3 big features missing from dLive as of 2018 compared to DiGiCo, Avid, Yamaha

Forums Forums dLive Forums dLive feature suggestions 3 big features missing from dLive as of 2018 compared to DiGiCo, Avid, Yamaha

This topic contains 16 replies, has 9 voices, and was last updated by Profile photo of Nicola A&H Nicola A&H 3 years, 10 months ago.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 17 total)
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  • #81172
    Profile photo of mixJM
    mixJM
    Participant

    There are 3 big features missing from dLive platform when compared to other leading manufacturers, at the time of writing this post on 31st of December 2018.
    I’m interested to find out if A&H are planning to address them.

    For many people jumping from Avid, DiGiCo and Yamaha desks there are three big features missing:

    1. Scene Preview mode, together with the ability to run the control surface offline, without the mixrack connected. A “Surface Offline” mode. I noticed this is theoretically possible, because the actual software is inside the surface. When I disconnect C2500 from CDM mixrack, for the short period of time I can still visually edit parameters on the C2500.
    2. Solo In Place. Super important for Virtual Soundcheck, production rehearsals, etc.
    3. Channel organisation features. Currently the channel list is fixed. There are no channel move / swap features, there are no presets storing multiple channels at the same time. Copy / Paste function could be used for that if it allowed copying multiple channels at the same time. Think of DiGiCo SD “Copy From” or “Presets”, where you can copy / store complete presets of multiple channels, together with names and routing.

    An important question that comes to my mind: It is known Allen & Heath and DiGiCo are currently under the same parent company. Could the missing features be a part of the strategy that doesn’t let dLive cannibalise DiGiCo SD market?

    #81235
    Profile photo of Ben A&H
    Ben A&H
    Moderator

    Hi Jacek,

    Happy New Year.

    To answer your questions:

    > Scene Preview Mode
    > “Surface Offline” mode

    We started working on these some time ago but they have been parked for the time being. It is something we will be looking at again however.

    > Solo In Place

    Watch this space.

    > Channel Organisation Features

    As far as “moving” channels (i.e. not input processing channels) is concerned, the system architecture does not allow for this.

    The copying and pasting of multiple channels, and/or multi channel libraries, is something I can add to the feature request list though.

    > “An important question that comes to my mind: It is known Allen & Heath and DiGiCo are currently under the same parent company.
    > Could the missing features be a part of the strategy that doesn’t let dLive cannibalise DiGiCo SD market?”

    No, this isn’t the case.

    Best Regards,
    Ben

    #81253
    Profile photo of RS
    RS
    Participant

    As long as we get a streamlined, easy way to store channels into a library, I would be very happy. This process has to include, preamp, channel processing, inserts and mix sends in a single run.

    #81255
    Profile photo of guma
    guma
    Participant

    … in detail:
    including the choosen deep processing …

    #81286
    Profile photo of Wolfgang
    Wolfgang
    Participant

    The copying and pasting of multiple channels, and/or multi channel libraries, is something I can add to the feature request list though.


    yes, please! 😉

    #81334
    Profile photo of mixJM
    mixJM
    Participant

    @Ben_A&H

    Happy New Year for you too!
    I’m really excited that the features are taken under consideration.
    If I may add – multi channel libraries would in fact allow to rearrange the channels. One could call it a workaround, but a reasonably convenient one.
    I’m sure these features will make dLive a no compromise festival and touring platform which will give Yamaha and other companies a hard time for several years.

    #91864
    Profile photo of Fabien Simoens
    Fabien Simoens
    Participant

    @Ben_A&H

    Hi,
    Do you know if the copy and paste of multiple channels with Name and routing are under development ?
    We are making evolutions on complex shows with several mixers and this functionnality might be really helpful.

    Best regards,
    Fabien Simoens

    #91910
    Profile photo of SteffenR
    SteffenR
    Participant

    @fabdu59
    names and routing are two different tasks…

    to copy/paste processing on the console to one or more channels you have to hold the copy button, press the selectbuttons on the surface or the or copy marks on screen to send the settings you want to the “copy store” and to paste it you have to hold paste and now you can press select on all desired destinations

    for routing you have to use the mix button and not the select… that simple…

    this is really quick and easy to handle
    the color and names can not be copied on the desk

    to label the channels very fast, you can go to the I/O screen and now you tip on one of the channel labels and get the dialog with color and name
    and on the bottom you got two arrows to navigate to the next or previous channel
    if you connect a keyboard to the desk or you working in Director (with a keyboard connected to the PC or MAC)
    you can use the TAB button to go to the next channel or SHIFT-TAB to the previous

    hope that helps

    #91922
    Profile photo of Fabien Simoens
    Fabien Simoens
    Participant

    @steffen R
    Thanks for your response.

    In fact the three different actions can be done easily separately, this was not an issue for us.

    When working on complex shows with shared patch, you need to make evolutions and for example insert one Mic at the middle of the patch, it can be very helpful to be able to move multiple inputs to other inputs. Even if this action can be done manually in three steps, input per input, the operation is risky as several manual actions are done and even more if multiple inputs have to be moved.

    That’s why I propose to add an entry in the menu to make it possible with only action : copy these inputs to these inputs replacing the current values of destination inputs. Even adding the possibility to select elements to copy as it is the case on ganging menu.

    Mixer is really flexible and the question is not to be able to reorganize strip assignment but really to move some inputs to simplify patch, routing, and all actions where input order can’t be modified.

    Thanks a lot

    #91925
    Profile photo of SteffenR
    SteffenR
    Participant

    this makes no sense at all

    the independence of the layout, the I/O and the processing makes this obsolete

    you can work with the strips without knowing anything about the patch…
    I did this many times before, with guest artists on some of my shows
    I do all the patching and configuration and the guest sound guy can concentrate completely on mixing his band
    while I have access to everything with Director
    but I’m on the console for the talks and Q/A and so on

    #91933
    Profile photo of Fabien Simoens
    Fabien Simoens
    Participant

    @steffen R
    I understand your point of view and do exactly the same on the majority of shows without any issue.
    I’m not complaning about how to mix with Strip Assigned to correspond to sound guy requests or habits, the mixer is really flexible and very powerful for that !

    My objective is to simplify shows in complex environment. We are for example working on a TV Shows with 3 Dlive linked (Orch pre-mix, Monitors, FOH) + SSL for TV Audience.
    In that case patch is shared and evolute often. To keep the base show and not restart from zero each time we start from previous shows and apply specificity of the new show occurrence.
    After three shows the patch become really complex with multiple cross-patching on several layers and between internal sockets, Dante and Giga-Ace cards, DX ports, Tie-Lines … with 80-110 inputs per mixer and multiple exchanges between desks. So, be able to reorganize inputs on DLive, not only display on the mixer with strip assignment, and be able to start from patch as straight as possible can really simplify patch management.

    I expect this complementary example will help you to understand better our need.

    BR

    #91938
    Profile photo of Mfk0815
    Mfk0815
    Participant

    Hmm, an acceptable software design allows you to do a task in any way, even if it is not easy understandable. A better design would be when the task can be done in a way which is common also on other systems. A really good design gives you the opportunity to do your task in your preferred way. For me A&H often decides to use the first way. I personally wish that A&H would see what other systems provides and learn from that solutions to improve their system. But maybe thats just an unheard wish.

    #91953
    Profile photo of SteffenR
    SteffenR
    Participant

    @fabdu59
    this will add another level of complexity to the system
    that is not wanted in many live audio scenarios…

    the topic starter suggested a channel strip reorder feature
    but this is what makes no sense to me since there is no real order with the strips on the surface

    to reorder a patch would be a different “beast”
    and to do it on a channel base would not sort the patch
    so the feature has to be very well thought

    at least we could request some tools for offline preparation that assist this

    A better design would be when the task can be done in a way which is common also on other systems.

    as the worst case this could kill all innovation, everything becomes “me too”

    #91959
    Profile photo of Mfk0815
    Mfk0815
    Participant

    as the worst case this could kill all innovation, everything becomes “me too”

    This is not a matter of innovation or not. Nobody will buy a car where the order of the pedals would be brake, accelerate and clutch or some other „innovative“ changes to the common design of cars. In the beginning of analogue consoles the manufacturer also have different designs for their consoles but after some time the designs became more and more the same. That allows the user to work with all consoles without any difficulties. At the end of the day users will avoid devices without common designs. Its not innovative but evolution.

    I know you are a knight of the holy grail of the A&H way of thinking. But maybe you can also become more open minded for ideas which do not come from A&H. G.B Shaw said „a amateur lends, a genius steals“;-) and one of the worst design pattern is „re-inventing the square wheel“.

    #92018
    Profile photo of SteffenR
    SteffenR
    Participant

    I know you are a knight of the holy grail of the A&H way of thinking

    that’s what you think…

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