The TMC-1 Monitor Controller Remote Evolution

The TMC-1 has come a long way since it was released about 3 years ago, to act as a remote to the XMon.  With some of the following changes made over the course of it's lifetime.

• An Ethernet port was added to allow connection to the DAD AX32.

• The 15 pin D-Sub was changed to a HD15 pin D-Sub, due to being not able to source the 15 pin D-Sub leads.

• An external mic input was added.

• The Display was improved and is now much clearer and readable .

• An external switch input was added, to allow control of Ext T/B 1, Mute, Dim, SLS mute, Int T/B 1, and Int T/B 2.

• OSC Control via Tablet or Phone.

• TMC-1 PC/Mac Setup software, with the ability to load and save different setups.

• There have been many firmware updates for the TMC-1 adding features and keeping up with the ever changing industry needs.

• The TMC-1 now connects to the XMon, DAD AX32, Avid MTRX, Trinnov D-Mon, CB A-Mon, Ashly ne8800, and soon the CB I-Mon Immersive Monitor Controller.

 

You are never locked into a fixed solution as the TMC-1 hardware stays the same, for example you can upgrade your system from XMon to Avid MTRX with just the purchase of a upgrade key and a firmware install via USB.

Some of the customer comments we have had are:

•  "I Love the TMC-1 design and above all the functionality"

• "The TMC-1 gives us so much flexibility"

•  "The XMon sounds so much better now I control it with TMC-1"

• "I love that I don't have to connect my S6 to a computer to control the XMon"

• "Having a dedicated monitor controller panel in my S6 is so important"

• "I love having the meters at all times"

• "After a thorough search the TMC-1 ticked all the boxes"

• "I spent a year following the TMC-1 before installing it, and nothing else comes close"

•  "I have installed the TMC-1-XMON remote controller, and again, I have to say that it is quite an impressive piece of equipment it is the perfect companion to the XMON, resulting in the best full featured monitoring solution for audio post".

•  "It's great having the unified interface no matter which studio we are in stereo to Atmos, we know how to use the monitoring system"

• "Great product! We love using this device"

• "The Auto Talkback/Listenback feature is great it makes the glass disappear"

• "We liked the TMC-1 stand alone so much we added it to several S6 consoles"

• "The TMC-1 adds functions that arguable should have been there in the first place"

Our customers range from film, TV, Music and video games, to users with D-Commands, S3, S6, and no console, etc.


You can check out the TMC-1 at one of our distributors (link), or if you are at the AES NY 2017 CB Electronics is on Stand 214.

AES NY 2017 Come and see us stand 214

CB Electronics will be Exhibiting at the AES New York, Stand 214

 

Come and see the:   TMC-1, PD-3, A-Mon & NEW Products….

The I-Mon Immersive Monitor Controller (Learn more)

 

Colin talking about the design considerations of the I-Mon 

 

NEW Product Coming Soon the I-Mon Monitor Controller

TMC-1 +I-Mon

 Immersive Monitor Control System

Analog Immersive Monitor control system for use with the TMC-1 remote. The I-Mon may be used with any format from Stereo to 7.1.4.2 .  The I-Mon incudes  PFL, Talk back and Listen back.

Specification

 

· Main Output 7.1.4 plus Left and Right rear Bass Extension Outputs, One or Two Stereo Alt outputs

· Inputs: 1x 7.1.4, 1x 7.1, 2 x Stereo plus 2 or 3 stereo Cue Inputs

· Cue inputs  available on cue sends and main outputs

· Four Cue outputs - Studio L/S, Headphones, Cue1, Cue 2

· Three Control Room speaker selections

· One/Two Listen back microphone inputs

· One/Two Talkback microphone inputs

· Stereo Down Mix Output

· External Meter Feed

· Stereo AFL Input

· Slate output

· Input Sum

· GPIO

Remotes

 

TMC-1

 

TMC-1 S6

 

 PD-3

 

 

Polyson Post Upgrades their Avid S6 Consoles with the TMC-1 S6 XMon

After installing a TMC-1 XMon Monitor Controller Remote in their colour grading suite in September 2016 Polyson Post Production decided that they loved it so much they decided to upgrade the monitoring on 3 Avid S6 consoles with the TMC-1 S6 Monitor Controller XMon in July 2017.

TMC-1 Monitor Controller Remote

TMC-1 S6 Monitor Controller Remote

Open Sound Control for the TMC-1

After publishing my initial idea's for a tablet interface to the TMC-1 using HTML, one of our users (James Chappell) suggested that I look at TouchOSC. After investigating OSC I have shelved the HTML interface and spent the past week developing an OSC interface.

The main advantage of using OSC is that users can design their own interfaces incorporating only the functions that they need, simplifying the user interface. Multiple pages allow for different applications. OSC applications are available for IOS and Android I have not found any for OSx or Windows.

You can see the two test interfaces I designed below The first includes input selection (user keys), metering, output level control and Level indication. It has been designed fot the TMC-1-Penta which can select between 8 inputs. I was impressed with the meter performance using an old Android tablet.  A nice touch is the battery status indicator

The second screen below is a cue source selection page complete with level controls and enable keys, This design may be used as a template and unused input and output controls deleted.

I have now finished two more test pages and I will be releasing this software for the TMC-1-Penta, -XMon and -AMon later this week - I also found how to label the tabs!

For the TMC-1-Penta only - Note :the latest Penta software has 32 Palette entries instead of 16.

The images above were taken from the design s/w, the Tablet and my phone look the same or better.

TMC-1 with tablet in my workshop - designs for the 3d printed cradle are also available.

Initially I intended  to use OSC-Midi commands but then decided to use direct OSC commands to control the TMC-1, if the controls are named correctly they will connect directly with the TMC-1. The user can define the label names but it is recommended that the TMC-1 updates User Key labels as they can be dependent on the interface (Penta, XMon, A-Mon) and can change when the s/w is updated. All controls are updated when the page is changed, the interface is bidirectional and updated in real time. The meter block uses a multi-fader graphic.

I am currently controlling the TMC-1 from a tablet and phone simultaneously.  The first command on either will update the display tothe current TMC-1 status. The [TMC-1] key is used to re-sync the display without change. To reduce Ethernet traffic I meters are only activated after an initial touch, as not all designs will include meters. Ping should be enabled with a 10 second delay to keep the meters running.

Push keys are made from three elements, the key, the label and the LED for status indication.
The cue routing keys are Toggle buttons that include on/off indication. The meters are made using a multi-fader. SPL indication is simply a Label. TouchOSC is available to download for $5, the design software is free and available for both Mac and PC.

I envisage other stand alone applications the firmware outside of the TMC-1, for example controlling Mic Amp's, GPIO, or Older Midi instruments from tablets or even mobile phones. Next week I will be releasing OSC enabled versions of the TMC-1-Penta/XMon/A-Mon as well as at least two templates.

For those who may wish to check out the beta test software a design package which includes firmware for the TMC-1, 3d designs for a tablet cradle and templates is available here-
TMC1_OSC.zip

TMC-1 Monitor Controller web app for Computer,Tablet or Phone (Windows, Mac, Android or iOS)

I have spent the last week developing a web app for the TMC-1 Monitor Controller Remote, I started because Toshiro Kobayashi from Tac Systems requested that we increase the Pallet size on the TMC-1-Penta, one of his customers needed to select from more that 16 inputs!   In the next software update I have doubled the size of the Pallet allowing a maximum of 34 inputs- Main, Alt and 32 inputs in the Pallet.

I saw a problem for users selecting the inputs from the pallet. Initially I thought to make a computer app as an alternative selection tool but on discussion with Daniel who works with me we decided that a web based app would be more useful. Daniel had mentioned if it was possible to add a tablet interface to the TMC-1 Monitor Controller Remote previously some months ago.

To implement the app the TMC-1 Monitor Controller Remote becomes a server, allowing one device to be connected. The web page is dynamic and both control the TMC-1 Monitor Controller Remote and display the current status. There main problems to implement this on the TMC-1 Monitor Controller Remote, Memory size and Status indication.


Memory size:

A small DAW has 4 GBytes of memory, the TMC-1 has less than 1 MByte. To send a web page you must first know its length, as page is dynamic the software must first write the page in memory to calculate its length - the memory size determines how much can be displayed.


Status:

The best way to display the status is to use a web socket, however this requires a encrypted handshake and json on the server in this case the TMC-1. I decided that this was too much for the first implementation and to use polling, A new menu allows selection of 8, 4 and 1 second polling  as well as manual update. To reduce the overhead the TMC-1 will reply with no-change message unless a key is depressed.

Here is a screen capture of the output from a TMC-1-Penta

I may change the L/S keys for the TMC-1 User and Function keys, this will allow the user to select their function.

The next Blog entry will detail the Beta test version of the software

 TMC-1 Monitor Controller Remote

A Nice message from Ashly

Hi Colin,

Enjoy your holiday, and please excuse my interruption.

I have to say though, I am THOROUGHLY impressed at your abilities, and what a great job you did in developing this control driver! This is not at all a typical experience. Nicely done!

Jim Schwenzer (Ashly)

Ashly ne8800

Recording Studio Sweet Spot – Sound Generation, Article -TMC-1 Penta Sound Generation

A section in a nice article on Andrew Mittleman's Studio Sound Generation by David Weiss, and how he uses the TMC-1 Penta Studio Monitor Controller Remote

Major Monitoring:

Klein + Hummel/Neumann monitoring is provided for both stereo and surround. KH O410 are the stereo mains and (5) KH120 are permanently mounted for 5.1 with the option of 2 additional KH120 for 7.1. The (2) KH810 subwoofers can be used as stereo bass extension for the main monitors and also for the .1 channel when mixing in surround.

All monitoring is done in the digital domain using the AX32 with the Pro|Mon option installed. The Trinnov MC Optimizer corrects frequency, phase, amplitude, position and delay and also is the bass management system with the option to cross-over the main stereo speakers to the subwoofers. The AX-32 routing is unique in that it allows the Trinnov optimizer to seamlessly integrate with the outputs to the monitors as an insert. All processing remains digital until the DA converter of the Mytek which is directly connected to the monitor inputs. The Trinnov features a 3D microphone with four heads that analyzes each speaker from different positions in the room. Presets can be saved to optimize the mixing position(s), the couch in the back or an average.

 TMC-1 Penta Studio Monitor Controller Remote

The Colin Broad TMC-1 is the controller and has metering as well as extensive control over sources, speaker mute/solo, cue outputs including (2) talkback and (2) listenback mics. Different templates can be configured and saved for various inputs from multiple surround sources with summing, native DAW, Pro Tools, ISDN/Source Connect, even phone dial-ins using the studio SIP phone. The Trinnov processor can be toggled on or off as an insert which is pre-fader and before output level changes. Another advantage of the TMC-1 is that it emulates an X-Mon and is connected to the D-Command. The monitor section of the console is completely functional and controls the TMC-1.

Overall the monitoring system is of the highest quality, with multiple sources of different types available instantly. Many options exist to create cue mixes for the artist, including remote listenback from another studio via ISDN or source-connect. The analog signal path to the monitors is as short and simple as possible.

 TMC-1 Studio Monitor Controller Remote

 

 

 

Link to full article

TMC-1 Ashly ne8800 DSP Monitor Controller Interface

In response to customer requests we have now interfaced the TMC-1 to the Ashley ne8800 DSP processors.

Ashley ne8800

The Ashly ne8800 is an interesting unit, limited by having only 8 inputs and 8 outputs with summing, but unlike the NTP digital router it has DSP on both inputs and outputs - Summing, Equalization, Delay, Crossover and Dynamics. Supplied with Analog in/out as standard  AES/EBU and Dante are available as an option.

PD-3 Film Monitor Remote

The limited number of inputs and outputs made designing systems with the ne8800 a challenge, however the TMC-1 is able to talk to multiple ne8800's increasing the possibilities.

The initial request was for a 7.1.4 film post production room which used two ne8800's. one for the 7.1 inputs and outputs, the other for the 4 overhead speakers, There were 4 unused inputs and outputs on the second ne8800, by routing the Left and Right outputs from the first ne8800 through the second ne8800 we were able to add a stereo input and a mini stereo output.

Using the AES/EBU and Dante inputs or adding a further ne8800 it is possible to select more inputs. To add Cue Inputs, Cue sends, AFL, talk back and listen back would require a third ne8800. It is possible to make a large ATMOS system from multiple ne8800's all controlled from a single TMC-1.

The initial design has a fixed configuration but if there are a requests for further systems I will write a system configuration program similar to the TMC-1-Penta2 program that will enable users to define inputs and outputs by their unit and channel number.

A-Mon: Second 7.1 Input available as an option

As a factory option you can now chose between the following on the A-Mon

• 5.1 Alt Input and 3 Stereo Cue inputs
• 7.1 Alt Input and 2 Stereo Cue Inputs

IMAGICA in Japan chooses TMC-1 S6 XMon

IMAGICA in Japan chooses TMC-1 S6 XMon, to go with there existing UR422-USB units. Installed by TAC Systems proving it's the best and most professional way to control a Avid XMon.

IMAGICA Corporation is a Japanese post-production company for movies, television programmes and commercials, etc., established in 1935 and headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. It is a subsidiary of Imagica Robot Holdings Inc

TMC-1 S6 XMon Monitor Controller Remote (Learn more)

UR422-USB (Learn more)