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[(Brian) Frost]

I am in charge of installing a distributed sound over 80 buildings.  Each building has older copper pairs running to them with little chance to pull new wires.  Each building also has a spare cat 5 that runs audio via baluns. The two are not time aligned, and the difference is not consistent between buildings.

This system is rarely used but if needed is the difference between life and death for those listening.  Any auto mixer or ducking solutions to turn on whichever one of these systems is working?

[Mac Kerr]

(Brian) Frost wrote on Sun, 15 November 2009 18:10

I am in charge of installing a distributed sound over 80 buildings.  Each building has older copper pairs running to them with little chance to pull new wires.  Each building also has a spare cat 5 that runs audio via baluns. The two are not time aligned, and the difference is not consistent between buildings. This system is rarely used but if needed is the difference between life and death for those listening.  Any auto mixer or ducking solutions to turn on whichever one of these systems is working?

A more complete description is needed to have any idea what you are asking.

In an all analog distribution the difference in latency should be in the microsecond range and completely unimportant.

Mac

[John Roberts {JR}]

(Brian) Frost wrote on Sun, 15 November 2009 17:10

I am in charge of installing a distributed sound over 80 buildings.  Each building has older copper pairs running to them with little chance to pull new wires.  Each building also has a spare cat 5 that runs audio via baluns. The two are not time aligned, and the difference is not consistent between buildings. This system is rarely used but if needed is the difference between life and death for those listening.  Any auto mixer or ducking solutions to turn on whichever one of these systems is working?

If it's life or death just sum them both together, a little combing shouldn't hurt intelligibility that much.. Otherwise it's pretty simple to duck the one predicted to be lesser quality or less reliable, with the sound from the more reliable with a compressor or noise gate side chain.  Only downside is at idle with no signal you will get noise from both.

No need to get fancy with more complicated logic than that. You might want to only partially duck the other source in case you encounter some fault where one is strong (noise), but not good signal.

JR

[(Brian) Frost]

Because of the distribution network currently used in the digital network, the delay is almost half a second.  Its a custom system that I may or may not be able to change.  

Line 1 to each building is a balanced analog twisted pair over old copper.  will not be removed but contains no latency.

Line 2 to each building is a network system built by the government that runs over cat 5 and breaks out to analog audio in each building.  This system has a large delay.

We need at least one of these systems to work EVERY time they are used.  I may try to duck the system using a shure scm 262 but am looking for other ideas.

[Mac Kerr]

(Brian) Frost wrote on Sun, 15 November 2009 18:48

Because of the distribution network currently used in the digital network, the delay is almost half a second.  Its a custom system that I may or may not be able to change.   Line 1 to each building is a balanced analog twisted pair over old copper.  will not be removed but contains no latency. Line 2 to each building is a network system built by the government that runs over cat 5 and breaks out to analog audio in each building.  This system has a large delay. We need at least one of these systems to work EVERY time they are used.  I may try to duck the system using a shure scm 262 but am looking for other ideas.

I thought you said you used a balun. That would be analog.

What exactly is the digital system? Keeping parts of the puzzle secret makes it hard to give a sensible answer.

Mac

[(Brian) Frost]

ok, i guess I used the term balun to describe the proprietary box that acts as a DAC to turn the ethernet signal back into analog audio.  Its difficult to describe because its all proprietary network distribution of digital audio which was designed to replace the old copper run under the ground.  Now the top brass want to use both so there is redundancy.  

[Mac Kerr]

A balun is a balanced to unbalanced adapter, usually just a transformer.

There are certainly network audio systems that have reasonable latency. I would think under 2.5ms rather than 500ms. In any case a ducker like JR mentioned would be the logical choice for choosing main over BU.

Mac

[(Brian) Frost]

Just trying to learn here...   I use these "baluns" in installs all the time.  

http://www.avovercat5.com/products/hdmi.htm

they do not provide balanced or unbalanced anything, just a breakout of cat 5 to HDMI.  Why are they called baluns?

[Mac Kerr]

(Brian) Frost wrote on Mon, 16 November 2009 00:07

Just trying to learn here...   I use these "baluns" in installs all the time.   http://www.avovercat5.com/products/hdmi.htm they do not provide balanced or unbalanced anything, just a breakout of cat 5 to HDMI.  Why are they called baluns?

Because someone made a mistake and didn't realize what "balun" meant.

Mac

[Hal Bissinger/COMSYSTEC]

"Balun" is a very misused term brought about by the dumbing down of the industry.

-Hal