Q-SYS For Cinema

Blog 1 What is Q-SYS?

Introduction

I am hoping to create a set of, relatively, short blogs on the subject of implementing the Q-SYS platform/ecosystem within the commercial cinema environment.? With Q-SYS folding the cinema division into the regular A/V “Systems” division, there is no longer cinema-specific entities within Q-SYS to guide the cinema industry on its benefits and varied uses.? I’m hoping that these blogs will bridge that gap a bit as I think Q-SYS can be a powerful tool for the cinema industry.

Since this is the first, this one might be a bit longer as there is more to cover with respect to introducing just what Q-SYS is and what it can do (for cinema).? I do not intend for these blogs to be all inclusive and they will definitely have a cinema specific ideology behind them.?

Disclosure

I do not, in any way, work for QSC/Q-SYS.? These thoughts are my own based on my own interactions with the product(s) and implementing Q-SYS within actual cinema environments.? I do work for a dealer that has sold QSC products since the 1980s, including Q-SYS and its predecessors.? For the purposes of this blog, I represent only myself and not my employer(s) or any other company.

What is Q-SYS?

What will likely be a reoccurring theme within these blogs is that it is almost always best to view Q-SYS in the more general terms and work one’s way to the specifics. ?So, here we go.

In general terms (and as of this writing since Q-SYS is a platform that can evolve), Q-SYS is a DSP (Digital Signal Processing) platform that involves or works with:

·?????? Audio

·?????? Control

·?????? Video

Within those general terms you can get a lot of subdivisions.? For instance, within Audio, you can have analog, digital, streaming, level control, equalization, compression, routing, feedback suppression, echo cancellation, amplification…etc.? You get the idea, there are lots of ways one can work with audio and Q-SYS can do quite a few.? The same sort of breakdowns into subdivisions can be done for Control (not just of Q-SYS itself but of most anything else you could want to control) and Video.

I think most cinema people will, at least at first, think of Q-SYS for its original entrance into the industry…for Audio.? This is especially true since QSC’s interaction with cinema has, historically, been with audio.? But, trust me, Q-SYS’ control aspect is every bit as powerful and potentially beneficial in the cinema environment as it can do most anything an automation system can do and then some.? Its video aspects are, comparatively, new but if your theatre is thinking about doing zoom/team room rentals, then how about a system where you can plug in a host laptop for the Zoom call and then have the ability to pass video and audio to the far-end, put the picture up on the screen and control what sound goes where?? Having a platform like Q-SYS that handles Audio, Control and Video can make this happen.

How does Q-SYS work?

Q-SYS falls under the general field of AVoIT (Audio Visual over Information Technology).? What this essentially means is that it uses “standard” IT infrastructure like CAT5e (or better) copper cables (or fiber for longer distances and/or higher bandwidth) and network switches.? As such, it is relatively low-cost, with respect to installation infrastructure.?

Because we are moving audio (and video) over this infrastructure, there are some minimum requirements to ensure it all works.? That is, we don’t want any audible glitches in the sound (or video) so a simple network switch will, likely, not be sufficient.? As an example, within cinema, most techs familiar with NTP for keeping our servers and other devices locked into the correct time.? However, while having shows start at the right second/minute is sufficient, that level of precision is not sufficient for moving audio or video around a network.? With Q-SYS, we use PTP or Precision Time Protocol.? PTP is accurate to less than a microsecond.? We also need to ensure that audio and video information transverses the network at a higher priority than other network traffic, so there are specific minimum requirements for the network infrastructure.? They are not as onerous as it may first appear and they will become less-and-less special as the inherent speed and capabilities of IT equipment evolve.? This will be discussed in a different blog post.? Suffice to say, you just need CAT5e/CAT6 cables (or fiber) and managed network switches (with specific configuration capabilities) to connect most anything in the Q-SYS world up.

What is required for a Q-SYS system?

A Q-SYS system consists of, at least, a Core, which is the DSP processor that makes the system work.? At its most basic, that may be all one needs, particularly if one just wants to use Q-SYS for control (like an automation system (e.g. JNIOR or eCNA) or in lieu of a dedicated control system like AMX or Crestron).? Furthermore, some Cores, have various forms of analog audio, digital audio, video and/or control built into them.

Everything else can, loosely, be termed a “peripheral.”? A peripheral can be anything either made by Q-SYS (i.e., CX-Q8K8 amplifier or DCIO-H) or 3rd party manufacturer (e.g., a Dolby Atmos? processor/server).? Natively, Q-SYS works with AES67 audio streams and, with suitable licenses, Dante?. For other audio, a suitable input or output interface will be needed to put the audio on the QLAN network(s), or get it off of the QLAN network(s).

In cinemas, the DCIO (or the DCIO-H for decoding of HDMI audio sources), is the primary digital cinema interface as it has 16-channels of AES3 inputs on familiar RJ45 connectors, just like dedicated cinema processors.? It has analog audio inputs for Non-Sync, and a Microphone, as well as analog outputs for HI (Hearing Impaired), VI-N (Visually Impaired-Narrative).? Additionally, it has both line and speaker level booth monitor outputs.? A later blog post will go into the DCIO family in more detail but you should notice that it covers a lot of the typical needs of a cinema installation.

It is not required to have a DCIO to use Q-SYS in cinemas.? It is possible use an upstream sound processor and feed its outputs into Q-SYS via analog, or digital audio, using suitable I/O within the Q-SYS family.? It is also possible, for those servers that can output AES67 audio, to feed that audio into Q-SYS directly via the same network used for the rest of the QLAN network. This is done for Dolby Atmos? systems that also utilize Q-SYS.

Likewise, for outputs, one does not have to use Q-SYS amplifiers (e.g., CX-Q series).? One can use amplifiers that work with AES67 or Dante? digitally or conventional amplifiers using analog, with suitable analog outputs from the Q-SYS platform.? For example, the Core 110f v2 has up to 16 analog outputs available (and 8-16 analog inputs).? 8 of the Core 110f’s audio I/O are “flex” audio.? This means that they can be configured to be outputs or inputs.? So, the system can be tailored to the needs of the installation.

To summarize, just like with any other sound system, you need:

·?????? A means to get the sound in.

·?????? A means to get the sound out.

·?????? A Core to process the sound.

Additionally, you need a suitable network switch to connect the various components.?

How does the user interact with Q-SYS?

Most commonly, the designer/installer creates “User Control Interfaces” (UCIs).? Traditionally, these show up on touchpanels.? Which functions and displays that show up on the UCI is entirely up to the installer of the system.? Furthermore, different UCIs can be created for different users, with different accesses.

But, even more basic, the DCIO has a fader knob and a mute button (more on those in a later blog). Perhaps, that is all that is needed near the projector (if even that is needed) because it may be more convenient, particularly if the projector is remote-mounted, to locate the controls more centrally, wirelessly (including on tablets or phones) are just via browser access.?

One could even take a more “traditional” approach and provide pushbuttons to select formats (there are General Purpose Inputs (GPI) on the DCIO) or using peripherals to provide lighted buttons.? It is really up to the installer and the needs of the particular cinema.

Why Q-SYS?

So, why use Q-SYS in cinemas?? In one word, flexibility.? Q-SYS can be the processor that you’ve always wanted and become the processor you desire. You can also get a great degree of uniformity within a chain by coming up with your own custom UCIs that best reflect your needs…including as they evolve.

Traditional Cinema Processors

The traditional cinema processor (anybody’s) is a purpose-built product that will do whatever the designers wanted it to do (and in the way that they wanted it to behave) and that’s it.? At some point, its design has to be frozen so that they can actually make it.? For that, you, often, get a cost-effective product that does a specific thing.? So, if all you need is a 5.1 or 7.1 cinema processor with graphic EQ (and some have varying degrees of parametric EQ, now), then products like (as of this writing) the Dolby CP950, Trinnov OV2, and QSC’s DPM-300 might very well be all you need for a cost-effective solution (this is not an all-inclusive list but these are the popular units that I see most often).? They each can bring different features to the table too.

Hybrid Cinema Processors

There is another candidate that has been around a bit and has a fan base too…the Datasat AP25 (and its predecessor the AP20).? This is sort of a hybrid processor in that it also has a bit of control functionality plus an HDMI (1.3) video switcher with DTS? and Dolby? decoding capabilities.? Heck, it even has an optional film audio preamp board for those still supporting film.? They have option cards/slots to adapt it to various needs, as well.

Q-SYS

And then there’s Q-SYS.? Q-SYS is always “right-sized” because you can choose your processing power, input/output/control capabilities plus it has a the most customizable user interface.? Furthermore, if your needs change, you only need to change the part of the system that needs to be changed.? For instance, you can get a larger/more powerful Core but leave the existing input/output right where they are.? If you need to support an additional device…you just add it.? You don’t need to replace the entire system, as with most conventional purpose-built processors.

When it comes to cinema audio, Q-SYS offers a more holistic approach.? If you have a preferred speaker, if it is a QSC brand, there are “intrinsic correction” components, which covers both the speaker EQ as well as the speaker protection, built in.? If you like other brands of speakers, no problem, as Q-SYS provides for custom voicing as well as custom speaker components to apply the voicing/speaker protection to them as well.? And, what’s even more cool, you don’t have to enter parameters for each channel.? One voicing component can cover all instances of that speaker within the design.? This allows for a very uniform tuning (that, in no way precludes channel-by-channel tuning within the auditorium) that will also have superior imaging as all like speakers will have the same parameters applied to a greater degree than typical crossover settings. ?

Likewise, you can use other brands of amplifiers, Many companies make Q-SYS plugins to make the integration easier and provide some of the benefits of Q-SYS native amplifiers.

Furthermore, unlike the other cinema processors, not only can Q-SYS be installed in a traditional manner of one processor (Core) per screen (with or without a redundant/backup Core), or you can have two or more screens handled by a single Core!?

Now wait, I know what you all are thinking…there is no way I’m going to trust one processor to handle more than one theatre for fear of going down on more than one screen (or the entire complex) due to a processor failure.? We’ve ALL had equipment failures, including sound processors.? However, while some sound processors have backup power supplies, none of the others have the capability of a completely redundant processor that will automatically switch over if the primary processor gets into trouble (the backup processor is perpetually checking the primary unit).?

So, to go down, you’d need two simultaneous failures of both Cores.? In a traditional system, if theatre 1 goes down due to a processor failure, theatre 2 can’t help out.? In a centralized Q-SYS system, neither theatre goes down because only one Core has to be functional and they perpetually check each other.?

And, since the connectivity of the system is by conventional networking, they also offer redundant networking too on most components that would apply to cinemas (The Core, DCIO, amplifiers) so even the network can be 100% backed up. It is a robust system.

Conclusion

Future blog posts will try to look into various aspects of Q-SYS from design and configuration to actual use-cases to specific equipment within cinema.?

I hope to not cover too much ground that has already been covered by Q-SYS already has done in their excellent collection of training videos about Q-SYS.? In fact, there is a course called Q-SYS Level-1 Cinema Training.? I highly encourage the reader to avail themselves of this course.? Q-SYS requires a successful completion of this on-line course before they are allowed to install Q-SYS (you need to know how to speak the language and just where everything is or every tech-support call will start with very basic stuff).

Q-SYS Level-1 Cinema Training can be found here: https://training.qsc.com/mod/book/view.php?id=871

Note, if you are not registered, there is a link in the upper-right hand of the web-page for the training that will allow you to register.? You must register to attain level-1 certification but you do not need to register to view the videos.