Responding to customer requests for lower-budget and simpler connectivity options on its popular Vista range of digital mixing consoles, Studer has supplemented its highly flexible and expandable D21m remote stagebox system with two new fixed-architecture models, dubbed the Vi Stagebox and the Compact Stagebox.
The new Studer Vi Stagebox is a 6U solution that provides 64 mic/line inputs and 32 line outputs, all as analog XLRs in 8-channel modules. The Vi also gives the option to replace any of the 8-channel cards with an alternative format such as AES, CobraNet, Aviom or EtherSound. It also includes eight channels of GPIO with relay-controlled outputs and features redundant power supplies as standard. A 64x64 MADI HD link is fitted as standard to connect to the Vista console’s SCore DSP rack, and multiple Vi stageboxes can be connected to provide an even larger pool of I/O.
The second new model is the very cost-effective Studer Compact Stagebox, which offers 32 inputs and 16 outputs in just 4U, again all analog but with option other configurations, together with eight channels of GPIO and two standard single D21m option card slots to add SDI, ADAT connectivity, etc. The Compact Stagebox also links to the console via a MADI optical connection. The addition of the D21m slots provides an excellent method of deriving a multichannel recording feed via MADI.
The Studer D21m I/O system is based on card frames, each having the capability of accepting a wide range of different audio format cards, and multiple stageboxes can be easily distributed around large facilities. Because Vista customers requested simpler and lower-cost solutions, Studer took advantage of this flexible architecture to provide these new options.v
