The Smart Console in conjunction with Merging’s powerful Pyramix system places you in the drivers seat of the ultimate Post Production and Film Mixing tool.
From the outset, the Smart Console was designed to allow operators to keep up with and effectively manage the vast increases in project size and complexity that modern Post Production entails. In an industry where time factors are critical deadlines ever-present, and critical decisions delayed until later and later in the project – the Smart Console allows operators to navigate and manage the most complex of projects with ease and clarity.
Merging’s Pyramix system boasts a range of features specifically for the Post Production industry that no other DAW can match. Whether it’s comprehensive editing models, super flexible and powerful mixer configurations or an encyclopedic array of file formats, syncing and interchange options, Pyramix has the tools you need to not only compete, but excel in your field.
Over two years of development, from both Smart-AV and Merging, has gone into the integration of the Smart Console with Pyramix, resulting in a comprehensive, tight, and totally seamless package that makes the disparate hardware and software elements that make up a studio feel like they are one, totally accessible and easily controllable entity.
 Use the instant access that the ARC provides to select tracks for editing functions, record arming, soloing or muting.
Hold down a button and wipe across the channels you wish to apply functions to. Simple, fast and VERY powerful.
 The Smart Console’s Post Panel allows fast and furious editing, from the mix position, based around Pyramix’s uniquely comprehensive array of editing commands and accessed using the Smart Console’s high performance jog wheel and 95 user programmable buttons. The Smart Console comes with preset button mappings designed for advanced ‘mouse-less’ editing, and each button can be customized to any OASIS edit function.
 The dedicated buttons and controls on the monitor panel allow control of Pyramix’s powerful new monitoring section including selection of up to 12 different mixes to the monitors, multiple speaker selection using Pyramix’s configurable fold-up/fold-down matrixes and a powerful, but easy-to-use, talkback section.
 Track names from any project can be displayed on the large fader display immediately above each fader. These displays are also used to show Channel type (channel, mix master or aux master), Channel Layer (for Smart Consoles with the Layer option) as well as the level of the current fader in dB's.
Multiple, simultaneous, mix stems up to 5.1 wide and independent pan positions for each channel into each mix stem can be easily controlled, interrogated, automated and monitored.
Pyramix’s powerful automation model is seamlessly integrated into Smart Console allowing operators to mix without having to look at a screen or reach for the mouse.
Pyramix’s media management and network capabilities lend themselves to application of a Smart Console, or multiple Smart Console’s within a facility where projects can be shared, opened, updated and moved efficiently from room to room, allowing an effective and time and cost-effective workflow.
The Smart Console’s Flexible and Modular architecture, combined with Pyramix’s highly scalable audio engine, allows facilities to mix and match capabilities and requirements between rooms on an ad hoc, day by day basis – facilitating a more economically effective infrastructure.
Key Pyramix Features
Pyramix can be configured as a dedicated system for TV and Film Post-production with Video integration, a Mastering system for CD, DDP, DVD and SACD, Multi-track live and studio recording or Theatre play-out applications as well as for fully networked Broadcast and Radio multi-studio integration.
A range of I/O options are available including ADAT, AES/EBU, TDIF, SDIF, Analog and MADI.
Merging has put emphasis on compatibility. Any kind of media format is supported: PMF, BWF, Wave, AIFF, SDII, OMF, Akai, MP3, DSD, AC3 as well as mostly all composition format like AES31 (Fairlight, AMS/Neve, Nuendo, Sadie), Akai DD/DR, AudioVision, OpenTL (Tascam, Waveframe), Protools, Sonic Solutions, OMF and soon AAF and MFX.
In addition all kind of CMX like EDLs can be imported with very reliably media linking options (by timecode, name, filename, folder name and even Scene & Take) or simply auto-conforming from a tape or DAT.
Video integration as standard and operating at sample rates from 32 KHz to 192 KHz with Sync to PAL, NTSC, Film and all HDTV frames rates. Time-code reader /generator and word-clock are all integrated in the Mykerinos DSP board on all configurations together with an additional direct stereo monitor output regardless of what sample rate you are using. Unlimited editing tracks with Mono, Stereo and Surround Sound buses and Multi-stem capabilities, complete with MS decoding are available. CD reader and mastering capabilities are included with a range of 32-bit floating point native plug-ins to give you professional and fully scaleable VU, PPM, surround and dynamics metering, Multi-band and Parametric EQ, Dynamics including 2 compressors, expander/ limiter/ gate with side chain facilities to name just a few.
Real-time means more than just instant editing, it allows Pyramix to offer far more advanced editing features than any other rendered system available and with real-time processing of EQ, Dynamics, FX and with Stereo and Surround Sound Automation, Pyramix is a new breed of PC based workstation with a level of power and flexibility far beyond the reach of other systems costing twice the price.
Additional 3rd-party native plug-ins like multi-channel time/pitch scaling with 24 to 25 and 25 to 24 frame functions are also available together with any Direct-X and VST plug-in and support for TC Works and Mackie’s UAD cards. OMF, AES31 and Open-TL are all supported for integration from NLE systems as well as other workstations including direct interchange with Protools and Akai DD/DR sessions.
Pyramix supports VST and Direct-X from most, if not all, the independent producers like Waves with Autotune and Gold Bundles, Ultrafunk, Antares and Steinberg to name just a few.
Pyramix data and media management is very comprehensive and being based around Windows, very easy to configure using a simple drag and drop interface. Single clips, or sections of a mix, or even the whole composition can be placed into a project specific folder, or in global folders to give other users direct access. EQ and Dynamics settings, mixer configurations and even video media is simply and easily accessed across the network. A network configuration with central audio storage is also common practice with Pyramix users and gives the ultimate in multi-studio flexibility.
The system integrates a powerful Media Manager allowing creating Offline or Reference libraries that can be searched with complex queries. All libraries can be shared by multiple users over the network creating therefore distributed Sound Effects Libraries with unlimited reference indexes and folder structure.
All media involved in the editing can have their original timecode updated to the new position in the editing so they are linked to the final position of the picture and can be easily replaced in sync in case of the producer changed his mind (this happens…).
Multiple users can work on the same project by syncing multiple stations through Virtual Transport or TimeCode and exchange clips, media, sub-compositions, effects presets, mixer snapshots through shared libraries. |
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