www labgruppen com plm 6 1 1 Network switches routers LinkSys SRW224G4 Depending on the configuration selected the appropriate network switch or router will have enough ports to accommodate direct connection to each PLM in the rack as well as connections from rack to rack where required in the system wide configuration Switches manufacture
10. PLM Optical fiber can be used if longer distances are needed Multi mode fiber supports up to 550 meters 1800 feet and single mode supports even longer 10 PLM Series Network Configuration Guide LAB GRUPPEN Stage Left NETWORK CONNECTIONS AND TOPOLOGIES 5 1000 1000 Stage Right 1000 1000 Figure 5 2 6 Combined network topology distances The recommended LinkSys switch can be upgraded with SFP modules to support fiber connec tions See section 7 References and Definitions for more information on SFP Link speed Mbps System type i 2 Source 100 100 Backbone 100 1000 Sink 100 100 Network diameter 4 of hops 14 62 Latency setting 1 0 8 ms 1 4 1 1 2 9 Latency setting 1 1 3 ms 4 19 14 220 56 256 Latency setting 2 4 0 ms 9 45 7 34 PLM DLP without external switches or with 100 Mbps switches not a recommended setup Recommended PLM only example with Gigabit switch backbone Table 5 4 PLM network diameter guide 5 4 PLM Dante Network Size Limitations The information below is provided to give an overview of the terminology and concepts that are used when describing a PLM network and its functions Further explanations of terminology used can be found in section 7 References and Definitions A cable connection from one network port to another is often referred to as a hop The maximum size of a network is often referred to as t
11. PLM Series Powered Loudspeaker Management systems LARB LCHLIPPET J PLM 100000 Rev 1 0 5 LAB GRUPPEN Item no NCG PLM 1 CONTENTS LAB GRUPPEN CONTENTS eee ee ee ee ee eee ee 2 2 INTRODOC HON Mc v 3 ONES gt BY oe 3 2 2 JBIIDSIerrgndaperitelSsseeermrkisawxiseiiantennetimendkaddua none AIRETA ERER AE O a Aa Aia 3 ORT E E mm d 3 PLM SERIES AND DANTE NETWORKING FEATURES esee nennen nnn nnn nnn nnn nnns 5 N twarkng RR Rm 5 S ri oed trii M sme 5 WOON FS OPS COS TU ome 5 4 AVOIDING SINGLE POINT OF FAILURE SPF 1 550 5 6 EMS 6 4 2 Automatic Priority Input Switching m Rm III nmm nnne rne in 6 AM HRW type FS UII SIV 7 4 2 2 Signal redundancy ssssssssssssssssee Ie II eI I nne nnn nnne neni ne nsn rs e n e r see 7 IR Te OF HVS OEIC RET c 7 5 NETWORK CONNECTIONS AND TOPOLOGIES 8 ol PLM Snes Network Cabling MERE kr 8 PLM cernes Topology SiS DR A 8 CE MATT Umm 8 D 2 2 Stal or Hub and Spoke NeEtWOTKS 9 5 lt a 9 SUITE 9 Dno NO S
12. WINGS aa econ NUNT 9 5 2 5 Other combination Deb WOES 10 Ethernet caning RE R3 0 3 S 10 34 PEM Danie ize LINE OMS 11 O9 Mreless Network TOD OO GIS Ss err He a ilU Roch 12 56 Jmproyimg VV ICIS SSAC OS coacta suc b DER vst tiene ER vb Win 12 5 7 Using Dante in Conjunction with Wireless Networks and Low Bandwidth Devices 12 6 NETWORK HARDWARE RECOMMENDATIONS eeeeeeeeeeeen nennen nnne nn nnn nnn nn nnn nnn nnn nnn 13 ol Gencal SC 00106521 18 611 Network switches routers LinkSys 6 224 4 menn 13 6 1 2 Recommended wireless access points LinkSys 200 15 6 1 3 Recommended network cabling Belden9 13054 eene 14 6 1 4 Recommended network connectors LEMO type Multipin 14 REFERENCES AND DEFINITION Ux aae s E EE EN C Ret RR rd 15 8 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION eere ener nnnm 16 2 PLM Series Network Configuration Guide LASB GRUPPEN 2 1 Overview Thank you fo
13. al section 2 3 2 step 4 4 PLM Series Network Configuration Guide LAB GRUPPEN 3 1 Networking Overview Designed for use on an Ethernet network the PLM series Powered Loudspeaker Management system allows configuration control and monitoring of mul PLM Series devices from a PC running DLC PLM Edition software The user can control the networked devices over either a wired or a wireless connection Additionally the PLM Series incorporation of the Dante digital audio protocol permits distribution of multichannel digital audio up to 24 bit 96 kHz as well as control data via the same network Network configurations containing a mixture BY of PLM Series devices Dolby Lake Proces sors Lake Contour and Mesa Quad EQ processors are supported and can be controlled simultaneously within the DLC PLM Edi tion software environment Also it should be noted that a PLM Series device or Dolby Lake Processor can be utilized as a break in point for the introduc tion of an analog or AES digital audio signal to the system this signal then can be passed on via Dante throughout the rest of the network 3 2 Dante Audio Network The Dolby Lake processor integrated in the PLM series incorporates a Dante audio networking inter face allowing the connections to the PLM Series to be reduced to a single Cat 5e cable which carries all audio and control information Dante developed by Audinate permits the trans
14. be connected to only one of the Ted network layers The solution to this situation can be as follows gt Manually disconnect from the blue network layer and connect to the red network layer instead if one or more PLMs are inaccessible via the blue network see figure 5 2 5 This can be done easily by using a simple hardware switch box Amore advanced solution would be to equip the PC with two identical network cards and appropriate drivers so that it can be connected to both networks simultaneously 5 2 6 Other combination networks In larger system network topologies a good solution may be to place a group of local switches in each zone which are first interconnected to form a local area network e g Stage Left These area networks are then interconnected with a main backbone A different topology for the main backbone than that of the local area network may be chosen depending on your specific application and resources Figure 5 2 6 shows an example of a combined net work utilizing both Star and Daisy Chained switch ring topologies 5 3 Ethernet Cabling Limitations The maximum cable length allowed between any two devices on a network is defined by the Ethernet protocol and is limited to 100 meters 330 feet for copper connections The term devices includes host PC running the Dolby Lake Controller PLM Edition software switch on the network gt access point
15. d find the DLP typically connected to the Primary Ethernet port of the first PLM in the rack The signal would then travel from the Secondary Ethernet connector of this PLM Series unit to the Primary Ethernet connector of the next unit in the system and so on Care must be exercised in implementing a BR chain topology network as the number of Ted PLM Series devices being connected in this way will have a critical bearing on network performance parameters such as overall latency Also the use of single layer cabling to connect the network will introduce the possibility of Single Point of Failure issues which should be avoided at all costs when operating critical systems Therefore this top ology is NOT recommended at all for applications using Dante and it is NOT recommended for applica tions with more than 10 PLMs even when not using Dante 100 100 Figure 5 2 1 Daisy chain network topology LASB GRUPPEN 5 2 2 Star or Hub and Spoke networks An alternative approach is to implement a network with Star topology also referred to as hub and spoke or radial topology using a number of Ethernet switches See figure 5 2 2 In such a network a group of PLMss typically those inside the same rack are connected directly to a switch also housed in the rack These local switches are then connected to a central switch If dual redundancy mode is used then a completely parallel secondary network can be created
16. d for mounting into a standard 19 inch equipment rack are generally considered more appropriate to withstand the rigors of loading and unloading that can be part of a sound system s daily use In systems that DO NOT utilize Dante Lab gruppen Is not providing a specific recommendation In gen eral however a switch with RSTP is recommended This greatly increases reliability in case of any loss of information or connection failures It is also a good practice to use switches that allow monitoring of links over the network In systems where Dante is used the switch should have 1000BASE T or better for switch to switch connections The switch must support the DiffServe NETWORK HARDWARE RECOMMENDATIONS 6 Code Point DSCP protocol and it must implement strict priority control over at least the top two priority levels 3Com is an example of a provider that typi cally prioritizes only the top level See References and Definitions in section 7 for more on DSCP Internal switch forwarding latency of 4 us or less is recommended ab gruppen and not all behave according 3 to their datasheets Some others that comply with general specifications have a tendency to drop packets and therefore cannot be recommended y Several switches have been tested by EN LinkSys SRW224G4 19 inch rack mountable 24 x 10 100 switched RJ45 ports 4 x 10 100 1000 switched RJ45 ports 2 SFP slots for use with fiber optic connections RSTP
17. designed to display 125 PLM Series devices on an XGA screen y A system of this size has been assembled and verified by Lab gruppen engineering at NOTE our factory location 5 5 Wireless Network Topologies Adding wireless networking to the system provides portable centralized control to a distributed network of PLM Series devices as well as other Dolby Lake processors A wireless network greatly enhances the flexibility of control of a large audio system as the control location is not fixed A wireless access point simply works as a gateway between the wired network and wireless devices A Tablet PC running the Dolby Lake Controller PLM Edition software then communicates with the access point wirelessly al lowing control of the system from anywhere in the venue that is within wireless range Wireless connections are generally slower BR than wired connections and can result In Ted varying degrees of Ethernet performance Connection quality can depend on the distance and angle to the access point as well as the presence of any surrounding interference Strong interference may lead to loss of connection 7 Booster antennae are highly recommended 12 PLM Series Network Configuration Guide LASB GRUPPEN for use in larger venues however local legal restrictions may apply in some countries Please contact your Lab gruppen distributor for advice if necessary 5 6 Improving Wireless Accessibility Primary and Sec
18. ed 16 PLM Series Network Configuration Guide SPEAEEH DLUITPLITS E E FA hi ANALOG WITH AEST E LASB GRUPPEN LAB GRUPPEN SWEDEN INTERNATIONAL CONTACT gt INFO LABGRUPPEN COM US CONTACT gt INFOUS TCELECTRONIC COM WWW LABGRUPPEN COM
19. he network diameter The optimal network diameter is defined by the time it takes for a packet to get from one device to another across the furthest point in the network in terms of communication time Most of the time consumed in the path generally referred to as latency is the hardware reaction and transmission time The time consumed for the packets to travel over the network Ethernet cables themselves is very small in comparison If we assume 100 m copper cables for all hops we can present some simple rules for how many hops are permitted from any Dante source device to any of its recieving PLM Series Network Configuration Guide 11 9 NETWORK CONNECTIONS AND TOPOLOGIES devices or sinks for a given latency setting Table 5 4 shows the limits for a Dante system with PLM series devices as the sinks The recommended system 15 shown in grey in Table 5 4 It has a DLP or PLM as the source 100 Mbps and PLM Series devices as sinks The first and last hops are 100 Mbps all other hops including those between switches are 1000 Mbps If the latency is assumed to be 1 3 ms we can have 34 hops from the source devices to any PLM If we assume 3 x PLMs per rack in any variant of the daisy chained switch topologies ring or dual chain we could then support a system with 33 racks giving 99 PLMs 396 channels If the topology is layered or star spoke the system could be even larger The DLC PLM Edition software user interface is
20. iple access points will have the same SSID if they provide access of the same LAN A network topology which uses a network switch to connect to individual PLMs Each PLM connects to one port on the switch with its own cable thus the network looks like a star when drawn as a diagram with the switch at the centre An Ethernet switch allows several Ethernet devices to be connected to a network using a star topology More intelligent than the earlier hubs which they now largely replace switches route packets of data only to the units for which they are intended and also perform other system housekeeping and control functions PLM Series Network Configuration Guide 15 8 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION LAB GRUPPEN Contact Lab gruppen AB Faktorv gen 1 SE 434 37 Kungsbacka SWEDEN Phone 46 300 56 28 00 Fax 46 300 56 28 99 plmsupport labgruppen com info labgruppen com www labgruppen com Intercooler and Class TD are national and or international registered trademarks of Lab gruppen AB PLM Powered Loudspeaker Management R SMPS LoadLibrary LoadSmart SpeakerSafe and ISVPL are trademarks of Lab gruppen AB Dolby Lake and the double D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Dolby Lake Processor Lake Contour Lake Mesa Quad EQ LimiterMax and Iso Float are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories All other trademarks remain the property of their respective owners Copyright 2008 Lab gruppen AB All rights reserv
21. mis sion of professional quality multichannel audio over an Ethernet network Dante overcomes the problems associated with earlier Ethernet based digital audio systems including clock synchronization issues lack of true plug and play functionality and channel count limitations Additionally Dante can coexist with TCP IP network traffic and other standard control protocols y All conductors must be terminated to the 22 RJ45 connector at both ends of any cable NOTE used for Dante network connectivity PLM SERIES AND DANTE NETWORKING FEATURES 3 3 3 Rear Panel Connections The PLM Series has two Ethernet ports for use in creating free topology Ethernet based networking systems The ports located on the back panel see figure 1 use Neutrik EtherCon RJ45 connectors Two LEDs above each port Indicate connection to a valid network LINK and the presence of network activity ACT Both Ethernet ports are 10 100BASE T with auto sensing and auto uplink The 10 100 auto sensing function automatically configures the Ethernet port to operate at either 10 MHz 5 or 100 MHz 100BASE T The auto uplink feature automatically senses the cable type allowing for either a pass through straight or crossover Ethernet cable to be used Although standard Cat 5 Ethernet cables 24 can be used to interconnect PLM Series Ted devices switches wireless access points and routers on the network Cat be Ethernet cabling 15 str
22. n Figure 4 1 Priority input settings are located in the Input Configuration page 6 PLM Series Network Configuration Guide LAB GRUPPEN AVOIDING SINGLE POINT OF FAILURE SPF ISSUES 4 4 1 1 Signal type redundancy Use of this topology allows a PLM to receive audio and control signals from a source device using differ ent output types I e a device which can output both analog and AES signals simultaneously These signals are then designated as priorities in the auto input section Again please refer to section 9 12 3 1 of the PLM Series Operation Manual for more detailed information on setting input priorities 4 1 2 Signal source redundancy This priority scheme consists of two sources in two locations acting as prioritized sources in the same network Source redundancy also allows the user to set up two different devices e g feed both with the same input signal analog or AES digital and then have both transfer this signal onto Dante Redundant signals are thus transferred to the network All PLMs that are required to access this signal can do so as long as one of the two PLMs connected to the source device remains on the network All remaining PLMs on the network must be configured to access these same two devices as the primary and secondary signal sources An alternate use of this function is to have a higher prioritized source as an override Ted example an AES signal could be dis tribu
23. ommended it should not be necessary to manually configure network settings in the host computer used for the Dolby Lake Controller PLM Edition software application The network should automatically detect the host computer and all connected PLM Series units and then set the IP address network speed and com munication protocols without user intervention In applications where switches or routers of the recommended type are not used and instead the PLM Series units are connected directly to the net work port of the host computer it may be necessary to manually configure your network connection by entering an IP address Instructions for this are given in the Dolby Lake Controller Manual section 2 3 y In Windows Vista navigation to the IP BR dialog box differs from that given for Win dows XP in the Dolby Lake Controller Manual For Vista the following navigation is suggested PLM Series Network Configuration Guide 3 2 INTRODUCTION LAB GRUPPEN 1 From the Start menu open the Control Panel Under Network and Internet choose View Network Status and Tasks 2 Underneath Network to the right of Connection Local Area Connection choose View Status 3 n the dialog box click on Properties and click Continue in the warning dialog 4 4 In the Local Area Connection Properties select Internet Protocol Version 4 TCP IPv4 and click on the Properties button below 5 Proceed as in Dolby Lake Controller Manu
24. ondary PC In applications where maintaining control and monitor ing throughout the event is critical and yet where mobile control access is also desired users should have a primary control PC connected via wire in conjunction with a wireless secondary PC Multiple access points single SSID Two or more access points can be connected to the same network as long as they are given the same SSID the name used to identify a particular LAN within range of a PC See section 7 References and Defini tions for more information The user can then move freely around the venue and maintain connection to the network via the closest access point 5 7 Using Dante in Conjunction with Wireless Networks and Low Bandwidth Devices For Dante to operate on a network link the network has to provide a bandwidth of at least 100 Mbit s Hence Dante does not operate over wireless links In order to attach a wireless accesspoint to a Dante enabled network special attention needs to be taken to make sure the Dante packets do not flood the wire less link A switch that is configured to filter out the Dante packets must be installed at the boundary of the wireless network Dolby Lake legacy products such as Contour and Mesa Processors are 10 MBit s devices If these devices are to be connected to a Dante enabled network the same type of filtering of Dante packets is necessary Please refer to the Audinate document AUD ANO Filtering SRW224G4 V2
25. ongly recommended due to its increased bandwidth capacity cu PIDE VEDI eU Gr m oe 9 O v BES OQO O Ole oova 2500 w 2 o go A 6 A ax 9 A a XR sew H2 H 7m 2 NS nni BEE rk e e Oo B and ale Q fF vM e O Figure 3 3 Dual Ethernet ports are located on the PLM rear panel PLM Series Network Configuration Guide 5 LASB GRUPPEN 4 AVOIDING SINGLE POINT OF FAILURE SPF ISSUES 4 1 SPF Overview Critical network configurations such as those trans porting audio signals should avoid Single Point of Failure SPF scenarios to the greatest extent possible SPF failures can occur when a network has been designed in such a way that failure of a single part of the network can cause the entire network to fail or cease operation A network that has not been designed with the appropriate fail safe measures to avoid SPF issues can
26. quired in conventional IT networks to connect two PCs together without using a hub or switch The auto uplink feature of the PLM s Ethernet ports allows crossed cables to be used if wished See also Straight network cable DSCP is a networking architecture that specifies a simple scalable mechanism for classifying and managing network traffic to provide Quality of Service QoS guarantees on IP networks DSCP can be used to provide low latency guaranteed service to critical traffic such as audio or video while providing best effort traffic guarantees to non critical services such as control or status information A network topology consisting of two usually identical networks one connecting to the Primary Ethernet ports and the other to the Secondary ports Although more complex to implement the advantage of using a dual network system is one of greatly improved reliability as one complete network remains operational if the other should fail A cable connection from one network port to the next network port The small but finite delay incurred by audio signals when they are transformed into the digital domain processed digitally and then converted back into analog signals In the Dolby Lake system latency is assured to be constant In addition to an IP address every device on an Ethernet network has a MAC address This address is fixed at the time of manufacture and is effectively the permanent identifier of the physical unit MAC stands for
27. r choosing the Lab gruppen PLM Series of Powered Loudspeaker Management systems for your sound reinforcement needs We are confident that you will be pleased with the performance unique features configuration flexibility reliability and long term durability offered by PLM Series products This document covers only information related to network configuration For information on PLM series installation and operation and use of the Dolby Lake Controller DLC PLM Edition software please consult the other documentation included with your PLM Series product The Dolby Lake Controller User Manual the Dolby Lake Controller User Manual PLM Edition Addendum the PLM Series Operation Manual and the PLM Series Quick Start and Field Reference Guide This document and the PLM Quick Start and Field Reference Guide supply most of the information you will require to install your PLM Series products and contigure a network We do however highly recommend reading through all the of the product documentation on the included CD ROM in their entirety AS you become thoroughly familiar with all aspects of the PLM Series you may learn about features and options that will affect your choices of operational modes or loudspeaker system configura tions The Lab gruppen PLM Series utilizes proven Dolby Lake Processor technology and expands upon it providing a suite of load verification and performance monitoring features The power amplification sec
28. suffer a breakdown in the transport of audio and control data resulting in the worst case scenario for any protessional sound engineer dead silence The use of redundant network and audio cabling and switches as well as the careful selection of the proper network topology for your application are effective tools in avoiding SPF issues The PLM Series has been designed with special features to help prevent this type of system wide network breakdown These include Input Configuration Input 1 gt Auto input priority switching managing multiple signal sources gt Support for redundant device sources e g the same device providing both analog and AES sources simultaneously to the network gt Support for redundant network paths redun dant rear panel Ethernet ports on the PLM 4 2 Automatic Priority Input Switching The user selectable automatic input priority switching feature in the DLC PLM Edition software is located on the O Config tab of the Input Configuration page see figure 4 1 Four levels of input priority are of fered each of which can consist of Analog AES 1 AES 2 and Dante In the event of a loss of signal to the first priority input the system will instantly switch to the next designated priority input and restore audio connectivity to the system Full information on how to select user input priorities 15 contained in section 9 12 3 1 of the PLM Series Operation Manual Dirk pu
29. ted as a fire alarm input that can then override the normal material distributed via Dante and or analog In this application the second network port on a PLM s rear panel can be configured to be redundant to the first port If a parallel network is created and the source 15 connected to both networks then any single cable failure or switch failure can be overcome without any loss of audio signal in the network It is also possible to survive multiple hardware failures with this topography however this capability will depend on the network configuration that is used More information about possible configurations is found in section 5 PLM Series Network Configuration Guide 7 9 NETWORK CONNECTIONS AND TOPOLOGIES 5 1 PLM Series Network Cabling The common cable categories used for high band width network connectivity are Cat be and Cat 6 these are preferred choices for PLM Series network use However Cat 5 may be used in limited applica tions as explained below Cat 6 as the designation implies is the newer standard and it is designed to accommodate high speed networks up to 250 MHz The 10000BASE TX standard using 2 pairs requires Cat 6 cabling Cat 6 is fully compatible with all PLM Series network applica tions including use with Dante as it accommodates all current Ethernet protocols Cat be using 4 pairs supports 1000BASE T ap plications and is also fully suited to all PLM Series applications including
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