Zaxcom’s Zax-Net distributes production audio metadata wirelessly

Providing audio engineers with greater control and flexibility in managing IFB audio, time code, metadata, and remote control signals, Zaxcom’s Zax-Net, a 2.4GHz RF network used for the distribution of such data for production sound, wirelessly links the company’s Deva/Fusion digital recording IFB receivers, and compatible digital slates into a single system for audio recording and metadata distribution.

The Zax-Net signal is generated by the company’s Deva or Fusion audio recorders/mixers and broadcast via a Zaxcom IFB100 wireless transmitter on a 2.4GHz signal. IFB audio, time code, metadata and wireless remote control commands are then received by the company’s ERX series IFB receivers and TRX series digital wireless transceivers. The network can wirelessly distribute scene and take metadata for automatic display on any compatible digital slate connected to an ERX2 receiver. When the clapper is activated, the slate will automatically display the correct time code and metadata as entered through a Deva or Fusion unit and distributed via the Zax-Net networking working automatically in the background.

Zax-Net also features the (patent-pending) ability to synchronize any number of wireless transmitters for time code-referenced playback, enabling a take to be rerecorded by a Deva or Fusion unit. This will give the production sound mixer the ability to remix a take in the event that the original recording needs to be changed for any reason. As a bonus, RF interference can be eliminated in the retransmission and remix of the audio tracks.

Zax-Net is available for all current Zaxcom hardware via a free software update.