Crookwood Products: Digi iRou

The Digi iRou is a range of powerful digital crosspoint routers. There are 4 models available of different sizes for routing AES, SPDIF and DSD signals. The hardware control panels allow you to see or route a signal with a single button push, no menus, no scrolling, just immediate access.

 

A 16x16 Digi iRou.

 

Downloads   

• Digi iRou Sales Flyer (38K, pdf)
• Digi iRou Manual (600K, pdf)
• Digi iRou Rack and Front Panel Picture (600K, jpg)
• Digi iRou Front Panel Picture (600K, jpg)
• Digi iRou Rack Rear Panel Picture (350K, jpg)

All About the iRou   

iRou stands for Intelligent Router. The Digi iRou is a cost effective quality box for routing up to 32x32 (32 in, 32 out) digital signals.

It's based on our igloo range - the most powerful and flexible monitor/ routers available, and uses the same processing cards. By optimising the features set we've kept the price low, and the iRou's represent good value for money. If you need additional features however, the igloo's will satisfy all your needs - please call us for more details.

The iRou has all it's audio IO on multiway connectors on a 1U box, which can be mounted remotely from it's control panel. We can provide XLR breakout cables or XLR patches if you prefer them. In addition you can specify other parts from the igloo range to mount the control panels to your needs.

The hardware controllers are different from other devices, because we've set them up to allow you to see and edit your routes instinctively. You can view a route and edit it with a single button push. The system works by selecting a "view". There are 2 views that can be displayed depending on your needs: what device is feeding a given output, and what outputs are fed from what device. Once you've decided the view you want to work with, simply pushing the button for that source (destination) effects the route. It's really quick and really obvious!

Key Features   

Inputs and Outputs

• All IO is transformer balanced for complete isolation of signals from their sources or destinations.
• Each IO is properly terminated for the source (75 ohms for SPDIF and DSD, 110 ohms for AES). The terminations are jumper selectable by the user.
• Each IO is properly level adjusted (10V for AES, 1V for SPDIF, 5V for DSD). The levels are jumper selectable by the user.
• The transformers chosen have very good Common Mode rejection, ideal for digital routing.

Routing

• The input and output drivers have a very high slew rate, and are highly balanced to ensure optimum reception and transmission of signals.
• Once properly terminated, the signals are routed by traditional hi speed logic, not gate arrays or DSPs, for the lowest signal latency.
• The Logic has a bandwidth of >50MHz, easily bigger than 192k (24MHz) AES signals. This means the system can easily route all formats up to and including single wire 24 bit 192KHz AES.
• The basic routing card has 8 inputs and 8 outputs. 2 cards give you a 16x16 router, 4 cards a 32x32 router. This modularity allows you to expand the system easily.

Mechanics

• The iRou is based around a 1U 19" steel box, with no front panel controls, and multiway audio connectors on the rear panel. This "Brain" rack holds up to a 16x16 router, power supply and control processor.
• The 24x24 and 32x32 routers are housed in an additional 1U box, powered by the Brain rack above.
• A separate compact control panel is connected to the rack by a small data/power cable, and can be remotely mounted 7M (22ft) away from the rack. Further distances can be accommodated if a small, optional local power supply is used.
• The remote panel can be mounted in studio furniture or with our optional mounting kits mounted into a 4U 19" space, or into a wooden pod placed onto the worktop.
• All legends on the remote have high visibility, for easy use, and are also backlit so they can be seen equally in high or low lighting conditions.

Control

• The compact control panels have a button for each IO connection. A simple Assign button allows you to instantly view and edit the entire output routing of any source or destination. No scrolling, no menus, no messing.
• Although the router is a crosspoint, the control panel has two routing views: Selector and Distributor. The Selector view allows you to select which input drives a given output, useful for selecting an input to a monitor DA for example. The Distributor views allows you select which outputs are driven by a given input, useful for routing a playback machine to multiple record machines for example. This degree of flexibility makes the controller super fast and super obvious.
• A LCD panel shows you source selections, and helps you save and recall routing configurations into non-volatile memory.
• A  backlit film label is used to label each button (IO connection). This label is visible in poor or good light, providing excellent visibility. We can provide a MS Word template to allow you to print your own labels so you can label your panel to your needs.
• The compact panels can be mounted into studio furniture, or optionally into a 4U 19" space, or into a wooden pod, freestanding on the worktop. They are only 3cm (1.5") deep, so are very easy to fit.

Options

• Local Power Supply. The front panel is normally powered from the rack. If the rack is more than 7M (22ft) away, we recommend using a small local PSU to power the front panel separately. 
• Mounting Kits. The remote panel can be mounted into a 4u 19" space, or into a movable wooden pod placed onto the worktop. 

Technology   

We've been making remote controlled routers since 1998, and have got quiet good at them. The key to making a great audio device is the choice of circuit elements to do the work. We chose hard logic for our digital routers as the best way to route digital signals around cost effectively without degradation.

AES pulse transformers are fitted to all inputs and outputs (except SDIF routers), to provide excellent ground and common mode isolation. The receiver and transmitter circuits are similarly very symmetrical to aid good common mode action.

A parallel logic bus is used to move signals around between cards, and ensure the minimum of interference between adjacent signals.

What other design features have we got? Every element of the design has been thought about in depth, but here's a few other details:

• High quality front panel components. The switches on our front panels are high quality, log life-time parts. You can feel the difference between these parts and those on other competitor's products.
• Local Power Supply. Each routing card has it's own power regulators, spreading the load across several cards for better heat management. The local regulators also provide better power performance than one big regulator powering the whole device, as is common in most other routers.
• Intelligent control. There is a small processors on each processing card. This processing power lets us do lots of little clever things, like switching "break before make" routes to avoid conflicts.
• Wide AC power range. The iRou has been designed to work of a wide range of power supply variations. This means the iRou is less susceptible to brown outs on the mains power.
• AC Power filter. An expensive power filter is used on the power input to stop mains spikes and noise from getting into the audio.
• Modular design. The whole electronics are based on modules, making them easy to upgrade, repair, fault find and exchange.

Specifications   

Electronics

• Formats: AES, SPDIF, SDIF-3 (DSD).
• Sample Rate: PCM: 32 to 192KHz, 8-24 bits. DSD on SDIF-3.
• Eye Closure: < 0.02 UI @ 96KHz.
• Data Jitter: <0.01UI @ 96KHz

System

• Weight 4.5Kg for each unit, Brain or Worker, fully loaded with cards.
• Dimensions. 4.5Hx50Wx50D cm, for each unit, Brain or Worker.
• Boxed dimensions. 33Hx26Wx23D cm, 5.5Kg, for each unit, Brain or Worker.
• Power Requirements. 200-240V or 100-120V AC power, 50 or 60Hz, 100W

Prices   

The GBP £ prices below, are the retail price, ex VAT, FOB Crookwood. Please note that the price you pay from a dealer may be different due to carriage costs, import duties, local taxes and currency conversions. The dollar and euro prices are for information only: you should check with a dealer or with current currency rates for an accurate figure:

FAQ   

Can I route multichannel machines?

Yes. Each route is completely separate, so you can treat an 8 track machine as 4 separate routes. Alternatively, we can make the router 4,6 or 8 channels deep, so it becomes a 32x32x4 (6 or 8) router, where all 4(6 or 8) channels get routed simultaneously, with options for inter-bussing channels. This is often far cheaper and much more user friendly than going to a 64x64 router. Contact us for more details.

Can I mix AES, SPDIF Optical and DSD signals on one router?

Yes. Each input and output of each card has jumper links to set the correct levels and impedances required for each signal type. Note that however, optical inputs need to be turned into electrical signals outside the rack by our Optical converters, and that you can't route an AES or SPDIF signal to an ADAT or SDIF output and vice-versa.

Why have you got multiway connectors instead of XLRs on the rear panels?

The sheer number of IO points required means that multiway connectors are the only option. The connectors are made to the Tascam spec, so are easy to wire up. In addition we have XLR breakout options available to get you up and running quickly.

Can I upgrade the iRou if I want to go to a 32x32 in the future?

Yes! The modular nature of the igloo rack and cards, means that we can upgrade and expand your router at any point. You'll be offered a full refund on every part we can re-use in your new router configuration, so you only pay for the extra parts.

Can I control the iRou with my computer?

No! Not today. We are working on an interesting computer interface that will be available in 2005. The computer control will however be retrofitable to any iRou.

 

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Copyright Crookwood 2004. This page last updated 12/04/2005 . All manufacturers trademarks are respectfully acknowledged.
Contact Crookwood on Sales@Crookwood.com