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As far as I understand their message, they will try to continue supply.
'There are tentative plans to continue to sell Odyssey boards and assemblies, and provide phone and email support. But these services will be on a limited basis, as long as this industry remains dormant.'
I don't think they will give their manufacturing IP to the public, but will try to operate from a much lighter base. Maybe also Sam will take a role.
Yes you are correct, they are, for now, going to continue sales and limited production. But those plans are tentative and if this current situation persists, they may decide to shut down completely. It is not looking good for anyone right now.
That's why I suggested selling the IP to interested parties to continue production.
And Sam has apparently indicated that he really wasn't interested:
Originally posted by Sam Chavez
..............I did a couple of projects with Odyssey under their brand and mine. I also competed on an auto fader jogging device to deal with different playback levels between trailers and content. They were way faster from idea to hardware than BACP so I went off in another direction. I hope something emerges as the industry will need a Skunkworks outfit to help get from here to there. If it was 20 years ago I'd take it on myself.
It is unfortunate, I would love to have seen Odyssey branch out into other fields such as A/V, live sound, broadcast, etc. as there is equipment of all kinds that can surely use their innovative interface solutions. Having worked in live sound some years ago I had many times I needed a gizmatchie to get one thing to gozinta another.
I can't think of any direct alternative to the DI6-3 for downmixing 5.1 to 2.0 for drive-in FM transmission. The only way I can think of to do that if the DI6-3 did become unavailable would be Q-Sys, and it would be hellish expensive to use a core just for that one function. You can't put any option cards in the smaller cores either, so you couldn't even combine AES input and downmixing in a single core, unless you either used one of the pricier ones, or added a DCIO (or an IOFrame with an AES input card in it).
Are you serious Leo? How about ANY mixer? Or use a JSD60 in Drive In mode (also cheaper than QSYS). It's a passive mixer so you and some resistors can make that. Ask Dave Richards...he could probably bang out an MIT version before lunch. Nothing Odyssey makes/made was hard...the key was that they DID make them, typically had good stock and were always open to making the next "fix" for what seems to be a gap in what manufacturers make and what cinemas need. The people being super great to deal with were a plus. They also responded pretty fast to how the industry needed things.
Sure, you could use a six-channels into stereo mixing desk with the gains set such that C is boosted a little higher than L and R, and the surrounds lower still. But unless you encase it in something lockable, it's vulnerable to tweakers, and you would still need to make a breakout cable to take the 5.1 analog out from whatever cinema processor you're using into XLRs for the individual channels. It's do-able, sure, but it's not a quick, easy, or end-user-idiotproof solution. Didn't know that the JSD-60 had a drive-in mode.
I wasn't suggesting that it's an insoluble problem; only that I don't know of any other off-the-shelf, set-and-forget solution currently on the market other than Q-Sys (the hardware and design for which could be configured to do the same thing).
Q-SYS...while off-the-shelf isn't configured. As for a mixer...put it in a box if you are concerned with tampering...I'm still coming in at 1/4 the cost of Q-SYS...or just use some resistors on a suitable perfboard and be done. Again, for buckets less than Q-SYS for a drive-in. I bet one or more RDL mixers could be used pretty quickly too. The Rane SM26S is still available. $300 from B&H Photo/Video. Add a 1U security cover to its face and you can hide away the controls.
Sure, you could use a six-channels into stereo mixing desk with the gains set such that C is boosted a little higher than L and R, and the surrounds lower still. But unless you encase it in something lockable, it's vulnerable to tweakers, and you would still need to make a breakout cable to take the 5.1 analog out from whatever cinema processor you're using into XLRs for the individual channels. It's do-able, sure, but it's not a quick, easy, or end-user-idiotproof solution. Didn't know that the JSD-60 had a drive-in mode.
I wasn't suggesting that it's an insoluble problem; only that I don't know of any other off-the-shelf, set-and-forget solution currently on the market other than Q-Sys (the hardware and design for which could be configured to do the same thing).
Like Steve suggested, there are quite a few 1U rack-mixers available. You can put a security panel in front of it, which come in several versions, to avoid people turning any knobs and flicking around with switches. I've been using a rack-mountable Tascam mixer for years for all kinds of general purpose mixing. It even comes with an USB interface and I think you can even disable front-panel inputs from the control software, but I'm not entirely sure.
I am wondering which of the products they've provided over he years will be missed the most if it does become unavailable?
Their products have been pretty rare here in Europe, but I've used some of their breakout boards for automation and audio. While I prefer making my own cables, their breakout boards are especially useful for temporary setups.
Where I will miss them will be in dealing with how some deal with the ADA channels. Odyssey breakout boards often had a way of isolating those two channels off so you could process them separately. So, for a DSS200 with a CP750, you could, right at the server, isolate off pair 4...send that via an Ethernet cable to an Ethernet to BNC (also supplied by Odyssey) to plug into Digital 2...Done. You could be interfaced in about the time it took to route one Ethernet cable. And even if you didn't use their boards you'd still be faced with getting that pair isolated and converted from 110-Ohm to 75-Ohm and on a BNC connector. None of it is too complicated but it sure is faster/easier with an Odyssey solution. The problem is...the DSS200 is out of production (about 5 years now) and the CP750 is too so my need on that is WAY down and, on new builds, we often just used the breakout board on the CP750 end if we had the CAT745 so it was just two Ethernet cables.
QSC, on their current processors like the DPM, for reasons I will never get, put the ADA channels on connector 2 and on pair 4 (Channels 15/16). It's absurd. They should be on channels 7/8 (pair 4 on connector A). Then, if you are wiring 5.1, pull just one cable. If wiring for 7.1, pull 2 cables (and let connector B just be on pair 2 to pick up channels 11/12). Odyssey made products to get around what I consider manufacturer mistakes. They also made products that do what manufacturers can't, with respect to meeting RFI/EMI shielding. A manufacturer has to ship a product that is shielded...which is why the DSub is a popular connector. A 3rd party can made a DSub to terminal block adapter easier than a manufacturer can essentially make a "defeat" adapter to the RFI/EMI shielding.
It may seem more expensive to use Q-Sys for a drive in situation (maybe less so now that they came out with the core nano) but if you are purchasing a transmitter that has all the built in DSP you should (in my opinion) be using because the dynamics of a motion picture soundtrack vs. what is FM "legal" is quite different that is going to be 1,500-2k plus whatever kludge you use to convert the AES to analog and downmix it to stereo it adds up. With the Q-Sys solution you can use an inexpensive (less than $200) transmitter and you gain the ability to take the bitstream (or PCM) audio right off the HDMI output of a blu-ray player.
I did a Drive In with a simple switch panel and a Core 100 and DCIO-H in a portable rack and it really works well. (One three way switch selects DCP/BLU-RAY/Non-Sync the other is Mic On/Off, The RCA's are Non-Sync in and the XLR's are Left/Right out to the transmitter. AES from the IMB and Blu-Ray HDMI are on the back)
With all of that being said I will still miss odyssey they made some great products. I was eager to adopt their DTM-V booth monitor as its a pretty inexpensive single channel booth monitor in a rackmount perfect to pair with q-sys where the channel selection is on the touch panel.
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Dargco LLC will sell the Odyssey product lines
Hello All! This is Mark Dargaignon, formerly of Odyssey Products. As you know, you can find me now at Dargco (A guttural nightmare to pronounce, I now realize...), along with the original Production Crew. Dargco is authorized to continue selling the Odyssey product lines. We are currently selling adapter boards and cable assemblies. More complex electronics will be available beginning in 2021, provided the Earth hasn't been destroyed by comets or ancient subterranean monsters caused by the finale of 2020. HOLIDAY SCHEDULE: Production will be closed from December 24 through January 3. You can still reach Dargco for technical advice via phone, text, or email. (Response time may vary) Happy Holidays to Y'all!
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Since it wasn't official yet, I didn't want to make any public announcement for another company. We have already placed an order with Dargco for a couple boards. Thanks to Mark and crew for keeping this "essential" part of our industry going!
It's indeed good to know we can still get those products if we need them. I hope it will work out for Dargco, it's a pretty challenging niche to operate in.
Since they already borrowed the Odyssey logo, maybe they can also work out to "borrow" their name. (Just a little hint. )
Great to hear Mark and the crew is back in business. I did make a final purchase of 650 related boards so if anyone is looking short term for such, BACP may have them.
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