How To Set Up A Console
Introduction
Congratulations, the delivery driver has just dropped off a truckload of factory fresh Wheatstone consoles, and you're itching to get them on the air. We understand the excitement, and we're here to help you get the job done. As the saying goes, prior planning prevents poor performance, so before plugging everything in, let's start with a plan!
Broad Overview
Here's a typical WheatNet-IP studio, simplified:
Most systems will have many consoles, Blades, and PC audio drivers connected to the network, but the key concept to understand is every device connects to the WheatNet-IP (or WNIP) Ethernet Switch. Ethernet switches used in WNIP systems must be properly configured, and you should do this before you start plugging in equipment if you did not purchase a pre-configured switch from Wheatstone.
Every console in the system has an internal CPU with its own unique IP address. Every Blade has its own unique ID number and its own unique IP Address. Learn more about setting up blades here.
Unless you purchased a factory pre-configuration, every console will come set to the same default IP address. Most consoles uses a default of 192.168.87.201. The LXE usually defaults to 192.168.87.96. Also, if you have talent stations, XY Routers, and button panels, unless they were pre-configured they will also all be on the same IP. So keep in mind you may need to change IPs on devices before you connect everything to the network. You might want to avoid using the factory defaults for your studios, because if you add something in the future you will want to avoid causing an IP conflict. If you are deploying a spine/leaf architecture (also called core/edge) where you have a core switch in your technical core/rack room and small edge switches in the studios with trunk lines connecting the core to the edges, consider building the studio isolated on its edge switch and only connect it to the core when you are certain that everything is on a unique address.
The DMX console comes with its mix engine set to the default ID of Blade 1 and IP address of 192.168.87.101; the console is set to 192.168.87.201. The DMX engine has its own internal switch and could be configured as an "island" where the devices in that studio can only see each other. However, if you decide in the future you want to add a Cisco switch to the system to network the studios together, you will have conflicts if you leave everything at default. If you are building out a system with multiple DMX consoles, be mindful of this and give the blades unique IDs and IPs and consoles unique IPs from the start, even if your plan is to network them together in the future; it's a lot easier to set it up right the first time instead of trying to change a studio that's already on the air.
Necessary Software
You will need WheatNet-IP Navigator to communicate with the Blade, and you will need your console's setup GUI to communicate with the console.
Earlier Wheatstone console models such as the LX-24 and Evolution series do not have a setup GUI; they have a monitor plugged into the back of the console or a built-in monitor used for setup.
Initial Power-up
Plug the Ethernet cable into the Console Blade/Mix Engine's gigabit port and connect that to the switch. Power the Blade up and follow the setup wizard. (If you haven't done this before, see the article on setting up a new Blade.)
As mentioned above, the DMX Console Blade comes pre-configured as ID 1 and 192.168.87.101. If you don't want to keep the defaults, follow the instructions in the DMX manual to factory reset the DMX Blade in Navigator, then Initialize Blade to set a new ID and IP, as this Blade does not have a front panel display to do it from the Blade.
Now connect the console to the Ethernet switch, connect the power supply to the console, connect the power supply to the mains, and let it boot.
When applying power to the console, always connect the cable between the power supply and console when the power supply is not energized. When disconnecting the power, unplug the power supply from the mains instead of unplugging the cable directly from the console.
Match The Console To The Blade
Most Wheatstone audio consoles will indicate they are not connected to their host Blade by sweeping the LEDs across the meter bridge.
Here's how to tell the console what its host is:
1. Open the Console Setup GUI
2. Connect to the Console. Make sure it shows "connected" in the lower right.
3. Set the host blade ID in the GUI and the IP address. BOTH must be correct for the console to connect.
4. Apply. Some console models will need a reboot.
Specific instructions for console models:
Get Started
Once the console has been paired with its Console Blade/Mix Engine, when the surface boots up it will fill in the fader destinations and mix bus sources. You may have noticed that when the console is not connected, these sources and destinations are missing; that's because they belong to the console and the console has to tell the Blade how many channels and mix buses it has.
At this point, the console is ready to go. These are the next tasks for you to tackle:
- Name the sources that are connected to the Blades, You do this in Navigator.
- Set Visibilities in the console GUI to choose what sources the operator can select for each fader.
- On the IP and L series consoles, set which sources are mapped to the A/B switch. This is done at the console by pressing and holding buttons. See the console manual for instructions.
- Set up destinations and route the appropriate mix buses there. You do this in Navigator.
- Set up monitor muting, on air lights and tally lights. You set up the logic in Navigator and you define which microphones are connected to the tallies/mute groups in the console GUI. You will find knowledgebase articles on this website for your console model; search for your console name or go to the section for the console to learn more. (It's also in the console manual if you have that handy!)
- Set up logic that's associated with audio sources, such as machine starts/stops and remote on/off. This is done in Navigator. The knowledgebase has plenty of resources to help you with this. Search keyword: logic