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Many important features and optional settings are common to most source types, and some even appear for outputs. Let’s review these before continuing.
Mute switches for audio sources are located (Figure 253) just above the in the main Mixer panel. A single button may control one or two channels, as appropriate for that source.
Enabling Mute removes the sound from that source from all downstream audio mixes and outputs.
Hint: Muted sources still show signal activity on the VU meters, but levels are drawn in gray rather than full color. This is also true for sources with Follow set that are not currently audible on output.
One important exception to Mute operation involves recording:
TriCaster’s IsoCorder™ feature lets you capture audio from the mixer, or directly from ‘same number’ inputs. That is, the audio recorded with the video is taken from the matching number audio input, and routed directly to the recording module prior to most adjustments in the Audio Mixer – including Mute.
Note: Either Audio 7 or 3, depending on model, is automatically muted when Use Linear timecode (LTC) is enabled in Timecode Configuration (Section 8.4). You can un-mute it briefly to adjust signal levels, but of course you don’t want this to be audible during a live production – Solo might be useful in such cases.
Clicking the Lock button (padlock icon) at the bottom of an input group links the two Volume sliders above to each other, enabling you to adjust them in unison.
It is often useful to reduce all other audio source levels so that an important announcement can be clearly understood by the audience.
The Talk button (also known as “Talk Over”) is only shown at the bottom of input groups when the Connection Type for is set to one of the Mic options. Enabling Talk for a source (typically a microphone) reduces the output level of all other audio sources by 20dB.
Solo implementations and options vary widely in the audio industry, but broadly speaking, they provide several very useful functions. TriCaster’s Solo feature (Figure 254) offers remarkable flexibility without overly
confusing complexity.
Consider a few basic design concepts:
The Solo switch state has no impact on the audio mix(es) sent to other outputs.
Enabling Solo for a source sends its (after-fader) sound to
the Headphones output, and removes all other sources from that output.
TriCaster’s Solo feature is normally what it called ‘exclusive Solo’ (or ‘X-Or’ type). This means that enabling Solo for a given source disables all other Solo buttons.
It is possible to use what is called ‘Solo latch’, ganging multiple sources for Solo output. Hold down the Ctrl key and click additional Solo buttons to add or remove their respective audio contributions from the latched Solo group.
AUDITIONING AN AUDIO SOURCE
It can be very useful to be able to preview one or more audio sources, doing so without allowing the test sound to be audible on Program output. Typically, this need arises in connection with testing microphones or other audio sources that will be used in the production.
To audition an audio source in this manner:
1. First Mute the source, removing it from primary outputs.
2. Then enable Solo to hear it on the Headphones output.
