How can I download a technical manual?

Downloading technical manuals is simple. For products we currently manufacture, go to the product page and check the "Resources" tab. All available documentation will be listed there.  For legacy products, just go to the Resources | Legacy Product Manuals page and choose the manual you need.

Do I need a password to download technical information?

No, passwords are not required for downloading manuals.

Where can I find schematics for your products?

Go to the Resources | Legacy Product Manuals menu. Note that not all products have published schematics, and some products manufactured prior to 2000 may only be available in a printed format.

I have an older product. How can I get documentation for it, such as schematics, etc?

Please email or call our support department and we’ll do everything we can to find the document you are looking for. We have archived many old (>10years) product documents. Note that some very old products are not available in electronic form. Other products from the 1980’s may only be available as D size drawings.

Where can I find application notes on your website?

Check out the Resources | Application Notes page.

What is the procedure for sending a device to you for repair?

First, call Wheatstone to start a support record and receive an RA (Return Authorization) number. Repairs sent without an RA may be refused and the repair delayed. Once you have the RA number, pack the device securely to avoid shipping damage.

• Send to
• Attn: RA #
• Wheatstone Corporation
• 600 Industrial Drive
• New Bern, NC 28562

What is the Warranty period for your products?

All Wheatstone products carry a standard 1 year Warranty. Please refer to our Warranty terms. Additional warranty protection may be purchased as an option.

What is the standard rate for out of warranty repairs?

Out of warranty repairs are charged a flat rate of $85/hour, plus parts.

What are your shipping policies for new products?

We ship most all of our products by Fed Ex. For the larger systems we use Fed Ex freight or commercial truck lines.

What are your shipping policies for repairs?

Repairs return ship using the same priority as was used to send them in.

What are your shipping policies for non-warranty repairs and parts?

Parts orders ship Fed Ex ground unless otherwise specified at time of order.

My clock display is no longer illuminating. What can I do?

This can happen with one particular clock/timer module in use in some Wheatstone consoles. This clock/timer module can be identified by the presence of a large green electrolytic capacitor and two adjacent four position dipswitch assemblies. With the console power on, locate the four position dipswitch labeled SW3. Locate position 2 of that switch. Turn the switch on, leave it on for one or two seconds, then turn it back off again. The clock should now be blinking 12:00:00, awaiting the normal time set procedure.

end faq

What type of wire do you recommend for analog and digital audio?

Any modern installation will benefit by using digital audio wire exclusively for all analog and digital connections. Cable designed for digital audio has low capacitance, tight twist tolerances, and provides superior performance compared to analog cable.

What gauge of wire should I use with my D-sub 25 connectors?

The factory supplied crimp style AMP DB-25 mating connectors (Amp part number 1- 745496-8) are designed for 26 to 22 AWG wire.

What kind of punch blocks should I use for my digital audio installation?

We recommend Krone 50 pair termination blocks – model 6652-1-880-10.

Be sure to wire the blocks in a pattern of Pair 1 H-L-SH, Pair 2 SH-H-L, Pair 3 H-L-SH, etc., to take advantage of the built in patch and test point cables manufactured by Krone.

How do I wire an unbalanced analog output to a balanced analog input?

Wire the unbalanced Hi to the balanced Hi, unbalanced Shield to the balanced side Lo and Shield.

How do I connect an unbalanced DIGITAL (SPDIF) CD output to a balanced AES input?

We suggest using a "balun" or format converter if possible, but if not available you can try connecting the CD (+) to AES in HI (+), connect CD (-) to AES in LO(-). Leave the AES input’s Shield connected at the console/card end only. This works because all of our AES inputs are transformer coupled. The impedance is not correctly matched, but this method will work in a pinch. The AES receiver will ignore the copy protect (SCMS) bit.

How do I connect a balanced AES digital console output to an unbalanced (SPDIF) input?

You must use an external AES to SPDIF converter.

Do I need to use a telephone hybrid with the phone module?

Yes. Phone modules are designed to interface via balanced analog line level connections to an external telephone hybrid. They are NOT intended to interface directly with the phone line. Doing so can result in damage to the console.

Where can I find phone module application information?

Please see our white paper, "Making The Connection"

How do I use the channel ON tallies from my three mic channels to make my ON Air light come on whenever any of three mics are on?

To do it this way with some consoles you need to add diodes in what is commonly called a wired-OR configuration. The orientation of the diodes will depend on the polarity of components and/or voltages in the external circuitry. But this is generally not necessary. On most of our consoles you can set the CR mute function for the desired mic channels and then wire your ON AIR light to the console’s ON AIR TALLY output, following the console-specific instructions as outlined in the console’s manual.

What is the logic output port topology? Open collector? Relay contact?

Actually, neither. Almost all logic port outputs use a solid state switch, LH1522 or equivalent. This solid state switch works like a contact closure with about 10 ohms of resistance. It is also bi-directional, but we recommend that you wire ground side signals to the (–) terminals to keep the documentation and wired polarity consistent. You can switch a positive or negative voltage but be aware of the potential for dropping too much voltage across the 10 ohm resistance of the solid state switch and limit current to less than 100mA.

What is the logic input port topology?

All logic input ports are the photo diode side of a solid state switch. Logic inputs have a built in current limiting resistor that allows them to be controlled from +5 to +12vDC. Connect the external voltage to the (+) terminal and externally switch the ground side to activate the input.

Do I need to use an external DC power supply when wiring logic connections?

In most cases the answer is yes. Logic circuits are opto-isolated for maximum protection. Certain products, like the Wheatnet IP SAT and the Micro-Sat, do supply +5v and Ground.

What kind of “wall-wart” should I use to provide power to the logic inputs?

You can use an external “wall-wart” type DC power supply in the +5 to 12VDC range. Select a current rating based on the number of switches and LED’s (allow 10-15mA each). In most cases it makes sense to jumper the positive (+) side of the supply to all of the logic Input pins right at a punch block. Then externally switch the ground side of the “wall-wart” to the negative (-) logic Input port to activate it. Same with logic outputs, switch the GND side of the external supply. You can switch a positive or negative voltage but be aware of the potential for dropping too much voltage across the 10 ohm resistance of the solid state switch and limit current to less than 100mA.

What size UPS should I buy for my console?

See the suggested UPS rating for your Wheatstone product as shown in the table below. Note that these ratings are based on the maximum configuration for the product. Your product may be short loaded or draw less power than shown in the table.

end faq

XPoint is not connecting. What should I look for?

When you start XPoint it will try to connect to the IP address associated with the Tier currently pointed to in the Tier ID field of the Configure>AdvXP Setup form. Check that XPoint is pointing to the correct Tier by selecting Configure-AdvXPSetup from the XPoint menu and making sure that the Tier ID is set to 1.

Check that your PC’s IP address is on the same subnet as the Bridge or WheatNet. For example, if your Bridge is at 192.168.1.160 then your PC must be on 192.168.1.xxx.

How do I change the IP address of my Bridge router?

There are two ways to accomplish this:

If you are comfortable using FTP then FTP to the router’s Tier1 IP address and edit the XP_net.txt file as required using Notepad or any basic text editor. Do not edit in Word or Word Pad. Do not add spaces or modify the format of the file. When you are finished, upload the file back to the router and re-boot.

You can also use Wheatstone’s WsNetServer application to automatically find the router. Edit as required, and when you click OK you will be prompted to re-boot the router. Leave WsNetServer open until the router is re-booted.

How do I change the IP address of my surface?

There are two ways to accomplish this:

If you are comfortable using FTP then FTP to the surface’s IP address and edit the xx_net.txt file (where xx will match the surface type) as required using Notepad or any basic text editor. Do not edit in Word or Word Pad. Do not add spaces or modify the format of the file. When you are finished, upload the file back to the surface and re-boot.

You can also use Wheatstone’s WsNetServer application to automatically find the surface. Edit as required, and when you click OK you will be prompted to re-boot the surface. Leave WsNetServer open until the surface is re-booted.

What kind of Ethernet switch do I need for a Bridge or WheatNet Bridge TDM Systems?

Bridge systems use a 100BTX Ethernet network. Primary traffic types are TCP, UDP, and FTP. Most small to medium systems (<10 surfaces) work well connected to a simple unmanaged Ethernet switch. We recommend managed switches for larger systems, especially if the system employs AoIP Ethernet audio devices.

How do I control an OnAir light when a Mic fader is turned on?

On Air lights may be controlled from any logic port output. XPoint software is used to program control functions such as this. You have to route the surface’s tally signal to a logic destination that you create from scratch. Then you use XPoint to configure VDip settings for each mic signal. See this application note for a detailed answer.

I can TAKE some sources OK, but when I try to TAKE others the source switches back after a few seconds. What’s going on?

This can happen in a Bridge system when there are inter-tier bandwidth limitations. First, the source and destination of the attempted crosspoint would have to be in different tiers for this to show up. A quick check to verify if the problem is bandwidth-related is to disconnect a crosspoint between the two tiers and then attempt the desired crosspoint again. If it can now be made, then the problem is indeed related to tier-to-tier bandwidth. Consult the factory to determine the best way to alleviate this situation.

How do I set the visibility on my XY Controller?

Use the Wheatstone application WSNetServer. See the manual for details.

How do I set the destination on my X Controller?

Use the Wheatstone application WSNetServer. See the manual for details.

What output sample rates can I use?

Wheatstone products support a selectable, fixed output sample rate of 44.1kHz or 48kHz.

Which sample rates do your input cards support?

All AES input cards are fitted with premium quality sample rate converters that accept audio source sample rates up to 96kHz. The SRC on the input will re-clock the source to the system's output sample rate.

Does audio need to be in .WAV format to play with AoIP driver?

No. The Wheatstone AoIP Driver supports any audio format that can be played by a WDM compatible sound device.

Why is my audio playing back at a slow (or fast) speed?

Check the sample rate and/or playback rate settings of the sound card. Fast or slow playback indicates a sample rate mismatch in most cases. This can be a problem if the sound card is locking to an AES reference input that differs from the sample rate that the tracks were recorded at.

Can I hot swap cards in my bridge cage?

You can hot swap any audio, logic, or DSP card. CPU and QAT cards should not be hot swapped. Most system configurations allow you to power down the Primary rack in the extremely rare event of a CPU or QAT card failure. Prudent installations should always employ a method to bypass the router for maintenance.

Can I hot swap a fader module on the surface?

Never hot swap a fader module. Control surfaces will continue to play out audio while powered down (neat, huh?) so it is very easy to power down, disconnect the panel’s single ribbon cable, connect the replacement panel, and power up.

Does logic route with Audio?

Yes, any logic signal associated with the audio signal gets routed anywhere in the system.

Is a PC required for the system to run?

No. Wheatstone products run independent of a PC. The PC is strictly used for configuration and backup purposes.

What automation vendors work with Wheatstone Bridge?

Wheatstone has partnered with many of the top automation suppliers. Refer to our partners page.

Can a source or destination signal be split into mono?

Yes. The Wheatstone Bridge, Wheatnet, and Wheatnet IP are all capable of splitting both analog and AES signals into mono without wasting any IO resources in the system.

Can a Salvo be launched based on time of day?

Yes, using the Wheatstone Event scheduling software Salvos can be scheduled, and run based on that schedule.

How do I clear the red or yellow triangle from the display on my surface?

The red triangle means that the Bridge router or WheatNet CPU has failed over to the backup CPU. Re-boot the Bridge router to clear the error flags and resume.

The yellow triangle means that the control surface primary CPU has failed over to the backup CPU. Re-boot the control surface to clear the flag and resume operating on the primary CPU.

If either triangle reappears, there is a problem on the respective CPU. Contact Wheatstone technical support.

Will audio drop out if I reboot the surface or if it crashes?

Because no audio actually passes through the control surface it can be restarted without interrupting audio output.

end faq

I added a new input card but the operators can’t see the signals. How do I fix this?

The D-5.1 saves visibility settings as part of each preset. When you add new signals they do not automatically become visible. You have to add the signals to the visibility list, take a preset on the surface, and send the visibility settings to the surface for that preset. Repeat this procedure for each preset that needs to include the new signal.

How do I control an OnAir light when a Mic fader is turned on?

On Air lights may be controlled from any logic port output. XPoint software is used to program control functions such as this. You have to route the surface’s tally signal to a logic destination that you create from scratch. Then you use XPoint to configure VDip settings for each mic signal. See this application note for a detailed answer.

How can I mute a Studio speaker when a Mic is turned on?

Studio Mutes are programmed using the Configure-VDip Settings form in XPoint. Please refer to this application note for a detailed answer.

How can I send a confidence feed (station’s Program audio) to my mix minus outputs when we are in a commercial break?

You can use a tally out of your master control switcher to control a logic input port in the Bridge router. That logic input must be mapped to a new Destination signal in XPoint and given the function CFLedAll. You can do this by right clicking on any blank Destination and opening the Modify Signal Definitions form and creating a Logic I/O Only signal. Next, in Xpoint cross-connect your newly created Destination signal to the surface’s D1Tally signal. Then cross-connect your station’s air Program (demod) or master control audio Source signal to the surface’s D1Cfeed Destination signal. Last, make sure that the REM TRIG (Remote Trigger) switch is lit on your surface to enable the automatic switching. Now whenever you go to a break the Confidence feed audio will automatically be routed to all Mix Minus outputs, and when you come back from the break the normal Mix Minus feeds will be automatically restored.

Can I connect 75ohm coax with BNC’s to your Bridge router’s AES-3 digital I/O cards?

Yes. All 22 slot Bridge racks have modular rear panels. AES I/O cards may be fitted with an 8-BNC rear panel.

How can I start an audio playback device from the surface?

Use the Modify Signal Definitions form in XPoint to add a logic output port to the audio Source signal. For detailed info please refer to this application note.

Do you support SDI and HDSDI?

A serial video de-mux card that will extract embedded AES audio from SDI or HDSDI streams is being developed. Please check with sales for ordering details.

What is Bus-Minus?

Bus Minus provides a discrete mix minus for every fader on your surface. If your surface has 24 faders, then you have 24 additional mix minus outputs! Bus minus works by automatically removing the appropriate fader’s signal from each individual Bus Minus output. What appears at a fader’s bus minus output is everything assigned to the bus – minus itself. Bus Minus output mixes for each fader appear as sources in XPoint and may be routed to any physical audio output. A software setting allows you to convert BusMinus into a Direct output system for recording or “iso” feeds.

When I "TAKE" an Event on my surface the mic gain does not change. What's wrong?

Nothing is wrong. Microphone pre-amp gain is not stored with an Event for a couple of important reasons. First, when you adjust the gain of a microphone pre-amp, you are sending control information to the actual mic pre-amp. The last gain control and phantom power messages received are stored right at the pre-amp. This is convenient when you switch between different control rooms or different sources on your mic faders.

Second, your system supports multiple control surfaces which may have access to the microphones you are using for your show. Gain is not stored in an Event to prevent the other surfaces from changing the gain of a microphone in use when they take an Event.

Which 3rd party house routers can Wheatstone talk to?

UTAH -- SC-3 or SC-4 controllers, RCP-3 Control Protocol

Grass Valley -- SMS-7K or Encore, RCP or Native protocols. Horizon, serial interface

Evertz / Quartz -- Routing Switcher Remote Control Protocol Type 1

nVision -- Router Control Protocol

Don’t see your router? Ask us to develop an interface for it.

Which 3rd party video switcher / automation systems can control the audio board (control surface)?

Currently Ross (Overdrive) and Sony (MVS series) have software tools to automate control surface fader, on/off, source selection, etc. functions. Others are in the works. Check with your video switcher manufacturer to see if they plan on supporting our Open Automation Interface.

end faq

How do I set the time of day or synchronize the clocks on my Evolution series control surfaces?

Time of day is sent to surfaces over an Ethernet network using the WSTimeSet server application. WSTimeSet pulls the time of day off the PC running it and updates surface clocks using this time. Be sure to synchronize the PC’s clock to your network’s time server. Check your Wheatstone installation CD ROM or contact technical support.

end faq

Can you tell me about your software license?

Certain software supplied by Wheatstone requires a site license to operate after a seven day trial period. You will be prompted to enter a license key after you install the software. When you buy a piece of software with a site license, it may be installed as many times on as many machines as required at that one physical site.

My trial period expired. How do I get a license key for my software?

Call (252.638.7000) or email Wheatstone Customer Support for a new key. Contact Wheatstone Sales if you need to purchase a license.

How long is my license key good for?

License keys are time sensitive and will work for seven days. Note that once you enable the software using a license key, that software will operate continuously on that machine. The software is not time sensitive, just the license key. If you re-install the software or move it to a different machine at a later date, you will need a new license key. Call (252.638.7000) or email Wheatstone Customer Support for a new key.

My AoIP driver dongle was lost or damaged. How can I get a replacement?

Call (252.638.7000) or email Wheatstone Customer Support for a new dongle.

How do I set signal visibility in PC-XY?

By default the application PC_XY includes all of the system sources, destinations, and salvos in its selection lists. To limit the visibility to a subset of the available signals, right-click on the running application and select Visibilities from the popup menu. You will be prompted for a password. Enter the password (the default is Admin) and click OK to bring up the Visibility form.

The Visibility form has three tabs, one each for Sources, Destinations, and Salvos. Each tab has two panes; the pane on the left shows all available signals, while the one on the right shows the signals that will be visible once the setting has been applied. Signals are moved between the panes by highlighting the signal(s) to move and using the central arrow buttons. If you are limiting visibility, make sure you uncheck the Select All checkbox. Please note that each of the three tabs has its own Select All setting.

When done, click OK.

I limited visibility, but the next time I started PC-XY the settings were gone and all the signals were showing again. What happened?

You left the Select All checkbox checked on one or more of the three tabs (Sources, Destinations, Salvos). The settings you made were only retained for that session.

What is WSNetServer used for?

WSNetServer serves two major functions. First is the ability to discover and change IP addresses on routers, surfaces, XY controllers, and processors. It is also used to configure signal visibility and map destinations on XY controllers and the 5200D.

Do I need to always have WSNetServer running?

No. WSNetServer is not required for normal operation. Only run it when you want to edit IP addresses or change controller settings.

How do I change the visibility on my 5200D or XYE series controller?

The WSNetServer software is used to configure the Signal Visibility, Destination mapping, and IP addressing of the Source (X) controllers on the 5200D, and also Ethernet based hardware controllers like the XYE.

How do I synchronize the time of day clocks on my surfaces in a Wheatstone Bridge system?

Time of day is sent to surfaces over an Ethernet network using the WsTimeSet server application. WsTimeSet pulls the time of day off the PC running it and updates surface clocks using this time. Be sure to synchronize the PC’s clock to your network’s time server.

Do I need to keep WsTimeSet running all the time?

Yes. WsTimeSet is a server application that must be running to keep control surface time of day clocks synchronized.

end faq

What kind of Ethernet switch do I need for a WheatNet-IP system?

The WheatNet-IP system uses a 1000BT gigabit network and requires Gigabit switches throughout. Because the Ethernet network is the backbone of audio delivery the switch you choose for this type of system is critical.

Larger, more complex systems need a more powerful switch than simple systems do. Please refer to the WheatNet-IP Switch Selection document for guidelines.

What automation vendors work with WheatNet-IP?

Wheatstone has partnered with many of the top automation suppliers. Refer to our partners page.

I understand that WheatNet-IP uses GigaBit Ethernet. Which Ethernet switch model or brand do you recommend?

The answer really depends on the size of the system you are installing. Please refer to the WheatNet-IP Switch Selection document for guidelines.

Should I leave the Wheatstone equipment on its own switch?

It is recommended that Wheatstone Bridge and WheatNet-IP products remain isolated from other networks. VLANs can be used as the isolation method if desired.

How do I backup a WheatNet-IP Blade config?

A Blade configuration can be backed up by navigating to the Config manager tab of the GUI or through the web interface.

How do I backup the configuration of a surface?

Each Control surface has an FTP server built in. Just login with an FTP client such as Filezilla and download the configuration for backup. User name and password can be found in the surface documentation.

Will audio drop out if I reboot the surface or if it crashes?

Because no audio actually passes through the control surface it can be restarted without interrupting audio output.

Can a WheatNet-IP system be connected at 100MB?

No. A WheatNet-IP system uses Gigabit exclusively for Audio transport.

Do I need to provide external power for logic inputs?

All logic input ports are the photo diode side of a solid state switch. Logic inputs have a built in current limiting resistor that allows them to be controlled from +5 to +12vDC. Connect the external voltage to the (+) terminal and externally switch the ground side to activate the input.

Does logic route with Audio?

Yes. Any logic signal associated with an audio signal gets routed anywhere in the system.

Is a PC required for the system to run?

No. Wheatstone products run independent of a PC. The PC is strictly used for configuration and backup purposes.

Can the surface be controlled via IP?

Yes. Wheatstone has a suite of control commands that can remotely control many of the control surface functions. Our partners have full access to this protocol suite. Contact your specific vendor for details.

Does audio need to be in .WAV format to play with the AoIP driver?

No. The Wheat-IP Driver supports any audio format that can be played by a WDM compatible sound device.

Can source and destination signals be split into mono?

Yes. The Wheatstone Bridge, Wheatnet, and WheatNet-IP are all capable of splitting both analog and AES signals into mono without wasting any IO resources in the system.

What cabling should I use? CAT5E? CAT6? Fiber?

Wheatstone products can operate on CAT5E, CAT6, or fiber. The driving factor will be distance from point to point.

Do I still need a DA in my facility?

No. Wheatstone Bridge, Wheatnet, and WheatNet-IP systems eliminate the need for Distribution Amplifiers because audio sources can be routed to any destination. Think of this as a large electronic DA.

What sample rates can I use?

Wheatstone products support system sample rates of 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz.

Why is my audio playing back at a fast (or slow) speed?

Check the sample rate. Fast or slow playback indicates a sample rate mismatch in most cases.

What sample rate can a source be?

Sample rates from 32 kHz up to 96 kHz can be used. The SRC on the input will re-clock the source to the system sample rate.

Will my control surface work with an external mouse?

Yes, many of the Wheatstone surfaces support external mice. See product specific documentation for details.

How do you set time of day on the WheatNet-IP system?

Time can be set one of two ways. The system can be synced to the GUI PC or to an NTP time server on your network.

How do you set time on a control surface in a WheatNet-IP system?

On the WheatNet-IP system, once the system time has been configured, that time is automatically sent to all surfaces on the network.

What is the maximum number of WheatNet-IP Blades in a system?

Currently the WheatNet-IP system can support 99 Blades in a single subnet configuration. If a larger system is required Wheatstone can help with the configuration.

What control surfaces can be used with the WheatNet-IP system?

Currently the WheatNet-IP system supports our Evolution series control surfaces.

end faq