Overview:

The FORUM Compact Digital Audio Mixing Console represents the culmination of AEQ's many years of technological development and experience producing the highest quality digital consoles for the broadcast industry.It is based upon our ARENA Digital Console found in use for a powerful,versatile ,yet simple product to digitally replace analog consoles found in most radio and television studios today.FORUM offers just that -- an unprecedented feature set,extremely simple installation and configuration ,coupled with intuitive and totally agile operation.

***Model shown : STANDARD FORUM

AEQ’s MEDIUM FORUM is a self-contained digital audio mixing console specifically designed to meet the most rigorous demands of radio and television ON-AIR broadcasting. Its flexible design allows it to readily be adapted to any ON-AIR application. FORUM incorporates all of the features necessary for use in environments requiring: automatic monitor speaker cut-off, cough muting, fader start, control signaling, interface signaling for automation of external equipment, external communications management, intercom, etc.

• Thanks to its well thought out, self-contained modular design and reduced footprint, FORUM adapts perfectly to any environment: auto-control, studio control, television production, sound production, mixed configurations, integration in large installations, etc.
• Simplicity and control power are combined into the FORUM to satisfy ease of operation - from the most basic to the most advanced requirements.
• The control surface can be configured with a minimum of 4 faders, and easily expanded to 8 or even 12 channels with he standard chassis.
•  If you opt for the GRAND FORUM Chassis, the mixer can expand to up to 20 freely assignable fader channels.
• One of the primary features which sets the FORUM apart is its internal routing capability:any combination of 64 inputs / output of analog,digital or microphone plus an additional 64 input / output signals via a MADI multi-channel link

Main Features

•  Configurable monitoring for all system signals.
•  4 direct-routing buttons on each channel.
• Silent operation by convection cooling.
• Integrated talk-back microphone input, 2 precision stereo VU meters and pre-fader monitor speakers.
• Supports a maximum of 14 input/output modules: 4 can be dual MICRO / LINE modules, and 2 can be digital hybrids.
• Integrated MICRO/LINE input for talk-back and self-operation, studio and control room speaker and headphone outputs.
• Supports AES/EBU and S-PDIF digital formats.
• MADI bi-directional fiber-optic connection for 64 digital audio channels (optional).
• 8 GPI and 8 GPO (opto-isolated) and 4 GPO relay outputs.
• Available audio effects: 3 band equalizer, high pass and low pass filters, compressor/limiter, and noise gate.8 GPO (opto-isolated) and 4 GPO relay outputs.

• ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONALITY

FORUM allows the user to program pre-defined special functions such as: defining GPIs and GPOs, controlling hybrids and codecs, sending signals to the VU meters, or setting up additional intercom routing. 15 programmable keys are provided to enable/disable the programmed function assigned to that key.

• ADVANCED CONFIGURATION DISPLAY AND CONTROLS

Each of FORUM’s fader channels has an advanced settings button. Configuration is carried out by using the multi-function integrated OLED display in the monitor and control section on the right side of the console. The rotary encoder associated with the display is used to scroll through the contextual graphics menus.

General functionality includes adjustment and instantaneous activation of audio effects: equalization, filters, limiters, etc., memory management and configuration, general effects disconnect, timer, stopwatch, phase change, test signal insertion, etc

Control and Monitoring Features:

The control and monitoring section (C&M) of the control surface is usually located to the right. This section enables the overall management of the signals on the system, including routing and control processes, as well as monitoring of the signals used in developing the final program, by means of the VU-Meters, and CUE control.

This control and monitoring section is divided into four main areas:

•  Control VU meters: allows you to monitor visually the level of the audio signals from the master output and the CUE bus (or the control monitoring bus, when there are no channels sent to CUE).
• Programmable keys: dedicated buttons with special functions defined through the configuration software.
• Main screen: it displays the internal menus. This section also incorporates contextual keys and encoders.
• Studio, Control and Talk-back monitoring: where you can manage the audio signals sent to the headphones and speakers, for the control room and the studio room, as well as the talk-back functions for the intercom for both areas.

• MONITORING

The control surface also has two integrated high precision digital stereo VU meters, each of which can be assigned to display either Master 1 or Master2/CUE outputs.FORUM has  two sections for the independent monitoring of the control room and the studio.There are separate level controls fro control room speakers,studio speakers and headphones as well as FORUM's  built-in CUE speaker.FORUM's studio and control room monitor sections each have av OLED display where selections can be seen.

• TALK-BACK

Rear Panel Features:

A.) POWER SUPPLY - On the left side of rear FORUM is placed the power supply module which incorporates the DC/DC converters that provides the internal circuitry power of the console. Externally you can  see the 48V DC Speak-On connector to which the external 48V DC power supply is connected. The power supply provided is switching and supports between 100 and 240VAC, delivering  160W-3, 34A @ 48 V DC.

On request, a redundant 2RU rack-mounted power supply can be delivered. In the case of installing this redundant power supply, it has to be adequately located so as to avoid the hum of the fans installed in the power supply being picked up by any microphone

B.) SYSTEM COMMON I/O's - This section of the AEQ FORUM rear panel includes inputs and outputs required to integrate  the equipment in a broadcast facility such as audio outputs to several external speakers and headphones, general purpose inputs and outputs allowing remote options, talk-back  microphone...

C.) AUDIO INPUTS / OUTPUTS  MODULES - FORUM AEQ includes enough space in its rear panel to accommodate a maximum of 14  independent modules of audio inputs and/or outputs in various formats. Depending on the type  of audio processed, each of these modules receives a specific identifier within the family of products AEQ FORUM. AEQ is continuously developing new features for AEQ FORUM in order  to meet the market demands for different solutions.

A major consideration in the design of the FORUM was its ease of installation and configuration. Hence it is self-contained and has a low profile format – it can be countersunk flush into a work surface, or simply placed on top of it. FORUM’s flexible I/O capabilities allows for the interfacing with external devices for cough muting, device remote control, ON-AIR lights, etc. by using its 8 monitor inputs (GPI), 8 control outputs (GPO), and 4 output control relays.For monitoring and control, FORUM’s mainframe has built-in outputs for both studio and control room headphones and speakers, and a microphone input for auto-control or coordination.