Digital audio communication and control in a live performance venue
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for digitally transmitting audio that is converted from analog audio received from analog media pickup devices in a live performance venue by a stage box to a base unit over off-the-shelf twisted pair cable while sending pre-amplification control signals and power over the cable to the stage box. Audio for the performance venue is remotely managed from a virtual audio engineering mixing board that wirelessly communicates audio control commands to the stage box from a handheld computing device.
1. A method, comprising:
receiving at a first stage box at least one analog media signal from a media pickup device, digitizing each analog media signal, and multiplexing the digitized signal to produce a first multiplexed digital media signal;
transmitting the first multiplex signal from the first stage box over a cable to a daisy-chain second stage box;
receiving at the second stage box at least one analog media signal from a media pickup device, digitizing each analog media signal, and multiplexing the digitized signal to produce a second multiplexed digital media signal;
multiplexing the first multiplex signal and the second multiplex signal at the second stage box into a combined multiplexed signal;
transmitting the combined multiplex signal from the second stage box to a daisy-chain base unit over a cable;
demultiplexing the combined multiplex signal at the base unit; and
powering each of the daisy-chained stage boxes by transmitting power from the base unit through the daisy-chaining cable to each of the stage boxes.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cable is a twisted-pair cable.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cable is a co-axial cable.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cable is tri-axial cable.
5. The method of claim 1 , further including transmitting a pre-amplifier control setting from the base unit to at least one of the plurality of stage boxes over the daisy chain.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the pre-amplifier control setting is a digital command for instructing a processor to control a pre-amplifier control feature of the stage box.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the processor and the pre-amplifier control are embodied within the stage box.
8. A method comprising:
receiving at a first stage box at least one analog media signal from a media pickup device, digitizing each analog media signal, multiplexing the digitized signal to produce a first multiplexed digital media signal, and processing a portion of the multiplexed digital signal to improve audio quality;
transmitting the first multiplex signal from the first stage box over a cable to a daisy-chain second stage box;
receiving at the second stage box at least one analog media signal from a media pickup device, digitizing each analog media signal, multiplexing the digitized signal to produce a second multiplexed digital media signal, and processing a portion of the multiplexed digital signal to improve audio quality;
multiplexing the first multiplex signal and the second multiplex signal at the second stage box into a combined multiplexed signal;
transmitting the combined multiplex signal from the second stage box to a daisy-chain base unit over a cable; and
demultiplexing the combined multiplex signal at the base unit.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the cable connection is a twisted-pair cable.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the cable connection is a co-axial cable.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the cable connection is a tri-axial cable.
12. The method of claim 8 , further including powering the stage box over the cable.
13. The method of claim 8 , further including pre-amplifying the analog audio signals in the stage box.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the cable is a multiple twisted-pair cable.