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 stage box at least two analog media signals from one or more media pickup devices, digitizing each analog media signal, and multiplexing the digitized signal to produce a multiplexed digital media signal;
connecting the stage box to a base unit via a cable;
processing a portion of the multiplexed digital signal with the stage box to improve audio quality;
transmitting the multiplexed digital media signal from the stage box over the cable to the base unit;
demultiplexing the transmitted multiplexed digital media signal with the base unit; and
converting the demultiplexed digital media signal to produce analog signals representative of the at least two received analog media signals.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein connecting the stage box to the base unit via cable comprises daisy chaining the stage box and the base unit.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitted signal that is demultiplexed by the base unit comprises digital media signals from a plurality of stage boxes.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein connecting the stage box to the base unit via a cable comprises powering the stage box by transmitting power from the base unit through the cable to the stage box.