Wheatnet Audio Networking

Any signal anywhere.

Sounds simple enough, but designing a digital audio network gets more complicated when you think about the requirements: enough non-blocking bandwidth between any two points in your entire system to transceive as many audio and logic signals as you require at any given time.

Wheatstone has been supplying large networked audio systems now for over 5 years, with numerous installations comprised of a dozen or more studios. Our experience with these larger installations led us to develop the Wheatnet – a super high capacity audio network switch. We learned that busy engineers shouldn’t have to worry about bandwidth limitations and system capacity when planning a facility. The Wheatnet simplifies the process. It acts as the hub in a "hub and spoke" topology, and you simply plug your studio I/O frames into it.

Need redundancy?

Use two Wheatnets and backup not only your system CPUs but the CAT-5 links to each I/O frame as well. Need to move more than 64 signals in or out of a frame? Just plug in another link.

With up to 48 ports, the Wheatnet gives you plenty of places to plug in:

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Bonus Features To sweeten the deal we added a pair of stereo monitor speakers with built in amplifier, a full X-Y control, and a LED meter pair to give you full source selection and monitoring capability in your tech center.
Wheatnet 4864

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Related Links: Brochure (PDF) \| Front View \| $ Request Quote

Features
Built-in stereo speakers also provide system wide monitoring function Simplifies Configuration, Installation, and Expansion of all Bridge Systems Provides simple point to point connection for up to 48 studios Two 4864s provide complete system redundancy with autofailover Eliminates costly wiring runs		The Wheatnet 4864 is the new central switch for all Bridge Systems and will offer 48 ports with each supporting 128 channels of audio inputs and outputs plus control data. Two 4864 units will provide complete autofailover redundancy for Wheatstone’s Bridge system while simplifying configuration, installation and future expansion of all Bridge systems. Onboard X-Y Controllers provide Rackroom source/Destination Control and operators will have access to all crosspoint metering and monitoring.

Size Matters Now, we realize that not everyone is building a mega studio complex. So we took the central concept of the Wheatnet and let it “trickle down" to the smaller Wheatnet E-Series S-8 and S-16 switches. Looks similar from behind, and the concept is the same. Simply plug in your local studio I/O cages to build your audio network. Each port on the Wheatnet E-Series switch handles 64 channels of bidirectional audio (64 in/64 out), with a total capacity of 1024 signals. Whether you use the larger Wheatnet system or the E-Series switches, building a high capacity, low worry audio network is easy to do.
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More I/O Cage Options

Bridge I/O Cage		Satellite I/O Cage
Overview The Bridge Digital I/O Cage makes audio networking PRACTICAL. It's simple to install, easy to learn, and certain to reduce system costs. Compact enough for small applications, yet stackable for tremendous growth potential, it's design consists of seven inch rackmount digital I/O cages, each capable of handling 512 simultaneous audio channels on its backplane.		Overview The Satellite I/O Cage has all the capabilities of our Bridge I/O Cage, only scaled to meet the needs of most studio locations. It uses the same card family as the larger Bridge I/O Cage, assuring system wide compatibility. It also has all the functionality: networking, mixing and logic I/O—in any combination desired.
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Related Links: Brochure (PDF) \| Front View \| Rear View $ Request Quote		Related Links: Brochure (PDF) \| Front View \| Rear View $ Request Quote

Units can be stacked to suit particular card complements (analog or digital input and output cards or optical network cards) but more significantly, cages can be separated by great distances and network audio through either bi-directional fiberoptic links or a single CAT-5 wire.		You can locate the mix engine in your equipment room cage or in your satellite cage, allowing you to configure your surface and satellite to operate together as an individual mix island.
Features Bi-Directional FiberOptic or CAT-5 Interlocation Connectivity All Digital Domain AES Switching Both Analog and Digital (Synchronous or Sample Rate Converted) Inputs Both Analog and AES Digital Outputs TCP/IP based control protocol for communication with third party devices Serial control and display drivers for legacy Wheatstone consoles Fully routable GPI logic functions Audio over IP card supports 16 streaming audio channels Easy to use graphic interface		Features Bi-Directional FiberOptic or CAT-5 Interlocation Connectivity All Digital Domain AES Switching Analog or Digital (AES sample rate) Inputs Both Analog and AES Digital Outputs Serial Control and Display with Wheatstone Consoles Rackmounted Serial Control X-Y and X controllers Easy to use graphic interface Eliminates costly wiring runs

The Wheatnet system provides the most robust and flexible audio network switch on the market today.
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