| SMO: perfect companion for your sound cart |
Thursday 03 May, 2007 |
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| It's the last take, the good one, the end of a long shooting day. Night is here, and you, sound mixer, feel guilty as you see your assistant leaving the set, loaded with batteries and chargers, riding his old 125 motorcycle fixed with gaffer tape and adhesive gum. |
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Thanks to SMO, you won't feel guilty any more. With the SMO Smart Multi Outlet, designed and manufactured by DC Audiovisuel, no one will ever bring back home 20 kilos of batteries for recharging. If AC power is available on the set, once plugged in, SMO automatically chooses AC power as the primary source: batteries are connected at once to internal or external chargers, in a transparent way. Conversely, if AC power fails, batteries are instantly disconnected from chargers and they directly power your equipment. This battery switch-over is automatical, silent and instantaneous.
SMO is a centralised power station for professional 12 V DC powered sound equipments. As primary source, SMO uses whether a 110 to 220 V AC power supply or one of two 12 V batteries. Power input is universal, 90-260 V AC, 47-63 Hz. Battery input connectors are set on front panel, for easier handling. Currently, SMO is designed for 12 V lead batteries, 12 AH each. However, DCA workshop can, on request, adapt SMO to different capacities and different battery types.
SMO is provided with 13 V internal power supply, delivering 150 W primary power, dispatched on five outputs:
- Output #1: 13 Volts, 30 Watts (ie 2,3 A) for recorder (Cantar-X, PD-6, PD4, Deva II or IV or V, aso)
- Output #2: 15 Volts, 30 Watts (ie 2 A) for desk mixer (Sonosax SX-S, SX-ST, Cooper CS 106 or CS 108, aso)
- Output #3: 12 Volts, 20 Watts (ie 1,7 A) for radio mikes, receivers or transmitters (Audio LTD, Sennheiser, Zaxcom, Lectrosonics, aso)
- Output #4: max. 2 A, from 11 to 13 Volts depending on battery load, or on AC power connexion of SMO.
- Output #5: several available options, to be specified during SMO assembly: 12 or 15 V, 15 or 20 W (extra audio equipment); 16.5 V or 24 V, 50 or 75 W (notebook); or else, similar to #4 output, unregulated, 2 A max. (lighting, video, accessories).
These five outputs are set on rear panel, with standard XLR4F connectors. All outputs under 15 V are on pin 1 (-) and pin 4 (+). Optionnal output #5 (over 15 V) is wired between pin 1 (-) and pin 3 (+) to protect equipment unexpectedly plugged.
Output voltage is constant, whatever battery capacity (charged or discharged), or AC power presence. This assures for a very small number of interferences, audible or not, between internal powering sources. It also allows powering of reversed tension devices (Nagra type) without any risk of loop effect or short-circuit.
A sturdy low-size remote control allows setting off SMO controls to user direct view.
With remote control, it is possible to:
- turn ON or OFF each of the five outputs. As DC / DC converters are high quiescent current consuming, even with no output, it is important to turn on only necessary outputs in order to optimize system autonomy when powering from battery.
- display each output status via LED indicator switch: light off = "disabled"; green light = "ON and OK"; red light = "ON but faulty", meaning overheating, overload or short-circuit on this output gone into self protection mode (0 V).
- display AC power presence via red "AC On" LED, enabled even when SMO is off.
- display primary power supply (AC power or battery) on LCD.
- and, soon, to display on same LCD remaining battery capacity.
SMO is available for rental and for sales. |
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| For more information, please visit this related webpage. |
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