The digital audio age has presented a lot of challenges to the live sound and broadcast industries. One of those challenges is the fracturing and segmentation of different competing digital audio protocols such as CobraNet, EtherSound, Dante, Ravenna, AES67 and MADI, to name a few. A small sub-industry of specialized connectivity companies has appeared over the last decade to address some of these concerns.
Mittweida, Germany-based DirectOut Technologies, distributed in the U.S. by Joseph Electronics, is one of the companies providing solutions to these challenges. I first discovered DirectOut Technologies some years ago while searching for a standalone MADI Sample Rate Converter to connect a 96k Hz console to a 48k Hz personal monitoring system. Although I chose a different path on that project, DirectOut stayed in the back of my mind until this review popped up on my radar a few months ago.
DirectOut’s product catalog consists of some seriously specialized products, many of which I had never even considered as being necessary. A MADI GPIO embedder (such as DirectOut’s EXBOX.GPIO) was a good example of a device I had never thought of before but is a really great idea.
DirectOut is focused on solving real-world connectivity and protocol bridging problems, mainly centered around the MADI, AES67 and Ravenna protocols. The solutions provided by DirectOut include MADI monitoring/headphone amp products; converters for MADI to/from analog, AES, Ravenna, etc.; MADI SRC; MADI splitters/routers; MADI test/analysis and signal generation; GPIO, MIDI, redundancy and more.
Enter the EXBOX.BLDS
The EXBOX.BLDS is a sophisticated MADI redundancy switch that’s available in two different configurations. The first option is an optical-only model with dual multimode SC connectors. In other words, the unit has two MADI inputs and outputs on SC. The second unit (shipped to me for this review) has a MADI in/out on BNC, and a second MADI in/out pair on multimode SC.
Both units support sample rates from 44.1k Hz to 192k Hz, as well as GPI and GPO on DB9 connectors for remote triggering and monitoring, USB connection for firmware updates and control and dual 4-pin Hirose connectors for external power supplies.
The EXBOX.BLDS is intended for productions having demanding redundancy requirements for MADI feeds. I can imagine several scenarios that could incorporate the EXBOX.BLDS, but the first one that came to mind was dual playback systems running software such as Pro Tools and outputting identical MADI feeds. Should one critical playback system fail, another synchronized system could take over automatically by way of the EXBOX.BLDS’ automatic redundancy switch.
Switching Modes
The EXBOX.BLDS has several switching modes depending on the user’s needs, and several different ways to trigger switching and prioritize inputs. First, a manual switch can be achieved simply by pressing the input select buttons on the front panel. Second, input switching can be triggered via GPI on the front panel DB9 connector. GPI’s can be triggered by shorting an input pin to ground, or by applying 2 to 24 volts to the input pin.
In a more advanced scenario, automatic switching can be achieved if signal is lost on one of the MADI inputs, and inputs can be prioritized. For example, assume that Input #1 is prioritized, and Input #1 is the currently active input. If Input #1 loses signal, the unit switches to Input #2 automatically. If signal is regained on Input #1, the unit will revert back based on the fact that Input #1 has priority.
BLDS
The “BLDS” part of the product name stands for Buffer Loop Detection System. It is an integral part of how the EXBOX.BLDS makes a seamless switch from one playback system to another. This feature is targeted toward a scenario with dual DAW playback systems feeding the unit’s inputs. Although this is not required to use the product, it would allow the unit to switch from one input to another in a single sample, making for a seamless and inaudible switch to a secondary playback system. Provided with the EXBOX.BLDS as a free download is a simple to use Mac OSX or Windows application called “BLDS Generator.”
The BLDS Generator application creates a .WAV file containing a low level signal with the selected sample rate and duration. The .WAV file is then inserted into a track in both DAW systems and duplicated across the timeline for the duration of the session. Upon playback, the generated signal is inserted into the MADI stream. The Buffer Loop Detection System of the EXBOX.BLDS continuously monitors the presence of this signal. If the signal is lost, the unit can switch to the backup MADI source in a single sample.
Overall, I found the EXBOX.BLDS to be an impressive little box. Its diminutive size is deceiving and belies the fact that it is a very sophisticated MADI redundancy switch. DirectOut Technologies has carved out a niche in the market for specialized MADI, Ravenna and AES67 products that are certain to solve technical challenges for customers in the broadcast and live sound industries.
At a Glance
Small Box, Powerful Functionality
DirectOut Technologies’ EXBOX.BLDS MADI Redundancy Switch provides users with sophisticated near-instantaneous MADI redundancy switching in a simple-to-use compact unit.
DirectOut EXBOX.BLDS
PROS
- •utomatic MADI input switch in one sample when using the BLDS system
- Essential product for critical, dual redundant playback applications
- Free BLDS Generator application app
CONS
- No option for dual BNC MADI feeds
- Outboard power supply
STATS
- MADI I/O Ports: (2) SC multi-mode; or (1) SC multimode and (1) coaxial 75-ohm BNC
- MADI Formats: 48k/96k Frame, 56/64-channel, S/MIX
- Sampling Rate: 44.1k Hz to 192k Hz
- MADI Switching Time: 1 Sample
Manufacturer: DirectOut
More Info: www.directout.eu
U.S. Distributor: Joseph Electronics, www.josephelectronics.com
Breaking News: DirectOut MADI.9648 Sample Rate Converter
DirectOut is now shipping its MADI.9648, an ultra-low latency, near-realtime 48k/96k Hz sample rate converter designed for live audio applications. Housed in a single rack space, the unit features eight MADI ports providing four independent SRC blocks for bidirectional conversion of 128 audio channels, with six BNC ports and two SC ports. Use is simple, plug-and-play with no settings to adjust, thanks to automatic signal detection of frame format and channel mode.
More details at www.directout.eu
