Help Your Audio Find its Path with Pathfinder Core PRO Routing Control!
The Telos Alliance announced this week that we are now shipping the Axia Pathfinder Core PRO Routing Control and Facility Management Appliance. So what is Axia Pathfinder Core PRO? It's everything Axia learned in the 10 years since launching the Pathfinder family of software wrapped up in one appliance that frees you from your PC while providing sophisticated, yet streamlined controls.
Need to know more? Find the path to more detailed information right here with these quick FAQs.
How is Pathfinder Core PRO Routing Control Appliance different from the Pathfinder software offerings from Axia?
Pathfinder Core PRO is a completely new product. It’s the second-generation of Livewire control ideal for stations that want reliable, redundant, system-wide routing control that is independent of a PC. It has several exclusive new features, like a new graphical web user interface with real-time state reporting, all in a 2RU appliance. But the real star of the show is the new Logic Flows events system, which uses a graphical flow-chart style that allows users to create, manipulate, and monitor events easily, with real-time state reporting. This is a dramatic improvement over the 'Stack Events' system used in Pathfinder software. Generally speaking, Pathfinder Core PRO is easier to use, with more sophisticated and streamlined routing control over previous iterations.
Is Pathfinder required to run my Axia network?
No, Axia networks are self-contained routing and mixing systems that don’t require any external control. However, if you want to automate your routing switcher, with preset scene changes, conditional routing changes, or scheduled route changes, Pathfinder will satisfy your needs.
Why would I need routing automation?
Pathfinder Core PRO lets you consolidate control of your network operations, bringing all of your equipment together under one simple interface to create the most flexible workflows imaginable. It takes all of your Axia nodes and equipment and presents them as if they were a traditional single router, so you don’t need to jump from place to place to see and manipulate your facility’s routing infrastructure.
Can I trigger routing changes from studio consoles?
Yes. There are a variety of drop-in modules for our popular Axia Fusion consoles that you can use to change single routes, or execute predefined salvos based on time-of-day or GPIO. Rack-mount panels make it convenient to map Pathfinder routing commands to hardware buttons located elsewhere, too — like your TOC, engineering office, or communications room.
If I have Pathfinder sofware, can I upgrade to Pathfinder Core PRO appliance?
Pathfinder Core Pro is an all new platform with an entirely new code base, so this is not considered an upgrade for existing users. While we're happy for folks to move to this new platform, it comes with some effort as you will have to manually rewrite your existing Pathfinder database in the new unit. Because of the drastic changes under the hood there is no practical way to import an existing config into the new unit. That said, what we advise for people looking to invest in Patfhinder Core PRO is to install the new platform and start writing commands to the new system while leaving your current system in place. So your migration can be at your own pace as the two versions can coexist with no issues. In fact, some customers are talking about not decommissioning their current Windows servers and just adding events to the new system.
Can Pathfinder Core PRO sense dead air?
Yes, there’s a Silence Detect function, including Silence, Audio Presence, and Clipping on Axia sources and destinations. With it, you can pick any audio stream in your network—say, your Program-1 output — and monitor it for signal loss. Once your “silence” condition is met, Pathfinder can take action by switching to a different audio input, flashing an alert to talent, or sending you an e-mail.
Can Pathfinder react to a system command? I’m thinking about EAS activation…
Sure. You can define Logic Flows in which Pathfinder Core PRO monitors GPI channels for external commands and takes action when predefined conditions are met. So you could use a Logic Flow to watch the GPIO output of your EAS decoder, and switch your main program output, along with your HD channels, to be fed by the output of your EAS gear until the GPI is released—upon which audio inputs are returned to their normal sources. Additionally Pathfinder Core PRO provides generic Device Emulators that allow you to define custom commands to send and watch for on a TCP port. So your automation system can send any command you desire and Pathfinder Core PRO can detect that command, act upon it with any action you see fit via a Logic Flow, and reply back with another custom command. Finally, Pathfinder Core PRO provides an advanced control protocol that exposes everything you might want an outside system to control.
Does Pathfinder Core PRO support clustering, like PathfinderPRO software?
Yes. You can attach two Pathfinder Core PRO devices to your network for complete routing automation redundancy.
Does Pathfinder Core PRO support SNMP, AES70, or other protocols?
Pathfinder Core PRO supports Axia and other protocols to allow you to create highly customized workflows. As the industry is learning the importance of common tools, open protocols are becoming hot topics. Pathfinder Core PRO was designed with an open architecture to easily incorporate other protocols. Pathfinder Core PRO includes Device Emulators (protocol translators) with multi-protocol support that can be used to send and receive any data.
Pathfinder Core PRO: One appliance for all your audio routing control and management needs.
Further Reading
Want to know more about Pathfinder products? Learn more from Dan Bays, the man who developed it!
Guide Your Audio Home with Pathfinder
Telos Alliance has led the audio industry’s innovation in Broadcast Audio, Digital Mixing & Mastering, Audio Processors & Compression, Broadcast Mixing Consoles, Audio Interfaces, AoIP & VoIP for over three decades. The Telos Alliance family of products include Telos® Systems, Omnia® Audio, Axia® Audio, Linear Acoustic®, 25-Seven® Systems, Minnetonka™ Audio and Jünger Audio. Covering all ranges of Audio Applications for Radio & Television from Telos Infinity IP Intercom Systems, Jünger Audio AIXpressor Audio Processor, Omnia 11 Radio Processors, Axia Networked Quasar Broadcast Mixing Consoles and Linear Acoustic AMS Audio Quality Loudness Monitoring and 25-Seven TVC-15 Watermark Analyzer & Monitor. Telos Alliance offers audio solutions for any and every Radio, Television, Live Events, Podcast & Live Streaming Studio With Telos Alliance “Broadcast Without Limits.”