NEW SAC Rig

[mr_es335]

Hello,

These are some initial images of my new 4U Rig.

My objectives were two-fold, 1) to obtain as small of a rig as possible, 2) and more importantly, that the completed rig did not weight all that much. I believe that I have accomplished these objectives.
* Size: 15"H x 26"W x 21"D
* Total weight 42lbs.

Image 1 and Image 2
* Using an InWin 1U IW-RA100 (https://www.in-win.com/en/ipc-server/ra100) chassis, 15.5" x 19" x 1.75"
* Chassis weight - 7lbs
* Takes a full-sized ATX motherboard, ASUS Z170P
* 350watt PSU, and which is actually very quiet.
* Using a 120GB SS HDD - Boot and a 500WD Black spinner for data

Image 3: A custom-made riser card from OrbitMicro (http://www.orbitmicro.com).
* Andrew Stevenson was very, very helpful in ensuring that I was able to obtain the correct adapter.

Image 4: As you can see, the fan and RAM sit slightly above the chassis, so I had to have a hole cut out of it. I am in the process of having a small shroud made to cover the protruding components.

Image 5: Rear view of the system. I was not able to obtain an I/O shield - at least thus far.

Image 6: Closed view of the rig.
* The front and rear of the case are identical. There are only three parts to remove - the lid and front and read covers.
* Built by: Castor-Case Solutions (http://caster-case.com/)

Image 7 and Image 8: Up and running.
* Focusrite PRO 40 in standalone mode - to work alongside with the RME HDSP 9652.
* ART PB4x4 power distro.

Image 9: These are pop-out window hinges that allow the monitor to lay flat for transit or be slide to a nearly vertical position.
* Interestingly, I was told by the engineering department at the manufacturer that these would NOT work for my intended usage. However, as you can see, they were wrong - and to my satisfaction.

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[Dave Labrecque]

Nice job, Dell. :cool:

[Jeff Scott]

Great idea on those Window Scissor hinges....

[Dale B]

Nice!

Can you send a picture with the screen in the closed position. Is the screen well protected when closed? How many channels with just the one box? Plans to add more channels in another separate case?

Dale

[mr_es335]

Dale.

Can you send a picture with the screen in the closed position....Here is a pic:

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Is the screen well protected when closed?...Yes, the lid has a form insert to protect the monitor during transport.


How many channels with just the one box?...At present I am using seven...so that leaves me with one spare channel - if and when needed. I could add 8 more channels via ADAT if I really need to.


Plans to add more channels in another separate case?...I designed this system as a dedicated "live performance rig" for me and my daughter.

My present configuration is a follows:

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I really do not see this configuration changing at all - so at present I am content with the eight channels.

[mr_es335]

Hello,

Well, all that I say is, "The new SAC/SAW Rig is workin' like a charm!"

We have a noon-time show this coming Thursday and am looking forward to putting this new system through it spaces, DV.

I have the whole show cued up using Show Control - hitting the Space Bar at those points during the show that require it using a "Pause" command - which is simply the "Stop Playback" command.

I use the Pause session file at those times when I need to pause the show due to indeterminate performance set times.

I am using the Control Track to call Scenes in SAC - thus making the entire show pretty much automated.

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PS: Thanks Bob for all of your efforts on behalf of all of us performers...you certainly do make our lives easier as well as making us sound "real good" as well!

[cgrafx]

Hello,

Well, all that I say is, "The new SAC/SAW Rig is workin' like a charm!"

We have a noon-time show this coming Thursday and am looking forward to putting this new system through it spaces, DV.

I have the whole show cued up using Show Control - hitting the Space Bar at those points during the show that require it using a "Pause" command - which is simply the "Stop Playback" command.

I am using the Control Track to call Scenes in SAC - thus making the entire show pretty much automated.

I use the Pause session file at those times when I need to pause the show due to indeterminate performance set times.

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PS: Thanks Bob for all of your efforts on behalf of all of us performers...you certainly do make our lived easier as well as making us sound "real good" as well!


Very nice. Hope you have a flawless show.

pg

[mr_es335]

Philip,

Thanks...

PS: I notice that by your initials, you must be PG rated! Ha..Ha!

[mr_es335]

Hello,

Well the show went very well...but the co-originators did not. They were 45 minutes late, meaning I had only a few minutes to complete a sound check. I mean all was connected, but no power!

SAC and SAW performed flawlessly throughout the show, but sadly the audio engineer did not. So, I fired him...hey wait a minute, that ID-10-T was ME!!

What I would really like is to hire someone to assist me with "the whole live sound thing" - right now it is "hit 'n miss" with me.

What sounded great at home sounded just horrible in the field. An increase in output meant an increase in bottom-end...and so on!

[cgrafx]

Hello,

Well the show went very well...but the co-originators did not. They were 45 minutes late, meaning I had only a few minutes to complete a sound check. I mean all was connected, but no power!

SAW and SAW performed flawlessly throughout the show, but sadly the audio engineer did not. So, I fired him...hey wait a minute, that ID-10-T was ME!!

What I would really like is to hire someone to assist me with "the whole live sound thing" - right now it is "hit 'n miss" with me.

What sounded great at home sounded just horrible in the field. An increase in output meant an increase in bottom-end...and so on!

Its always a challenge to perform and do sound from the stage. I feel your pain. Put an advert up on craigslist for a sound tech. You don't really need somebody with a ton of experience, just teachable with a good ear.

[mr_es335]

Philip,

Put an advert up on craigslist for a sound tech. You don't really need somebody with a ton of experience, just teachable with a good ear....Done that...and what I get is mostly DJ's and studio engineers. I have had two of the latter and that has not been of any assistance at all.

[Cary B. Cornett]

Philip,
...Done that...and what I get is mostly DJ's and studio engineers. I have had two of the latter and that has not been of any assistance at all. Wow. I can combine all of that in a true story. Sort of. Back when I was young, I got contract work as a DJ working for a very smart electrical engineer who built sound systems that were far better than most of what was then available (some of that equipment is still in use long after the death of its designer/builder). I remember asking him about the differences between recording and live sound. He told me that you can't explain it that way, because you have to treat them as two completely different things. My later experience proved him right, as I have since done both things. I learned the basics of the craft of recording, and a little later got a side gig filling in for when the regular sound guy at a local bar was out of town. It was a real education, and indeed a very different thought process.

Around the same time, I was working on a personal recording project of my own, and at one time had one of the better live sound contractors in the area come in to engineer a session. My production partner and I dragged that poor dude through the knothole, as it wasn't as easy as he expected. And this was a smart guy with a good ear and technical training.

So, can a studio guy learn live sound? Sure. I did, and I've known a couple of recording guys who were also skilled at FOH. But yeah, you have to think the right way for each task, and it ain't the same kind of right way as for the other.

[mr_es335]

Cary,

But yeah, you have to think the right way for each task, and it ain't the same kind of right way as for the other....You have got this right!

As a guitar instructor, and though I have had formal instruction in "classic guitar technique", I advertise as a "finger-style guitar instructor" as I really do not consider myself as a "classical" guitarist in the true sense of the word.

Also, I have discovered that though someone may have a lot of knowledge regarding a particular discipline, that to be able - in actual fact, to teach that particular discipline is sadly, "not necessarily so".

[mr_es335]

Hello,

Here are some updates:

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Front View: Showing the almost completed patch panel. All connections are now completed on this front panel. The two combi inputs on the left connect to two internal Radial PRO48 DI's. There are two internal patch cables that then connect the two DI's back to inputs 1 and 2 on the ADA. The four male XLR's are the outputs from the ADA - 2 MAINS, 2 MONITORS. Finally, the three black XLR's on the right are for DMX. The one on the far right is the main output with the other two being internally wired to allow for a "return-send" configuration for the other DMX lighting.

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Rear View: Showing the two DI's. What is interesting here is that the two DI's fit exactly underneath the 1U rack - acting as support for the rack. Pretty neat! The DMX box sits on op of the 1U rack chassis.

This configuration allows me to have everything that I need "inside the box", which is what I prefer - so no pedal boards, just me, to the box, out to the speakers and the lights, and I am ready-to-go!!

So, I now have both a "mixer-in-a-box" and a "hardware-in-a-box" configuration!!

[Jeff Scott]

Looks great Dell...nice work. Good luck with the gig...hope all goes well.

[Bruce Callaway]

Very cool