Doc Version: 1.

32 (September 2007) © 2007 Merging Technologies

ii Quintessence User Manual © 2007 Merging Technologies

 No part of this documentation may reproduced in any form whatsoever or be stored in any
data retrieval system without prior written permission of the copyright owners.

This documentation is supplied on an as-is basis. Information contained within this

documentation is subject to change at any time without notice and must not be relied upon.

All company and product names are ™ or Registered Trademarks ® of their respective
owners. Windows XP, Windows 2000 and Windows NT are trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.

Merging Technologies makes no warranties express or implied regarding this software, its
quality, performance, merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The software is
supplied “as is” you, the purchaser, are assuming the entire risk of the results of using this
Merging Technologies software.

In no circumstances will Merging Technologies, its owners, directors, officers, employees or

agents be liable to you for any consequential, incidental or indirect loss or damages including
loss of time, loss of business, loss of profits, loss of data or similar resulting from the use of
or inability to use the Merging Technologies hardware and or software or for any defect in the
hardware software or documentation.

© Copyright Merging Technologies Inc. 2007. All rights reserved.

© 2007 Merging Technologies Quintessence User Manual iii

Table of Contents

IMPORTANT NOTICE: ..................................................................................................................................VI

STATIC DANGER NOTICE:........................................................................................................................ VI

PRODUCT REGULATORY COMPLIANCE ..................................................................................................VI

PRODUCT SAFETY COMPLIANCE ..................................................................................................................... VI
PRODUCT EMC COMPLIANCE ........................................................................................................................ VI
ELECTROMAGNETIC COMPATIBILITY NOTICES ................................................................................................. VI

ENVIRONMENTAL LIMITS ..........................................................................................................................VII

SYSTEM OFFICE ENVIRONMENT .....................................................................................................................VII

CONTACTING MERGING ...........................................................................................................................VIII

1 – INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 9
THANK YOU! ................................................................................................................................................... 9
Creativity Distilled ...................................................................................................................................... 9

2 - INSTALLATION ....................................................................................................................................... 10
POSITIONING ................................................................................................................................................ 10
Merging Quintessence AV Case Temperature Measurements .............................................................. 10

MAKING CONNECTIONS ................................................................................................................................. 10

3 – EXTERNAL FEATURES......................................................................................................................... 11
FRONT PANEL .............................................................................................................................................. 11
Power and Reset ..................................................................................................................................... 11

USB/FireWire........................................................................................................................................... 11

REAR PANEL ................................................................................................................................................ 12

Connections............................................................................................................................................. 12

Quintessence Serial Number .................................................................................................................. 12

4 – CHASSIS MODULES.............................................................................................................................. 13
Overview.................................................................................................................................................. 13

MTCHIO SYNC BOARD ................................................................................................................................ 13

INTERNAL CONNECTIONS & JUMPERS ............................................................................................................ 13
Mykerinos Connection............................................................................................................................. 14

Jumpers and Power ................................................................................................................................ 14

RS-232 connection.................................................................................................................................. 15

USB to RS-232 adapter........................................................................................................................... 16

MTCHIO PANEL CONNECTIONS .................................................................................................................... 18

FRONT PANEL USB / IEE 1394A MODULE .................................................................................................... 20
FRONT PANEL LOGO MODULE ....................................................................................................................... 21

5 – STORAGE ............................................................................................................................................... 22
HARD DISK / CD-ROM TRAYS ...................................................................................................................... 22

iv Quintessence User Manual © 2007 Merging Technologies

 Hard Disk Tray......................................................................................................................................... 22

CD / DVD / Removable Media Drives ..................................................................................................... 22

ADDING STORAGE ........................................................................................................................................ 23

6 – CARD RETENTION ................................................................................................................................ 24

7 – SAMPLE SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS .................................................................................................. 25
PYRAMIX & VCUBE SYSTEMS ....................................................................................................................... 25
LUXOR & VCUBE HD2K SYSTEMS ................................................................................................................ 25

8 – DIMENSIONS.......................................................................................................................................... 26
Pyramix & VCube weights & dimensions ................................................................................................ 26

Luxor & VCube HD2K weights & dimensions ......................................................................................... 26

9 – TROUBLESHOOTING ............................................................................................................................ 27
APPENDIX I .................................................................................................................................................. 28
MOTHERBOARD SPECIFIC NOTES .................................................................................................................. 28
RS-232 .................................................................................................................................................... 28

Tyan Thunder S2676 motherboard only ................................................................................................. 28

APPENDIX II ................................................................................................................................................. 29
LUXOR AND VCUBE HD2K SLOT CONFIGURATION ......................................................................................... 29
Luxor........................................................................................................................................................ 29

VCube HD2K ........................................................................................................................................... 29

© 2007 Merging Technologies Quintessence User Manual v

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Please read the following information very carefully before attempting any installation. Failure to comply
with the precise instructions may result in damage to your Merging hardware. Please read this entire
section of the manual carefully before installation.

STATIC DANGER NOTICE:

Please note that the Quintessence AV Chassis contains delicate electronic components that can be
damaged or even destroyed when exposed to static electricity. Take all necessary precautions not to
discharge static electricity when touching any of the AV Case connectors.

Product Regulatory Compliance

The Merging Pyramix, VCube and Luxor Chassis are designed and tested to meet the standards and
regulations listed in the following sections when configured with the workstation/server boards specified.

Product Safety Compliance

The Merging Chassis complies with the following safety requirements:

• UL 1950 – CSA 950 (US/Canada).

• EN 60 950 (European Union).
• IEC 60 950 (International).
• CE – Low Voltage Directive (73/23/EEC) (European Limits).
• EMKO-TSE (74-SEC) 207/94 (Nordics).

Product EMC Compliance

The system has been tested and verified to comply with the following EMC regulations when configured
with the workstation/server boards specified

• FCC (Class A Verification) – Radiated and Conducted Emissions (USA).

• CISPR 22, 3rd Edition (Class A) – Radiated and Conducted Emissions (International).
• EN45022 (Class A) – Radiated and Conducted Emissions (European Union).
• EN45024 (Immunity) (European Union).
• EN6100-3-2 & -3 (Power Harmonics and Fluctuation and Flicker).
• CE – EMC Directive (89/33/EEC) (European Union).

Electromagnetic Compatibility Notices

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference and (2), this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to
Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to
radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be
determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by
one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.
• Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit other than the one to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

vi Quintessence User Manual © 2007 Merging Technologies

Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the grantee of this device could void the user’s
authority to operate the equipment. The customer is responsible for ensuring compliance of the modified
product.

Only peripherals (computer input/output devices, terminals, printers, etc.) that comply with FCC Class B
limits may be attached to this computer product. Operation with noncompliant peripherals is likely to result
in interference to radio and TV reception.

All cables used to connect to peripherals must be shielded and grounded. Operation with cables,
connected to peripherals that are not shielded and grounded, may result in interference to radio and TV
reception.

Environmental Limits

System Office Environment

Parameter Limits
Operating Temperature +5 degrees C to +35 degrees C with the maximum rate of change not to exceed 10
degrees C per hour.
Non-Operating Temperature -40 degrees C to +70 degrees C
Non-Operating Humidity 95%, non-condensing @ 30 degrees C
Acoustic noise less than 40 dBA in a typical office ambient temperature (18-25 degrees C)
Operating Shock No errors with a half sine wave shock of 2G (with 11-millisecond duration).
Package Shock Operational after a free fall, 18 – 24 inch depending on the weight.
ESD 15kV per Merging Environmental Test Specification

© 2007 Merging Technologies Quintessence User Manual vii

Quintessence Warranty Information
This product is warranted to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one year from
the date of purchase. Merging Technologies, Inc. extends this Limited Warranty to the original purchaser.

In the event of a defect or failure to confirm to this Limited warranty, Merging Technologies, Inc. will repair
or replace the product without charge within sixty (60) days. In order to make a claim under this limited
warranty, the purchaser must notify Merging Technologies, Inc. or their representative in writing, of the
product failure. In this limited warranty the customer must upon Merging Technologies, Inc. request, return
the product to the place of purchase, or other local designation, for the necessary repairs to be performed.
If the consumer is not satisfied with the repair, Merging Technologies, Inc. will have the option to either
attempt a further repair, or refund the purchase price.

This warranty does not cover: (1) Products which have been subject to misuse, abuse, accident, physical
damage, neglect, exposure to fire, water or excessive changes in the climate or temperature, or operation
outside maximum rating. (2) Products on which warranty stickers or product serial numbers have been
removed, altered or rendered illegible. (3) The cost of installations, removal or reinstallation. (4) Damages
caused to any other products.

Contacting Merging
International Office:
Merging Technologies S.A.
Le Verney
CH-1070 Puidoux
Switzerland

Phone: +41 21 946 0444

Fax: +41 21 946 0445

USA:

Merging USA (Independent Audio)

43 Deerfield Road
Portland,
ME 04101-1805
United States of America

Phone: +1 (207) 773 2424

Fax: +1 (207) 773 2422

For all documentation inquiries or suggestions for improvement:

www.merging.com

viii Quintessence User Manual © 2007 Merging Technologies

1 – Introduction

Thank you!

Congratulations on your Merging Technologies Quintessence AV Chassis purchase. Quintessence is a

precision enclosure with custom interface modules for Pyramix and VCube workstations and the Luxor
Media Server and will considerably enhance the operating experience.

Creativity Distilled
Quintessence is a custom designed aluminium Chassis, with a very efficient, low-noise cooling system and
bespoke interface modules. From first acquaintance, this engineering masterpiece induces a sense of
confidence and calm, highly conducive to creativity. The softly glowing blue Pyramid of the power switch
echoes the sculpted front panel, subtle reminders of an earlier civilization’s creative expertise.

Quintessence embodies the features you should expect from a machine designed for exacting professional
environments. Cooling is efficient and quiet and there is ample space for extra hardware. Drive bays are
suspended and shock mounted. The recessed rear panel hosts a comprehensive set of studio grade
connections.

© 2007 Merging Technologies Quintessence User Manual 9

2 - Installation

Positioning

Rack spacing and airflow recommendations:

When Quintessence is to be rack-mounted, we recommend allowing one RU of blank space below the unit,
in order to allow for optimum air flow to cool the equipment.

However, in the following specific circumstances the bottom air intake can be obstructed and machines
may be stacked without the recommended blank space:

1. Machine room or rack ambient temperature is kept below 25°

2. Side air intake is kept completely free of obstacles (rack mounting rails, cables, etc.) and ample airflow
is available in the left side of the rack

3. Rear air exhaust outlets also are kept as unobstructed as possible (tidying the cabling out of the way of
PSU fan and chassis’s fans is a must) and ample air flow is available at the rear of the rack

On the other hand, in the following situations the bottom air intake should be left completely open:

4. When multiple high RPM (SCSI / FC / SATA 10’000rpm or more) hard drives are installed in the
machine

5. When a Dual Xeon machine is used for processing intensive tasks such as HD Video playback and/or
recording

So as rule of thumb, while the bottom air intake of a standard VCube / Pyramix or of a Luxor server with
external storage can, under specific conditions, be obstructed without problem, it is highly recommended
that a VCube HD2k or a Luxor server with internal storage is installed with a blank space below the unit.

In the Table below, differences between open and closed bottom air intakes are displayed in Celsius. The
sensor was placed in the centre of the chassis, immediately behind the internal hard drives.

Warning! If in any doubt when installing, please check that the internal temperature of your
machine remains within the range shown.

Merging Quintessence AV Case Temperature Measurements

Bottom Air Intake
Pyramix / VCube SD Ambient Open Closed Delta

1x SATA 120GB 23 28 34 6

Luxor / VCube HD Ambient Open Closed Delta

6 x SATA250GB 24 29 35 6

Making Connections
Note: Please ensure that the host PC and any powered network switch is switched off
before making connections to the Quintessence AV Case.

10 Quintessence User Manual © 2007 Merging Technologies

3 – External Features

Front Panel

Power and Reset

The elegant blue Merging Logo also houses the Power and Reset buttons. As shown below, the chassis’
Soft Power function is controlled by the left-hand, larger, section of the pyramid while smaller, right-hand
part is used to invoke the Reset function. Reset button illumination increases in intensity to denote hard
drive activity.

POWER & RESET

The logo glows softly when the machine is in standby. I.e. connected to the mains but in power-off mode.

USB/FireWire

Two flush mounted front-panel USB 2.0 & an IEE1394a Firewire socket provide convenient connections for
dongles, external drives or auxiliary equipment.

© 2007 Merging Technologies Quintessence User Manual 11

Rear Panel

Connections
From top to bottom and left to right:

• 4 x DB-25 slots for 4 x 8 channels of AES/EBU, SDIF or TDIF I/O installation

• Power Supply with IEC socket, voltage selector and switch
• RS-422 connector with master / slave mode switch, for machine or remote control connections.
• WordClock I/O, Video Reference Input & Video Reference Output on BNC connectors
• TimeCode “SMPTE-EBU” LTC Input and Output on XLR connectors
• PS-2 keyboard and mouse, DB-25 parallel and DB-9 Serial connectors
• Firewire / IEE1394a, Gigabit Ethernet and USB connectors and on-board audio jacks.
• 7x “PCI” mounting brackets (one populated with Graphic card)
Note: The precise content and layout will depend on the motherboard and power supply of
the specific model.

Quintessence Serial Number

The Serial number plate is located on the rear of the chassis above the power supply fan grille:

12 Quintessence User Manual © 2007 Merging Technologies

4 – Chassis modules

Overview
The MTCHIO Sync Board module, coupled with the master Mykerinos board, provides various I/O directly
to the rear of PC. The USB/FIREWIRE (IEEE1394) module extends the internal USB and Firewire
connections directly to the front panel of the PC. Finally, the LOGO module extends the motherboard
power switch, reset switch and IDE activity LED to the front panel of the PC.

MTCHIO Sync Board

(Pyramix and VCube Systems only)

(Merging Technologies CHassis Input Output)

MTCHIO stands for Merging Technologies Chassis Input and Output. (We are very fond of this name,
particularly since we discovered that in French MTCHIO pretty much means “love your puppies”. This
custom panel, located on the rear of the Merging chassis, extends the sync I/O capabilities of the
Mykerinos board with user friendly connectivity and adds some interesting new features. It has been
designed to mirror and improve all the connections found on the Mykerinos optional TC-Breakout cable.

Internal Connections & Jumpers

J2 J1 - RS-232 J3 - RS-232 J6 - Video / TC

see note Asus & USB Other to Mykerinos Master
manufacturer

JP 4& 5 JP2 JP1 JP3

see note see note see note

LTC OUT LTC In

RS-422 Video T
Switch
WordClock Video Video
I/O Ref OUT Ref IN
RS-422 Switch
Machine (up)
Controller (down)

© 2007 Merging Technologies Quintessence User Manual 13

Mykerinos Connection
• J6 – 16 pin ribbon cable to the primary (master) Mykerinos card for TimeCode and sync. In order for
the MTCHIO Sync board’s TimeCode & Video functionalities to be fully operational, it is necessary to
connect the J6 socket to the primary (TimeCode Master) Mykerinos card, with the 16 pin ribbon cable
provided. In multi-board systems, by convention, the primary Mykerinos card is the one fitted in the PCI
slot closest to the graphics adapter. Note: video termination Jumper 4 on the TimeCode Master
Mykerinos should be set to OPEN when used in conjunction with MTCHIO.)

Jumpers and Power

• JP1 – 75Ω termination for the Word clock input signal
• JP2 – 5V from the PC power supply through the Molex (J2) connector (hard disk type connector)
• JP3 – 5V from the Mykerinos board through the 16 pin ribbon cable connected to the Video/TC
header.
The internal Molex connector J2 is used to provide +12V to the rear fans through JP4 and JP5 terminals. It
also provides alternative +5V to the MTCHIO module through jumper JP2.
WARNING: Never close JP2 and JP3 at the same time.

Power and Fan Connectors

J2
JP4 JP5

• J2 Molex connector takes power from PC PSU

Detailed pinout of J2:
+12V
GND
GND
+5V

• JP4 & JP5 provide +12V to the rear panel fans of the chassis. Here is the pinout of JP4 and JP5.

+12V GND

14 Quintessence User Manual © 2007 Merging Technologies

RS-232 connection
• J1 – RS-232 connector with pinout A works with Asus and Intel on-board RS-232 connectors. This is
also the connector used with the Merging Technologies USB to RS-232 adaptor. (see below)
• J3 – RS-232 connector with pinout B is provided for compatibility with motherboards from other
manufacturers.
Note: This connector may not be available on recent revisions of the MTCHIO board.
If in any doubt, please refer to your motherboard User Manual and ensure the on board connector matches
the pinout of either J1 or J3 as shown here:

RS-232 Socket Pinouts

J1 J3
1 NC 2 RX 1 NC 2 NC
3 TX 4 NC 3 RX 4 NC
5 GND 6 NC 5 TX 6 NC
7 NC 8 NC 7 NC 8 NC
9 NC 10 NC 9 GND 10 NC

© 2007 Merging Technologies Quintessence User Manual 15

USB to RS-232 adapter
Since many modern motherboards do not have spare RS-232 headers MTCHIO is generally supplied from
the factory already connected to an on-board USB header via an included USB to RS-232 adapter and
cable.

The RS-232  USB converter transforms RS-232 signals to/from USB signals. It has been developed to
allow the MTCHIO RS-422 functionality to be retained with motherboards lacking an internal RS-232
connector. This converter is USB 2.0 compliant (12Mbps).

The RS-232  USB module must be inserted into the J1 connector.

Warning! Due to the small dimensions of the RS-232 connector, it is possible to incorrectly
insert the plug. Please ensure it is correctly aligned as in this picture:

16 Quintessence User Manual © 2007 Merging Technologies

USB to RS-232 adapter Software Installation
Where a USB to RS-232 converter is supplied, a driver is required:

1. Do not plug the 5 pin connector of the Merging Y-type USB cable into a USB port of the motherboard.
First, power on the computer and extract the drivers located on the accompanying CD to a temporary
folder. The file to extract is labelled CP210X_DRIVERS.EXE.

2. Then, plug the 5 pin connector of the Merging Y-type USB cable into a USB connector of the
motherboard. There is no need to power off the computer at this stage!

3. Windows will detect a new USB device and ask for the drivers. Choose the folder in which you have
previously extracted the file and go to the following directory:

4. ...\SiLabs\MCU\CP210x\WIN

5. Continue the installation.

6. Once the drivers are installed, Windows will detect a USB to RS-232 Bridge and ask for the drivers.
Give the same location as in point 3 and continue until the installation is complete.

7. If all is well, the blue converter LED should be ON indicating that the USB link is now fully operational.
Check in Windows Device Manager, that you can see a new COM port labelled like this: CP2102 USB
to UART Bridge Controller (COM4). Of course, the COM port number will depend on the number of
COM ports present on your computer.

© 2007 Merging Technologies Quintessence User Manual 17

MTCHIO Panel Connections
WordClock, Video Ref and LTC connections provide identical functionality to that originally offered by the
TC-BreakOut optional cable. RS-442 provides functionality originally enabled by external 3rd party RS-232
to RS-422 adapters such as an “Antona”.

Note: Please take care never to connect an (old) optional breakout cable and a MTCHIO
board to the TC Master Mykerinos at the same time.

RS – 422
This DB-9 socket is an RS422* port for connecting a machine or a controller utilizing the Sony 9-pin (P2)
protocol without having to use an external RS232 to RS422 converter. A switch, labelled to Machine and
from Controller, enables the port to be configured correctly, depending on what it is connected to. This
fully featured RS-422 connection (rather than a modified RS-232) offers direct and hassle free connection
to professional outboard equipment such as video player/recorders, workstations or remote controllers.

to Machine means that Pyramix/VCube will control an external Machine and from Controller means that
Pyramix/VCube will be controlled by an external controller.

When Pyramix/VCube controls a machine, a Machine must be created and the proper COM port**
selected in Pyramix Settings or by activating Sony 9-PIN Machine in VCube Settings. In order to achieve
proper synchronization the correct TC Source must be selected, such as External (with the correct machine
selected as Ext. TC Source), in Pyramix Settings or Ext selected in the VCube Transport Panel. Then
Pyramix/VCube can be put into Chase mode in the Transport Panel.

When Pyramix/VCube is controlled by an external 9-PIN controller, a Controller must be created in

Pyramix Settings or Sony 9-PIN Controller should be checked in VCube Settings.

Note: Remember that a single common timebase for the entire system is essential for trouble free machine
synchronization. A proper Video Reference and possibly WordClock should be distributed to all machines
to enable them to base their TimeCode calculations and derive their digital audio/video clocks from a single
common clock source. Please also see below for more about WordClock & Video Ref.

Note*: the RS-422 adapter is attached to an internal USB2 port via a dedicated USB to RS-232
adapter.

Note**: The COM Port used by RS-422 adapter will most probably be COM2 (COM1 is normally
assigned to the rear panel on-board RS-232 port). But since our RS-422 adapter now is attached to a
USB port, it may happen that Windows decides to get real fancy and decides that COM1, or COM3 !
should be the RS-422 COM Port, depending on hardware configuration.
COM ports can be identified in: My Computer > Properties > Hardware > Device Manager > Ports (Com
& LPT) and identify the following line: CP210x USB to WART Bridge Controller (COMxx). Note the
corresponding COM port listed in between the brackets and change Pyramix/VCube Settings to match.

18 Quintessence User Manual © 2007 Merging Technologies

Word Clock
The word clock connection offers a bi-directional signal flow, software controlled directly by
Pyramix/VCube. This is typically used for clocking the Mykerinos audio engine from external AV equipment
such as AD/DA converters, workstations or player/recorders. (Set Audio Synchronization Source to
WordClock in Settings) Alternatively external equipment can be clocked from the Mykerinos audio engine,
using the same connection (Set Audio Synchronization Source to Internal, or other valid clock source in
Settings)
This innovative I/O brings a more robust word clock signal capable of driving longer 75Ω impedance
cables. It has been tested on cable runs of up to 50m length.
The word clock port may be terminated on the MTCHIO board with the JP1 jumper. If this feature is used,
be sure to open the jumper JP5 located on the Mykerinos board to avoid double termination.

Tip: On multi-board systems, one or more slave Mykerinos cards can be used to send out WordClock
through their own WordClock I/O (which defaults to output) while being synchronized by the TC/Master
Mykerinos through MTCHIO’s WordClock I/O. This requires the use of (old), optional TC-Breakout cable(s).

Video Ref In and Video Ref Out

Video Ref In offers clocking of either or both the Mykerinos audio and TimeCode engines from an external
video reference signal generated by a House Sync Video generator or a video player/recorder. A switch
has been added to easily enable/disable the 75Ω termination for the incoming video signal. (Set Audio
Synchronization Source and/or TC Reference to Video in Settings)

Video Ref Out mirrors video reference signals seen at the Video Ref In connector.

Note: Please ensure that the Mykerinos on-board termination jumper JP4 is set to OPEN
when using this connector (This is factory set to open for all systems shipped in the
Quintessence AV Case. Please also refer to the Mykerinos User Manual to locate this
jumper).
LTC Out and LTC In

The LTC In connection accepts balanced signals as well as unbalanced signals. The LTC Out connection
offers a fully balanced output signal, whose gain can be remote controlled by Pyramix/VCube. LTC, stands
for Linear Time Code, it is also commonly known as SMPTE/EBU.

Minimum input voltage, in single ended mode, is 0.3Vpp

Maximum input voltage, in single ended mode, is 5.3 Vpp.
Minimum input voltage, in differential mode, 0.2 Vpp.
Maximum output voltage in differential mode is 2 Vpp with a gain adjustable directly in Pyramix in 3dB
steps.

LTC In will accept LTC TimeCode generated by equipment such as video player/recorders and
workstations. Set Pyramix/VCube to Chase in the Transport Panel and set TC Source to LTC in Settings
(Pyramix) or in the Transport Panel (VCube)

LTC Out will generate an LTC TimeCode mirroring the TimeLine’s time ruler for a 3rd party workstation or
video player/recorder to lock to. Set LTC Generator to On and adjust signal level in General Settings

Note: In order for your entire system to be accurately synchronized both the LTC “master”
and the LTC “slave” will need to also share a common clock reference such as Video Ref
and/or WordClock.

© 2007 Merging Technologies Quintessence User Manual 19

 Front Panel USB / IEE 1394a Module
This module is attached to the front panel of the Quintessence AV Chassis. It extends the following internal
signals to the front panel:
• 2 x USB
• 1 x Firewire (IEEE 1394a)

IMPORTANT: Use only the corresponding Merging supplied USB and IEE 1394 cables.
See back side of board below:

J4 J5

Internal 1394
connector to
motherboard J6 Internal USB
connector to
J8 motherboard
J7

12 V Power for
Chassis Fan 5V & 12V Power
connectors connector

The module also provides a simple means of connecting power to two hard disk fans. Connect a floppy
disk type connector from the PSU to J8 to bring +12V voltage to J6 and J7

GND
J6
+ 12V

J7
GND

+ 12V

20 Quintessence User Manual © 2007 Merging Technologies

Front Panel Logo Module
This module is attached to the front panel of the Quintessence AV Chassis. It extends the following internal
signals to the front panel:
• 1 x Power switch
• 1 x Reset switch
• 1 x IDE led
These three functions are displayed through the Merging logo (a) located on the chassis front panel. This
logo glows blue when the PC is in stand by (b) and shines brightly when the PC is ON (c). Each HD access
makes the smaller part of the Merging logo (reset) shine more brightly.

(a) (b) (c)

Internally (on the back of the logo), the module looks like this:

A triple ribbon cable is directly soldered on the pcb and provides connectivity for the motherboard power,
reset and HD activity LED headers.

Connect these three connectors as described below:

Plug the red wire side of the POWER SW connector onto the + pin of the motherboard POWER switch
header.

Plug the RESET SW connector onto the motherboard RESET switch header. The polarity is not important.

Plug the HDD LED connector onto the motherboard HDD header. The upper wire (when viewed as on the
above picture) must be connected on the + pin of the HDD header.

© 2007 Merging Technologies Quintessence User Manual 21

5 – Storage

Hard Disk / CD-ROM Trays

Quintessence has easily removable disk trays for 6 internal and 3 removable drive bays:

Hard Disk Tray

All 4x retaining screws are easily visible and accessible Hard disk tray is removed as a single unit

CD / DVD / Removable Media Drives

Media drives screws are also easily visible and accessible Media tray is removed as a single unit

22 Quintessence User Manual © 2007 Merging Technologies

Adding Storage
On large systems, (especially with multi-board Mykerinos configurations) most of the PCI 32Bit (Legacy)
bus bandwidth is needed and used by the Mykerinos cards in Pyramix & by Mykerinos & Video output
cards in VCube, so for attaching storage units dedicated to real time media record and playback, we
recommend, wherever possible, NOT using any I/O connection or PCI add-on card that will interfere with
the PCI bus bandwidth.

Determining I/O connections suitable for real time storage:

1. Go to: My Computer > Properties > Hardware > Device Manager. In the View Menu, select
Devices by connections.

2. Navigate to, Microsoft ACPI – Compliant System / PCI Bus, then open any single
node/connection until you locate the PCI Bridge where the Mykerinos cards and/or Video output
cards are listed. Any item listed here, directly sharing a PCI Bridge (or PCI-Express root port) with
Mykerinos and/or Video card, such as the 1394a adapter and SCSI card shown in the example
should be considered as non optimal for attaching storage dedicated to real time record or playback
of audio and/or video files when maximum performance is the principle criterion.

(Pyramix/VCube shown)

© 2007 Merging Technologies Quintessence User Manual 23

6 – Card Retention
A card retaining bar is supplied with the case.

The retaining bar serves two functions. It braces and strengthens the case and the retaining fingers prevent
the Mykerinos and other cards from becoming dislodged. Although the retaining bar may be safely omitted
in permanently installed systems its use is recommended in all cases and mandatory for machines
intended to be moved. E.g. hire and touring systems.

This image shows the retaining bar in situ with a card retaining finger ringed. Retaining fingers are supplied
in different lengths to suit different height cards. Limited adjustment is possible by moving the finger up or
down before tightening the retaining screw. Ideally, the plastic fingertip should be in light contact with the
card.

24 Quintessence User Manual © 2007 Merging Technologies

7 – Sample System Specifications

Pyramix & VCube Systems

(Intel DP965LT motherboard)
• Quintessence AV Case – All aluminium ultra lightweight Custom Case
• High performance Intel 965 chipset and Code 2 Duo processor
• Gigabit Ethernet, Firewire/1394a, USB 2.0 (4x rear, 2x front)
• 1 x IDE ATA-100 Parallel port supporting two devices (both used)
• 4 x Independent SATA 3Gbit/s ports (one used)
• 3 x PCI slots (32bits/33MHz)
• 3 x PCIe (PCI-Express) slots (1x)
• 1 x PCIe slot for graphics card (16x) (used)
• Dual Head fast Graphics card with 1x VGA & 1x DVI outputs
• Dual DVI / Triple SVGA / Dual SVGA + Composite/Components Graphics card options
• 40GB system drive and 120GB 7.2k RPM data drive
• Optional RAID0/1, SATA storage (up to 4 internal drives)
• 1024MB of DDR2 DIMM memory (2 x 512MB)
• DVD+/- R/RW Optical CD-DVD reader/writer unit
• Low noise processor cooling system
• 6 x 3.5” shock mount, fast removal internal drive bays
• 3 x 5.5” shock mount drive bays for optical or removable drives installation
• Filtered, hard drive heat dissipation path
• 4 x low RPM low noise system fans
• 34 dB SPL “A” Weighted of acoustic noise measured at 1m, from front*
• 38 dB SPL “A” Weighted of acoustic noise measured at 1m, from rear*
*measured in anechoic chamber, using B&K large diaphragm mic and test equipment

Luxor & VCube HD2K Systems

(Tyan Thunder S2676 motherboard)
• Quintessence AV Case – All aluminium ultra lightweight Custom Case
• Top of the range Intel Dual Xeon chipset and processor
• Gigabit Ethernet, Firewire/1394a, USB 2.0 (4 x rear, 2 x front) (VCube HD2K 1 x front)
• 2x U320 SCSI internal (optional rear connectors available for external use)
• 2 x IDE ATA-100 Parallel port supporting four devices (three used)
• 2 x Independent SATA 1.5Gbit/s ports (one used)
• 2 x PCI slots (32bits/33MHz)
• 3 x PCI-X slots (1 x 64bits/133MHz, 2 x 64bits/100MHz) on two busses
• 1 x PCIe slot for graphics card (16x) (used)
• Dual Head fast Graphics card with 1x VGA & 1x DVI outputs
• Dual DVI / Triple SVGA / Dual SVGA + Composite/Components Graphics card options
• 40GB system drive and 120GB 7.2k RPM data drive (Luxor 2 x 80GB mirrored system drive)
• Optional RAID0/1/5, SATA or SCSI storage (up to 6 drives internal, external unlimited)
• 1024MB of DDR2 DIMM memory (2 x 512MB)
• DVD+/- R/RW Optical CD-DVD reader/writer unit
• 6 x 3.5” shock mount, fast removal internal drive bays
• 3 x 5.5” shock mount drive bays for optical or removable drives installation
• Filtered, hard drive heat dissipation path
• 4 x low RPM low noise system fans
• 37 dB SPL “A” Weighted of Fan Noise measured at 1m, from front*
• 41 dB SPL “A” Weighted of Fan Noise measured at 1m, from rear*
*measured in anechoic chamber, using B&K large diaphragm mic and test equipment

Note: These sample specifications are subject to change at any time and without notice
due to the rapid pace of development.

© 2007 Merging Technologies Quintessence User Manual 25

8 – Dimensions

23.5
**597 mm
Luxor & VCube
HD2K

19.9
*507 mm
Pyramix & VCube

Pyramix & VCube weights & dimensions (*)

Installation:
Turnkey, standard configuration: 14 kg
Chassis size: mm: 507(D) x 482.6(W) x 176.7(H)
Shipping:
In shipping box, including accessories & manuals: 20.5 kg
Box size, mm: 630(D) x 630(W) x 330(H)

Luxor & VCube HD2K weights & dimensions (**)

Installation
Turnkey, standard configuration: 16 kg
Chassis size: mm: 597(D) x 482.6(W) x 176.7(H)
Shipping:
In shipping box, including accessories & manuals: 23.5 kg
Box size, mm: 730(D) x 630(W) x 330(H)

26 Quintessence User Manual © 2007 Merging Technologies

9 – Troubleshooting
How can I determine which Mykerinos board is connected to the MTCHIO panel?

By default, the Mykerinos board connected to the MTCHIO panel is the one nearest of the PC power
supply / PC Graphics card.

In a multiboard system, this board must be set as the Master for the system (check the TC checkbox in the
VS3 control Panel), in order to be able to use the connected Video or the Word clock sync capabilities.

Nothing happens when I plug a USB device into a USB connector (located either on the back or on
the front of the PC) ?

In some cases, it has been observed that a USB device (for example a mass storage device) is not always
recognized by Windows. In fact, this occurs more often with USB 2.0 high speed devices. In such
circumstances, please remove the USB key and try plugging it in again. Please note that a slow or hesitant
insertion movement could be causing this unpleasant behaviour.

My Merging Logo is not shining in a light shade of blue in power off state, what is wrong ?

Check that the power cable is properly inserted into the power connector of the motherboard. Check also
the polarity of this connection (the red line has to be on the positive pin of the motherboard power
connector).

The rear chassis fans are not working when the PC is in power on state, what is wrong ?

Check that the polarity of the red and blue wires is respected on the connector blocks JP4 and JP5 on the
MTCHIO module. Please see the picture below:

+12V : Red

GND : Blue

© 2007 Merging Technologies Quintessence User Manual 27

Appendix I

Motherboard Specific Notes

RS-232
An on-board COM header is not available on many modern motherboards including the Tyan Thunder
S2676. Therefore it is necessary to use the Merging USB – RS232 converter and reworked Y-type USB
cables.

Tyan Thunder S2676 motherboard only

(VCube HD2K only)
On this motherboard, there are only 2 on-board USB headers. This means you can only connect the USB –
RS232 converter and ONE front panel USB port. The left one is connected and the right is obscured by an
“NC” sticker.

Note: One port is connected to the USB to RS-232 module and the remaining one to the
front panel USB/1394 module.

A reworked Y-cable is used to connect the USB to RS-232 converter module and a normal
Y-type cable for the front panel module. The spare connector is retained in case the
motherboard is later upgraded to a model with more than two USB headers.

28 Quintessence User Manual © 2007 Merging Technologies

Appendix II

Luxor and VCube HD2K Slot Configuration

The following tables apply to Luxor and VCube HD machines using the Tyan Thunder S2676
motherboard.

Luxor
Luxor - Recommended Extension Slot configuration
Slot Bus Luxor SATA Luxor SCSI Luxor Fiber
1 16x PCIe Graphics Card Graphics Card Graphics Card
2 PCI32
3 PCI32
4 PCI-X 133 Network Card Network Card Network Card
5 PCI-X 100
6 PCI-X 100 SATA Raid Card Fiber Card
on board SCSI U320 A used
on board SCSI U320 B used

VCube HD2K
Vcube HD2K - Recommended Extension Slot Configuration
Vcube HD2K Vcube HD2K Vcube HD2K
Slot Bus SATA SCSI Fiber
1 16x PCIe Graphics Card Graphics Card Graphics Card
2 PCI32
3 PCI32 Audio Card Audio Card Audio Card
4 PCI-X 133 Video Card Video Card Video Card
5 PCI-X 100
6 PCI-X 100 SATA Raid Card Fiber Card
on board SCSI U320 A
on board SCSI U320 B

© 2007 Merging Technologies Quintessence User Manual 29