http://featherbear.cc/slides/secedu-av-purchase-guide-20220112/
Planning
Audio Mixer - QSC Touchmix-8
The QSC Touchmix series consoles are compact mixers that (should hopefully) appeal to beginners / those with little knowledge about A/V - whilst providing experienced techs with a powerful and portable mixing tool. They feature a touch screen panel which is the interface to basically all the operations of the console.
- The 8 channel and 16 channel models don’t seem to have a USB port to connect to a computer, I guess no multitrack recordings hey…
- They’re rather costly, honestly a Behringer Xenyx 1222USB could do; but the Touchmix has less physical buttons and so it should hopefully be less overwhelming and more user friendly
- The UI responsiveness of the Touchmix is something that needs to improve though…
Video Switcher - Blackmagic ATEM Mini Pro
The ATEM Mini models are amazing little video switchers that are affordable and pack heaps of features. The ATEM Mini Pro allows you to switch between 4 HDMI input sources, whilst also providing some upstream and downstream keyers
This device will be mounted on a retractable sliding drawer for ease of access.
- The ATEM Mini Extreme provides a Super Source engine, allowing you to show a bunch of sources simultaneously
- The ATEM Mini Pro ISO and ATEM Mini Extreme ISO allows you to record each input source independently as “isolated” recordings - great for fixing up transitions in post, or extracting raw video footage.
- The ATEM Mini Pro (ISO) and ATEM Mini Extreme (ISO) models allow you to stream to RTMP destinations (i.e. YouTube) right from the device - no laptop needed!
Display: Blackmagic SmartView Duo 2
Well, it’s a monitor..
I was considering purchasing a 1RU retractable monitor instead, as it would provide a much larger screen; however I do value the fact that these sort of 3RU displays contain two monitors - allowing two separate sources to be seen at the same time
Patch Panel
The folks at Redco Audio supplied me with a custom 13 D-type patch panel.
From left to right
- 4x HDMI inputs (connecting to the ATEM)
- 1/4" TRS input (connecting to inputs 11/12 on the audio mixer)
- 2x XLR outputs (
MAINstereo output) - 2x 1/4" TRS outputs (
MIX 1/2andMIX 3/4outputs) - 1x HDMI input (connecting to the auxiliary display)
- 1x USB-C insert (connecting the stream laptop to the system)
- 1x 1/4" TRS output (Monitor output)
- 1x powerCON insert (power)
I could have just gotten a 12 D-type blank patch panel, and forfeited the powerCON connector for a standard C13/C14 power cable.
Presentation Audio
VIDEO 3 has an HDMI audio extractor connected into inputs 9/10 on the audio mixer.
This gives us access to mix in the audio from the presentation computer
Case - Road Ready 10U Slant Mixer / 3U Rack
This case has a 10RU rack at the top and a 3RU + 2RU rack at the front (The face plate can be removed, giving an additional 2RU of space; however you will need to consider the depth of your top-mounted equipment). The rear of the case has a small access panel for routing cables, but the only rack-mount panels are at the front and top sides
Ideally I’d actually want the 4RU or 6RU cases; so that I could add a storage drawer and shelf; but the dimensions of the cases for those models would be too big to cart around in the trolley that the university has (Well, I made them buy it; and would feel bad if they no longer used it)
Connection Diagram
High Level
Expanded
Mix Layouts
MAIN
The main mix
AUX 1/2
Mirror of the main mix
AUX 3/4
Mix minus of the main mix minus teleconference return