Using Infinity with Axia Consoles

Introduction

Telos Infinity can integrate with Axia mixing consoles in several ways, including direct integration of CR Monitor GPIO functions, the ability to talk over console Backfeeds and now with the September 2021 release of Infinity V2.0, the ability to control a physical or virtual (VIP) Infinity panel from an Axia Quasar Console.

Control Room (CR) Monitor Logic

If using an Axia console, the Control Room (CR) monitor logic has active logic when the monitors are muted. This logic can be tied into the intercom station if the main GPIO port is configured to the same LW Channel logic as defined in the show profile of the Axia console.

The GPIO control is fired when the Console outputs a signal called ‘Speaker Mute Lamp’ when the Host Mic is on. Infinity receives that signal and mutes the Panel Speaker.

Note - This functionality occurs "under the hood" and is not patched or displayed within Dashboard.

Figure 1 below shows CR Logic field accessed via the Web Setup page of any Infinity Intercom Panel (MP, DS or VIP). In this example, the LWGPIO channel is set to ‘2071’. The same channel must be used within the corresponding field on the console GPIO setup page.

Figure 1 - GPIO setup page of an Infinity Panel

Interrupting an Axia Console Backfeed

It is possible to interrupt a backfeed from an Axia console with an Infinity IP intercom system. You may want to do this if your Director or Producer would like to talk back to a caller, as if using an IFB. Although we can set up an IFB using Dashboard, the backfeed interrupt method is done almost completely using the console.

Note - This capability is only supported with the Fusion, Element, and Quasar consoles.

Configuring the Axia Console

Navigate to the web interface of your console's engine and go to the Source Profiles page. Select your phone source. On the bottom of the source profile configuration page for your phone source, you'll see an option called "Feed to Source."

Figure 1 - Configuration page of an Element or Fusion console

• Set "Feed to Source" to "Custom".

• Check the "Talk Insertion" Box.

• "Dim Gain" defaults to "0", meaning the interrupt audio from the Infinity panel will be at the same volume as the rest of the backfeed; if you want to dim the backfeed when audio is present from the Infinity panel, do so here.

Note - Talk Insertion can be set up to appear in both panels, or just one. It can also be used whether the phone channel is "on" or "off."

Configuring Dashboard

Within Dashboard, locate the Phone Hybrid source in your list of inputs, then drag it to a key on your panel. Once added, it will default to Listen Only. Double-click to set it to "Talk + Audio Listen."

Figure 2 - Dashboard configuration menu of an Infinity Panel key set to talk over the corresponding backfeed

Infinity Panel Integration with Quasar

Axia Quasar console enables the user to access the keys of an Infinity panel via the console’s central touchscreen. A more in-depth description of the setup and functionality can be found within the Quasar product manual, but the basics of panel operation are identical, with panel configuration achieved via Dashboard in the normal way.

Note that Quasar does not "host" an Infinity panel by replicating its DSP. Rather, it simply presents a bespoke remote control of existing hardware or virtual (VIP) panels, Talk/Listen keys, and other controls.

Figure 3 - Infinity Panel in Quasar

Figure 4 - Quasar Control Center Show Profile showing Infinity Panel

Additionally, Quasar/Infinity integrated workflows are enhanced using the following features:

• Control Room Monitor GPIO

• External Mic LW channel (Quasar Console Mic used as Intercom Mic)

• Infinity LW LS audio channel assigned to Quasar Ext PFL Input

• Infinity ‘Listen Active’ GPIO integrated to activate Quasar Ext PFL Input

• Quasar ‘LW Out Gain’ control mapped to Infinity Panel ‘Spkr/HS LW Output Channel Gain’ (see Figure 5 below)

Figure 5 - Web setup page of Infinity Panel