Your RedNet 6/D64R may require a firmware update when it is first installed and switched on. Firmware updates are initiated and handled automatically by the RedNet Control application.
Important
You must not interrupt the firmware update procedure – either by switching off power to the RedNet 6/D64R unit or the computer on which RedNet Control is running, or by disconnecting either from the network.
From time to time, Focusrite will release RedNet firmware updates within new versions of RedNet Control. We recommend keeping all RedNet units up to date.
Your RedNet 6/D64R can operate across two separate clock domains:
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The RedNet network clock
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The MADI audio clock
It is not necessary for these two domains to be synchronous, so independent clock sources can be used. This is made possible by the use of sample rate converters in the product’s audio input/output.
There are three possible RedNet clock sources available under ‘RedNet Clock Source’ in RedNet Control:
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Internal: Select to clock to the network via Cat 5e/6 cable (RedNet 6/D64R can also act as network leader clock).
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Word Clock Input: Select to clock to an external word clock via BNC.
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MADI Input: Select to clock to the MADI device via Optical or Coaxial MADI.
When sample rate conversion is enabled, the clock source of the MADI output and the RedNet 6/D64R can be selected independently in the RedNet Control application under “Sample Rate Converters”.
When sample rate conversion is disabled, the MADI output will be synchronous with the RedNet network. In this case, the selection of clock source for the unit is made under ‘RedNet Clock Source’. If MADI and the Network are to run synchronously, the following rules must be followed:
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With Internal as the clock source, it's important any device sending a MADI signal to RedNet 6/D64R is also receiving a word clock signal from the RedNet 6/D64R or another RedNet unit.
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With Word Clock In as the clock source, any device which is sending a MADI signal to RedNet 6/D64R must also receive a valid clock signal from the same source as RedNet 6/ D64R.
The RedNet 6/D64R Word Clock Output may be switched via the RedNet Control application to output one of four clock signals under “Word Clock Output”:
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Network Clock: Select to output the same sample rate as the network.
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Network Clock (Base Rate): Select to output the base rate of the network (44.1kHz/48kHz).
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Word Clock Input: Select to output the same clock as the Word Clock Input. (Note: Switchable 75 ohm termination can be selected via RedNet Control.)
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MADI Input: Select to output the same clock as the MADI Input clock.
RedNet 6/D64R supports both varispeed and non-varispeed MADI modes. Non-varispeed mode enables up to 64 channels I/O at 48 kHz. Varispeed mode enables up to 56 channels I/O at 48kHz. The MADI input of RedNet 6/D64R will automatically detect the channel count of incoming signals, meaning the user does not need to adjust any settings. When ‘Follow Rx’ (as described below) is set, the MADI output of RedNet 6/D64R will automatically be set to match the incoming MADI signal.
The RedNet 6/D64R MADI input select is auto-sensing by default, although manual override is provided in the RedNet Control application. When Auto mode is selected and both coaxial and optical inputs are present, RedNet 6/D64R will automatically prefer the optical input. If the optical cable is removed from the RedNet 6/D64R input, the unit will automatically switch to the coaxial input. If Auto Input is selected while no valid coaxial or optical input is present, both the optical and coaxial input indicators will flash.
The RedNet 6/D64R MADI output has three varispeed states selectable from the RedNet 6/D64R spanner menu in the RedNet Control application under “MADI Output Varispeed”:
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Follow Rx: Select to match the channel count of the incoming MADI signal.
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Fixed (64/32/16): Select to specify 64, 32 or 16 channels depending on the sample rate.
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Varispeed (56/28/14): Select to specify 56, 28 or 14 channels depending on the sample rate.
In addition to the varispeed states, the RedNet 6/D64R MADI output is capable of a range of sample rates. These can be selected in the RedNet Control application under “Sample Rate Convertors > MADI Rate”:
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Follow Rx (Rate & Varispeed): Select when a MADI input is present, the MADI output of RedNet 6/D64R will automatically match the MADI input for Sample Rate (Rate) and channel count (Varispeed).
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Single (64/56): Select to output 44.1 or 48kHz
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Dual (32/28): Select to output 88.2 or 96kHz
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Quad (16/14): Select to output 176.4 or 192kHz
RedNet 6/D64R is able to operate at a specified pull-up or pull-down percentage as selected in the Dante Controller application.
When operating in 64-channel (i.e. non-varispeed) mode, MADI is not capable of operating at greater than approximately ±1% of the nominal sample rate. This may become a problem when the network clock domain is pulled up beyond 1% of nominal. In this condition, the Output Varispeed indicator on the front panel will flash to indicate that the output is out of MADI tolerance. Therefore, to continue generating a valid RedNet 6/D64R MADI output, it would be necessary to operate the MADI output in56-channel (varispeed) mode, use sample rate conversion or reduce the network rate to within 1% of nominal sample rate.
Sample Rate Conversion will need to be switched in for any sources that are not using the current system clock as a reference signal. This can be enabled in the RedNet Control application under the ‘Sample Rate Converter’ menu.
This can be particularly useful in post-production environments where the network audio is pulled up or down, but it is necessary to have the MADI stream run at a base sample rate to interface – for example – with a mixing console.
Note
Engaging the sample rate converters will increase the overall latency of the device.