Allen&Heath iDR-8 - Manual (Page 32)

32 IDR-8 User Guide
Linking iDR-8 Units
Several iDR-8 units can be daisy chained together such that audio is passed between them using the 8
channel expander bus. An iDR-in expander can be added to the first unit in the chain, and an iDR-out
expander can be added to the last unit. This provides a flexible solution for complex installations, for
example one where each floor of a building has its own iDR-8 with local inputs and outputs but have
common audio such as global announcements and alarm messages passing through all. The units
can be up to 250 metres apart. Each unit requires its own iDR System Manager session for
configuration.
Master / Slave
When iDR-8 units are linked one
becomes the master and the others the slaves. This is so that
they synchronise their audio communication. The first iDR-8 in
the chain automatically becomes the master. However, this is
not the case in a ‘loop back’ system where the audio from the
last unit is linked back into the first unit. Here, you need to
force one unit to become the master. This is described later.
Master /slave status is indicated by two LEDs on the iDR-8
front panel. To view these the face plate needs to be removed.
The slave LED lights when the unit is assigned as a slave. The
ext sync lock LED lights when audio is being correctly
synchronised between the units. Both LEDs are off if the unit is
the master.
Daisy chained units
This example shows two units
chained together and including the audio expanders. Unit A
becomes the sync master, Unit B the slave. The CAT5 cable
between them connects 8 channels of audio. These can be
selected from any combination of channels using the source
patchbays. Any of the Unit A inputs can be routed through the
patchbay to Unit B. The DR-Link connection is only required
for the expanders. Note that they should connect to the
associated iDR-8 units. The audio monitor is daisy chained
from Unit A to Unit B so that the last unit can be used to listen
to any signal in any unit. Note that each unit must have its own
session of iDR System Manager running for configuration.
ext
sync
lock slave 96k
ext
sync
lock slave 96k
ext
sync
lock slave 96k
MASTER
SLAVE
NO SYNC
IN
DR
-L
IN
K
DR
-L
IN
K
DR
-L
IN
K
AU
DI
O
IN OUT
IN OUT
iDR Unit A 8A 7A 6A 5A 4A 3A 2A 1A
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
IN
OUT
ext
sync
lock slave 96k
ext
sync lock slave 96k
SYNC MASTER
SYNC SLAVE
IN OUT
iDR Unit B 8B 7B 6B 5B 4B 3B 2B 1B
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
IN
OUT
OUT iDR-in
16A 15A 14A 13A 12A 11A 10A 9A IN DR
-L
IN
K
iDR-out
16B 15B 14B 13B 12B 11B 10B 9B OUT