Show Profiles

Like Source Profiles, Show Profiles are set up through the Altus Control Center which is accessible by launching your preferred web browser on a computer connected to your studio network and entering the IP address of the Altus in the address bar. When prompted for authentication, enter the user name “user”. The password field is left blank.

Show Profiles Menu

Show Profiles define how the surface is laid out channel-by-channel and determine some console behaviors. They are so named because they provide a convenient method of recalling a particular way of organizing the controls for different dayparts or program types, such as a morning show, a live sports broadcast, or a local newscast.

The Shows menu (4-1A) in the Profile Manager section of the Altus Control Center contains options for recalling, saving, editing, and resetting Show Profiles.

Global Show Profile Options

There are several options a the top of the Show Profiles page that apply to show profiles in general.

The Hide [NONE] option in the Show List prevents users from loading an entirely blank show profile. Selecting [NONE] would otherwise clear the console configuration, so this option allows you to hide it to prevent accidental loading of an empty profile.

The Allow show load to override active channels option causes any faders that are currently ON to turn OFF immediately when a show is loaded. This ensures that the active state of channels does not interfere with the loading of the new Profile.

The Retain fader gain between shows option preserves the current fader position when a new show is loaded. If this option is NOT selected, the fader is reset to its minimum (fully down) position during show load.

Individual Show Profiles

Clicking either the Edit button (4-1C) or the Show Profile letter or name (4-1B) opens a page where individual show-specific parameters can be modified.

The Capture button (4-1D) saves the current console layout to the selected Show Profile, allowing quick updates to reflect the present configuration.

The Reset button (4-1E) restores all Show Profile values to their factory default settings.

Editing Show Profiles

Four Show Profiles are supported. To create a Show Profile, begin by clicking either on the Edit button (4-1E) or the Show Profile letter or name (4-1B), which will open a new page with all settable parameters.

You may notice that many of these parameters are also reflected on the surface itself. Any current values for buttons, faders, and volume controls are shown here—typically in numerical rather than graphical form. Additional options that enable or restrict the operator’s ability to modify certain settings are available exclusively within the Control Center.

A friendly seven-character name can be entered into the Show name field (4-2A) so that operators can easily identify and recall a specific profile.

Leave the Show name field blank to “hide” unused shows from the dropdown list.

Fader Channels

Source Dropdown (4-2B)
Selects the input source for the channel. Only sources that have been added through the Source Profile Manager will appear in this list.

On Checkbox (4-2C)
Determines whether the channel will be switched ON when the profile loads. If the padlock icon beneath this checkbox is also enabled, the operator cannot change the channel’s On/Off status from the surface.

PGMx Checkboxes (4-2D)
Assign the channel to one or more Program Mix destinations (Program 1 – Program 4) when the profile loads. If the padlock checkbox beneath a specific mix bus is enabled, the operator cannot modify its assignment from the surface.

Group Start Dropdown (4-2E)
Links the On state of channels. When channels are assigned as part of a Group Start, any On/Off change made to a Master channel affects all channels in that group (both Master and Slave). When set to Independent, the channel operates separately and is unaffected by group start signals.

Automix Dropdown (4-2F)
Defines the priority or “weight” of each fader channel when Automix is enabled using the adjacent checkbox. Weight 1 represents the highest priority, with higher numbers having progressively less priority. See the Automix section below for additional details.

Phone Connection

The Phone Connection section is used to interface with a Telos VX phone system.

Phone Server IP (4-3A)
Enter the IP address of the appropriate Telos VX unit in this field, or click the Browse button to view and select from all available VX systems on the network.

Studio Name (4-3B)
Select or enter the Studio Configuration as defined within the VX system. This associates the console with the correct studio profile.

Show Name (4-3C)
This field is optional. If a show name is entered, the corresponding VX Show will automatically become active. Leaving this field blank allows show control to be managed externally.

Note: The Phone Connection settings must be configured before Fixed or Selectable phone channel types can be used.

Automix

The Automix feature automatically manages the balance between multiple active sources, ensuring that the combined output does not exceed the level of the loudest source. This helps maintain consistent levels across open microphones—keeping the host’s mic dominant in the mix—or can assist in maintaining balance between voice and music during talk-overs.

Control Dropdown (4-4A)
Determines the signal patch point feeding the Automix algorithm.

• When set to Post-Fader, the operator can adjust the input gain to Automix using the channel fader.

• When set to Pre-Fader, the input gain to Automix is fixed, independent of the fader position.

Attack Time (4-4B)
Specifies how quickly Automix responds by reducing gain as input levels rise. Shorter times result in faster attenuation, which can help control sudden loud sounds.

Release Time (4-4C)
Determines how quickly Automix restores gain when input levels fall. Longer times provide smoother transitions between sources, while shorter times allow faster recovery.

Monitor Section

The Monitor Section provides configuration options for four distinct monitoring points:

• CR Monitor – Control Room loudspeakers (operator position)

• CR Headphones – Control Room headphones (operator position)

• Preview – The Preview (or Cue) output

• Studio Monitor – Studio loudspeakers (typically the host or guest position)

Each monitor type supports various parameters. Note that not all settings apply to every monitor type; some are unique to specific outputs.

Volume Adjust Allowed (4-5A)
When checked, the operator can manually adjust the monitor volume from the surface. If unchecked, volume control is locked.

Volume Set (4-5B) and Volume Level (4-5C)
When Volume Set is enabled, the monitor volume is set to the level specified in Volume Level whenever a Show Profile is loaded. If Volume Set is disabled, the current volume level is retained during show load.

Dim Gain (4-5D)
Defines the amount of attenuation applied during a Dim event. A setting of -Inf completely mutes the main content, while 0 dB applies no attenuation.

Gain in Muted State (4-5E)
Overrides the normal mute behavior to allow audio to pass at a reduced level instead of being fully silenced. This is often used in television applications where microphones must remain open for internal communication or IFB, but reduced monitor gain prevents feedback. In radio applications, this option is typically disabled to ensure full muting when microphones are live.

Source Dropdown (4-5F)
Specifies the audio source assigned to the monitor output when a Show Profile is loaded. The Source Selection Allowed checkbox (4-5G) determines whether the operator can change this source from the surface.

Preview In (4-5H)
Allows the Preview mix to be included in the CR Monitor and/or Headphone outputs.

Preview Mode (4-5I)
When Preview In is enabled for the headphone monitor, this setting determines how Preview audio is routed:

• Normal – Preview audio is mixed into both left and right channels.

• Split – Preview audio is assigned to only one channel (left or right).

Logic Port (4-5J)
Specifies the Livewire channel number used for monitor logic control. This value can be mapped to a GPIO port—commonly used to trigger ON AIR or Mic Tally indicators.

External Inputs

While most of the Monitor Section focuses on locally generated DSP sources, it is sometimes necessary to use a source available on the AoIP network. Only sources configured in Source Profiles will appear in the External Source dropdowns (4-6A) for each input, and the settings in the Source Availability menu determine which sources are available for monitoring.

External 1 and External 2
The monitor section includes two EXT buttons used to route external sources to the monitors. The sources feeding these EXT buttons for the active Show Profile are defined here. A common example is an off-air tuner, allowing the operator to monitor the actual transmitted signal.

External Talk
This option overrides the default configuration in which Talkback audio from the operator microphone is routed through a surface channel. In many systems, the operator does not contribute to the on-air mix, so dedicating a fader strip for the operator mic is inefficient. This setting allows the operator microphone—or any other available source—to serve as the audio source when a Talkback function is activated.

External Preview
Defines the source applied to the Preview mix when an Ext Preview logic state is triggered via GPIO. This can be used, for example, to route intercom audio into the monitor section of the surface for communication or coordination purposes.

Record Mode

Clicking the Record button on the surface triggers a GPIO command to record the source currently routed to the studio monitors. The specific behavior of this function is defined by the Record Mode dropdown (4-7A), which offers several operational options:

Disabled
Disables Record Mode entirely. Clicking the Record button has no effect.

Enabled
Activates the traditional Axia Record Mode familiar to long-time users. When the Record button is pressed, the monitor section switches to a dedicated Record mix, triggers the assigned GPIO, and mutes the Control Room monitors.

CR Ready
Indicates a “ready” condition via GPIO. When the Record button is pressed, GPO Pin 5 latches to signal readiness.

CR Ready with Auto-Reset
Functions like CR Ready, but the latch automatically resets as soon as a mute state is triggered.

GPIO Button
Treats the Record button as a general-purpose GPIO control. In this mode, GPO Pin 1 of the assigned port follows the button press, and GPI Pin 11 controls illumination of the Record button.

Note: When using CR Ready, CR Ready with Auto-Reset, or GPIO Button, a valid value between 1 and 32767 must be entered in the Logic Port field (4-7B).

User Interface

The User Interface section provides options for customizing certain behaviors and controls on the surface.

Timer Mode (4-8A)
Determines how the count-up timer is triggered. When set to Manual, the timer is started and stopped directly from the surface. When set to Source Profile, the timer is automatically controlled by any source profiles that have timer functions enabled.

Preview Interlock Mode (4-8B)
When enabled, pressing a second PFL (Preview or Cue) button automatically releases the previously active PFL channel and routes the new channel’s audio to the designated monitor source. When disabled, each PFL button must be pressed again to remove that channel from preview.

Logic Port for Timer (4-8C)
Specifies the GPIO channel used for external control of the timer. Enter the appropriate logic port number to allow timer start/stop control through GPIO.

Talk to CR Level (4-8D)
Adjusts the gain of the Talk to Control Room audio path. This value can be set to either attenuate or amplify the talkback level as needed.

Comparing and Saving Profile Changes

The Changes menu within the Profile Manager section of the Altus Control Center displays any differences between the settings stored in the Source and Show Profiles and the settings currently active on the console surface.

Individual changes can be reviewed and selected (or de-selected) using the corresponding checkboxes. Once the desired selections are made, click Save Selected Changes to apply those updates to the associated profiles.