DirectOut EXBOX.MD MADI <>Dante konverter

DirectOut adds EARS to EXBOX.MD Dante Interface

DirectOut Technologies has significantly expanded the capabilities of its recently released EXBOX.MD Dante/MADI interface, with a major firmware and software update

to be one of the most flexible Dante bridges presently on the market. Concurrently, EXBOX.MD has been integrated in the new ‘globcon’ global control software, where the new features are fully supported.

The highlight of the enhancements is the innovative EARS (Enhanced Automatic Redundancy Switching) technology, which was designed by DirectOut to improve reliability of digital multichannel audio systems. EARS offers different modes of operation and methods of triggering automatic input switching in a comfortable and reliable way.

“Leveraging the experience and the feedback related to our EXBOX.BLDS – an automatic redundancy switch for MADI systems we introduced five years ago – we have acquired the knowledge necessary to design and enhance failover-systems,” says DirectOut CTO, Stephan Flock. “The EXBOX.MD is the world’s first Dante/MADI interface to offer automatic redundancy switching in different modes, such as our popular BLDS mode for immediate in-sample switching or a pilot tone trigger. An engineer is now able to improve the redundancy of a playout or multichannel audio system within a Dante-based audio network, no matter whether it is using Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Logic, Pyramix or any other current DAW software.”

The upgrade also adds a channel-based routing matrix to allow access to all inputs and outputs, and offers the option to present new output streams to the Dante and MADI domains.

Further building on its ability to provide extremely reliable and flexible MADI systems interfacing, DirectOut has extended options to configure the unit’s MADI outputs, including for 48/96kHz operation and 64/57/56 channel settings, with all modes supported and detected automatically on inputs.

EXBOX.MD is an Audio-over-IP to MADI converter based on Audinate’s audio networking technology Dante. Equipped with three MADI ports and four network ports it offers straight-forward conversion of 64 audio channels between MADI and Dante.

The handy size of the popular EXBOX series (1/3 of 19’’), combined with the rock-solid housing and redundant power supplies, makes the EXBOX.MD a perfect connectivity tool for touring live shows, OB vans as well as studio applications.

OVERVIEW
LEDs at the front panel inform about clocking, sample rate, device state and power supply at a glance.

AUDIO STREAMING
Up to 32 streams with a total number of 64 audio channels are supported. The device also features the latest Dante firmware with activated AES67 support.

ALL-ROUND FUNCTIONALITY
EXBOX.MD offers highest flexibility as it provides three MADI ports of different interface types:

• optical SC  multi-mode (single-mode som bestillingsvariant)
• coaxial (BNC)
• SFP

The Small Form Factor Pluggable cage can be fitted with any SFP module suitable for the particular application.

One of the three MADI ports is selected as input automatically, all three outputs work in parallel.

BUILT-IN SWITCH
Four network ports are connected to an internal switch and give the opportunity to use Dante’s redundancy mode (Primary <> Secondary), while more EXBOX.MDs or other Dante devices can be connected in switched mode directly to increase the number of channels.

REMOTE CONTROL
EXBOX.MD can be controlled by Audinate‘s remote software ‚Dante Controller‘ and is ‚Dante Domain Manager‘ ready.

SAFE OPERATION
The device can be powered by up to two external power-supplies as well as PoE (Power over Ethernet).

RACK-READY
EXBOX.MD can be mounted into a standard 19’’-rack by using the optional kit BOXMOUNT.XL. Up to three devices may fit side-by-side within 1 RU.