Rane NM 84 User Manual

Page 5

Manual-5

Monitor Out Edit Pages Monitor 1 through Monitor 4

The four Monitor Out Edit pages set up the four Monitor

Outputs. Two modes are possible for each Monitor Out: Local

for monitoring any one of the Local 8 Mic Inputs

or none (Off), or Network for monitoring any one of the

CobraNet Audio Channels (AudCh) or none (Off). (See the

screen below.) When monitoring an Audio Channel, one must

first select which Bundle (Bndl) to monitor. Any one of the 8

Audio Channels within each Bundle can be monitored using

the AudCh field parameter. With 999 possible Bundles, the

Bndl field is where use of the MAX and MIN dual-button

combinations can help avoid carpal tunnel syndrome from

repeatedly rotating the DATA wheel. (Youre welcome. Arent

you glad you read the manual?)

Monitor Parameter

Range

Source

Local or Network

Bndl (CobraNet Bundle) Off, integers 1 through 999.

in Network mode

Remember, each Bundle contains

eight Audio Channels.

AudCh (Audio Channel) integers 1 through 8 from selected

in Network mode

Bundle.

Mic in Local mode

Off, integers 1 through 8 from Mic

Inputs.

Network Transmit (NetTx) Edit pages

The NM 84s eight Mic Input audio channels can be

transmitted on up to four different CobraNet Bundles. The two

Network Transmit Edit pages allow the transmission Format

to be set to 20- or 24-bit for the audio transmitted onto the

CobraNet network. Additionally, the four independent

Bundles to transmit to are setup using the four Bndl X

parameters, where X is A, B, C or D.

Now youre probably wondering: why transmit four

versions of the same eight audio channels over the network,

aye? The long answer is on page Manual-9. The short answer

is, when using unicast (point-to-point) networks, often certain

channels must be transmitted to more than one location or

CobraNet node. Thus the NM 84 provides four Bundles for

transmission. CobraNet permits transmission of up to 4

Bundles maximum per CobraNet node.

Two Format modes are possible: 20-bit audio mode and

24-bit audio mode (see the screen below). In 20-bit mode, the

internal CobraNet DSP truncates the 24-bit stream to a 20-bit

stream. Using 20-bit audio over CobraNet permits broadcast

of all 8 Mic Input channels over a single, selectable CobraNet

Bundle. While this makes it harder to impress your friends by

touting your 24-bit audio network, it does make larger

networks easier to manage since you do not need to split the

eight NM 84 Inputs across multiple Bundles as is required for

24-bit mode.

To reap the extra performance of 20% more bits or to

avoid truncation of audio, select 24-bit audio which requires

selecting two different CobraNet Bundles. Once two of the

999 Bundles are selected, the Splt parameter field lets you

choose how to divide the 8 available Audio Channels among

the two Bundles. Choices appear as follows: 7/1, 6/2, 5/3, 4/

4, 3/5, 2/6, 1/7. For example, 7/1 means that the first 7

Audio Channels (1 through 7) are transmitted on the first of

the two Bundles you select and the remaining one Audio

Channel (channel 8) is transmitted on the second selected

Bundle.

Parameter

Range

Format

20 Bit or 24 Bit.

Bndl A (1

of 4

Off, integers 1 through 999.

possible Bundles)

Splt (Audio Channel

7/1, 6/2, 5/3, 4/4, 3/5, 2/6 or 1/7.

split) 24-bit mode only (See above).

Bndl B (2

of 4

Off, integers 1 through 999.

Bundles the 3

and

Bundles are labeled

C and D respectively.)

Monitor 1: Source Bndl AudCh
Copy Network Off 1

Monitor 1: Source Mic
Copy Local Off

Network Mode

Local Mode

NetTx A/B: Format Bndl A Bndl B
20 Bit 1 Off

NetTx A/B: Format Bndl A Splt Bndl B
24 Bit 1 7/1 Off

20-Bit Format Mode

24-Bit Format Mode