Signal Processing Devices vs Managed Devices

The Cognio platform breaks with the traditional concept of requiring dedicated DSP hardware that handles all signal processing, audio channels, and control. All Cognio-enabled hardware, of every type, can handle various levels of all of these functions.

Cognio DesignOps interacts with Cognio smart hardware on every level, treating audio signal processing, audio channel management, and control as independent capabilities.

Devices in a Cognio system fall into two groups: smart products (Cognio-enabled hardware) and managed devices.

Smart Products

Smart products run Cognio OS and contribute processing to the system. At launch there are two categories of smart products: smart processors and smart controllers.

Smart Processors

• Cognio C100 — A smart processing server for applications that still need a large, centralized processor, such as stadiums or very large buildings. It supports up to 384 × 384 channels of Dante, 96 channels of AEC, and 128 channels of audio playback. Like all Cognio products it provides 96 kHz signal processing, and as an enterprise server it is rack-mountable with a built-in web server, full control capabilities, and dual redundant power supplies.
• Cognio C20 — A compact but powerful smart processor, only one-third rack unit in size. It provides 64 × 64 channels of Dante, AEC, 32 channels of media playback, 8 channels of record, and USB-C audio bridging, with 96 kHz processing. It is flexible to mount (VESA, surface, or rack) and flexible to power, operating on 12 V to 28 V DC.
• Cognio C10 — A very small DSP that defines a new category of product, designed to be used in a distributed fashion with multiple DSPs in the same site file. It provides 16 channels of Dante, 2 channels of AEC, and 2 × 2 USB audio bridging, making it well suited to small and medium rooms. It is extremely compact (one-quarter rack unit), with face-mount and surface-mount options that fit behind a TV. It can be powered by PoE+ or DC, and on DC it can supply 50 W of USB-C charging.

Smart Controllers

• Cognio TC-Series touchscreens — Processing touchscreens based on the existing T-Series, upgraded with a processor that adds full DSP and a built-in control processor alongside the touchscreen. They include Dante audio networking and mount in a two-gang wall box or on a desk. Three form factors are available — 5", 7", and 10" — which differ only in screen size; their processing and other capabilities are identical, so the choice is about how much built-in control you need. They are powered by PoE+.
• Cognio W3C — A smart remote. It does not have enough processing for audio DSP, but it is a full control processor with a built-in web server, the ability to run drivers, and third-party control. It is ideal in small huddle spaces where appliances such as a soundbar or TV handle the audio, but you still want general control of the space, including one-button preset recall and wall-controlled volume, with no other hardware required.

Managed Devices

At launch, Cognio's expander and endpoint products are not yet smart-enabled (this is on the roadmap). These are called managed devices.

Managed devices can be made by Symetrix or by third parties. They do not have the same level of distributed processing and intelligence as Cognio-enabled hardware. They support full Dante routing, full Dante control, and control processing, but they do not yet add DSP of their own.

• Symetrix managed devices include the xIO Bluetooth, xIO XLR, and xIO expander endpoints, and W-Series remote controllers. The wall-mounted XLR and Bluetooth endpoints in particular represent best-in-class products.
• Symetrix and third-party managed devices must be managed by a Cognio smart hardware system, such as a TC-Series touchscreen or a C10, C20, or C100 processor.

Cognio DesignOps handles the configuration, programming, and control of managed devices through Cognio smart hardware.