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.
Note: See the Licensing topic for the details and requirements for Software Dante licensing.
Requirements
- 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. This is due to an Audinate limitation that applies to any Dante device hostname.
- Software Dante component names are limited to 28 characters or less. Combined with leading channel number (two digits plus a space), Dante default channel names are therefore limited to 31 characters.
Channel and Stream Usage
-
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, while Both (LAN A and LAN B) = Redundant.
-
Each Software Dante component consumes at least one flow, regardless of the channel count.
-
Each Software Dante component appears in Audinate's Dante Controller software as a Channel Group.
Software Dante Resources: Core Maximums
| Maximum Channels | Maximum Flows | Included Channels | Licensable Tiers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Core 110f |
32x32 |
16x16 |
8x8 (after March 30, 2020) |
8x8, 16x16, 32x32 |
|
Core Nano, Core 8 Flex |
32x32 |
16x16 |
8x8 |
16x16, 32x32 |
|
NV-32-H (Core Capable) in Core Mode |
32x32 |
16x16 |
N/A |
8x8, 16x16, 32x32 |
|
Core 510i |
128x128 |
64x64 |
8x8 (after January 01, 2021) |
8x8, 16x16, 32x32, 64x64, 128x128 |
|
Core 610 |
128x128 |
64x64 |
8x8 |
8x8, 16x16, 32x32, 64x64, 128x128 |
|
Core 5200 |
512x512 |
192x192 |
8x8 (after January 01, 2021) |
8x8, 16x16, 32x32, 64x64, 128x128, 256x256, 512x512 |
1. For the Core 6000 CXR, the 512x512 license requires the Q-SYS Core 6000 CXR Scaling License. See Licensing.
Software Dante Resources: Component Maximums
These tables show the flow consumption, network channel consumption, and network stream consumption – per selected channel count – for each Software Dante component in your design. You can drag in multiple Software Dante components into your design up to the maximum channel count supported by your Core model and licensed tier.
Core 110f
| Channel Count Property | Dante Flows Consumed | Network Channels Consumed | Network Streams Consumed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
8 |
4 |
8 of 128 |
4 of 64 (Non-redundant) 4 of 64 (Redundant) |
|
16 |
8 |
16 of 128 |
8 of 64 (Non-redundant) 8 of 64 (Redundant) |
|
32 |
16 |
32 of 128 |
16 of 64 (Non-redundant) 16 of 64 (Redundant) |
Core Nano, Core 8 Flex
| 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) |
NV-32-H (Core Capable) in Core Mode
| 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) |
Core 510i
Note: Drag in multiple Software Dante TX or RX components in your design to achieve the desired capacity up to the maximum supported by the Core. See Software Dante Resources: Core Maximums.
| 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) |
Core 5200
Note: Drag in multiple Software Dante TX or RX components in your design to achieve the desired capacity up to the maximum supported by the Core. See Software Dante Resources: Core Maximums.
| 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) |
Configuration Overview
- Read the Requirements section before proceeding.
- From the Inventory > Streaming I/O menu, add Software Dante TX to your inventory list.
- Configure the component Properties.
- Drag the Status/Control component into your schematic.
- Connect output audio pins from one or more audio components in your design to the input audio pins of the Software Dante TX component.
- In File > Design Properties, configure the Interface for Software Dante. See the Design Properties topic for information.
- Press F5 to save and run your design to the Core.
- Double-click the Software Dante TX component to open its control panel.
- Configure Names and Flows for transmission. See Controls.
- 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.)
Inputs and Outputs
Input Pins
Channel 1 - n
Audio signal pins are represented by a (
) circle, and traditional wiring is represented by a thin black line.
By default, the Software Dante RX is set to 8 audio input channels. You can choose between 8, 16, or 32.
Output Pins
This component does not have any output pins.
Properties
Tip: For additional properties not listed, refer to the Properties Panel help topic for more information.
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.
Controls
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
Name
The name of the output channel on a device, also called the Active Name.
When the External Config/Control property is set to 'No':
- You can specify a custom channel name, which must be less than or equal to 31 characters and cannot contain '.' , '=', or '@' characters.
- If you either don't provide a custom name or clear an existing Name control, the default name is used, which is the
<channel number>[space]<component name>. For example, if the Software Dante TX component Name (set in Properties) is "MySoftwareDanteTX", the default name for Channel 1 would be "01 MySoftwareDanteTX". - Custom channel names must be unique within the design, across all Software Dante TX components.
When the External Config/Control property is set to 'Yes', the Name control is read-only. Use Audinate's Dante Controller software to set the name.
Note: If you either upgrade an existing design to Q-SYS 9.2 or change the name of the Software Dante TX component (set in Properties) after a design has already been run, the current channel Names (formerly called Labels) remain intact to preserve existing subscriptions.
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.
- Flow names are component-specific. Multiple components can use the same multicast flow name, which creates a new flow unique to that component.
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.
Names and Flows > Clear All
Click to clear all channel Names and reset Flows back to "Auto".
Control Pins
| Pin Name | Value | String | Position | Pins Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
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 Name |
(text) |
Input / Output |
||
|
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 |
- |
n/n |
- |
Output |
