IKIS -
Harrison's High Speed Software Control Network
IKIS is Harrison's studio automation system.
IKIS is the "operating system" which provides
graphical control, automation, save/recall, and
configuration of all Harrison digital consoles. IKIS is
also a networking protocol which connects multiple devices
together including routers, mic preamps, effects, MIDI
devices, Digital Audio Workstations, transport controllers,
and external switches and relays. Multiple IKIS
computers can be connected to the same network. This
allows full data, filing, and control redundancy in the
case of a broadcast console, or it can be used to provide
remote access to the console from another room or even
another facility. IKIS can partition the console
into several different users, each controllling their own
subset of console resources. IKIS does not require a
KVM system or "remote desktop": Each IKIS
computer is a standalone application with full autonomous
control. Any IKIS computer can control any user's
resources, and each IKIS computer can be limited to
certain functions if needed. Password protection is
implemented to protect the critical console settings in a
broadcast facility.
IKIS provides a rich series of pages, customized to the
console application (film,music, sound reinforcement, or
broadcast). These pages can follow the operator when
he is working on the console, providing heads-up display
of DSP, filing, and automation functions. Or the
user can "lock" a display to a particular page.
Since multiple IKIS screens can be connected to a console,
it is possible to have a rich complement of displays
showing both an overview, and the fine details of a mix.
IKIS can
accomodate touch screen and pen-based screen options.
The IKIS screens are resolution-independent.
21" monitors or larger can be utilized to their full
extent.
Menus and
other graphical objects are animated and semi-transparent.
Features like drag-n-drop, fine adjust, contextual menus,
and popup help create an intuitive workflow. This
attention to detail and breadth of scope gives IKIS an
unmatched feel among console automation systems.
IKIS
is a modular, enterprise-class software package
which runs on PC-compatible computer hardware and
the robust Linux operating system. IKIS is the core
software for all of Harisson's products. A
simple reconfiguration can provide features for
broadcast, sound reinforcement, music, or post
production. For each application, IKIS has a
customized set of screens and functions.
The
DSP channel screen, shown below, provides
simultaneous access to all parameters of the
Harrison DSP engines.
Automated
consoles (film and music) have a page dedicated to
each user's automation settings. From here the
user can globally set and clear automation modes,
edit his (or all user's) automation, and manage the
previous automation passes that he has made.
The router page, shown below, provides access to
Harrison's "anything to anywhere" routing
matrix. Harison's proprietary router design
has stood the test of time and is far superior to
"grid-based" routing matrices.
Routes are performed just like an analog patchbay,
with the exception that a range of connections can
be "scooped up" at once and routed as a
group to a range of destinations. This is a
powerful and fast feature that no other router can
match. Each router source or destination is
color coded. This allows the user to quickly
recognize if the router is setup as usual or if
something special is happening. The two red
routes in the example below might be indicators that
something is not assigned as usual. Unlimited undo/redo
and a "normal" button for each route
selection help users get back to a "normalized"
status within just a few clicks.
Filing is handled from the "Project" page.
A project is a folder which contains all the
settings files for all users. The user can
choose to synchronize all users on the same project,
or allow each user to manage their own session.
This allows one user to switch reels for all users
during a movie mix, but also allows an individual
user to revert to an old project to copy over some
settings into the new project, without affecting
other users. (this is one of the benefits of a
truly multi-user console) By showing all the files
in the session, sorted into their purposes, and
without having to manage folders manually, the user
is free to get mixes done very quickly and safely.
A "favorites" session allows each user to
store their favorite settings and session start
points in a global location that is available from
any session. Each console file has a "notes"
field associated with it. This provides the
user with a method to document the mix as it
progresses.
Broadcast and Live consoles get their own form of
filing. Each session in this case keeps an
ordered list of scenes which can be navigated up and
down from the console surface.
Music and Broadcast consoles have a comprehensive
monitoring page which provides headphone (cue) feeds
for 4 studios in addition to the main control room
monitoring. Comprehensive speaker selection,
level trim, speaker mutes, and source selection is
handled here and repeated on the console.
Machine feeds (recorders) are managed in an elegant
fashion.
Film users will be happy to see Harrison's Pec/Direct
management page. From here you can associate
record/playback tracks with buses and assign them to
the monitoring matrix. This type of
convenience feature is what Harrison is known for:
meeting our customer's needs in a straightforward
and elegant manner.
Among the "standard" features of the IKIS
software is a "Library" button next to
nearly every recallable parameter. Libraries
allow the user to call up a previously stored
setting for the parameter or set of parameters.
For example, EQ libraries can be stored and recalled.
This is in addition to the regular filing which
stores and recalls all of the EQs for a user.
In nearly every case, the Library browser does not
occlude the library settings, so the user can quicly
step between libraries and both hear and see the
changes to decide if they are appropriate.
Then when the correct library is found, the dialog
smoothly slides off screen.
