Connect AR2412 to existing SQ7 with GX4816

[Gerry]

I’m looking to be able to connect an old AR2412 to my new system (new theatre added to old hall).
Got an SQ7 with Dante and a GX4816. Can I connect the AR2412 to the DX on the GX4816? Need a stage box for the band in the adjoining venue.
Pretty confident firmware on the AR2412 hasn’t been updated for an age!
Presume this would be needed, what else may be required?
And does this expand SQ7 channels or am I limited to the current 48?
Thanks in advance. G

[Søren Steinmetz]

1: the SQ7 is 48 (processing) channels, no matter how many inputs you have via stageboxes.

2: mixing DX/GX and AR/AB units on the same S-Link is not possible, as they run two different protocols besides the sample rate.

Since you have the Dante card in the console, the “better” way would be to get 1-2 DT168 Dante stageboxes for that venue.

Not sure if you can put 2 x DX168 on the GX or only one?
Guess someone will be able to answer that.

[SQuser]

Yes, Sören, you could connect 2 DX168s to one DX port of the GX4816.

@Gerry
Sören has already described everything that is currently possible.
You could only connect your AR2412 additionally if you were not using your Dante card and installed a SLink card instead.
And of course you could operate the GX4816 and AR2412 alternatively if they are not needed at the same time.
The firmware of your AR2412 would automatically update to the correct version when you connect it.

[Brian]

As noted, you can’t run both a GX/DX box and an AR/AB box on the same connection. The sample rates and protocols are not compatible with each other.

Normally you could throw in a SLink I/O card into the console and connect the second type of boxes to the second port. (The console can receive inputs from both type of boxes at the same time, just not over a shared connection). However, since your console already has a Dante card installed, you don’t have an I/O port available to use so that is not an option. Therefore there are really only a couple of options available and unfortunately they require more hardware.

1) You could replace your AR/AB boxes with DX boxes and connect them directly to the GX4816. You can connect up to 2 DX32 or 4 of the other versions of the DX boxes (DX168, DX88p, DX012, etc). (This is assuming you aren’t already using the second DX/ME port on the GX4816 for a ME system. If you are, then you can only connect one DX32 or two other DX boxes).

2) You could replace the AR/AB boxes with Dante stage boxes and connect them through the Dante card.

3) You could go back to using AR/AB boxes for all your connections, but I would not recommend this. Mainly because those boxes use an older protocol that is more limited in it’s I/O capacity, so it is much more limited on how many boxes you can daisy chain together. Make sure you research this before deciding to go down this road.

[Gerry]

Thank you all,
As I need both areas connected (band in the hall/singers in the theatre), we’ll just have to purchase something like a DX168.
Cheers

[Author]

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