Studio Technologies has announced the introduction of the new Model 392 visual indicator unit designed for a variety of applications that require a visual status display. Compatible with the Dante Audio-over-Ethernet protocol, the unit requires only a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) connection to establish full operation. It will be on display at the upcoming NAB 2022 show in Las Vegas (Booth C2625).
“The Model 392 can support a variety of status display applications, such as on-air light, room occupied indicator, intercom call signal display, and can even serve as an audio level ‘meter’,” says Gordon Kapes, president of Studio Technologies. “It provides reliable visual cuing and is easily deployed in both new build applications and existing structures. It’s a very unique product that should find many applications.”
An array of color (red, green, and blue) LEDs provides the optical source for the unit’s distinctively shaped polycarbonate lens assembly. The lens is compatible with a single Decora-style rectangular opening, allowing easoer fabrication of custom trim plates for advanced applications.
The Model 392 is housed in a compact enclosure that is intended for mounting in a U.S.-standard 2-gang electrical box. Each unit is supplied with a stainless-steel trim plate. An RJ45 PoE Ethernet connection supports the unit’s operating power and network data interconnection.
While it’s a native Dante product, several methods allow control of the unit’s visual display. A high-frequency audio tone, typically 20 kHz, within the connected Dante audio channel, can be used to “trigger” the display. This allows directly compatibility with a variety of party-line (PL) intercom and general audio applications.
Alternately, simple UDP network messages transported over the Ethernet connection can be used to control the lighting of the unit’s display. Additionally, the Model 392 can provide an audio level display function, lighting green, yellow, or red to indicate the real-time audio level of a connected Dante audio signal.
The Model 392 can be used in a variety of Dante-supporting applications. For example, the the unit’s display can be “triggered” using one of the contact-closure inputs on a Studio Technologies Model 44D audio interface unit. Additionally, high-frequency tone signals generated by Studio Technologies Model 214 and Model 215 announcer’s consoles will allow the Model 392 to directly serve as a broadcast “on-air” indicator.
The Model 392 is supported by the STcontroller software application, allowing the unit’s extensive range of operating features to be configured. Versions of STcontroller are available, free of charge, for use with the Windows and macOS operating systems. Configuration choices include the color, intensity, and cadence of the display.
In addition, STcontroller allows the unit’s control (“trigger”) source to be selected as well as providing a means to monitor and manually control the status of the visual display. The selected configuration values are stored within the Model 392’s non-volatile memory.
