Based on Fairlight’s leading edge audio processing and control surface hardware, the EVO.Live range was designed for the most demanding on-air and live productions and is available from 12 to 60 faders, as standalone chassis, In-Surface modules and Table-Top configurations. At the IBC 2014 show in Amsterdam, Fairlight launched the “affordable” QUANTUM.Live Table-Top Console, extending its range of dual purpose production consoles with a powerful entry level solution.
The entry level QUANTUM.Live TT is now the smallest console in Fairlight’s Live line-up. It comes with 12 faders accommodating 144 signal paths over 12 layers. It delivers fast tactile access and full command over two monitor systems. A second TT frame can be added, increasing the system to 24 faders.
At the core of all Fairlight’s Live consoles is an incredibly powerful audio processing engine designed with FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) technology. The Audio Processor combines Fairlight’s Crystal Core engine; a redundant power supply; all interfaces for control screens; GPIOs; storage; local control room I/O; MADI connections for remote I/O; and other system hardware.
A QUANTUM.Live Table-Top base configuration with 12 faders, a centre section, audio processing engine with 48 channels, 32 buses and a full complement of local audio I/O, starts at €30,000, US$40,000.
CC-2 FPGA Audio Engine
IBC 2014 was the first opportunity to see the company’s fifth major software release, based on the brand new second generation CC-2 FPGA audio engine. The CC-2 audio engine with V5 software is perfectly suited to the demanding delivery requirements of today’s broadcast industry. By providing over 1,000 playback channels, 100 live inputs and 100+ output buses, the system is the most powerful audio engine ever made.
Fairlight was the first company in the world to introduce FPGA technology in its audio solutions and 2014 sees the launch of its second generation Crystal Core (CC-2) technology, the most powerful post production audio engine ever created.
Fairlight’s CC-2 incorporates an impressive 1000 playback channels, 100+ output buses and 100 live inputs when teamed with Fairlight’s new V5 operating software. The CC-2 engine features a processor chip that is five times more powerful than the chip in its CC-1 engine. It also has four times the PCIe bandwidth, new dual channel memory architecture, an on-board expansion slot and almost twice the MADI connectivity. CC-2 is also entirely compatible with the audio hardware currently operating with the company’s established CC-1 engine.
Tino Fibaek, Fairlight's Chief Technical Officer, says: “Future proofing our technology has always been at the heart of our business philosophy. With the launch of CC-2, we have ensured that existing Fairlight customers can easily upgrade without having to replace their current audio interfaces or control surfaces. This means they can extend the life of their original hardware investment, whilst benefiting from the increased capacity that CC-2 brings.”
Fairlight’s V5 software has advanced to a full 64-bit application, allowing unrestricted access to the full power of Intel’s latest processors. The associated increase in memory and speed delivers more simultaneous plug-ins, more video formats and larger media files. When used in combination with CC-2, this platform delivers faster than real-time, offline mixdown.
Augmenting Fairlight’s renowned editing model, V5 sees the addition of Clipbender, an enhanced time compression and expansion feature allowing audio within a single clip to be aligned to picture, with multiple bend points and real time non-destructive processing.
Also developed a part of the new 64-bit architecture is a brand new video engine, leveraging GPU acceleration for real-time video processing, offering support 4K video resolution, and features built-in HEVC decoding.
More innovation
At IBC 2014, Fairlight also reinforced the industry’s drive towards the ultimate in cinematic and immersive sound delivery by launching a new platform for Object Oriented 3D Sound Production. This new platform supports traditional standard and custom bussing in simultaneous 2D and 3D, along with NHK’s 22.2, Dolby Atmos (via RMU) and DTS MDA. It also supports third party client applications such as Avid Pro Tools 10.x and Nuendo 6.0.
Fairlight also showed how to deliver complex multi-sourced workflows by combining its open platform Media GateWay with its unique iCan workflow automation tools. These Gateways offer a glimpse into the future of broadcast post production by embracing collaborative editing environments such as Quantel’s Qtube solutions, with internet based video source reference, original source audio and faster-than-realtime layback.
www.fairlight.com.au
