Crown 137769-3 operation manual Automixer, Priority Ducking

DBC Network Bridge

5 Advanced Operation

5.3.5 Automixer

Automatic mixers allow 'hands-free' mixing that minimizes many of the undesirable effects of using multiple microphones. Applications such as confer- ence rooms, training rooms and boardrooms typi- cally implement many microphones for individual speakers. Simultaneously mixing all microphones with acceptable gain before feedback manually is not possible.

The DBC Network Bridge implements three auto- mixing functions to address this situation: Priority Ducking, NOM Attenuation and Adaptive Gating.

Each of the sixteen Input Processing Sections can be grouped into any of 32 Auto-Mix Groups. In addition to the Group assignment, each Input Sec- tion includes a separate 'Enable' control. This con- trols whether the respective channel participates in its assigned groups AutoMixing functions. There are group Automixing controls and individual Input Processing Section controls. Automixing’s effect on input gain is metered by the Input Dynamic Cut/ Boost Meter.

Priority Ducking

Enforces a priority order of open microphones such that high priority inputs duck (attenuate) lower-pri- ority inputs. Additionally, a maximum number of equal-priority open microphones may be specified. Each input can be assigned a Priority from 1 (high- est) to 8 (lowest). When an input gate opens, it is allowed to pass according to the priority that has been assigned and is dependent upon the other open inputs within its group.

Keeping the number of open microphones to a min- imum reduces background noise while allowing a higher gain before feedback for improved intelligi- bility.

Input gates must be enabled for all inputs participat- ing in Priority Ducking within an Automix Group. If an input belongs to more than one Auto-Mix Group, it MUST be the highest priority in all of the groups in which it participates.

Operation Manual page 59