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Compatible Speaker Families#

Requirements#

A loudspeaker family is compatible with Performance AV when it meets the conditions below. The family's Revit category is not considered, and no Performance BIM loudspeaker library is required.

It is unhosted, work-plane-based or face-based. Unhosted and work-plane-based families are placed at the loudspeaker's position. Face-based families are mounted on the nearest wall, floor, ceiling or generic model, in the model or a loaded link — see Face-based loudspeakers. Families hosted to a specific element type (wall-, ceiling- or floor-hosted) are not supported.

It can be aimed. Aim is applied through the family's own parameters, one per axis, selected when the family is configured. A face-based family is aimed by its host surface; aim parameters are not supported on face-based families.

  • Horizontal (pan) — a parameter, or the rotation of the instance in the model.
  • Vertical (tilt) — a parameter.
  • Rotation (roll) — a parameter.

An axis for which the family has no parameter can be left unset; the application then does not drive that axis.

Each aim parameter is an instance parameter. A type parameter is listed by the wizard but cannot be selected, since aim varies per loudspeaker. A parameter already assigned to another axis cannot be reused.

Each aim parameter measures an angle. A parameter whose data type is Angle, or any type measurable in degrees, is accepted. A Number parameter is accepted only when it is a shared parameter; the wizard lists a non-shared Number parameter but it cannot be selected.

The application drives a shared parameter. Where the aim parameter is already a shared parameter, it is driven directly. Where it is a family parameter, the AVIXA shared parameter for that axis is added and the family parameter is associated with it by formula, so that Revit drives the family parameter from the AVIXA parameter. See AVIXA parameters.

A family parameter must not share a name with an AVIXA parameter

The association fails where the family already contains a parameter named Azimuth, Pitch or Rotation that is not the AVIXA shared parameter of that name. This occurs in some manufacturers' families. Rename the family parameter, then run Configure Speaker again.

The wizard reports the condition and names the parameter concerned rather than writing a configuration that would fail later.

Parameters added by Configure Speaker#

Configure Speaker adds two shared parameters:

Parameter Scope Contents
PAV_XLD_LABEL Instance The identity an .xld entry is matched on
PAV_XLD_CONFIG Type The aim map, which records how the family is aimed

PAV_XLD_CONFIG is written and read by the application, and is not editable. Change a family's aim configuration by running Configure Speaker on it again.

AVIXA parameters#

The application requires a shared parameter to drive each axis. Where the family already uses a shared parameter, it is driven directly and remains editable.

Where an axis is driven by a family parameter, the AVIXA shared parameter for that axis — Azimuth, Pitch or Rotation — is added, and the family parameter is associated with it by formula. The family parameter becomes read-only in the family as a result.

The parameter group the AVIXA parameters are placed in is set in Settings → Speakers.

Incompatible families#

  • A family hosted to a specific element type (wall-, ceiling- or floor-hosted).
  • A family whose aim parameters are type parameters, or are neither angles nor shared Number parameters.
  • A family containing a parameter named Azimuth, Pitch or Rotation that is not the AVIXA shared parameter of that name, until it is renamed.
  • A family whose aim is expressed through a parameter that cannot be written to, such as one driven by a formula.
  • A nested shared family whose aim resides in the nested family. Configure the family that is placed.

Arrays#

A line array modelled as individual cabinets is a set of individual instances, each with its own label and aim. A family configured with the Array type is placed and aimed as a single loudspeaker. The .xglc array-configuration format is not read. See Known limitations.