Owner's Manual

8
Overview
Q-Sys™ is an integrated system audio solution. The DSP is centralized to allow faster development and deployment of new features, and requires
fewer hardware changes as well. Q-Sys has been designed around four major criteria: Sonic Quality, Reliability, Power and Flexibility.
Type 2 Hardware
With this release of Q-Sys hardware, new IDC (ribbon type) connectors have replaced the FCC (flex type) connectors installed
in earlier releases of hardware. Due to this change, the Type 2 hardware is not physically compatible with the older hardware.
You can still integrate the new I/O Frames and Cores in the same system with older hardware, but the I/O cards are not
interchangeable. Type 2 hardware can be identified by a yellow label (Figure 4) on the back of the Core and I/O Frame, and
the bottom of the I/O cards.
Components
Q-Sys is comprised of the following dedicated components:
• Q-Sys Core (Required) – The Core is the central processing unit of Q-Sys. The Core processes and routes all audio, controls peripheral devices,
manages firmware updates to the peripheral devices, all via a gigabit Ethernet network. The Core has one slot available to add one of the I/O cards
listed under Q-Sys I/O Frame below.
• Q-Sys I/O Frame (Recommended) – The I/O Frame is the link between the input/output devices and the Core. The I/O Frame converts analog
audio input signals to digital and passes them over the network to the Core. It also receives the processed digital audio signal from the Core,
converts it to analog and sends it to the output devices. The I/O Frame houses one or more of the following:
◦ DataPort Card (Optional) – provides audio, telemetry, and control interface between Q-Sys and QSC DataPort amplifiers and QSC loudspeakers.
◦ Standard (Std) or High Performance (HP) Mic/Line Input Card (Optional) – provides the interface between input devices (microphones, CD/
DVD players, mixers, and so on) and Q-Sys.
◦ Line Out Card (Optional) – provides the interface between third-party amplifiers, recording devices, other devices and Q-Sys.
◦ AES Card (Optional) – provides the interface between digital devices such as mixing consoles, recording devices, other devices and Q-Sys.
◦ Blank Card (Optional) – fills card slot when no card is needed.
• Q-Sys Designer Software (Required for designing, not required for operation) – Q-Sys Designer is the design software application that creates
the design file that is loaded onto a Q-Sys Core. The design file contains all the virtual components, their connections and initial DSP settings. The
design is initially created on a PC running Q-Sys Designer. When the design is complete, it is loaded on the Core and tested, and adjustments
made. When all adjustments are finalized, the design is saved to the Core. Q-Sys Designer is not required to operate the Q-Sys system. Q-Sys
Designer requires a Windows-based PC running Windows XP or Windows Vista.
• Gigabit Ethernet Network (Required) – The Q-Sys solution is designed around a high performance network implementation called Q-LAN that
offers gigabit data rates, device and network redundancy, 32-bit floating point audio data transfers, end node discovery and low-latency support on
local area network deployments. Additionally, Q-LAN offers long-haul IP streaming of audio over wide area network deployments. Accurate
synchronization of end nodes and high-quality clock distribution are built-in to the solution using the IEEE-1588 Precision Time Protocol. All
devices are connected to a managed 1000 Mbps Ethernet switch with appropriate QoS (Quality of Service) enabled suitable for a high-performance
gigabit network. For switch recommendations see Page 12.
• Q-Sys DataPort Amplier Backup Panel • DAB-801 (Optional) – Provides N+1 Amplifier redundancy
• Q-Sys Touch Screen Controllers (Optional) – Provides End-User touch-screen, wall-mounted control
— Figure 4 —
TYPE 2
Q-SYS I/O
COMPATIBLE
◦ 1 Gigabit Ethernet
◦ Latency – 0.66 ms across network
◦ 32-bit floating point format
◦ Redundancy (Optional)
◦ 1 to 16 channels per audio stream (managed by the Core)
◦ 1.65 to 3.31 Mb bandwidth per channel (dependent on the
number of channels per stream)
◦ Power over Ethernet
◦ Touch-Panel Interface
◦ Design Control Pages in Q-Sys Designer
◦ Core is the server for the saved Control Pages
◦ Built-in Navigation and Security Integrated System