Playback via AES50?

[aldenf]

Hi gang!

My employers have tasked me with specing a new playback system for the theater. We've been using my system, gratis, running either SFX Pro (v5.6) or SCS (v11) on dual Layla 3Gs for 16 channels of playback. I'm running a Midas Pro2 and would love to keep the digital signal as far in the chain as possible. With only 8 analog ins at the console, I'd also love to free up my FOH snake, as it's only an 8/4. The last designer had 13 channels in the design. I can't imagine needing more than 16 ch of playback in a 440 seat playhouse.

My other issue revolves around software/hardware... All four designers we've had since the playhouse opened in July have specifically asked for QLab. All but one settled on SFXPro to avoid further rental costs eating away their budgets. The remaining rented an unreliable, redundant QLab system from Masque. (They were out of RMEs. The MOTU 802 MKIIs are crap!) Since I'm looking at a Lynx AES16e-50 PCIE card, I'll need a MacPro, starting at $2500 as opposed to a $500 PC. With the Apple tax, that puts the cost of 16 ch of playback at around $3800. I wasn't given a budget, but I think the suits will laugh at that figure. Realize, I probably will not be allowed to spend the money for redundant systems either way. So the system must be treated as mission critical.

Any thoughts on these options?


Hackintoch - I've built several perfectly stable machines, but not sure I want to be entirely responsible for service/support. Anyone ever run mission critical applications on a Hackintoch?

Lightpipe to PCIE adapter - Practical? Stable for mission critical application? Viable option? It would allow me to employ a MacMini.


Any other thoughts on the subject would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks,
Alden

Associate Production Manager
Audio Supervisor
Bucks County Playhouse

 

[Stookeybrd]

All four designers we've had since the playhouse opened in July have specifically asked for QLab. ... The remaining rented an unreliable, redundant QLab system from Masque.

Can you expand on that, what do you mean by unreliable? All three NYC shops use the redundant MacMini rigs with near perfect performance(>99%) for years.

 

[aldenf]

Can you expand on that, what do you mean by unreliable? All three NYC shops use the redundant MacMini rigs with near perfect performance(>99%) for years.

I thought I made it clear in the next sentence after that which you quoted. They were out of the requested RMEs and only had MOTU 802 MKIIs. The MOTUs had clocking and dropout issues. I also experienced what I believe were occasional "hiccups" within the QLab/OSX environment. I can't be sure about the hiccups as the MOTU difficulties made it impossible to pinpoint the cause(s) of all the issues. I lost track of how many times I dumped logs and emailed them off to different pros with greater knowledge than I. Said logs could only definitively blame the MOTUs for most (but not all) of the issues. The remaining issues were never answered or solved. It was only a three week run...

I certainly do not want to appear to blame Masque or any other shop for these difficulties. I have it on good authority that shop techs spend an inordinate amount of time on the phone with MOTU to solve these issues. The problem lies with the designers who actually request the MOTUs in the first place.

I guess I'm just concerned as this is the first time I've spent any real amount of time with a QLab system. QLab is great. But in the almost 15 years that I've been building and working with computer based playback systems, I've never had problems like these with PC based/PCIE interfaced rigs. Now that I have to spec what's looking to be a $3800 playback system with a new digital interface, this experience does not make me confidant that I'm putting my resources in the right direction... It's simply frustrating is all.