HiQnet System Architect Control Software Released

(Click for a close-up)

Following the January 2005 launch of Harman Pro Group's HiQnet communications protocol for professional audio systems, the Harman Pro Group today introduced HiQnet System Architect configuration and control software for HiQnet audio systems. HiQnet System Architect is a Windows-based application that provides audio professionals with an intuitive, unified platform for system design and operation of all audio devices in the signal chain from microphone to speaker.

Aside from important operational benefits, HiQnet System Architect offers compelling commercial advantages. System Architect eliminates the need for disparate operating systems, multiple control and configuration applications, and the need to program individual signal processors, speaker controllers, wireless microphone systems and mixing consoles. As such, training costs and set-up time can be reduced significantly and project managers have greater flexibility in the manpower resources they assign to tasks.

System Architect has been written to make use of a plug-in architecture enabling drivers for new Harman Pro Group audio technologies to be developed and easily integrated in the future. The protocol's adherence to the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) standard enables connected HiQnet devices and control PCs to configure IP and HiQnet addresses automatically. Transport independent, HiQnet has been engineered to traverse any cable type including Ethernet, serial, USB and Firewire.

System Architect makes the advantages of HiQnet available to audio professionals for a wide variety of applications such as theaters, restaurants, sporting arenas, office buildings, shopping malls or live and touring sound systems:

• Unified layout of on-screen product configuration
• Simple preset configuration of an entire system of products across multiple brands and product classes
• Common configuration and recall of networked audio-routing across all components of an entire system
• Custom control panel creation consisting of controls from multiple products across multiple brands
• Copy / paste of like parameter values from, and to, multiple products across Harman Professional brands
• Unified event logging and error reporting for entire system
• Advanced remote control and diagnostic capabilities
• Dedicated mode for tablet PC operation
• Optimization for touch-screen PC use
• Configurable cue list within Studer Vista 8 or other future HiQnet-compliant consoles allows simple recall of presets on all connected HiQnet devices

HiQnet System Architect was developed by Harman Pro System Development and Integration Group (SDIG) based in Salt Lake City, Utah. In doing so, the SDIG team collaborated with leading industry professionals and engineers from the eight Harman Pro Group companies; AKG, BSS, Crown, dbx, JBL, Lexicon, Soundcraft and Studer.

HiQnet System Architect brings to the full audio system what HiQnet London Architect continues to provide BSS Soundweb London and Crown PIP card environments. In fact, SDIG engineers incorporated integrator feedback on London Architect into the development of HiQnet System Architect. Using the HiQnet communications protocol, London Architect enables cross-configuration and design advantages for systems based on BSS Soundweb London and Crown amplifier PIP cards.

HiQnet System Architect is available for download.