Automating Show Sequences with LTC Timecode from Ableton Live

The LTC audio was a track in the Ableton set that played out on a specific LTC dedicated channel, allowing the audio to be sent and routed through the Dante network. Ableton also provided playback of stem tracks, click and cues.

The SMPTE LTC was provided via XLR from Audinate Dante AVIO 2-Channel XLR Analog Output adapter and run through a three-way XLR splitter. This allowed audio to be sent from the Ableton machine (using Dante Virtual Soundcard as the audio network interface) to be routed through the Dante network and to the lighting console. Left channel was LTC, right channel was a mono mix-down of the loops. The interface is POE powered (so make sure your switch has the ability to power devices over Ethernet!)

The console is a Nano Hog 4 (now discontinued) using a Windows PC with the Hog 4 PC software. We needed to install a timecode card into the Nano Hog 4 to allow it to receive SMPTE/LTC into the show software. Even though the Nano Hog 4 has been discontinued I was able to source this interface from a seller on eBay and install it into the free slot on the back of the console.

Make sure you know the frame-rate and sample rate of your LTC audio. We’ve standardized on 24fps, at a 48000 sample rate… but you can use whatever format you’d like as long as your lighting console is configured to receive that incoming format.

I used a three-in, one out audio splitter so that I could route audio either from the Dante network or from a local computer into the hardware of the console. When programming I would play out the LTC and audio tracks from a computer next to the console. Later when rehearsing I would switch the dial to the Dante audio input for LTC and receive the click and cues through comms.