Rane ECS v2 RaneWare (RaneWare 2.1) - Manual (Page 8)

RW Manual-8
maintain the gain before feedback margin of a system. This
NOM operation avoids the feedback that can occur as more
and more mics are gated on by keeping the total gain of all
gated mics constant.
However, unlike other automatic mic mixers, the ECM 82
NOMM Mode operates differently. For example, in
conferencing applications, when the chairman talks, she likes
to be heard. Most auto mic mixers would turn down the
chairman’s gain by 3 dB for each doubling of open Mics. The
NOMM Mode of the ECM 82 Mixer keeps the loudest Mic at
its current gain setting, while subsequently gated Mics do not
gate fully on. This prevents the current talker’s Mic from
turning down as others talk, cough or burp.
When NOMM Mode is checked, the loudest talker’s Mic
gain is left alone, while subsequent talkers’ Mics gate on
using the NOMM calculation which maintains unity gain.
NOMM also performs limiting by reducing the gate-on
level, if detected above 0 dBr.
Typical default value: On (checked). NOMM must be off
while setting the Mic gains.
Mixer Gate checkbox and Level
This function only operates when more than one ECM 82
Mixer is in use. Only check this function when using mutiple
ECM 82As (each ECM 82A has the ECA 1 Echo Canceller
pre-installed).
When no Mic audio is detected on a given Mixer, and this
Mixer does not contain the Master Mic, the Mix Out of the
ECM 82 is attenuated by the Mixer
Gate Depth. The Mixer
that contains the Master Mic will not be attenuated. This is
useful in reducing the background noise level in systems
containing more than one Mixer. This also allows each Mixer
to independently maintain a Last On mic to allow its Echo
Canceller to maintain adaptation.
Operation hint: With Mixer Gate checked, the ECM 82
Mixer with the Master Mic should have a solid front panel
Mic Status LED and every other Mixer should have a single
flashing Mic Status LED (indicating the Last On Mic). From
RaneWare, a yellow indicator is the Master Mic.
Typical default value: Checked only when more than one
ECM 82A mixer is used. Use a Gate Depth of 10 dB
Mixer Max Mics On
Since conferencing applications are rarely intelligible with
multiple simultaneous talkers, Max Mics On sets the maxi-
mum number of Mics that are allowed to turn on per Mixer.
This significantly improves the performance of the
Acoustic Echo Canceller since fewer Mics — and therefore
fewer acoustic paths — exist.
Typical default value: 3 (Can you understand three
simultaneous talkers over a loudspeaker?)
Mic selectors
Selects 1 of 8 Mics to be edited. The box with the dark
blue over-score indicates the Mic whose settings are visible or
editable. Clicking anywhere inside the box selects the Mic for
editing. The Mic spinner may also be used to select Mics for
viewing or editing.
Mic Active buttons
The Mic Active buttons toggle between Active (enabled –
indicator lit) and off/muted (indicator gray). The indicator
above each button has four states:
Gray
= Mic Muted
Green = Mic Active (enabled, with no audio present)
Red = Mic Gated (enabled, audio is present)
Yellow = Master Mic
Typical default value: Active button on (indicator not
gray) if a Mic is connected to the given Input.
Mic spinner
Use the up and down arrows to display subsequent Mic’s
settings, or highlight the displayed number and type in the
Mic number whose settings you wish to display or edit.
Mic Name
This button opens a dialog allowing the displayed Mic to
be named, with eight characters maximum. The Mic names
are displayed on the software screen and are printed with the
documentation. The Mic names can also be queried using the
Global (RW 232) message if you wish to display them in the
room controller.
Mic Copy
This button asks “ Copy this Mic’s settings to all follow-
ing Mics?” This makes for faster setup in systems using many
of the same Mics. For example, if the
Copy button is selected
while Mic 2’s settings are displayed, all of Mic 2’s settings
will be copied to Mics 3 through 48.
The Mic clipboard copies and pastes the following settings:
• Mic Active button status:
Active (on – green, yellow or red
indicator) or Inactive (muted – gray indicator)
• Mic Mode ( Automatic, Force On or Force Off)
• Gate Mode ( Last On or Gated)
• Mic Threshold Level
• Gate Depth
• Gate Release
• Automatic Threshold check box
Mic Mode
Each Mic has an independently assignable Mic Mode.
Automatic: When selected, audio detected above the
Mic’s Threshold Level gates the Mic on. This allows a
speaker’s voice to gate the Mics on rather than requiring
manual selection of a Mic for the speaker to be heard. Other
mic mixers call this voice operation or vox mode.
Force On: When selected, this forces the Mic to Gate
On. If Gate Mode is set to Last On, the Mic becomes the
Master Mic after the Master Mic Delay time (set in the
System tab). For example: When your application requires
chairman override — enable chairman control (SPL 5) and
Force On the chairman’s Mic. No other Mics in the system
will be able to Gate On.
Force Off: When selected, the Mic will no longer be able
to Gate On. If this is the Master Mic it will remain on until
there is a new Master Mic, otherwise the Mic is set to its
Gate Depth. Only the turning the Active button off insures
that the Mic is off.
Typical default value: Automatic.