Mongoose Application: Cafetorium

RAD to DSP (or other device) via CobraNet using a Mongoose

Since we can safely assume that you've been inside an elementary school at some point in your life, we can also assume that you are familiar with those funny room combinations called "cafetoriums" – a lunch room and auditorium rolled into one. This sample application illustrates a possible Mongoose system that would serve such a space.

This cafetorium is used for school plays and other performances and functions. Audio requirements are:

• Four microphones are needed on the stage.
• Two powered speakers will be mounted high on the wall on either side of the stage.
• The school also wants the capability to make announcements from the opposite side of the room and to play background music (during lunch or prior to the beginning of a performance). They want to control this music from the back of the room, not from the stage area.

In this example, the Mongoose is a wise choice because it provides the school with tremendous flexibility and extensibility. While delivering superb sound quality in the cafetorium, it also ties in with the existing school paging system, and provides the possibility of additional functionality in the future (as new RADs are introduced).

One-line drawing for cafetorium example application

Floor plan of cafetorium example application (illustrating RAD to DSP routing)

• Two RAD1s are installed on the front of the stage. These accommodate the 4 required mics.
• Two RAD4s are installed high on the wall near the speakers. Two to four powered speakers could be plugged into these RADs.
• One RAD2 is installed to satisfy the requirement for a microphone and line input (for playing background music) at the back of the room.

This application contains a total of five RADs, therefore only one Mongoose is needed. The Mongoose is housed in a sound equipment room along with a network switch and a CobraNet DSP box that contains a microphone auto-mixer.

Shop drawing for cafetorium example application (illustrating RAD to DSP routing)

The Mongoose configuration file for this example application can be downloaded here: cafetorium.mgs. Following is a screen shot of the configuration's main window, including the routing matrix:

Configuration for Cafetorium example application (routing RADs from a single Mongoose to and from a CobraNet device)

Rane Mongoose