Distribution Frame - Modernization

Modernization

Distribution frames may grow to extremely large sizes. In major installations, audio distribution frames can have as many as 10,000 incoming and outgoing separate copper wires (balanced audio signals require two wires plus earth ground for each signal). Telephone signals do not use a separate earth ground wire, but some urban exchanges have about 250,000 wires on their MDF. Installing and rewiring these jumpers is a labour-intensive task, leading to attempts in the industry to devise so-called active distribution frames or Automated Main Distribution Frames. The principal issues which stand in the way of their widespread adoption are cost and reliability.

Newer digital mixing consoles can act as control points for a distribution frame or router, which can handle audio from multiple studios (even for multiple co-located radio or tv stations) at the same time. Multiple smaller frames, such as one for each studio, can be linked together with fibre-optics (which also helps eliminate ground loops), or with gigabit Ethernet. This has the advantage of not having to route dozens of feeds through walls (and sometimes floors and ceilings) to a single point.