DSP Conductor

System requirements

• DSP Conductor requires Windows XP. A warning will be issued by the installer if you attempt to install DSP Conductor on an older version of Windows.
• Standard Ethernet NIC with connection to target CS4961xx system running 2.11.6 firmware or later.

Changes between 1.3.0 and 1.3.2 release

• Support for CobraNet Discovery 3.4.4.

Changes between 1.2.0 and 1.3.0 release

• Support for CobraNet firmware version 2.11.6.
• This version of the tool is required for CobraNet firmware revision 2.11.6.

Changes between 1.1.2 and 1.2.0 release

• Changed the internal reference point for 0dB down by 24dB or 3 bits to allow more headroom during processing. You must choose “Tools -> Update All Out of Date Elements…” in existing designs and recompile or signal generators, dynamics elements and meters will not behave correctly. This change adds an Audio Gains page to the CS496xx elements with Gain, Mute and Invert controls on each input and output as well as a Clip indicator on each output.
• Removed the “Download to Flash” option from the Download dialog due to complicated interactions with other CobraNet management variables. To commit a design to flash you must perform “Tools -> Generate Deliverables -> Patch Image…” and patch the appropriate firmware image and then use CobraNet Discovery to update the firmware.
• Changed the underlying mechanism behind the “Tools -> Register Software…” item required to download a configuration to a device other than an EV-2 or an AtteroTech CO2, or to patch a firmware image. Consequently, any users who have previously registered will have to register again. Due to a malfunction with the old mechanism, some users were able to perform these operations without registering. These users will now have to register.

Changes between 1.1.1 and 1.1.2 release

• Support for CobraNet firmware version 2.11.3.
• Fixed a problem with audio artifacts at startup from the Lowpass and Highpass filters.
• Corrected the XML file generated by the “Tools -> Generate Deliverables -> As XML…” command to match the description in “Controlling and Monitoring DSP Conductor Configurations”.

Changes between 1.1.0 and 1.1.1 release

• Improved the reliability of SNMP communications. SNMP timeouts could occur when controls were gestured quickly, especially in projects with large mixer Elements or large meter Elements. This has been fixed.
• Fixed a bug in the compiler that could potentially cause a mixer to produce no output.
• Fixed a minor problem when scroll bars were shown when unnecessary.
• Fixed a memory leak associated with the Debug window.

Changes between 1.0.2 and 1.1.0 release

• Added CS4961xx processor Elements to the Elements menu. By inserting a one of these in your configuration you are specifying what type of processor you intend your configuration to run on. The Flyoffs window will be populated with the correct system flyoffs for wiring to the audio inputs and outputs of the processor you have selected. This device eliminates the need for the DAI, DAO, Net Tx and Net Rx Elements. If you update a configuration from version 1.0.2, the compile will fail if you insert a CS4961xx processor and don’t delete the DAI, DAO, Net Tx and Net Rx elements.
• The CS4961xx Element contains a control panel for monitoring the status of the CobraNet interface and assigning bundle numbers. This is just for a convenience when running DSP Conductor. If you are using a different program to assign bundle numbers or sub-channel mappings, you can defeat this feature by editing the properties of the CS4961xx Element.
• The Library of Elements shipped with this release is much more complete that the previous release.
• An activity animation has been added to the right side of the tool bar to indicate when DSP Conductor is successfully communicating with CobraNet hardware. If a communications error occurs you will be presented with a dialog box and the activity animation will stop animating.
• The workflow for compiling, downloading and controlling the audio has been simplified. The toolbar now contains simply a Go button and a Stop button.
• The download dialog box allows you to choose if you want to download to ram or flash. Configurations downloaded to ram are lost when power is cycled or the hardware is reset. Configurations downloaded to flash are maintained under these circumstances. If you are using the EV-2 and download your configuration to flash, you must have variable persistence turned on in the CobraNet core or your configuration will not run on power up.
• The download dialog box allows you to choose emulate if you do not have any CobraNet hardware. This does not simulate the audio processing, but it does allow you to adjust controls and save and load snapshots.
• A User’s guide has been added. Please download the latest version from this web page.
• The IP address of the CobraNet Hardware to which you are connected is shown at the right hand edge of the status bar.
• The “Find…” menu item has been added to the Edit menu.
• The “ExpressionLabel…” menu item has been added to the Tools menu. This brings up a dialog allowing you to label a series of Elements or flyoffs according to a formula or expression.
• The “Replace Text…” menu item has been added to the Tools menu.
• The “Generate Deliverables…” menu item is now a sub-menu containing three items. “As Header…” generates the C header file that was generated by version 1.0.2 software. “As XML…” generates an XML file that contains a superset of the information contained in the header file. “Patch Image…” takes a firmware image and patches in your compiled DSP Conductor configuration that can be used for mass production. This menu item is only available if you have registered the software and have entered a manufacturer license key.
• The “Register Software…” menu item has been added to the Tools menu. This allows you to obtain and enter a manufacturer registration key which allows DSP Conductor to download your configuration to a hardware platform other that the Cirrus Logic EV-2 and the CobraNet CO2 from Attero Tech.

Changes between 1.0.1 and 1.0.2 release

• Added an option to lock the size of graphic objects.
• The contents of the ‘elements’ tab are now sorted alphabetically.
• Added hover text to control properties dialog.
• Fix up block style dialog box.
• Keep relative mouse point while zooming with the center mouse wheel.
• Improved layout of control dialog box.
• Fixed a bug that caused scroll bars to be unnecessarily shown on certain block windows.
• Fixed a bug which made it impossible to move groups when clicking on a block contained within the group.
• Made dialog boxes more standardized and polished.
• Fix combo box control style.
• Remove unnecessary printout from the debug window.
• Improved error reports for user developed primitives
• Clicking anywhere now closes the about box.
• Fixed a bug which broke drag-selecting a bunch of objects while in gesture mode.
• Added block property to only require a single click to open a block while in gesture mode.
• Added help text to block properties dialog box items.
• Save the default snapshot on disconnect to maintain control settings.
• Fixed bug which caused scroll bars to not be visible in certain situations.
• Fixed bugs in ‘Save As’ code which incorrectly disallowed using ‘Save As’ to save over the current file as well as saving the same file name to a different directory on the disk.
• Updates to the flyoff window are now much more efficient and responsive.