ALLEN&HEATH IDR-4/X iDR-4 4+2 In/4+2 Out Digital Mix Processor
The 1U rack or desk mount iDR-4 is the main unit in the iDR system having all the DSP (digital signal processing) power needed for 16 input and 16 output channels. The iDR-4 has a total of 6 balanced audio inputs including 2 XLR analogue mic/line and 4 TRS jack line inputs. It has 6 balanced audio outputs including 4 XLR analogue land 2 TRS jack line outputs. You can add a further 8 inputs and/or 8 outputs bringing it up to a maximum 14x14 matrix by plugging in the iDR-In and/or iDR-Out audio expanders. The signal can be routed at three key points: the input source patch bay, central crosspoint matrix, and output source patch bay.
Although the iDR does not work with networked audio, the expanders can be located up to 250 metres away so providing remote analogue audio inputs and outputs connected using CAT5 cables. You can also daisy chain multiple iDR-4 and iDR-8 units in adistributed system. The units are linked using an 8 channel wide bus which plugs into the digital expander ports. Maximum matrix at any unit is 16x16 which includes the interconnecting bus. Several iDR units can be linked in this way, but you can have only one iDR-Inand one iDR-Out expander per system.
A stereo audio monitor is included. This can be optionally configured to use line level input and output TRS jacks 5 and 6. The monitor can 'ripple through' chained iDR units. By itself, the iDR-4 can provide a 4 in 4 out system with ripple through monitor, a 6 in 4 out system with monitor output, or a 6 in 6 out system without monitor. A built-in signal/noise generator provides a further source which can be routed to the input channels for test and line up purposes. There are many operator control possibilities.
You can configure the 8 front panel keys and 16 3- colour LEDs, and use the DR-Link port to add up to 3 iDR-Switch units for up to 72 additional switch closure and 48 open-collector logic outputs. In addition you can choose two of the following: the Sys- Net serial portto interface with third party remote controllers, RS232 for modem communication, and the PL-Anet serial port for running a network of Allen & Heath PL wall plates and controllers.
The iDR-4 features networked control. It is configured using the iDR System Manager software via an Ethernet port either connected directly to the installer's PC, or over a TCP/IP network. The PC control can be password protected for security. Once configured it runs stand alone using its built-in iDR Unit software with stored settings. iDR units can also be operated from networked PC workstations running PL Client software configured as 'virtual' wall plates by the installer using PL Designer software. An RS232 modem port lets the installer remotely interrogate units. The operating code can be updated using RS232 or via the network.
The iDR system offers tremendous flexibility. The system set up is stored in patches. Up to 99 patches can be programmed. You can decide which parameters are affected by each. To make best use of this it is important that you plan your installation carefully before you start. You can try out, prepare and archive different configurations offline before plugging in. Virtual panels and controllers are displayed so you can simulate how it will work for real. You can program the unit name, clock and IP address, and check diagnostic information and audio signal presence using the front panel menus accessed by removing the face plate. You can attach a custom label within a recess in the face plate. For further information on the configuration of the unit please refer to the iDR Help section of this website.
Preset System
The iDR preset system is supremely flexible, allowing the installer to save, name and recall up to 250 presets containing only those parameters which they have specified. This makes it easy to provide both global and zone-dependent control. Presets can be recalled by day of the week/time and levels can be cross-faded for smooth transitions. All presets can be archived with iDR settings as a configuration file.
Control / Communication
A look at iDR-8's back panel reveals the scope of iDR's controlcapabilities. iDR-8 can communicate with iDR-Switch units, iDR-In and iDR-outexpanders, third party controllers, PL Series 'intelligent' wall plates, MIDIshow controllers, PCs, networks and modems. Up to 4 communications ports can beused at once - network and DR-link ports are always available, with two moreselected from RS232, Sys-Net, MIDI and PL-Anet. Rear panel leds clearlyindicate active ports.
iDR-Switch
iDR-Switch wall plates and other external equipment such as curtains, lights, custom panels, PIR sensors, etc. can be easily brought under iDR control using iDR-Switch. A total of 3 iDR-Switch units can be included in an iDR system, providing up to 72 switch closure inputs and 48 logic outputs.
iDR System Manager Software
iDR System Manager runs on a Windows PC and is the installer's tool for turning a collection of hardware into a customised, integrated audio system that precisely matches the client's needs.
iDR components and remote control devices all come under the control of iDR System Manager. We have given the software a very straightforward, 'analogue' feel, so you can expect to feel at home with it very quickly.
Once you have configured the ideal iDR system the settings and presets are simply saved to the main iDR-8 unit. You can then remove the PC and the iDR system will run as a standalone entity.
PL Series Remote Controllers
A range of remote controllers for use with ALLEN&HEATH products - ideal for local operator control using wall plates, fader panels, hand held remotes, etc. Combinations of push switch, indicator led, rotary encoder, infra-red receiver and audio fader are available.
iDR in/out Expander Units
iDR-In and iDR-Out are add-on audio expander units for the Allen & Heath iDR-8 audio mix processor. They provide additional analogue audio inputs and outputs to add to those on the main unit. The iDR-In has 8 mic/line inputs, the iDR-Out has 8 line outputs.One or both may be connected to the iDR-8. Only one of each may be added to the iDR system bringing it up to a maximum 16x16 audio matrix.
These units do not have any processing built in. They convert the analogue audio to an 8 channel wide digital bus which feeds theiDR-8 via a CAT5 STP cable. The iDR-In features high grade mic/line preamps with PC configured gain, pad and phantom power switching, and a built-in soft clip limiter.
The iDR-Out provides electronically balanced differential outputs. The processing is available onthe main iDR-8 unit which features the full 16x16 matrix. Both units have 8 front panel LEDs in addition to the 3 status indicators. These are 3-colour soft LEDs which can be assigned as audio meters, mute indicators or patch related indicators. They are programmed in the usual way using the iDR System Manager software.
Control of the expanders is via the DR-Link port using a CAT5STP cable. This means that two CAT5 cables are required to interconnect an expander to the main unit. Maximum distance between the units is 250 metres.Local mains power is required.
PL Designer and PL Client software
Bundled with the new iDR System Manager v3.2, ALLEN & HEATH offers new software for the design and operation of virtual wall plate style remote controllers. These are designed by the installer to provide control interfaces running on client PCs connected to the iDR via a network.
PL Designer lets the designer create a control layout from a selection of control types such as switches, faders and LEDs, or from parameter windows such as EQ. These can be associated with selected iDR channels and labelled for on-screen identification. The resulting PL Client panel can be installed on the client PC. Different panel layouts can be designed and customised for different rooms and applications. For example, a hotel receptionist could control local sound sources and volume using a panel window running on the computer.
iDR-4 Front Panel
The iDR-4 front panel has 8 soft keys plus 16 tri-colour LEDs. iDR-In and iDR-Out expanders each have a further 8 LEDs. What these keys and LEDs do is up to the installer - they can be volume controls, source selectors and meters, they can recall patches, or in a fully protected system they can do nothing at all. iDR-4 has an LCD display which normally shows basic information such as time or unit name but can also show custom messages programmed into patches.
iDR-4's face plate can be removed for access to the unit's internal clock, network setup and diagnostic menus. The face plate extrusion has a 13mm groove to fit adhesive labelling.
Audio Processing
At the heart of iDR-4 is a pair of powerful Motorola DSPs. Having so much processing muscle available has several major advantages:
1) iDR-4 has a fixed architecture with full processing for all inputs and outputs, so the installer does not have to think about conserving or allocating resources
2) No DSP or output delay expanders are needed - everything is included in the standard unit.
iDR-4's processing includes preamp, fader, mute and polarity control, parametric EQ, crossover filters, compressors and gates with sidechain filter, limiters, crosspoint matrix, input and output patchbays, stereo/group linking, 16- level ducker, ambient noise sensing, automatic mic mixer, two independent pagers and signal generator for lineup tones and pink noise. The equivalent analogue processing equipment would easily fill several racks!
Audio I/O
The basic iDR-4 has 2 balanced XLR mic/line inputs, 4 balanced TRS line inputs, 4 balanced XLR line outputs, 2 balanced TRS line outputs and enough processing for the full 16x16 matrix.
The high quality preamps feature programmable gain, pad and phantom power control on all XLR inputs.
Audio Monitor
iDR's monitoring system is wonderfully convenient, flexible and powerful. Any point in the signal chain can be listened to via two of the TRS line outputs.
Monitoring can be 'daisy-chained' through several iDR units, so the user can monitor any point in a big distributed system.
Monitor source is selected manually or by dragging the mouse pointer over the iDR Manager software windows.
Remote Audio
Adding an iDR-In and / or an iDR-Out expander to an iDR-4 brings the channel architecture up to 14x8, 8x14 or the full 14x14. The expanders can be sited up to 300 metres away from the main unit, making them ideal for local audio connection in distributed systems.
