Software Dante TX

The Software Dante TX and RX components transmit and receive Dante audio streams to and from Dante-enabled devices on the network. The capabilities of software-based Dante are similar to the CDN64 Dante Audio Bridge Card, except that the sample rate is fixed at 48 kHz.

  • The Software Dante components are licensed elements that require a Q-SYS Feature License when included in a design deployed to a supported Q-SYS Core processor. See the Licensing topic in the Q-SYS Core Manager help.
  • Your deployment must meet the network requirements for Dante, including clocking, QoS, and redundancy. See Other Networked Audio.
  • When using Software Dante, the Q-SYS Core name must be 31 characters or less.

Each Software Dante TX and RX component consumes Q-SYS Core processor Network Audio Channels and Streams. Use the File > Check Design feature to see how many network channels and streams your design uses.

Consumption is determined by the Channel Count property and whether one or both LAN interfaces are enabled for use by Software Dante in the Design Properties:

  • LAN A or LAN B = Non-redundant
  • Both (LAN A and LAN B) = Redundant

Software Dante Resources by Core

Note: See the Licensing topic for the details and requirements for Software Dante licensing.

Maximum Channels Maximum Flows Included Channels Licensable Tiers

32x32

8x8

8x8 (after March 30, 2020)

8x8, 16x16, 32x32
Channel Count Property Dante Flows Consumed Network Channels Consumed Network Streams Consumed

8

4

8 of 128

12 of 64 (Non-redundant)

24 of 64 (Redundant)

16

8

16 of 128

24 of 64 (Non-redundant)

48 of 64 (Redundant)

32

8

32 of 128

24 of 64 (Non-redundant)

48 of 64 (Redundant)
Maximum Channels Maximum Flows Included Channels Licensable Tiers

32x32

16x16

8x8

16x16, 32x32

Channel Count Property Dante Flows Consumed Network Channels Consumed Network Streams Consumed

8

4

8 of 64

4 of 32 (Non-redundant)

4 of 32 (Redundant)

16

8

16 of 64

8 of 32 (Non-redundant)

8 of 32 (Redundant)

32

16

32 of 64

16 of 32 (Non-redundant)

16 of 32 (Redundant)
Maximum Channels Maximum Flows Included Channels Licensable Tiers

32x32

16x16

N/A

8x8, 16x16, 32x32

Channel Count Property Dante Flows Consumed Network Channels Consumed Network Streams Consumed

8

4

8 of 32

4 of 16 (Non-redundant)

4 of 16 (Redundant)

16

8

16 of 32

8 of 16 (Non-redundant)

8 of 16 (Redundant)

32

16

32 of 32

16 of 16 (Non-redundant)

16 of 16 (Redundant)
Maximum Channels Maximum Flows Included Channels Licensable Tiers

128x128

64x64

8x8 (after January 01, 2021)

8x8, 16x16, 32x32, 64x64, 128x128

Channel Count Property Dante Flows Consumed Network Channels Consumed Network Streams Consumed

8

4

8 of 256

4 of 256 (Non-redundant)

4 of 256 (Redundant)

16

8

16 of 256

8 of 256 (Non-redundant)

8 of 256 (Redundant)

32

16

32 of 256

16 of 256 (Non-redundant)

16 of 256 (Redundant)

64

32

64 of 256

32 of 256 (Non-redundant)

32 of 256 (Redundant)
Maximum Channels Maximum Flows Included Channels Licensable Tiers

512x512

192x192

8x8 (after January 01, 2021)

8x8, 16x16, 32x32, 64x64, 128x128, 256x256, 512x512

Channel Count Property Dante Flows Consumed Network Channels Consumed Network Streams Consumed

8

4

8 of 512

4 of 256 (Non-redundant)

4 of 256 (Redundant)

16

8

16 of 512

8 of 256 (Non-redundant)

8 of 256 (Redundant)

32

16

32 of 512

16 of 256 (Non-redundant)

16 of 256 (Redundant)

64

32

64 of 512

32 of 256 (Non-redundant)

32 of 256 (Redundant)
  1. Read the Requirements section before proceeding.
  2. From the Inventory > Streaming I/O menu, add Software Dante TX to your inventory list.
  3. Configure the component Properties.
  4. Drag the Status/Control component into your schematic.
  5. Connect output audio pins from one or more audio components in your design to the input audio pins of the Software Dante TX component.
  6. In File > Design Properties, configure the Interface for Software Dante. See the Design Properties topic for information.
  7. Press F5 to save and run your design to the Core.
  8. Double-click the Software Dante TX component to open its control panel.
  9. Configure Labels and Flows for transmission. See Controls.
  10. Configure other Dante devices on the network to receive audio flows from the Software Dante TX component. (The Device name will always be the Q-SYS Core processor name.)

Name

The Name may contain ASCII letters 'a' through 'z' (case-insensitive), the digits '0' through '9', and the hyphen. Names cannot begin or end with a hyphen. No other symbols, punctuation characters, or blank spaces are permitted.

Location

User-defined name that groups the component with other components in the same physical location, or in the same organizational scheme.

Channel Count

The number of output channels: 8 (default), 16, or 32. The number of usable channels is determined by the Software Dante feature license – refer to the Licensing topic in the Q-SYS Core Manager help.

External Config/Control

Determines whether Dante configuration is allowed by an external program, such as Dante Controller:

  • When set to Yes, you configure Dante with an external program. In this mode, some controls within the Software Dante TX component in Q-SYS Designer become read-only.
  • When set to No (default), you configure Dante with the Software Dante TX component in Q-SYS Designer. In this mode, any changes you make in an external program are ignored.

Tip: You can set this property individually for Software Dante TX and RX.

Dante

Peak Output Level (dBFS)

Measures the audio peak output level before transmission, from -120 dB to 27.0 dB.

Digital

Clip

Red LED indicating if the signal is being clipped.

Clip Hold

Holds the clip indication until manually cleared.

Invert

Inverts the polarity of the audio signal.

Mute

Mutes the digital audio signal.

Gain

Controls the gain of the digital audio signal, from -100 dB to 20.0 dB (default is 0).

Status

Component status is conveyed with the Status LED and Status box, which uses both color and text to indicate the current condition:

  • OK: The device is functioning normally.
  • Initializing: The device is in the process of a firmware or configuration update, or the design is starting.
  • Compromised: The device is functioning, but a non-fatal problem exists. Refer to the Status box for details.
  • Missing: The device cannot be discovered.
  • Fault: The device is malfunctioning or is not properly configured. Refer to the Status box for details.
  • Unknown: This status appears during a Core reboot (for example, during a firmware update), or when a design is being uploaded to the Core and before it has started running.
  • Not Present: If applicable to the device, this status appears when the device is not connected to the network and its Is Required component property is set to 'No'. This status also appears if the device component's Dynamically Paired property is set to 'Yes', pairing has not been assigned in Core Manager, and the device component's Is Required property is set to 'Yes'. See Dynamic Pairing.

Transmit

Label

The name of the output channel on a device. The label must be less than or equal to 31 characters and cannot contain '.' , '=', or '@' characters.

Flow

The name of the flow. Usage depends on the setting for Properties > External Config/Control:

If External Config/Control is set to 'No' (default):

  • The default is "Auto". The channel will use an automatically configured unicast flow. If a channel is being transmitted via multiple unicast flows, those flow numbers are indicated – for example: "Auto Unicast: 1, 3".
  • If you enter a string other than "Auto", the channel is added to the multicast flow with the specified name.
  • A new flow is created if one doesn't already exist with that name.
  • The flow name must be less than or equal to 31 characters and cannot contain '.' , '=', or '@' characters.

If External Config/Control is set to 'Yes', flow control is read-only, and displays the flow info for the channel as configured in Dante Controller.

Config

Device Name

This is a read-only value, set to the name of the Q-SYS Core processor.

Tx Flows

Displays the number of flows currently used out of the maximum. The maximum number of flows is determined by the Channel Count property. Refer to the 'Channel and Stream Usage' section.

Interface

Indicates what network interface on the Q-SYS Core is being used to transmit Software Dante audio. Configure the interface in File > Design Properties.

Labels and Flows: Clear All

Click to clear all channel Labels and reset Flows back to "Auto".

Pin Name Value String Position Pins Available

Clear All

(trigger)

Input / Output

Dante Interface

-

LAN A

LAN B

Both

-

Output

Dante Name

(text)

Output

Output Status

0

1

2

3

4

5

OK (Green)

Compromised (Orange)

Fault (Red)

Not Present (Gray)

Missing (Red)

Initializing (Blue)

-

Output

Tx Flows

1-8

 n/8

-

Output

Channel n

Clip

0

1

false

true

0

1

Output

Clip Hold

0

1

false

true

0

1

Input / Output

Gain

-100 to 20

-100 dB to 20 dB

0.000 to 1.00

Input / Output

Invert

0

1

normal

inverted

0

1

Input / Output

Level

-120 to 27

-120dB to 27.0dB

-

Output

Mute

0

1

unmuted

muted

0

1

Input / Output

Tx Flow

(text)

Input / Output

Tx Label

(text)

Input / Output