Learning The Language

To install and troubleshoot a computer-controlled sound system, it is necessary to have a good understanding of the electrical and software requirements for the control system you are implementing. It is also worthwhile to understand the range of parameters offered by the system to ensure you have fully configured the system. However, if you wish to add more value to the system, beyond the shrink-wrapped controls provided by the manufacturer, you may need to learn a whole new language.

Many sophisticated control systems hide the code level of the programming beneath a user interface. This allows the people involved in design and implementation to carry on as though the system is simply made up of conventional audio components. However, if you wish to customize the system to suit the client's needs or wishes, then you may need to learn a new programming protocol. Most of the larger sound and AV system contractors will have people on staff who are familiar with the programming of touch panels and other serial control systems. The next level is the creation of controls that span many different manufacturer's products and are integrated into a single program on a PC. This single program often forms the interface for the operations and maintenance staff. It seems that a number of manufacturers have already selected a common language for this level of system configuration: VB (Microsoft Visual Basic).

The VB language already includes a library of many of the controls that are common to audio applications, such as faders, switches, and meters. These can be combined with the logical and hierarchical requirements of complex and interactive controls often required of sophisticated sound systems. The result is a toolbox that can be an efficient way to create new sound system configurations and controls that are very specific to the project at hand. The BASIC programming language was originally developed as an instructional tool to educate beginners in computing science. The most recent iterations of this programming language have added the object-oriented programming style of C++ to this relatively simple development tool. The end result is an extensible language that should allow the sound system designer, and those that implement the design, to learn a single all encompassing VB application that can be used again on subsequent projects. After all, the object orientation of this language provides a way to develop your own control, monitoring, or interface devices that can easily be reused.

The audio industry is too small to create and support such a vast and powerful development tool. Like many other aspects of our industry, we must ride on the coat tails of the computer industry and adapt their offerings to suit our specialized needs. We must now convince audio manufacturers not to reinvent the wheel, but rather to embrace VB as a development tool and provide the libraries necessary to allow their computer-controlled equipment to be easily integrated with other vendors using a single programming language. While we can standardize many of the protocol and hardware issues to allow a single computer to communicate with many different audio products: it is still leading us into a situation where multiple applications must be running concurrently, for all of the control and monitoring functions to be accessible. If we can now build a single application that offers the user all of these functions within a single application, we could finally realize the integration we imagined when computer control was first introduced.

Next time you are discussing the latest computer-controlled product with a manufacturer, ask him/her how you can integrate their products with other manufacturer's products to allow the end user to control and monitor everything from within a single application. If they can't offer a clean and simple solution, you may find yourself suggesting they consider VB. None of us want to be in a situation where Product A cannot be integrated into the same control interface as Product B, nor do you want to gather expertise in six different programming languages just to complete one project.

A single, well-supported programming language can be very good for business. Those that can provide the programming skills and understand the real needs of the user can offer a fully developed computer control system that will set them apart from their less savvy competitors. The result will be repeat business from clients that recognize the new levels of functionality you can provide. Then you may have to stay on top of offerings from 20 or 30 manufacturers but only one programming language.

Thanks to Steve Olszewski for the inspiration for this column.

United Entertainment Media Inc.
460 Park Avenue South, 9th Floor
New York, NY, 10016
Ph. 212-378-0400
FAX 212-378-2160

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