Status (MPA-Q Series)

This topic covers the Status component for the MPA-Q network amplifiers.

Tip: For additional properties that are not listed, refer to the Properties Panel help topic for more information.

Q-SYS MPA-Q Amplifier Properties

Is Network Redundant

Selecting Yes allows a device to maintain network connectivity even if one network path fails. If a network problem occurs, the secondary network takes over automatically.

Channel Configuration

Select the configuration needed for your venue.

Note: Eight-channel models have two sets of four channels for configuration (A B C D) and (E F G H).

  • 4 Channel, A B C D
  • 3 Channel, A B C+D Bridged
  • 3 Channel, A+B Bridged C D
  • 2 Channel, A+B Bridged C+D Bridged

Channel configurations are as follows: 

  • Space between letters (A B C D) = single channels,
  • "+" between letters (A+B) = bridged.

When you make your selection, then run the design, the configuration is made available to the amplifier. Follow the instructions on the amplifier display.

Standalone Mode

Off – Turns Standalone Mode off.

One-to-one – Each audio input is routed to its corresponding output Ch1 – Output A, Ch2 – Output B, Ch3 – Output C, Ch4 – Output D.

One-to-all – Input Channel 1 is routed to all outputs.

Note: See the Standalone section below for details.

The controls for the Amplifier Status component, listed below, are divided into sections to match the Control Panel sections.

Amplifier Status

ID

When the ID/Identify button, in Status component, the Configurator's Network Configuration, or on the physical hardware is pressed, the ID buttons in all three places blink to easily identify hardware with the software.

The indicators will flash for 5 minutes unless you stop them by pressing any one of the buttons.

Status LED 

This LED changes color to indicate the current status of the amplifier. See Status for the meanings of the various colors.

Status

Component status is conveyed with the Status LED and Status box, which uses both color and text to indicate the current condition:

  • OK: The device is functioning normally.
  • Initializing: The device is in the process of a firmware, patch, or configuration update, or the design is starting.
  • Compromised: The device is functioning, but a non-fatal problem exists. Refer to the Status box for details.
  • Missing: The device cannot be discovered.
  • Fault: The device is malfunctioning or is not properly configured. Refer to the Status box for details.
  • Unknown: This status appears during a Core reboot (for example, during a firmware update), or when a design is being uploaded to the Core and before it has started running.
  • Not Present: If applicable to the device, this status appears when the device is not connected to the network and its Is Required component property is set to 'No'. This status also appears if the device component's Dynamically Paired property is set to 'Yes', pairing has not been assigned in Core Manager, and the device component's Is Required property is set to 'Yes'. See Dynamic Pairing.

Temperature

Indicates the current power supply unit (PSU) temperature in Centigrade.

Details

You must set Verbose in the unit's Properties to "Yes" in order to see this field.

Text indicating the Details of any errors occurring with the amplifier. The information in this field is updated regularly and is cumulative. An item is displayed only when the value is not zero. If there are values associated with these, call Support.

fpga_fifo_error

sequence_error

recv_fifo_error

xmit_task_early

xmit_fifo_error

xmit_task_late

recv_dma_error

xmit_task_error

xmit_dma_error

xmit_overrun

sync_error

clock_sync_loss

Reset Details

Click this button to reset the information in the Details field to zero.

Network

Clock Master

LED indicating if the Core is the Master Clock for the Q-SYS system or not. The Core can be the Master Clock even if the clock is synchronized to an external clock.

Grandmaster

Displays either the Q-SYS Core processor name or the PTP Clock GUID. Note that:

  • There can only be one Grandmaster for a Q-SYS design (for all LAN interfaces of the device). It is possible for Q-SYS to resolve to a PTP Grandmaster present on LAN B, if enabled and present.
  • If available, the Core Name is displayed instead of the raw PTP clock GUID. (The Core Name is not available in some clocking topologies – for example, when a higher priority boundary clock between systems is present or with some Software Dante configurations, as when the Core syncs indirectly to another device via Software Dante’s boundary clock.)
  • A PTP Clock GUID can look similar to a MAC address, but is not the same and may not be related to a device’s actual MAC address.
  • If the PTP Clock GUID is derived from a MAC address (whether a Q-SYS Core processor or third-party device), it can be any MAC address on that device (any LAN interface, including those without a network connection).

PTPv1 (Dante)

Used specifically for Dante audio networking integration within the Q-SYS ecosystem

Clock Offset

Indicates how much of an offset exists, in microseconds, between the device and the network Grandmaster.

Parent Port

The clock Parent Port is the device and interface name to which the device is syncing. Typically, this is the Grandmaster.

LAN A and/or B

Link

When the LED is lit, it means the interface is "UP," signifying that the network connection is active and functioning properly. Conversely, when the LED is not illuminated, it indicates that the interface is "DOWN," suggesting that there may be issues with the network connection.

IP Address

Displays the IP Address the Core is connected to.

Mode

Determines how device operates within the network environment.

Auto: The network interface automatically negotiates it settings with the network infrastructure.

Static: The network interface's settings are manually configured by the user, including the IP address, subnet mask, gateway, and other parameters.

Off: Disables the network interface, preventing it from sending or receiving network traffic.

Speed

Refers to the data transfer rate supported by a network interface or connection. Speed indicates the transfer rate of megabits per second (Mbps).

PTPv2 State

Refers to the operational state or role of a network device or interface.

Passive: A device in the passive state is not actively transmitting or receiving data.

Slave: A device in the slave state is subordinate to another device, known as the master.

Master: A device in the master state holds authority or control over one or more slave devices in a network.

Uncalibrated: The uncalibrated state indicates a transition state between modes.

Audio Streams

To see both input and output Audio Streams information, you must have audio passing both directions.

Input OK 

LED indicating the status of the Input Audio Stream for LAN A or LAN B.

Suppress button

If the "Is Network Redundant" property is set to 'Yes', but the redundant network is not connected, an error is displayed. This button suppresses the error caused by LAN B not being connected.

Input Details

Text indicating the details of the status of the amplifier Input Audio Stream for LAN A and LAN B. The information in this field is updated regularly and is displayed as running totals. An item is displayed only when the value is not zero.

id

connected

dscp

accept_count

drop_count

missing_count

duplicate_count

on_time

too_late

pt_mismatch

size_mismatch

Output OK 

LED indicating the status of the Output Audio Stream for LAN A or LAN B.

Output Details

Text indicating the details of the status of the amplifier Output Audio Stream for LAN A and LAN B. The information in this field is updated regularly and is displayed as running totals. An item is displayed only when the value is not zero.

id

connected

dscp

accept_count

drop_count

missing_count

duplicate_count

on_time

too_late

pt_mismatch

size_mismatch
Notes:
In Input and Output Audio Streams, accept_count should be equivalent to the on_time packets. This value is expected to be non-zero.
The units are 16 samples, so accept_count should go up by 3000 per second.
too_late indicates clock sync problems. If Clock Offset is larger than a single digit, check the QoS configuration on the switches for the clock traffic (the highest priority DSCP). If too_late is not zero but the Clock Offset is zero or very small, check the QoS configuration on the switches for audio traffic (the second highest priority DSCP).
missing_count could mean network problems such as bad cables, check the CRC error counters for the switches.

Pin Name

Value

String

Position

Pins Available

Clock Grandmaster Name

Text field - Name of the Clock Grandmaster

 

Clock Offset From Master

–

0 ms to n ms

–

Output

Clock Parent Port Name

 Text field - Name of the Parent Port Output

Amplifier Status

0

1

2

3

4

OK (green)

Compromised (orange)

Fault (red)

Unknown (red)

Updating (blue)

0

0.250

0.500

0.750

1.00

Output

Details2

Text field - Details of the current amp status.

 Output

Identify

0

1

false

true

0

1

Input / Output

LAN A Input Stream Details2

Text Field

 Output

LAN B Input Stream Details1 2

 Text Field Output

LAN A Input Stream OK

0

1

false

true

0

1

Output

LAN B Input Stream OK1

0

1

false

true

0

1

Output

LAN A Output Stream Details2

 Text Field Output

LAN B Output Stream Details1 2

 Text Field Output

LAN A Output Stream OK

0

1

false

true

0

1

Output

LAN B Output Stream OK1

0

1

false

true

0

1

Output

LAN B Suppress1

0

1

false

true

0

1

 Input / Output

Reset Details2

trigger

Input / Output
1. When "Is Network Redundant" is set to "Yes"
2. When " Verbose" is set to "Yes"

Standalone Mode provides the capability to connect the inputs of an amplifier to the outputs when connection to the Core is lost. In addition you can boot the amplifier without a connection to the Core.

Two ways to engage the Standalone Mode. For either way you must enable the Standalone Mode in the Q-SYS Designer Properties for the amplifier.

  1. Amplifier Loses Network Connection to the Core:
    1. When connection to the Core is lost, audio is interrupted, and the amplifier counts down the number of seconds (15-60) specified in the amplifier's Properties in the Q-SYS design.
    2. After the timeout period, the inputs of the amplifier are sent directly to the outputs either one-to-one (each input goes to its corresponding output), or one-to-all (one input goes to all the outputs). While in Standalone mode, the front panel display of the amplifier displays OK in the Status field.
    3. When the connection to the Core is restored, the original audio streams are restored. There will be a short drop in audio while the amplifier is re-initialized.
  2. Boot the Amplifier Without a Connection to the Core
    1. The amplifier waits 10 seconds to determine if the connection to the Core can be made.
    2. The amplifier then launches the last design run if it had the Standalone Mode enabled. During this time, the amplifier front-panel Status field displays OK, and the Design field displays "Stand-alone".
    3. When the amplifier re-connects to the Core, the Core pushes the design to the amplifier and the original audio is restored. There is a short loss of audio while the amplifier is initialized.

Note: Standalone Mode is not supported by CXD-Qn, CX-Qn, and DPA-Qn series amplifiers. Qn series amplifiers only support network connectivity and do not have line inputs.