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 system comprising:
at least one video pickup device; and
a plurality of stage boxes interconnected in a daisy-chain with at least one base unit,
wherein a first stage box of the daisy-chain:
receives a video signal from the at least one video pickup device,
receives a multiplexed video signal from a second stage box in the daisy-chain;
multiplexes the video signal with the multiplexed video signal producing a combined multiplexed video signal; and
transmits the combined multiplexed video signal over the daisy-chain to the at least one base unit;
wherein the at least one base unit:
demultiplexes the combined multiplexed video signal into a plurality of video signals; and
powers the plurality of stage boxes via a power signal over the daisy-chain that is physically distinct from the combined multiplexed video signal.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the daisy-chain comprises a twisted-pair cable configuration.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the daisy-chain comprises a co-axial cable configuration.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the daisy-chain comprises a tri-axial cable configuration.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the video signal includes an audio portion and the at least one base unit is further configured to transmit an audio pre-amplifier control setting from the at least one base unit to at least one of the plurality of stage boxes over the daisy-chain.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the audio pre-amplifier control setting is a digital command for instructing a processor to control an audio pre-amplifier control feature of the at least one of the plurality of stage boxes.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor and the audio pre-amplifier control feature are embodied within the at least one of the plurality of stage boxes.
8. A method, comprising:
interconnecting a plurality of stage boxes and a base unit in a daisy-chain;
receiving, at a first stage box of the plurality, a video signal from a media pickup device;
receiving, at the first stage box, a multiplexed video signal from a second stage box of the plurality;
multiplexing the video signal with the multiplexed video signal thereby producing a combined multiplexed video signal;
transmitting the combined multiplexed video signal over the daisy-chain to the base unit;
demultiplexing the combined multiplexed video signal at the base unit into a plurality of video signals; and
powering the plurality of stage boxes by transmitting power from the base unit through the daisy-chain.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the daisy-chain comprises a twisted-pair cable configuration.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the daisy-chain comprises a co-axial cable configuration.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the daisy-chain comprises a tri-axial cable configuration.
12. The method of claim 8 , further including transmitting a pre-amplifier control setting for an audio portion of the video signal from a media pickup device from the base unit to at least one of the plurality of stage boxes over the daisy chain.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the pre-amplifier control setting is a digital command for instructing a processor to control a pre-amplifier control feature of the at least one of the plurality of stage boxes.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the processor and the pre-amplifier control feature are embodied within the at least one of the plurality of stage boxes.