SeriesFour



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Opening new networking opportunities to the TV audio world. Any source, anywhere, any time.
 
Considered the workhorses of the industry, Wheatstone television audio consoles keep more stations reliably up and running than any other consoles in the world. From our largest to our most compact, all are considered the most intuitive AND the most comprehensive you can buy.
 
 

D4 LH ANGLED CROP v7The Series Four features 24 motorized input faders (the Series Two features 16 on a smaller frame), two main mix busses, four subgroups, up to 48 channel mix-minuses, four mix minus busses, and two AUX sends, plus extensive processing. All input channels have 4-band parametric EQ sections, tunable high and low pass filters, and compressor/limiters, plus expander/gate and programmable delay for lip-sync correction.

And unlike sound reinforcement consoles, these consoles each offer a direct bus-minus feed with IFB from each channel plus four front panel assignable mix-minus busses. With a possible total of 52 outputs, all IFB needs should be more than covered, and the common bus selection function provides tremendous flexibility in how IFB is managed.

Through our Automation Control Interface (ACI), the Series Four and Series Two integrate seamlessly with production automation systems so operators can, for example, change routing or automatically crossfade between inputs as the switcher or automation system cuts or dissolves between video sources. Faders can be mono, stereo or surround. What’s more, all the mixes generated by the Series Four and Series Two can be routed to any available outputs on the audio network, including input faders on other network-connected control surfaces. Assign any source of any type to any fader, and share I/O resources with other consoles in the network. It’s all networked through Wheatstone’s Gibraltar Network system, utilizing Wheatstone’s powerful Gibraltar mix engine technology with 1,024 DSP processing signal paths. This kind of power and modular flexibility provides the extra redundancy that is so critical to broadcast operations, with auto-failover DSP processing on the board and the kind of I/O connectors that stand up to the broadcast environment, not to mention easy touchscreen setup.

These consoles can take it all in – analog, AES, MADI and HD/SDI input signals – and deliver any source or console bus to any destination in the broadcast network. Operators will be able to see it all, too, on a large, high-resolution multifunction touchscreen display for capturing information at a glance: metering, channel/bus assignments, and programmable control functions. A LKFS meter for loudness monitoring is also included in the main display.

The Series Four and Series Two are priced comparably to semi-pro live sound/recording mixers, and they won’t paint broadcasters into a corner should they ever want to add I/Os, mix-minus feeds, or any number of broadcast-specific functions. Like all Wheatstone television audio consoles, the Series Four and Series Two are control surfaces; all audio I/O is housed in the Wheatstone Gibraltar Network rackmount router/mixer.

Because Series Four and Series Two are networked consoles, you can:

• Assign any source of any type to any fader
• Hot-swap components without powering down or disassembling
• Share I/O with other networked control surfaces
• Control the consoles over IP with any of the major newsroom automation systems
• Switch live, on the fly or between air and protect sources on the same fader

Utilizing the Wheatstone Gibraltar Network audio networking technology, the Series Four and Series Two can be configured with any combination of analog and digital inputs. Those inputs can be mono mic or line, stereo, or 5.1. Stereo and 5.1 surround output busses allow you to feed both your HD and SD program streams with no fuss.

 


Features

D4 OVERHEAD v4

  • 24 motorized input faders on Series Four, 16 on Series Two

  • 2 main mix busses: one 5.1 program, one stereo program

  • Submasters: 4 stereo

  • Mix-Minus: 4 mono with automatic confidence feed switching

  • Auxiliary sends: 2 stereo (direct rotary control from fader channel)

  • Bus minus: direct mix-minus feed from every input fader channel

  • 4 mix-minus busses in addition to bus-minus system

 

  • Loudness Metering with large LKFS readout and momentary, short-term, peak reading and program duration level history display

  • Outputs from all busses and bus-minus are configured within the router matrix and can be analog, and/or digital, or not fitted

  • One 5.1 (audio booth), two stereo studio feeds

  • Phase reverse

  • Surround pan / balance control and blend

  • Stereo mode control

  • With Gibraltar IP Mix Engine, you have access to powerful, cost-effective BLADE-3 units for I/O, logic and audio processing as well as AES67 compatibility


  • 4-band, parametric equalizer with variable high & low pass filter

  • Optional paging

  • Compressor / Limiter

  • Expander / Gate

  • Variable delay on all input faders

  • Any source, anywhere IP networking

  • 99 show presets for complete recall of console setups

  • Any audio source can connect with any kind of signal, including analog line level, analog mic level, AES digital, MADI, SDI, and GPIO

S24 Page ButtonPage Function Doubles Your Capabilities

With the Series Two or Series Four page funciton, you have double the number of input channels - each having access to any source or destination on the network - without increasing your footprint by a single inch. Simply press the page button on any channel to call up that channel's other page. The motorized fader will snap to its current position and all accessible settings will follow. It's like getting a free add-on control surface.

 

The Integrated Touchscreen Graphical User Interface

Metering, and control of all secondary functions, is via the large touchscreen. The navigation buttons at the top of every screen will take you instantly HOME to the MAIN screen, to INPUT setup (level, EQ, dynamics), MIX-MINUS, BUS-MINUS, INFO, or EVENTS. Every function is just a click or two away.

 

S4 Main screen with LKFS v2

Main Screen 

The upper half of the main screen is dominated by large high-resolution meters for every monitor, aux, group and master output. A pop-up LKFS loudness monitor toggles with the four group meters. Note the master output meters at the upper right (5.1 surround and Stereo Two)—these drill down to occupy the same position on ALL touchscreens regardless of selection, keeping the operator aware at all times of on-air output levels.

The screen’s lower half displays metering of input levels for the sources assigned to each of the 24 input channel strips. A fader knob imposed directly on each meter lets you quickly adjust input gain sensitivity to optimize source levels.
Below the input gain meters and touchscreen faders are the input channel strip indicator/buttons. Color indicates status: channel ON, ON-AIR, and OFF. A central PAGE button toggles the screen to inputs 25 through 48. Pressing a button puts that input into SET mode, switching to the INPUT screen for that channel strip, where you have complete control over all input channel parameters (levels, EQ, delay, panning, dynamics, bus assign, etc.). Once settings are complete, pressing the button again returns you to the MAIN screen.

Input Screen 

Pressing a channel indicator button at the bottom of the MAIN screen opens up the first of five possible INPUT screens.

S4 InputScreen01Filter

Comprehensive input-related settings and status indication: mode, input gain and level, stereo pan, high and low pass filtering (removes unwanted LF and HF energy), adjustable input delay (for precise sound/video alignment), phase reverse, bus-minus/direct out setup, and mute assignment.

S4 Compressor Screen10Compressor/Limiter

Compressor/limiter provides smooth inaudible level control, peak control, or can be used to dramatically change and enhance the audio. Controls include threshold, ratio, attack, release, and makeup gain. Can be inserted pre or post EQ. Lower portion of screen displays readouts, VU/GR metering and X-Y visual graph.

 

S4 Gate Screen09Gate

Complete control of all gating parameters: threshold, depth, open, hang and close. The lower portion of the screen has precise readouts of all settings, VU and gain reduction metering, plus an X-Y visual graph (input vs output) of the resulting signal settings.

S4 EQ Screen02EQ

Four-band parametric equalization, each with adjustable frequency, width, and boost/cut. High and low bands can be peak or shelving. A full frequency visual graph depicts the resulting EQ curve.

S4 Pan Screen03Pan/Surround

Complete panning control of all mono and stereo sources. Full 5.1 spatial manipulation of surround sources. Place your sound exactly where you want it.

 

S4 Info Screen06Info

Info is a non-interactive popup information display directly available over any touchscreen selection. It provides detailed system information: status, software version, MAC and IP addresses, memory usage, etc.

S4 MXM Screen04Mix-Minus

Mix-minus outputs—each with a separate build of sources—are used for intercom, phone coupler, ISDN, and remote truck feeds. This screen has level controls and meters for the console’s four MXM busses, as well as the two console AUX SEND busses. TALKBACK buttons are provided for all six mixes. An assignment grid at the bottom of the screen allows crosspoint setups between the four MXM busses and individual input channels.

S4 BusMinus Screen05Bus-Minus

Bus-minus is an individual output for each input channel strip, also known as N-1. This allows talent to get an independent monitor/IFB feed; the TB button on each input channel strip talks to that bus-minus output. These same outputs can be configured as a direct out, pre or post. Mix- and bus -minus outputs make the Series Four and Series Two powerful and flexible consoles for live television news, talk shows, sports, drama, and special events.

S4 Event Screen07Events

The Series Four and Series Two are capable of creating, storing and recalling up to 99 named events—control surface snapshots of various console configurations and show setups. Using this screen, events can be created, called up, edited and activated. Access visibility and editing privileges can be programmed at an administrative level to prevent unwanted mishaps. A popup keyboard makes naming events quick and easy.

D4 HEADON FAR LOW v5

Modern design for today’s production, broadcast and automation systems


Series Four and Series Two are made to work with today’s production automation systems – their control interfaces are compatible with all the major automation systems on the market. Yet, they also have all the important broadcast-specific features, such as automatic studio muting, machine control logic, de-embedding inputs, 5.1 surround capability, balanced or unbalanced AES inputs, router integration, and flexible monitoring capability.

 


The Modules


Everything you need to mix - and a way to make them yours - right there at your fingertips 

Input Module

16 (Series Two) or 24 (Series Four) identical input channel strips in an intuitive uncluttered layout.

  • D4 Input PANELSET: Selects the channel strip for programming by the console’s master/monitor panel; includes full router-based source selection and bus assignments for Groups (4) and Mix-Minus (4). Also activates the console touchscreen for the channel, allowing access to a multitude of additional functions (see preceding section).

  • AUX: Two independent auxiliary send level controls.

  • ASSIGN: Assigns the channel strip signal to the console’s master output busses.

  • GROUP 1-4: LED indicators showing which Group busses the channel is assigned to.

  • MIX-MINUS 1-4: LED indicators showing which Mix-Minus busses the channel is assigned to.

  • BUS-MINUS TB: IFB Talkback to the output associated with the current channel source.

  • PAGE: Each channel strip is actually two independent inputs; the PAGE button toggles between them.

  • PFL: Listen to the channel’s pre-fader source signal on the console CUE bus.

  • INFO: Color OLED channel status display shows selected source and location, air status, mute assignment, fader setting, and EQ, delay and dynamics activation.

  • ON: Channel On/Off switch.

  • FADER: Motorized full-throw fader; can be mono, stereo or 5.1 surround.


Monitor Module

Control center for all masters and ancillary outputs, control room and studio monitor feeds. Programs source signals and bus assignments for all input channels.

D4 MONITOR PANEL

  • INPUT CHANNEL GROUP ASSIGN: When an input channel strip’s SET button is pressed, assigns that channel to the GROUP submixes.

  • MIX-MINUS ASSIGN: When an input channel strip’s SET button is pressed, assigns that channel to the MIX-MINUS busses.

  • SOURCE SELECT: When their SET button is pressed selects the source for input strips and monitor feeds; can access any system signal (source visibility can be software controlled).

  • METER SET: Determines which signals are shown on the touchscreen’s switched meter display.

  • PROGRAMMABLE: 4 buttons to perform virtually any system function: fire salvos, activate presets, trigger logic/GPI, etc.

  • INFO: OLED display shows dynamic status information, depending on what control is currently active.

  • MONITOR MIX PRESETS: One-touch recall of pre-programmed monitor mix signals

  • MONITORS: Level controls for the control room and studio monitor feeds. Signal selected by SET buttons for each. The studio output has a talkback function.

  • MASTERS: Level controls for the TB and CUE/PFL signals.

  • MIX-MINUS and GROUP TALKBACK: Talkback function to the four Group submix and Mix-Minus outputs.

  • SCREEN ASSIGN: Shortcut selection of four touchscreen display configurations.

  • AUX TALKBACK: Talkback function to the two Auxiliary Send busses.

  • CONF: CONFIDENCE directs a pre-assigned source to the mix-minus outputs during setup and show breaks; used to assure remote talent that their audio link remains active.

  • LKFS: Displays the loudness meter on the touchscreen.

  • GROUP ASSIGN: Assigns the four group mixes to the master outputs.

  • PFL: Listen to each group’s pre-fader signal on the console CUE bus.

  • MASTER FADERS: The two master output faders can be programmed as stereo outputs one and two, or one 5.1 surround plus stereo (motorized full-throw).

  • GROUP FADERS: Four stereo (motorized full-throw).


Failsafe Redundancy

It’s all about staying on the air - every second of every day - without fail

Wheatstone’s experience in designing audio consoles for all broadcast realms as well as pioneering networking comes together in the Series Two/Series Four. More power to handle modern needs with a user interface that is pure joy to get your hands on. And with Wheatstone’s built-in safeguards, you can rest assured that you’ll always be on the air...with or without fail.

Redundant Components

Gibralter DSP CardIf a DSP chip fails in a traditional console, it tends to take the entire card with it, leaving the board dead. Thus, having a backup DSP chip on the same card is not really a solution. With Wheatstone, a hot-spare DSP card can be utilized with automatic failover in the event of a problem with the primary engine. Because any source can be assigned to any fader, even catastrophic damage to a fader module on the console (as from a drink spill or falling object) only means that the damaged faders are out of action. The sources can be rerouted to other faders, and the show goes on.

Redundant Power

GibraltarRedundencyIllustration

Gibraltar Network cage utilizes internal modular power supplies and can accommodate up to two units for redundancy.

On the Gibraltar Network and Gibraltar IP Mix Engine cages, power supplies are internal and can be single or dual modules.

The back provides access to the cards’ connections.

Gibraltar: Create a System with IP-Based Audio Network or Traditional Networked Router Frame

Wheatstone has long been the leader in networked audio and routing for broadcast. Whether you are interested in a traditional frame-based TDM network or are looking at an IP-based system that can utilize AES67 to function with emerging standards, Wheatstone has mature, field proven, bullet-proof networking that provides the functionality to make the most of your applications and needs.

Gibraltar brings an exceptionally powerful engine to the mix. There are 1,024 channels of DSP available. For a modern studio, consider that for every input you’ll need a minimum of 6 channels of processing for 5.1 surround as well as 2 channels for stereo processing. Add to that processing for all major output and monitor busses (stereo and surround mains, submixes, aux sends, mix-minus, tracks, control room, studios and headphone feeds) and you’ll see that it adds up to a lot.

Each of our consoles taps the power of Gibraltar to provide unparalleled mixing capabilities and most can be ordered with a traditional TDM-based Gibrlatar Network with a cage that allows you to choose cards for your specific installation, or an AoIP-based Gibraltar IP Mix Engine in which most of the same functions are accessed via our BLADE-3 interface boxes.

> Learn more about Gibraltar IP Mix Engine and WheatNet-IP Networks     > Learn more about Gibraltar Traditional Network Frames

GIBRALTAR IP MIX ENGINEHEADON 600

GIBRALTAR REAR v4

Above: Gibraltar Traditional Frame-Based TDM Network.

Below: Gibraltar IP WheatNet-IP AoIP-Based Newtwork

GibraltarIP Mix Engine. 2560

GIBRALTAR IP REAR 2560px

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Plenty of I/O Available Wherever You Need It

STAGEBOX LH3QTR v4

The optional 4RU StageBox One is for extending console I/O, providing 32 mic/line inputs, 16 analog line outputs, and 8 AES3 inputs and 8 AES3 outputs as well as 12 logic ports and dual Ethernet ports. StageBox One works with all WheatNet-IP audio networked consoles. 

Genuine Wheatstone Add-Ons

Whether you are setting up interview suites or desks, or just making workflow more intuitive and efficient, Wheatstone has the gear you need to get the job done.

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Specifications

Inputs: Any mic, analog line, AES-3, HD/SD SDI, or MADI network input may be routed to any input fader or monitor pot

Outputs: Any output mix may be routed to any combination of analog, digital AES-3, or MADI network outputs Event Recall: All surface settings may be stored/recalled for up to 99 named events

INPUT PANEL: Four channels per panel, each with:
Aux Send level controls (two)
Master output assign
Group and Mix-Minus assign indicators
Bus-Minus talkback
Page function
PFL
OLED color info display
Channel On/Off
Long-throw fader (stereo, mono or 5.1 surround)

Master Control Panel:
Group and Mix-Minus assign (four each)
Source Select Programmable soft buttons (four)
OLED color display 
Control Room and Studio source select and level control
Studio, Mix-Minus, Group and Aux talkback
Touchscreen fast select buttons
Confidence feed LKFS (loudness meter display)
Master Output faders (two: 5.1/ST1, ST2)
Group faders w/Master assign and PFL (four)

Connections:
Power External, dual D-sub for redundant power
Mixer Link RJ45
Ethernet RJ45
Keyboard PS2
Mouse USB
Touchscreen VGA & USB

 

D4 REAR CONNECTORS v6Bus Structure:
Main Output Busses: Two Stereo or One 5.1 plus stereo 
Ancillary Bussing: 4 Sub-Mix Groups, 2 Auxiliary Sends, 4 Mix-Minus, 48 Bus-Minus mixes,

Monitoring:
Two monitor feeds (CR and Studio) each with independent muting and tally control

Communications: 
Dedicated and programmable Talkback to Aux Sends, Mix-Minus, Bus-Minus and Studio

SERIES 2 4 DIMENSIONS

CONSOLE DIMENSIONS:
46.08”/117.04cm wide (Series Four)
33.58”/85.30cm wide (Series Two) 
22.8”/57.91cm deep 3.66”/9.3cm high at rear 
1.37”/3.48cm high at front 
17.7”/45cm total height w/touchscreen

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