PowerStation.
Because there’s no such thing as too much uptime.

Meet PowerStation: the latest console advancement from Axia, the company that invented IP-Audio. From the beginning, IP-Audio networks saved broadcasters time and money by providing them with an easy way to bring together all the separate pieces of the broadcast studio – audio devices, consoles, machine control, delivery systems, routing switchers – and combine them into one flexible, easily-managed system.

PowerStation makes IP-Audio even easier to deploy by combining six separate devices — an DSP mixing engine, a console CPU and power supply, audio I/O, GPIO and an Ethernet switch – into one unit, a self-contained console engine that’s engineered – make that over-engineered – to ensure years of reliable, trouble-free service.

Our clients have always raved about the time and money saved by an Axia network. PowerStation helps save even more, dramatically streamlining studio builds: put PowerStation in your rack, connect your Axia console with just a single cable, plug in your audio devices and name your sources with the user-friendly Web interface. Add power and you’re on the air. It’s that simple!

Facts and Features

PowerStation Main is where you start, with half-a-dozen essential tools combined into one compact unit. Inside you’ll find a bulletproof mixing engine capable of handling consoles up to 40 faders, a massive power supply (with optional redundant power), machine control ports, and audio I/O, all in one box. How much audio I/O? You’ll find two Mic inputs, four Analog inputs and six outputs, two AES/EBU inputs and two outputs, four GPIO ports, each with five inputs and five outputs. And there are 16 built-in Ethernet ports with Livewire for single-cable connection of Telos phone systems, Omnia audio processors and other Axia equipment, as well as gear from an ever-expanding list of Livewire partners. And two Gigabit ports with SFP let you connect to copper or fiber networks.

If you need more I/O, simply connect a PowerStation Aux to instantly double your Mic, Analog, AES and GPIO ports. PowerStation Aux connects quickly and easily, with just one Ethernet cable and one power connector.

Speaking of power, I/O isn’t the only thing that doubles when you connect a PowerStation Aux: you also get a redundant, backup power supply with built-in switchover. Most redundant supplies protect only the console, but since PowerStation is an integrated console engine, the mixing engine, audio I/O and network switch are protected as well — a feature you’ll not find anywhere else.

Over-engineered to Axia standards.

You want your console to be more than just reliable — you want it built like a battleship. You want the absolute peace of mind that comes from knowing your gear will never let you down. So our team of obsessive console designers made sure that every part of PowerStation was chosen for its ability to give constant, uninterrupted service, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. There are no compromises: PowerStation uses only best-of-the-best components, like studio-grade mic preamps and 24-bit, 256x oversampling A/D converters, a rigid, EM-tight chassis, an ultra-reliable DSP platform (not a common PC motherboard) and a hardened power supply designed for unfailing service, even in the harshest environments.

The Standalone Network

We designed PowerStation to be the world’s first networked broadcast console that doesn’t need a network. It’s completely self-contained: it works flawlessly as part of a large network, but if you unplug its network cable, it’s completely unaffected. Think of it as an “island of reliability.”

Not only does PowerStation make it easy to build stand-alone, independent studios, it also makes it easier than ever to network them together. An exclusive new Axia feature we call Simple Networking allows up to 4 PowerStations to daisy-chain without the need for a separate switch (although you can add one to build even larger networks).

Build just one studio, or a dozen, at any pace you choose — your PowerStation network is ready to expand when you are, up to as many as 10,000 stereo channels.
 

PowerStation won dual awards at NAB! Click here to read more >>

E-I-E I/O
Finding space in the equipment racks is like living in a barnyard: too many chickens, never enough coops. So our team of obsessive designers fit an entire studio’s worth of inputs, outputs, logic and network connections – plus an advanced DSP mixing engine and a massive console power supply – into just 4 RU. There’s inputs for 2 mics, 4 analog inputs and 2 AES/EBU inputs, with 6 analog and 2 AES outputs. 4 GPI/O logic ports round things out. Want even more? Just connect the PowerStation Aux to instantly double the I/O — or plug some Axia Audio Nodes into its built-in Ethernet switch.

Click here for a full-size view >>

Redundant power redundancy.
The power supply is the heart of any broadcast equipment, right? That’s why PowerStation is hardened against failure with a super-duty power supply that sports enough amps to power an arc welder. And for those of you who like to wear a belt and suspenders, there’s even a connection for redundant auxiliary backup power – with automatic switchover, naturally – that kicks in if it’s ever needed.

Read all about it.
Want a printout for your next meeting? Download our three-page in-depth look at PowerStation.

PowerStation PDF    

Got questions? PowerStation mini-FAQ >>>

• "Why should I choose PowerStation instead of assembling a studio from discrete components?"

• "You say that I can build “stand-alone studios” with PowerStation. What do you mean? I thought Axia gear was all networked."

• "How large a console can I use with PowerStation?"

• "Do I need an external core switch to connect PowerStation studios?"

• "Some of your competitors’ gear has built-in switches. But you said that the Cisco and HP switches you specified were more powerful than any switch they could design. Now, your gear has a built-in switch. What gives?"

• "How much I/O does PowerStation MAIN have?"

• "Are you sure that’s enough I/O for an on-air studio?"

• "What if I need more I/O than is built in to PowerStation?"

• "What’s the difference between PowerStation MAIN and PowerStation AUX?"

• "Why the redundant power? Are you afraid your power supplies will fail?"

• "If the power supply were to fail in one box, would it affect any systems in the other, or is the backup truly redundant?"

• "Why are those heat sinks so big?"

• "Some of PowerStation’s Ethernet ports have PoE. Why?"

• "We just outfitted 3 studios with previous Axia gear. Is that obsolete now?"

Questions about PowerStation

"Why should I choose PowerStation instead of assembling a studio from discrete components?"

PowerStation makes studio building easier and faster. With PowerStation you don’t have to configure lots of separate components; to get a studio up and running quickly you simply connect your audio sources, name them using the Web interface, and start feeding audio. There’s not a lot of configuration to do because all the functionality of those separate components are contained in a single box, and they all talk to each other already.

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"You say that I can build 'stand-alone studios' with PowerStation. What do you mean? I thought Axia gear was all networked."

PowerStation was designed after listening carefully to clients who asked for an easy way to set up one or two independent studios. PowerStation combines audio I/O, machine logic, mix engine, console CPU, Ethernet switch and power supply (with optional power redundancy) into one fan-free box. This dramatically cuts setup time, since there’s only one piece of equipment to configure.

Consequently, you can use PowerStation to quickly build a self-contained studio that operates all by itself. Of course, if you want to connect your PowerStation studio to an IP-Audio network, you can, with one easy Ethernet connection.

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"How large a console can I use with PowerStation?"

PowerStation supports Element consoles as large as 40 faders or as small as 2 faders (and everything in between) in either single-frame or split-frame configurations.

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"Do I need an external core switch to connect PowerStation studios?"

PowerStation includes “simple networking” capabilities; you can connect up to 4 PowerStation studios together, daisy-chain style, using the network switch that’s built in — with no need for an external switch to link them. Copper Gigabit ports and SFP ports for fiber are both provided.

If you want to network more than 4 studios that are built with PowerStation, you’ll need a core switch.

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"Some of your competitors’ gear has built-in switches. But you said that the Cisco and HP switches you specified were more powerful than any switch they could design. Now, your gear has a built-in switch. What gives?"

We did say that, and we stand by it: we were comparing their TDM routers with Cisco switches. Certainly you’ll agree that the Ethernet switching core Cisco provides is more powerful than a TDM switching core.

Remember, switches located in the studio are just edge switches. They are not highly complex, since they primarily just provide access to local I/O. It’s the central core switch that does the heavy lifting of intra-facility signal routing.

We still think that Cisco and HP know more about making Ethernet switches than anyone else. That’s why we specify their equipment for Axia networks’ core switches. But our clients asked us for a one-box solution for studio I/O and switching, and we gave them what they asked for: PowerStation.

And by the way, PowerStation’s edge switches use the very same chipsets that Cisco switches do.

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"How much I/O does PowerStation MAIN have?"

PowerStation MAIN comes with 4 Analog inputs, 2 AES/EBU inputs, 2 Mic inputs with switchable Phantom power, 6 Analog outputs and 2 AES/EBU outputs. There are also 4 GPIO ports and 14 Ethernet ports for connection of Livewire-enabled audio devices.

Connecting a PowerStation AUX via Ethernet doubles the audio and logic I/O, and adds redundant power capabilities.

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"Are you sure that’s enough I/O for an on-air studio?"

Clients have been telling us that the growing number of Livewire-ready devices are helping shrink the need for conventional I/O. For instance, two dozen Livewire partners are now making profanity delay units, satellite receivers, high-end audio cards and content delivery systems that integrate with Axia networks using an Ethernet cable to transport all audio, logic and messaging. To see a list of Axia partners, visit www.AxiaAudio.com/partners/ .

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"What if I need more I/O than is built in to PowerStation?"

No problem; it’s easy to expand your I/O by adding a PowerStation AUX to any PowerStation MAIN. Of course, you can plug an Axia Audio Node into PowerStation’s Ethernet switch, too. In fact, you can connect as many as 14 Livewire devices to any PowerStation MAIN. Even your playout or production PCs (using the Livewire Audio Driver or an AudioScience Livewire sound card) can plug into the Ethernet ports on the back of each PowerStation MAIN.

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"What’s the difference between PowerStation MAIN and PowerStation AUX?"

PowerStation MAIN is the core of the studio. It contains the Mixing Engine, console CPU, audio I/O, GPIO logic ports, Ethernet switch and power supply for all these, plus the console.

PowerStation AUX connects to the MAIN using one CAT-5 cable and one power link. It instantly doubles your audio and logic I/O, and adds automatic redundant backup power too.

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"Why the redundant power? Are you afraid your power supplies will fail?"

Quite the contrary! Some folks prefer the security of redundant console power supplies, so PowerStation offers this. In fact, PowerStation’s redundant power protects not just the console, but the audio inputs, the Ethernet switch and the mix engine, further ensuring your studio’s uptime. As far as we know, no other console company provides this level of power backup.

Axia buys state-of-the-art power supplies from a company who makes OEM power supplies for Fortune 500 companies. They’re part of a family of power supplies designed for high-uptime telecom apps; designed to withstand all-weather installation at the base of cell towers in remote locations. We have the utmost confidence in these high-end components, and you can, too.

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"If the power supply were to fail in one box, would it affect any systems in the other, or is the backup truly redundant?"

The backup power is truly redundant, meaning that not only is the console power supply redundant, but power for the mixing engine, audio, logic and even the Ethernet switch is redundant as well. In short, every component in both the MAIN and AUX will continue operating if one or the other power supply quits. The switchover is seamless, too — it takes place automatically and does not affect your audio. In the case of such event, a front-panel alarm illuminates; clients using PathfinderPC can have an e-mail notification sent as well.

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"Why are those heat sinks so big?"

PowerStation is completely silent and fan-free! Those heat sinks provide convection cooling so you can rack it with the rest of your studio gear. PowerStation breathes so easily that the front-panel is cool to the touch, and the perforated front panel ensures unobstructed airflow without the need for rack spacers.

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"Some of PowerStation’s Ethernet ports have PoE. Why?"

Many new Ethernet devices use PoE (Power over Ethernet) to eliminate wall-warts or ride-along power supplies. PowerStation has PoE in anticipation of future broadcast gear that will use PoE.

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"We just outfitted 3 studios with previous Axia gear. Is that obsolete now?"

No way! PowerStation plugs right into existing Axia networks, and other Axia gear connects to and works seamlessly with PowerStation.

All Axia equipment uses standard switched Ethernet for audio and logic transport. This guarantees that our future products will always work perfectly with even the earliest Axia equipment.

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