Reposted from: https://xilica.com/2017/09/28/universal-control-future-dsp/
The ability to achieve flexible control of your DSP as well as a panoply of third-party devices is among the primary benefits of the new Universal Control feature. The latest addition to the SolaroConsole configuration and control software for Xilica’s Neutrino and Uno Series DSPs, Universal Control has been developed with an emphasis on accessibility and ease of deployment.
To this end, it requires no specialist third-party control protocol knowledge or secondary software applications to add control for non-Xilica devices. Instead, it allows users to take control of their devices using the same, one-step drag & drop configuration familiar from the configuration of Xilica’s own wired and wireless remote controls.
“The whole focus with Universal Control is on allowing users to bring different brands and products under effective centralised control, without having to call on the services of specialists to create a workable configuration and therefore incur unwelcome delays and expenses,” says Xilica Regional Sales Manager, Barry Steinburg.
Xilica identifies two primary project types where Universal Control is destined to resonate. The first is in major projects that require control of the DSP equipment as well as expensive building automation control systems. In such instances, the hardware and software are typically very costly, as are the specialist programmers required to set-up and optimise these complex control systems.
The second target area is smaller projects where individual control systems would be an option, but an overarching control system such as Universal Control would provide a far more cost-effective, inclusive approach – and one that again does not necessitate the engagement of specialist programming support.
Steinburg outlines a typical scenario whereby a user “looks up a projector brand in the Control Menu and locates the specific model; drags and drops that model into the software’s view work area; clicks on the dropped module to open it; then finds all of the available controls for that unit. At that point the user simply needs to drag any or all of that device brand’s controls and drop them into any of our wired or wireless controls. It really is that simple.”
Once the control information related to third-party devices has been saved to the project file it is possible to control all of these devices from any of Xilica’s remote controls. The end-result is a control platform that affords users a tremendous degree of ease and flexibility, and one that can obviously be adjusted as the requirements of a given installation change.
Universal Control is part of the SolaroConsole DSP configuration and control software that replaced Xilica’s previous NeuControl software. It is available to download now from the Xilica website and provides many operational improvements in speed, features, looks and layout. As well as Universal Control, SolaroConsole also includes two other primary universal components: Universal Dante Configuration and Universal Platform.
“Universal Control is a very important addition to the Xilica range and is one that we believe has the potential to be a real game-changer,” says Steinburg. “Avoiding the need to invest in expensive third-party control systems, or opt for lower-value controllers that may afford basic overarching control but which still require specialist programming, Universal Control by its very nature offers an inclusive and very appealing approach to control. It bears repeating that absolutely no expert knowledge is require to implement Universal Control, and hence no costs will be incurred when deploying the system to take control of third-party devices. It really is as simple as drag & drop & save, and in the time-sensitive nature of today’s installation business that has to be a major asset – as well as one whose benefits are easily conveyed to clients and end-users.”
Universal Control will be promoted as part of the new SolaroControl software at Xilica’s trade show appearances throughout 2017 and 2018.
SolaroConsole already provides a sampling of some of the universal control work we have done with manufacturers like Powersoft, Yamaha, and others but universal control is a work in progress and the target date for completing the universal control component of our software is December 2018.