The console includes an integrated digital routing matrix which is populated by both internal and external signals. Any source can be routed to any input channel, and any output bus or channel send can be routed to any destination. Sources can also be routed directly to destinations, bypassing the internal DSP. For example, to connect a mic/line input to an AES output to feed an external recording device or comms system.

Signal routing is performed from the Signal List display.

From Version 10.0.2 onwards, the signals which appear in the Signal List are defined by HOME (Lawo's IP management tool). How to add a new I/O device is described later. The rest of this topic assumes that the streaming configuration is complete and that you have some external I/O signals available.

Operating PrinciplesLink to Operating Principles

The Signal List display is used to connect sources to destinations, edit signal labels and settings, and define the DSP channel formats.

1.    Open the Signal List display, on the Central GUI, using one of the following methods.
  • Press the SIGNAL button on the SCREEN CONTROL panel.
  • Select Signals → Signal List from the GUI page menu.
  • Press CTRL + 1 on the console keyboard.

The display shows connections from Sources on the left to Destinations on the right.

2.    When Browse is selected you can choose to view All configured signals or filter the list by selecting a directory path.

For example, to view all of the console's input channels (under Destinations), select DSP Inputs → Inputs. The Selected directory path updates.

On both sides of the list, there are four main directories: User Lists, DSP Outputs or DSP Inputs, I/O Signals and Miscellaneous. The User Lists can be customized, while the other directories are system-defined. 

User Lists help to organize the signals at a system or production level. For example, a mic/line input from an A__stage64 always appears in the I/O Signals directory (under the I/O device's name), but may also appear in a "System List" named Stagebox A and in a "Production List" named Show 1 Mics.

For more information, see Signal List Directories and User Lists.

3.    To navigate around, you can scroll up and down each list in the following ways:

  • Use the on-screen vertical scroll bars on the right of each list. These appear automatically as required.
  • Press the console keyboard up/down keys.
  • Press SCREEN CONTROL panel up/down keys.
  • Turn the rotary control on the SCREEN CONTROL panel.

You can also sort a list alphabetically by selecting one of the column headers (e.g. "Label").

4.    In the standard view (shown above), all channels are listed as mono resources.

The channel format column shows whether a channel is mono (M) or a component channel (L, R, C, etc). The color-coding makes it easy to spot which channels are configured for stereo and surround. 

The formats can be changed using the Stereo or Surround options in the right-click context menu. This is described later in Create Stereo and Surround Channels.

5.    If a destination is connected, then the source label appears in the "Connected Source" column.

If the source is also in view, then a solid line appears showing the connection.

6.    The Connect and Disconnect buttons are used to make and unmake routes as follows:

  • To make a route, select a source and a destination (the selections are highlighted in blue); then press Connect - the dotted (preview) line changes to a solid line to show the connection, and the "Connected Source" field updates.
  • To unmake a route, select a destination and press Disconnect - the "Connected Source" field becomes empty.
  • You can select multiple sources and/or destinations by clicking and dragging, or using SHIFT or CTRL on the console keyboard. This allows you to connect or disconnect multiple signals in one operation.

For more information, see Signal Connections.

7.   The User Label buttons open the label editor for the selected source or destination. 

In each case, there are two label fields: the full "User Label" (used in the GUI displays) and "Short User Label" (used on the surface displays, up to 8 characters). How to use and edit the labels is described later in User Labels.

8.    On the Sources side, the More... button reveals a number of additional options.

These can be used to access other signal-related functions, hide information (to streamline the view) or customize the operation. All available options are described later in this topic.

9.    On the Destinations (right-hand) side, the Inputs A (or Inputs B/Inputs C) button allows up to three sources to be assigned to each input channel (as main and alternate sources).

How to assign and use the alternate inputs is described in Source Routing. For now, make sure that Inputs A is selected so that you are working on the main source for the channels.

10.   Finally, if you right-click on a source (or destination), then a context menu appears.

This provides access to the following options (for the selected source or destination):

  • Channel to Access (DSP channels only) - puts the selected channel into access.
  • Surround Master to Access (Surround DSP channels only) - puts the channel's Surround VCA master into access.
  • Stereo (DSP channels only) - links odd/even channels for stereo.
  • Surround (DSP channels only) - links a range of channels for surround; the format is selected from the drop-down menu.
  • Add to User List - adds the signal to an existing or new user list.
  • Remove from User List (appears if a user list is in view) - removes the signal from the user list.
  • Show in User List - shows where the signal is used. From here, you can click on the user list name to bring it into view.
  • Add to Signal Routing Preset - adds the connection(s) to an existing or new signal routing preset.
  • Remove from Signal Routing Preset - removes the connection(s) from an existing signal routing preset.
  • Show Signal Parameters - opens the I/O parameter window for the signal or channel.
  • Assign Thumbnail - opens the 'Signal Thumbnail' assignment window for the signal or channel.
  • Remove Thumbnail - removes the existing thumbnail assignment.
  • Copy Signal Address to Clipboard - copies the signal address (e.g. to paste into a Custom Function).
  • Signal Address (read-only) - shows the signal address (for information only).
  • Show Source of Destination (SoD) or Show Destination of Source (DoS) - interrogates the connections to or from the current selection.
  • Protect Connect (destinations only) - protects the destination (so that no alterations to its connection can occur).
  • Isolate - isolates the signal from a snapshot load.

If more than one source (or destination) is selected, or if an option is not relevant, then the context menu options are filtered (to simplify the view).

Signal List ColumnsLink to Signal List Columns

The columns in the Source and Destination lists provide the following information.

Please note: The Label and Description columns can be hidden (to streamline the view). This is done by selecting the More... button and disabling the Show User Label Column and Show Description Column options.

  • Connected Source (Destinations only) - this column shows the full user label of the connected source. If the connection is protected using Protect Connect, then a yellow padlock icon will appear.
  • Format - this column shows the format of the signal: M (mono), L (left), R (right), C (centre), etc. The icons are color-coded for easy identification.
  • Short Label & Label - these columns show the user labels for the signal. They can be edited by pressing the User Label button (to open the label editor). This is described in more detail here.
  • Description - this column describes the origin of the source or destination using its device name and signal type/number. The description cannot be edited from the Signal List, but is affected by the labels defined in HOME. An example is provided here. 
  • ISO - this column shows whether a signal is isolated from snapshot loads. A blue ISO icon appears if Isolate is enabled.
  • i (info) - this column provides information about the signal through a series of icons (that are described below).
  • → (Sources only) - this column indicates the number of times a source is used. i.e. the number of connections made. You can interrogate the connections using DoS (Destination of Source).

Info IconsLink to Info Icons

The following icons can appear in the i (info) column. Note that the signal error icon takes priority (and overrides all other possible icons).

  • Error icon = the signal is not available.
    • For external signals, this can occur if the I/O device is not connected or powered. Or, the stream routing is not configured (in HOME).

    • For internal signals, this can occur if the A__UHD Core is not connected or powered. Or, the Virtual Mixer connection to the control surface is not configured (in HOME).

  • Ownership icon = the signal is part of a signal ownership group.
  • Alias icon = the signal is an alias.
  • Waves icon = the signal is a Waves input or output.
  • Loopback icon = the signal is a loopback.

More... OptionsLink to More... Options

The More... button reveals the following options.

Signal Ownership GroupsLink to Signal Ownership Groups

Opens the management window for HOME's Signal Ownership Groups.

From here, you can see which signals are part of an ownership group and release them (if they are owned by your system).

Manage Signal Routing PresetsLink to Manage Signal Routing Presets

Opens the management window for the Signal Routing Presets. 

A Signal Routing Preset can be used to store a selection of matrix crosspoints. They can be recalled from the Signal List display, and are saved and loaded by productions.

A typical application is to create a series of presets that change the connections to a particular destination.

The presets replace partial snapshots that were supported in older releases of the mc2.

From the management window, you can create a New preset. Or, select an existing preset to Label, Delete or Load.

Follow Channel AccessLink to Follow Channel Access

When Follow Channel Access is enabled, the selected signal (in the Signal List) follows the channel in access. This means, for example, when you press a fader SEL (on the surface), the DSP channel is automatically selected (in the Signal List).

Please note: This option changes the selected source or destination whenever you change the channel in access. For this reason, the option is usually disabled.

It can be useful during a live production to quickly focus on the selected channel.

Step Connect ModeLink to Step Connect Mode

When Step Connect Mode is enabled, the system automatically selects the next source and destination (in the signal lists) after each press of Connect or Disconnect. It can be used to quickly connect consecutive sources to consecutive destinations by repeatedly pressing Connect. Or, to quickly disconnect a range of destinations by repeatedly pressing Disconnect.

If you prefer to connect multiple sources to multiple destinations in a single operation, then this can be achieved by selecting a block of signals (using SHIFT), and then pressing Connect (or Disconnect).

For more information, please see Signal Connections.

Show Signal ModeLink to Show Signal Mode

This option changes how the signals are displayed in the Source and Destination lists.

When Show Signal Mode is disabled, all signals are shown as mono resources. This is the default (standard) Lawo view, where you can see and connect each mono resource independently. It means, for example, that the left and right inputs of a stereo channel are always visible without needing to reveal the components.

When Show Signal Mode is enabled, all signals are grouped according to their format: as mono, stereo or surround signals. This view can be more streamlined if you are handling lots of stereo or surround signals. It provides the same functionality as the standard view, but requires an additional click if you need to reveal the grouped components. For example, to change the connection to the right input of a stereo channel.

Show Signal TooltipsLink to Show Signal Tooltips

This option can be used to show (or hide) the signal tooltips (that appear when you hover over the full Label of a source or destination).

Please note: This option does not affect other tooltips such as the Input A/B/C tooltip that appears when you hover over the Connected Source of a DSP channel.

Show User Label & Show Description ColumnLink to Show User Label & Show Description Column

The last two options can be used to show (or hide) the full user Label and/or Description columns (to streamline the view).