Ovation - Audio & Event Sequencer

Ovation5 Audio & Event Sequencer created for use in a variety of live/events/installation scenarios.

Designed by the Swiss company, Merging Technologies SA, it is based around their powerful and flexible MassCore Audio Engine. The aim with Ovation is to be able to satisfy 3 stages of a live event workflow, the playback (of both audio and control protocol), the mixing (of both playback material and live inputs) and the control of the system (both locally and remotely). Historically, this has been achieved by programming separate pieces of equipment to talk to one another and connecting them with meters of cabling. Ovation does this all from within a 2U box.

On the playback end, Ovation is capable of unlimited Cues in an unlimited number of Cue Lists. A Cue can contain audio, with each Cue being capable of being 384 tracks wide@1Fs. The audio being played back can be any file type (BWAV, MP3, FLAC, OGG etc), and sample rate (44.1kHz-384kHz and DSD), any resolution (16-32-bit), and can be a combination of mono and interleaved files. The audio can then be routed into up to 384 slots using an assignable Cue Matrix. A Cue can also contain ANY combination of control protocol, allowing the user to easily integrate other information into a single Cue. The protocol list includes LTC, RS-422 (9-pin), RS-232 (COM), MTC, MIDI (file or command), MSC, GPO and Script commands.

Once the audio has been fed into slots, it is then instantly routed to the internal mix engine. Comprising 384 replay tracks and 256 bus points, configurable in any combination of mono, stereo, and surround paths, including subgroups, VCA grouping, EQ, Dynamics, Limiting, and Mastering-grade metering, this is one of the most flexible mixers available. All of these parameters are controllable over mouse and keyboard, or via remote control protocols such as Eucon (Euphonix/AVID), Oasis (Merging/SmartAV) and HUI (MIDI based). A package called TangOvation can even be purchased, which has integrated control of the mixer and the Ovation GUI as well. The mixer comes complete with a built in scene saving and recall of any combination of mixer parameters, integrated into the Cues themselves. So, a Cue can not only contain the audio and the additional control information for the external world, but it can also contain a scene snapshot with a user definable glide time.

To control the Ovation show, a variety of methods are available, built with the idea of creating a simple and easy to use interface, with a minimum of configuration no matter if the user is accessing the local machine or needs to dial in remotely. Special "hot keys" and "custom keys" Cue Lists allow the user to create buttons with configurable sizing, text and functionality for firing more complex parts of the show. These Cue Lists can then be accessed using touch screen interfaces or hardware keyboards connected to the system. The Ovation can also receive all of the control protocols that it has the ability to output. This allows the Cues to be synced to incoming LTC or 9pin TimeCode, or be fired by a MIDI command or GPI trigger for example.

The Ovation also has an option called WebServer. This allows the user to connect to, and control the show using ANY web-connected device. Using simple JavaScript through a standard web browser, The Ovation control comes alive in any smart phone, tablet PC, laptop or remote desktop. The WebServer comes with a standard, Merging designed interface. But, due to the open API (JavaScript white paper provided with every WebServer option) it is also possible to design custom interfaces for any use. Imagine a stage manager on side-stage, able to access a sound effect which needs to be triggered with an Actor walking on stage using their smart phone, or the ability to create a 2nd operational point for the technical staff without the need for expensive KVM switching.

Finally, Ovation has been integrated with the highly acclaimed video playout engine from Dataton AB, called WATCHOUT. Using nothing more than an Ethernet connection and a simple naming convention, the Ovation cues and the Watchout Auxiliary timeline are able to sync together with lighting fast, frame accuracy.

Ovation is simply an alternative to partnering box after box after box to try and achieve the standard now expected by show designers and directors, allowing a cost effective, streamlined alternative to the rest.

{See video at top of page}

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSVavVIiVT8